Running Quest

You Won’t Run Barefoot

The reason so many people bristle at the idea of running without shoes on has little to do with the ickiness factor and everything to do with a story about an apple, a serpent, and a naked man and woman in a perfect world. Let me explain.

Tears of Relief

A wave of relief rolled over me with such force it spilled out my eye in the form of a tears. All of the emotions that came with 9 months of pain, agony, and finally progress rushed back to me as I exited the office building of my back doctor, head high with no pain.

Running Scared – How the barefoot running movement is driving one CEO to ruin a brand.

Trying to play to people’s fears in an effort to stop them from being informed will surely fail. Especially when research from none other than Harvard is being published. Trying to combat information with fear doesn’t work for long (one need only look at some previous US administrations to see that). Indeed, the only effective way to go up against information is with credible and convincing counter-information.

Reaching New Heights – My 3 Goals for 2010

I like new. I like new ideas, new projects, and new years. And this year is a whole lot of new. Not only is it a new year and a new decade (numerically), but it’s also a new stage in my life: I’m returning to work after nearly 8 months on disability. I’m hoping I have a new lease on life, too. I have very high expectations for this year, and decade.

Ten Fingers On Ice

Snow, ice, rocks, the smell of fresh pine, bright blue skies, soaring mountains, and the soft sound of Five Fingers running. Yep, that pretty much sums up my enjoyable Christmas Eve run in the San Gabriel Mountains between Los Angeles and Palm Springs. It was my first opportunity to run in the snow with my Vibram Five Fingers. The run was nothing short of spectacular. Well, except my toes ended up pretty much frozen after 3 miles and 1,300 feet of elevation gain.

Set Limits to Achieve Goals

Setting limits and having focus is critical in all areas of our lives, especially when it comes to running. Paradoxically, limits help us achieve our goals. They help us focus and keep us from spreading ourselves too thin. Instead of chasing numerous dreams, decide exactly what it is you want to achieve and then set limits where necessary to enable you to focus on your goals.

How I Lost My Virginity

It was a cool Saturday morning in the woods in the appropriately named town of Woodside. I was excited, but not overly – I had been practicing and training for this moment for a long, long time. In a way, I had been waiting for this day ever since I was a teenager. I spent countless days dreaming of how amazing it would feel. Especially at the end, after all of my hard work paid off.

Smoking’s a Good Habit

Yes, you heard me right, smoking is a good habit. I envy smokers. They've figured out a way to regularly take a break in their hectic lives. And it's often a social break at that. We could learn a lot from smokers.

The New Guide to Running Shoes – Incorporating “Barefoot” Shoes

Up until recently, running shoes have mainly been classified in terms of motion control, stability, and arch support. Such classification requires a whole vocabulary of words, such as neutral, pronation, and advanced. When Minimal shoes are included in the mix, though, a new classification is called for. Without more than one category for anything less than the regular, large running shoes out there, most people will remain confused and even misguided when it comes to “barefoot” running shoes.

The Runner’s Body – Workout Sheets

While I was training for the San Francisco Half Marathon earlier in 2009 I discovered a four part series of videos on the Runner’s World website titled The Runner’s Body. The videos contained explanations and examples of stretches and exercises that target various areas of the body with running in mind. Being a visual learner I needed to create cheat sheets that I could glance at to help me remember each exercise.