Just so everyone's clear: I'm not a runner of any kind, however I hope to be again soon. When I do, it'll be exclusively barefoot or in minimalist footwear.
A few years ago I was a casual runner whose crowning accomplishment was finishing a 5K in a little over 30 min. My buddy who was in the Army at the time ran it with no problem wearing combat boots and a rucksack. It was pretty sad, but running gave me something to do to help me feel like I was making a positive difference in my health. I ran around the circular neighborhood and the local hospital's circular track. I ran in a lot of circles. I researched a lot of shoes and GPS stuff and heart monitors and...
Eventually, I started having some issues with my left knee. It wasn't from the running, however the running aggravated it. I had injured my knee years earlier in a sledding wipeout. The pain and uncomfortableness got to be so bad that I had arthroscopic surgery to remove a good deal of scar tissue plica that had built up in the knee over the years.
After my surgery I never got back into running. I'm not totally sure why not. I could make a few guesses, though. I had moved since I first started running and there were no circular neighborhoods or tracks around. I couldn't build up the motivation to run the hilly neighborhood. I didn't have just the right shoes. I didn't have a Garmin Forerunner. I didn't have a heart monitor. I didn't have any good excuses, really.So after I started barefooting in earnest this last year, I started reading up on the positive aspects of running barefoot. I read Christopher McDougall's Born to Run. I got a pair of Vibram FiveFingers. I think I'm almost ready.
Wait. Almost?
Life's been stressful lately. With my wife having such a difficult pregnancy and us getting ready to move into our own home, I have felt this summer like I need to wait. It just seems to me that we need to get settled a bit into our new home before I set up a training schedule and begin. That should happen in early September.
I'm the type of guy that, when I start something, I need to stick with it and be consistent to see success. It's true for me when "they" say it takes 30 days to develop a habit. If I can start and devote a solid 30 days to running and starting a solid exercise regimen I'll be set. I can foresee, however, that starting that right now would be problematic. Late nights packing would lead to mornings where I want to sleep in a little longer and the cycle gets broken.
Maybe that's more excuses, but I'm the type of guy that likes to set himself up for success. Waiting a bit longer -- however jealous it makes me of all you runners -- is the best way to go.
And this time, I won't just run in circles.
When you are ready, you will run like the wind.
ReplyDeleteFor now, one step at a time. You'll do it.
Believe me, I know. I have four kids, both of us work, and with summer vacation for the kids, and a new dog, and work, I haven't been running.
So I made up my mind to just barefoot walk as much as possible (without the VFF's, if I could). Get myself ready.
The kids are back at school this week... :) and I'll be running...
As will you.
If and when you start running, just take it really easy -- short and slow. It's way too easy to overdo it initially. And most of all, have fun.
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