๐ก๐ผ ๐ข๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ผ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ป ๐ช๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฆ๐ต๐ผ๐ฒ๐
By Bob Deakin
Running has been my workout since I recovered from college 30 years ago, and barefoot running is where itโs at now: No shoes, no pavement, no osteoarthritis. As I wrote last week, I like running on grass in parks, with soccer fields the ideal choice.
What I didnโt mention is that Iโve become fodder for passersby. I run in popular areas and thus far, Iโm the only barefoot runner Iโve seen over the age of three. Some approach assuming Iโm โgroundingโ in the holistic sense, which is accurate, but not intentional.
โLook at him, heโs grounding,โ I heard recently. The young girl and her mother looked amazed, gazing at my dirty feet. I smiled knowingly, then realized what they were talking about.
Iโm a little hazy after a five-mile run, so when someone approaches to ask what Iโm doing, Iโm sometimes caught off guard. I explain that I run barefoot to extend my athletic lifetime.
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โRunning on pavement hurts. Running on grass feels good. Give it a try some time.โ
No One Cares Who You Are When You Run With Shoes
Barefoot running has been an ice-breaker. It leads to discussions about injuries, cures, vitamins, therapies, wellness, and life in general. No one cares who you are when you run with shoes.
I still lace up running shoes on occasion, out of necessity, for a race or a scenic location, but I keep it to a minimum. You run faster on pavement, bouncing over a hard surface. On grass, youโre jumping in and out of a hole with each stride, which is more difficult, but more natural.
When I run on grass I instinctively land on the forefoot. With shoes, I hit heel first even though I consciously try to avoid it. I feel better on grass and donโt have to buy $70 insoles to put in the $170 shoes. Nor do I have to pop a Naproxen for the inflammation.
Running should not curtail your running.
I always feel exhilarated after a run, but cooling down barefoot in the grass? Heaven. Sure, Iโm grounding, and I feel like the Dalai Lama until the runnerโs high wears off.
@running @barefootrunning @grounding @mindfulness @barefootrunning @barefoot @writer
