Ramblings on Running, Motherhood and Life...

STFU and just do it!

2012-02-02T19:47:00.000-08:00

Nope, this isn't an advert for Nike.

This is about people who think they aren't good enough. They think they aren't good enough so they never try. I really want to kick their arses!

Okay, this is coming out as a bit of a rant and that wasn't my intention.

I have had, in the past, people who never make any life changes, or take on new challenges because "they can't do it".

On Sunday I was in my long group run and I overheard (yep, I was eavesdropping, sorry!) someone say something like, "I didn't take the job because I wasn't ready for it...". I really wanted to turn around and say something, but as I wasn't meant to be listening I wasn't in a position to. Damn my fickle morality.

So this is my rant.

Never, ever think you can't do something. There are very few things in this world you can't do. Everything is possible, it's up to you to determine if you want to.

I have recently started writing a weekly article for Canadian Running Magazine. I am not a journalist. I have never taken a writing course outside of high-school. I am not even sure I am that much of a writer. However, when they asked me I said "yes". Why? If I don't say yes, then I will never know what I am capable of.

This has been the story of my life really.

In college, I took courses that I had no aptitude for. I didn't take them because I could get easy grades -- as was proven by my degree level. I took them because if I didn't, I would never know what I was capable of.

After college, I took a job for an emerging Internet provider. I was on the customer service phone-desk. I was technically on the lowest rung. Yes, I did say, "Can you switch it off and switch it back on again". A lot!

However, every 6-12 months another department would ask me to see if I wanted to join them. Each department change was for a job I did not know how to do. I said "yes" anyway because I knew that I could find out the information one way or another. Accepting that I was not going to know what I was doing meant I didn't mind asking for help. I accepted that I might fail, however, I also knew that if I tried and failed, then I would be happier than if I never tried at all.

By the time I left I was developing new country-wide networks using the newest technology available.

I know there are things I cannot "naturally" do. I will never be naturally blonde, brown-eyed or male. Doesn't mean if I did really want to do those things then I couldn't. I can buy contacts, hair dye and go to the relevant doctor.

There are some things I may like to do, but don't. Maybe I would like to run an Ultra one day. Or, maybe I would like to scale a world-famous mountain. However, I don't desire them enough to put the effort into doing them. Doesn't mean I can't and it doesn't mean I won't, it just means that at the moment I don't want to.

I suppose, deep down, this is what annoys me when people say "I can't...". You can do anything you want to. What you are really saying when you say "I can't...", is "I don't want to..." and more importantly, "I don't want to fail".

That's it really. People are scared of failing. They give up on an opportunity instead of trying and failing. They don't want to look like an idiot in front of others. Perhaps, I am on the Autistic Spectrum, because one of my strengths is that I don't care what you think of me. Not really. If you think I am an idiot, I would probably agree with you.

The fact that I don't care what people think of who I am and what I do, has meant that my life has taken a mirad of turns. I have seen places and people I never would have imagined. I have had experiences most people spend a lifetime cultivating. I have had adventures and I have proved over and over, that in most cases I am capable of anything.

Don't get me wrong. I have made mistakes -- huge ones. There have been times where I really wondered what the hell I was thinking. Yet, looking back on my life, those mistakes are overshadowed by what I have achieved.

So when I hear people say, "I can't..." I just want to turn around and shake sense into them. I want to shout at them and make them realise what sort of life they are missing, when they use, what is in fact the lamest excuse in the universe.

I want to shout, "It isn't a case of, 'you can't do this', it's a case of, 'you don't want to look like an idiot'. Well guess what? You are an idiot".

Yeah, this is a bit of a rant. It just annoys me when I think of all that wasted potential, because of peoples desire to always be the best.

Don't they realise that they may never be their best until they "Shut the Fuck Up and just do it!"?

I am just a little bit sensitive.

2012-01-27T23:01:00.001-08:00

Actually according to the allergist I saw, I am more thanjust a bit sensitive. I over-react to alot of things.

As you may be aware, I have been feeling a bit blah over thelast year or so. Always feeling tiredand as if I was coming down with a cold. I just thought it was perhaps a million reasons, one of which was that I was gettingold. That was until I had a bizarrereaction to some trail mix.

The background story is that about 3 weeks ago, I wasdriving to my local climbing gym and as it was around lunchtime I grabbed acouple snack bags of trail mix from the cupboard. Just enough to keep me going.

I was driving along quite happily, munching through mysecond packet, when my lips started to itch. My tongue felt like it was swelling and my throat felt sore. I carried on driving because I wasn’t reallysure what was happening to me. In acouple more minutes my eyes started to water and my asthma flared up. Things were going downhill rapidly.

Luckily I spied the local food store and I knew it had apharmacy, so I stopped off and picked up some anti-histamines. After about 15 minutes, the reaction had dieddown and I felt a little yucky but I was okay.

I mentioned it to the Family Doctor later that week, as Ihave never had a food allergy before and he referred me to an allergist.

The allergist did a few tests – the usual pin-pricktest and a breathing test to see how my asthma was doing. My asthma has been good for years; so much soI have only been taking the reliever when it is cold or I was planning a longrun.

After being used as a pincushion – it’s not a nice series oftests -- and lying on a massage table, looking at the floor for 15 minutes, thedoctor comes back in.

His first comment, “That’s impressive”, was quickly followedby, “and you only occasionally use Benadryl?”

I knew my back was itching, it wasn’t until he handed me thepaperwork after the appointment, I realized my whole back was a mesh of welts and redness.

It turns out that I had a severe reaction to:

Birch, Oak, Grasses, most household moulds, Dustmites (thiswas the largest and it left a welt on my back measuring 4 inches) and Cats. I had an allergic reaction to a handful of other allergens and a mild reaction to a another handful. Lots a lot of red spots on my back.

It took 2 anti-histamines, a whole whack of cortisone cream and 90 minutes before I could put my bra back on!

The tests for Nut allergies were all negative. So why did Ireact to the trail mix?

It turned out the Birch allergy was the bizarre cause. I have a strange and surprisingly commonreaction called ‘Oral Allergy Syndrome”. Usually it doesn’t produce the severe reaction I had, but it can in somecases cause Anaphylaxis shock. In layman’s terms – and I am layman in this --this meansthat the proteins in certain nuts, raw fruits and vegetables can cause anallergic reaction if eaten, but NOT on the skin prick test.

Two of the nuts (Almonds and Walnuts) that are in thisbizarre syndrome were in my trail mix. So problem solved… but then I look at the list of other foods in thissyndrome: Apples, Celery, Peaches, Cherries, Kiwi, Pears, Tomatoes, Carrot,Pea’s, Peanuts and Sunflower seeds. Letsnot forget potentially Melon, Orange, Banana, Cucumber and Cantaloupe.

The strange thing is that when the items are cooked (apartfrom Nuts and celery), I’ll be fine. It’s something to do with the protein bonds and heat. To be fair, I only have to be extra wary if Ihave had a huge reaction -- so almonds and walnuts are out. The rest I just have to be very careful with.

The thing is I have probably been suffering a mild reactionfor years. I have long cited “citric acid”as one of my allergens; thinking it was that tart, sour, taste you get withlemons and certain fruits. Seems as ifit wasn’t the acids in the fruit but the proteins. I have only really been abig nut and raw veggies eater in the last year. Who knew being healthy was badfor you?

So the yucky, ‘feel like I have a cold’ feeling may have in fact, been food allergies. In my attempt toeat better, I may have been making myself feel worse

The other issue that came to light, was that I am in a permanentasthmatic state. In fact this state hasbeen probably going on for years as well. To me I feel fine, but in reality Iam only operating at about 80% of my flow rate capacity. With relievers that figure increases to about90%, but it still way short. I neverrealized, I thought my asthma was under control. As the Doctor pointed out, I probably neverknew a different way to be. As a kid Iwas so asthmatic I was excused PT at school because I couldn’t make it to theend of the court without collapsing, short of breath.

So I asked the doctor what effects this would have when Iwas running. You guessed it, veryhigh-heart rate. So it looks like wehave an answer to my inability to do low heart rate training. My body is trying to get the oxygen it needsto make me move by letting my heart beat like crazy.

I suppose in some way, this proves anecdotally, theefficiency of good form running. If I canrun a 9 min mile for 13 miles on 80% lung efficiency, just think what mostpeople could do with good running form and 100% of their lung power.

The outcome? I have a new medication schedule for my asthma,we have to buy a decent vacuum and steam cleaner. We have trip to the store tobuy new bedding and covers. I have to abandon all time goals on my running(which is great for me), for at least 6 months. Oh, and I have to becontentious about my housework. I knewthere would have to be a serious down-side somewhere.

The last week has provided some answers. Of that, I’m glad. Just means that 2012 maybe a slower year (runningwise), than I had planned. I needed tosmell those roses anyway – although not too much, knowing my luck I am probablyallergic to them ;)

Going to learn to Chill

2012-01-24T19:03:00.000-08:00

Actually given the running conditions,
this was probably a decent photo

Last weekend I ran a 10K road race. Nothing special in that really – except forthe really cool TUTU I was wearing.

The race itself was a flat route along the Vancouver Seawallin an out and back. The weather wastypically ‘Vancouver winter’ – Ice rain with gale force winds. The second stretch of the race actuallywasn’t that pleasant.

I didn’t go into the race with any goals orexpectations. I was just going to runand see how I felt as I ran.

In the end, I ended up racing it. I think it was partly due to the fact thatthe weather was so miserable; I really wanted to get back to somewhere warm anddry. I ended up pushing myself a littleand by about 7K I was beginning to feel it.

The run wasn’t un-fun. I managed to make lots of people smile. I managed to thank all of the volunteers. I wasn’t really able to talk to the otherrunners – the race was so small that after a few minutes we were all stretchedout, so essentially I was running alone. Ienjoyed the scenery for what I could see of it. It was a shame it was such rotten weather because I would have loved totake photo’s. I did a little pirouetteat the turning point and I tried to make the run as fun as I could.

Yes I placed, but was it worth it?

I did manage to pick up a 3^rd place in my AG,which was more due to the small field and nothing to do with how quick Iwas. All wearing a TUTU ;)

The fact that I was actually running at my half marathon pace (and still dying), just goes to show how much I have lost inconditioning in the last couple of years. It hurt a little towards the end.

Regardless, of all those particulars, the race ended upbeing an experiment. I have mentioned Ihave been playing around with low-heart rate training. It hasn’t been going too well. Whenever I seemed to meet my optimal zone, Iwas really only doing a brisk walk and I could never seem to go faster than asnail. Whenever I seemed to push myself,my heart rate would shoot up to something stupid, regardless of the fact that Iseemed to be okay in myself.

So during the race, I was pushing what turned out to be a 9min mile pace (Slow I know). Looking at the statsafter I got home (because I don’t check them during the run), my heart rate wasreally high. We are talking about –apparently – 103%/200bpm+ max in some places and I never went lower than about175bpm/90+% for the entire race. Iwasn’t overly concerned as such, just mildly curious.

What was interesting was what happened afterwards.

After about 4 hours after the race finished, my throatstarted to swell, I started to feel sick and I felt rough. I was tired and achy, but not in a good way.

During that evening, I felt like I had a temperature. I was going between shivering andsweating. I went to bed early and sleptfor 13 hours.

The next day I still felt rough. I was tired and my head throbbed. I wasn’tsure if I was coming down with a cold and my body hadn’t decided to give in.

Forty-eight hours later I felt better.

It has brought to my attention, that maybe a little bit ofheart-rate training may be something I shouldn’t discount. Perhaps I should seriously consider giving itanother go.

I am not saying I should run at a pace that is so slow I amessentially walking. But taking the pacedown a couple of minutes may not be a bad thing.

I have 4 months training during the half-marathon clinic –another experiment. (I am pretending to be like David Attenbourgh and check outthe running herd in their natural habitat). I won’t get very far if I end up being sick every week. I am not worried about injuring myself assuch, but just that I will end up feeling rotten all the time.

I think back to those years I was running a lot more and a lot quicker. Iremember the grumpiness and the tiredness. I remember the long sleeps after a 9 mile run. That’s not how it should be.

So, I have decided. I amgoing to hang back with the lower pace groups (they are more fun anyway). I am going to take the clinics as a socialevent. Okay, that was my aim anyway, butI am going to make a more of an effort to relax. I am going to slowly jog and use the extratime to talk about women in bikini’s playing soccer, or different types ofbeer. Yep, they are a fun group to hangwith.

I am going to see, how FAR I can actually run if I just slowdown a little. I have realized that justbecause I CAN run as quick as I have been, doesn’t mean I should.

I am going to learn to chill. Even though I was paying attention to mysurroundings as I ran, I am going to use this as an excuse to really see whereI am running. I am going to concentratemore on my form and my attitude. I mayhave lost that smiley spirit somewhere. Iam going to really concentrate on the fun.

I am going to learn to chill.

Running Smiley with technology

2012-01-11T11:49:00.000-08:00

This Christmas Santa brought me a Garmin Forerunner 210. Yep, not quite what the Plenipotentiary
of “TheRun Smiley Collective” should have had under her tree I admit. I should have a TUTU or a funny hat, but nottechnology. Isn’t that againsteverything the collective is about? Have I abandoned my values?! Have I become a runner?

In other news, I was talking to my good friend Jesse overFacebook a while back and aside from the usual nonsense we spout, like spypenguins taking over the world and Boobies, we talked a little bit about how, asminimalist running has become more popular, people have decided to takeminimalism a little TOO far in their running.

Minimalist runners are now abandoning watches, Garmin’s,iPod’s and anything else electrical as they run. I applaud this, however, my applause dependson their reasoning behind ditching the technology.

When I advocate ditching the technology, the reasoning is sothat people are released from pace times, distances and weekly mileages andthey experience the run for what it is. A joyful way of connecting to the way you move. If you are ditching the tech for THIS reason,then I say, “welcome to our merry band of misfit’s, please enjoy your stay”.

If you are ditching the technology because you feel it makesyou better than everyone else –that by taking off the Garmin, you are becomingpurer than your fellow minimalist runner- then please take a chill-pill andre-evaluate what’s important.

This seems to be a bit of a trend. People ditching the gadgets, not so they canconnect with their run, but to be “more of a minimal runner than X”. This is just as wrong as wearing the Garminand concentrating SO much on your pace that you ignore the flowers on yourtrail.

As Jesse said, (and I am paraphrasing here), “why can’tpeople just let everyone run the way they want to?”

And do you know what? He’s right!

So I am going to admit it. I like to run with an iPod. Ihave a play-list that I like to run with. Most of the time I only have one ear-bud in, but the music is stillthere. I may find a bit of fun trail andboth ear-buds come out and I will have a blast, sometimes the ear-bud may be infor all of the run. Do I care? Not really.

This is the reason. Irun with music, not because it makes me a better, faster runner. I run with music, becausethe songs I pick allow me to connect with my inner fun and with myfriends. I will explain.

I have songs that remind me of friends, i.e.

“The Cave” by Mumford and Son’s, is my connection with AngieB.

“5 years time” by Noah and the Whale, reminds me of Shelly and JasonRobillard, and the rest of the “Hobby Jogga’s”

“Pirates of the Caribbean” by Lonely Island (currently)reminds me of Jesse.

I have songs that make me smile. The “Run Barefoot Girl” “Tick Tok” song always makes me laugh and I do alittle dance in the middle. The “I amthe Doctor” soundtrack makes me feel like I am being chased by aliens and Ican’t help but do this without a grin on my face.

So has technology meant I fail to connect to the fun on myrun? Nope. In fact they add toit. My friends are there when I wantthem and they don’t interfere when I am enjoying where I am on my run. If Iam having too much fun in my run, they step away.

As for the Garmin? AmI going to use it to increase my VO2 Maxy thingie? Am I going to run harder andfaster than everyone else? Am I going tobrag that I run 3.2728 miles in 23 minutes and 45.3883 seconds? Nope.

I am getting the Garmin as anexperiment. I want to see what the fussis about and see if it’s truly useful. Iwant to play with it and see if it can add something interesting to myrun’s. I want to see if some trainingplans work and if some don’t. I am beinginquisitive and trying new things. ILOVE doing that. So why is that a badthing? The Garmin is allowing me to be an engineer on my run; allowing me to tinker and test new solutions. I am adopting the same principles when I made my hacked minimal shoes, or when I retro-tweak a pair of minimal shoes so they fit how I like. Heck, it's either a Garmin on my run or a CISCO router, and trust me a Garmin is easier to carry.

So despite my “don’t let technology rule your run”, I thinkI agree with Jesse. If you want to wearan iPod or a Garmin, go ahead, just make sure you are doing it for the rightreasons.

Quick reminder

2012-01-04T20:25:00.001-08:00

That I am doing an on-line chat for Merrell tomorrow.

So if you want to check in and throw silly comments my way, feel free. Just go to the MERRELL page on Facebook and post away.

I am on-line from 1-2PM Eastern (10-11AM Pacific) on Thurs 5th Jan.

See you there.

Merrell Facebook Chats.

Normally bloggers do a year review...

2011-12-31T18:42:00.000-08:00

However, this is more of a forward looking post.

As you may have seen my posts have been a little sparten lately. Like London Buses, as soon as I decided to take on one new project, 3 more turn up at the same time. The last couple of months have been very hectic.

So instead of telling you what I have done --which frankly, as running goes, was a little lack-luster-- I am going to tell you what is to come. Not a New Year Resolution post - let's say it's a "What the hell have I agreed to?" post. This is what I am planning in 2012.

Since the end of October I have taken on 3, (yes 3!) new projects or roles. So first ones first.

Barefoot Runner Society. I have been the Chapter President of the Canada-Vancouver Chapter for about 14 months now. I took on some other projects for TJ on behalf of BRS, mainly updating Facebook pages. A couple of months ago, she asked me to take on more of a role. I was honoured and a over-whelmed, but in my usual, 'what the heck!" manner, I accepted the role.

I am now the Regional Vice President of BRS. Not only am I now on the Executive committee, but I am also responsible for the day-to-day management of ALL Chapters of BRS. If a Chapter President has a problem, it's me they talk to.

It's a huge project and I am barely standing in TJ's shoes. It has been a steep learning curve and I know I am learning on the fly. So if there are any CP's out there - yep sorry, I am trying to learn as much as I can as quickly as I can. I am just beginning to realise how much time and effort TJ has put into BRS. We all knew it, but I think if people realised the amount of work involved, then I think BRS's 4,000+ members would all send TJ little medals. She does an awesome job and I am so glad I can help her out.

Canadian Running Magazine. This was a bolt out of the blue. About 6 weeks ago, CRM contacted me to see if I wanted to write a weekly column about Barefoot and Minimalist running on their Internet site. After double and triple checking they really meant me, I accepted.

The start date was sooner than I anticipated, so I have spent the last month trying to get a backlog of articles (in case of disaster weeks) and trying to contact minimalist shoe companies for PR contacts. I have come to a conclusion that I didn't know as much about the minimalist shoe industry as I thought. It had never been a priority for me as I wasn't a reviewer as such. Boy, am I getting a crash course now!

My CRM blog site is here. Feel free to read. I have managed to push the envelope a little and my humour is coming out more and more. I am going to see how far I can go until they tell me to stop. I really like writing for them and I am amazed a "conventional" running magazine is embracing barefoot and minimalist running. I have even been asked to write for their print magazine too, so you may even see my name in print!

Along with BRS, this is going to be an fantastic way to promote barefoot and minimalist running.

The KittyK Review. I started this personal project just before I took the role with CRM and it has taken a bit of a hit as I have concentrated on the magazine.

I never set out to be a reviewer. It was never my goal for this blog. However, over the last year, I have been asked my opinion on the shoes I own. I happily give my opinion, but never felt comfortable doing a review here. This led to my blog post in August.

I then decided that it might be good to give a review of the shoes I own. Especially as there aren't that many female minimalist shoe reviewers. There are differences in the female and male designs and that should be brought up.

I wanted to put up my ideas (so I wasn't repeating myself), I wanted the reviews to be funny and I didn't want them here. I wanted to keep this blog for me, my son and my running. I didn't want to force my reviews down peoples throats when they didn't want my opinion in the first place.

So if you want to hear about me and my silly antics, as well as any thoughts I have on running, then come .. to well.. here. If you want to hear my opinions on the shoes I own, then go to "The KittyK review".

I know that in the blogger ideology, this is the wrong way to play a review site. I know splitting the reviews from this blog means I won't necessarily get the traffic or the membership required to get the "swag". However, I don't care. I didn't start this blog to see what I could get from it. I started this site so that I could rant, rave and generally mess about. Which I have achieved with fantastic success ;)

The review site is a way to share my opinions, not to see how many free shoes I can get. I want to make you laugh whilst providing a pointer about the shoes I have. This may mean that the number of shoes that are reviewed may not be as great as some out there, but my new role with CRM may help that situation.

As I mentioned, this project had to take a partial back-seat, so although some of my reviews are up, I have a good handful I need to write. They will go up. Check the site to see what I might be reviewing in the future.

The Run Smiley Collective. This is still on-going, but I am going to chivy up the contributors who have taken a bit of "Thanksgiving-New Year" break. So if your name is on the side-bar, be warned. In January I am coming to get ya! We want more challenges, virtual runs and posts. Get ready, I am going to be pestering you.

Barefoot Running University. I have written a handful of articles for Jason and his site. I am still hoping to do the same next year.

I haven't forgotten this site, which I still want to write once a week. I have a few articles in mind.

Add in looking after a (soon to be) 7 year old kid with ASD,who has just started Social-group AND music therapy. Let's not forget the coaching I am doing with friends. I think that's still important.

Oh, and I have started running with a Half-marathon clinic, I am going to start snow-shoeing, learn to mountain bike, doing a weekly boot-camp, I want to take up wall-climbing again, and perhaps swimming.

*Deep breath* Do you think there are enough hours in a day? Well thank goodness I am not one for a tidy house - I think the dust-bunnies can rest easy for another year!

I must be permanently stressed.

2011-12-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

I am trying an experiment. For the first time in well… years, I am strapping technology to me as Irun. I am not talking about my iPod,because I have been running with music on and off for years. Okay, let me amend my previousstatement. I am strapping another pieceof technology to be used randomly as I run.

I have a heart rate monitor. I vaguely remember buying itwhen I was young and naïve and thought I needed technology to make me better. I think I used it a handful of times thendumped it in the draw to collect dust bunnies. In fact when I pulled it out from the “draw of doom” I had to spend $15on getting a new battery for it. I think you are getting an idea on how much Ilike running with gadgets. :)

Unfortunately, as in all things, as soon as I decide tore-try something, life get’s in the way. I fixed the watch, then 2 days later the belt dies. So I had a dead heart rate monitor. Should I take this as a sign, or should Iallow my inquisitiveness overcome my wallet? I had to make a decision

I have never really concerned myself with my heart ratebefore. Whenever I have dragged themonitor from it’s nest in the draw, I always took comfort, that my restingheart rate of about 50, meant I was super fit and I had nothing to worryabout. I was active, I was notoverweight and I ran. Enough said.

However, after a year of injuries, illness and general“blah” I have decided that now is the time to experiment with trainingtechniques and diet to see if they make a difference.

In fact 2011 hasn’t really been my running year. 2010 was awesome; I ran 5 half marathons, agood handful of other races and was finishing in the top third of pretty muchany category you could think of. I wasenjoying running, I felt fit and I felt healthy.

This year? Yeah, not so much. There have been a number of reasons for this,some I know and some I am probably just figuring out. Firstly busting my knee is June was a deadgive away that this wasn’t my year. However there have been other little warning signs. Frankly I am exhausted -- all the time. Every time I go out for a run, even if it’s ashort 5K, it feels like it takes me days to recover. If I do manage a good week, with maybe 3 or 4runs, then I get a cold the next week. My body is on empty and I wasn’t sure why.

So as my knee is recovering and as I have lots of projectscoming up, I have decided to train, but train easy. My conclusion is that moving is better thansitting, so I should just slow my training down a notch and chill. Build up very slowly, so that when next yearcomes around I will be fitter than before.

Hence the heart-rate monitor. My dead heart rate monitor. As it was close to my birthday, I decided totry the ill-fated task of seeing if I could get a GPS watch to fit my insanely small wrists. This happens every year and I fail. However, not this time. So 20 minutes later, I walk from the runningstore, $250 lighter and on Forerunner 210 heavier.

So off I go and start my experiment with low-heart ratetraining. When I say “experimenting”, Iactually do mean it. I have no idea ifit works or not and everything I have read doesn’t seem to convince me one wayor another. I am going to give it a go and find out. I know have to go slower than normal to buildup my knee, so this is an ideal opportunity to clean up my form as well astesting other stuff as well. Sweet!!Apart from the $250 lighter in the wallet part!

I worked out that given my age and the fact I have been rundown lately, that my target heart range should be 121-131. I think my overall limit should be 141, so Iwas guessing if I kept in this range I could occasionally peak a little higherand still be okay.

So I tried it. Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear. I have run a couple of times. Anything from 3.5 to 6 miles. Well, I say ran, I mean walk-run. Actually when I say walk-run, I mean more ..well.. walk. Honestly it was almost impossible to keep my heart-rate down. I probably didn’t help myself by doing all ofmy runs on a trail populated by off-leash dogs, walkers, strollers, kids,bikes, cute male runners and … sorry I was distracted by the cute guys then. After being bitten on the trail last year Iget nervous around dogs. Every time Isaw a dog coming towards me, my heart rate jumped 10 beats a minute. Whenever I heard sounds of civialisation,either cars on the nearby road or people talking on the trail, up went my heartrate. Even the noise of a chainsaw beingused by the parks guys in a completely different part of the forest and BANG,my heart jumped. As for the cute guy..well, enough said really.

The only time I was really able to run (at about a12+min/mile pace) and keep my heart-rate within levels was when I was deep inthe woods with just me, my feet and the mist.

So I have come to conclusion that frankly civialisationscares the be-jesus out of me. No wonderI have such a low resting heart rate because frankly it’s beating at a millionmiles an hour when I am out and about. Iam wondering if I am permanently stressed.

The thing is, I am so used to being stressed, that Iprobably don’t really know what it feels like not to be stressed. It’s kind of ironic, that I am so aware ofthis situation for D, but completely unaware of my own stress levels. D has a similar situation; he is on apermanent level 3 because he has the stress of having to manually filter outhis environment. This is a reason why hecan suddenly explode at a situation and then within seconds be perfectly calm. We have spent the last 12 months trying toget him to analyize his own stress levels so he can prevent emotionalexplosions. I just never realized that Imay have to do the same.

So guys, let me know. I need calming techniques… come on, give me some of your “chill-out”vibes!

The start of the avalanche?

2011-12-13T18:59:00.000-08:00

“… It was reported that prescribing motion control shoesincorrectly, without proper justification or rationale, is potentiallydangerous”

The sentence above seems fairly innocuous, until that is,you consider the source of the quote. This was from an article titled, “The Science and History behind theRunning Shoe” by Dr. Reed Ferber. It wasalso in the free “Running Room” magazine.

Pause.

Okay, for some, if not most people, that will probablyjustify a virtual tumbleweed rolling across a virtual desert. To some however, this is the sign of thebeginning of the avalanche and acceptance of barefoot and minimalist running. Yep, it might seem as if I am grasping atstraws here. Work with me on this.

The article itself was not “Barefoot or Minimal is great”,and neither did I expect it to be so. However, it didn’t shout, “Buy big supportive shoes” either. This is where I became interested.

“The Running Room” is, if you aren’t already aware, arunning shoe store. But in my experience(and in the experience of other minimal and barefoot runners) a shoe storewhich appears to be very anti-barefoot. I will even go to say, anti-minimal shoe.

My local Running Room fills me with dread. I go in on very rare occasions and I ensurethat I know precisely what I want and I try to get in and out as quickly aspossible. My un-orthodox trainingschedule, my haphazard attitude to racing and my barefoot/minimalist runningstance has made conversations with the staff strained and uncomfortable. They have been in my experience a very“conservative” store. A store that seemsunwilling to look at change. A storethat takes the art of running and in some cases itself, too seriously. (Hence the reason we don’t really get along,because… well, I don’t!)

Then I saw this article. The article is written by a Doctor who is investigating running injuriesat the University of Calgary,. He startsby talking about the history of the running shoe; providing dates whichhighlight the recent invention of the modern running shoe. He writes how the term “over-pronation” wasonly coined in 1978. 1978! I am older than the aliment that has createdthe motion-controlled shoe. He cites in his article relevant studies that showthat incorrectly perscribed shoes cause damage. At least half the article indicates that running shoes do notnecessarily prevent injuries. That runningin the wrong shoe causes issues.

He quotes:

“Considering the complexity of running injuries, one mustassume that changing footwear, or even eliminating shoes altogether, cannot eliminatethe potential for –or serve- as the only treatment for a running-relatedinjury”

What? Running Room? Shoes will not prevent runninginjuries? I know it seems like I ammaking a big deal about this. I mean thearticle doesn’t say “DITCH YOUR SHOES”, but coming from a company that has hadover 25 years building a reputation cemented around the latest model of motioncontrolled running shoe, this I think is a significant change.

I think you will find a lot of Barefoot and Minimal runnersout there –especially those who have been around the block, in pretty much mostsenses of the phrase- will not claim going barefoot will solve your runninginjuries either. Okay, going barefoot helpedme, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I advocate everyone ditch their shoesimmediately and embrace the mud. Barefoot and Minimalist runners as a whole take the view:

“…the one thing research from the past decade clearlydemonstrates is that you run best when you are in a comfortable shoe.”

Running Room and the minimalist community on the samepage? I am waiting for the correlatinghorsemen on winged horses and random debris to start falling from the sky.

So to me this insignificant one page article hidden in themidst of shoe advertising, sent in a free magazine from a shoe company that hasin my experience been anti-barefoot/minimalist and very Pro supportive shoe, ishuge.

This could be the start of the avalanche…

Inaugural Coquitlam Centre Jingle Bell Jog – Race report

2011-12-04T20:53:00.001-08:00

Wow, a race report. Ihaven’t done one of these since… well I broke my knee in June. I did have a 10K scheduled last month, but asI had re-injured my knee around the same time, it proved to be my first everDNS. Oh well. I like DNS, means I don’t have to remember a string of numbersevery time I want to see videos of pets on “Youtube”. Sorry, that was a very geeky reference –couldn’t help it! About half of thereadership of this blog is going “huh? I don’t get it”.

So it was a 1K kids race around the parking lot and then a5K jog, which went up some trail over afew roads -with nice RCMP cops blocking the roads- and a run around apark. For a 5K –an especially a 5K whereI wasn’t planning on running fast or furious – there isn’t much to say. I ranit and then I stopped. No need todiscuss race strategies, fueling plans, pacing or training plans. The whole race pretty encompassed the ideasof “turned up, run, finish and get thegood muffins”.

Although of course, this is me we are talking about andalthough I spend my life in boring conformity, I do break the rulesoccasionally.

So, first rule broken (and one I break repetitively), I willnot dress sensibly. I had asked D abouta month ago if he wanted to run and if he wanted a racing TUTU fromGlamrunner. He said he wanted to race,but he didn’t want a TUTU (despite the fact he had spent a large chunk of histime in one since I brought mine back from NYC). However, of course, he changed his mind lastweekend. As I knew it was too late tobuy one, I decided to make one for him, (sending good vibes to Glamrunner inthe process). He also insisted I haveone too, so a plethora of tulle, lots of elastic, ribbon and an evening later,we were the proud owners of 2 Christmas race TUTU’s. Luckily no cats, dogs, kids or fish wereharmed in the making of the TUTU’s although that is probably a close run thing!

We already knew that we were going to be getting Santa Hatsand reindeer noses, so all that was left was to figure out was my race musicand what shoes to wear (if any). It hadto be Christmas Classics of course; so I had John Lennon, Paul McCartney, BingCrosby and a whole host of other stars to rock too as I ran with one iPod budin my ear. Running with music is acontentious issue, but I think you have to have some form of Christmas musicaccompanying you if you are dressed like the fairy off a Christmas Tree!

Last but not least was what to wear on my feet. The weather reports seemed to indicatefreezing temps at the time of the race. I had also discovered a patch of eczema on my one of my toes, sobarefoot was out. I decided to see if a combination of toe-socks and myInvisible Shoes (6mm) would do the trick. As you may remember the 4mm was lost in the “urban myth of the NYCBarefoot Run”. So now I was a gladiatorialChristmas Fairy!

We caused quite a sight at the race start, which we onlyjust managed to catch. D’s race was first and we literally sprinted to thestart and we were off. He wasawesome. I think he ran the whole way, onlystopping to pick up his reindeer antlers. This was so much different to 6 months ago when I had to drag him aroundthe course. The “Mothers’ Day race “was “pre-minimalist shoe” and it showed. He would never have run this far before, orhave such a big grin on his face. He didawesome and he made so many people smile.

He had also asked on his Santa list for a “Giant goldentrophy” for Christmas. (I haven’t figured that out either). So yesterday Iscoured the stores looking for a giant trophy. I managed to find a small one and it was enough. I slipped it to Santa and brought D to himafter the race. The look on his face waspriceless and you could see that it had made his day

I then went off to my race as M and D went to look forcoffee – no point everyone standing in the cold for half an hour as I was running.

I had a few goals for this race. I was going to smile for all of it. I wasonly going to run how I felt I should run and not run fast. I was going tothank every volunteer and I was going to sing my Christmas songs.

I achieved every single goal. My bright neon, funky sandals and I had ablast. I am glad I was wearing mysandals as we ended up running about a mile or so on gravel trail. I love these things. They were light, they were funky, they workedand I was able to really feel the ground. I passed a few runners tying their shoes and I didn’t have to re-tie mysandals once. I think I also peeved offa few people. It must be quitedemoralizing when you are huffing and puffing to have someone pass you who isn’t wearing proper shoes but who is alsosinging really badly. I did say “MerryChristmas” to them when I passed, so hopefully they will forgive me.

M and D JUST made it to the finish as I got there. There were lots of hugs, cuddles andgiggles. It turns out despite my bestefforts to take it easy I was 5 minutes quicker than I planned. I was about 27-28 minutes, which as I haven’trun 5K in about 3 weeks and I haven’t been training properly for 6 monthsbecause of my knee I was pretty impressed. I also know I wasn’t going full belt because apart from the gunk from mycold last week I didn’t feel out of breath at all. Just goes to show that “Running ChristmasSmiley”, isn’t as hard as it looked. (Also I think a Running TUTU provides magical powers!)

"I don't know, but it's been said, barefoot runners love Barefoot Ted"

2011-12-01T21:49:00.001-08:00

No? Confused?

This a lousy attempt to show a little trick I have learnt to help me with my running form. I have been using it for a long while now and when I have talked to others about it, it seems to have sparked some interesting comments and surprisingly a few admissions that it works.

I vaguely remember that this trick was briefly mentioned on the Runners World Barefoot Forum, probably around summer 2009 and I think it was Angie B who brought it up. I can't be sure, it was a LONG time ago. Since then it's stuck in my head and I use it pretty much every time I do a long run to "reset" myself when I am getting tired. It takes about 10 seconds and it fixes my form pretty much immediately.

So are you eager? Hanging on my every word? Want to know what this magic skill is? Say Please…;)

Sure...

The trick is singing the double-time march in my head. We all know it, sort of. "1-2-3-4-hey". Okay, that didn't really work; one of the few times it literally did sound better in my head. It's this…

Why is this trick so important in running with good form? It's simple. The double-time military cadence is 180 beats per minute. Simple as that. Just be glad I wasn't one of those Internet con-artists asking for money before I told you the magic secret. Hey, I think I messed up somewhere. I really need to work on my business model.

I have long maintained that the hidden secret to good form is cadence. Get your legs running to a minimum of 180 steps a minute and you will have cracked it. Landing on your fore or mid foot, landing underneath you, running upright - that will all kick into place when you have a cadence of 180 beats per minute. About 80-90% of your form will magically happen when you finally hit that beat. The other 20 or so percent is just bell's and whistles. Not real bells and whistles by the way. It was a metaphor, although... it may make those walkers move out of your way on the trail.. hum. I think I have just found my million dollar seller! Warning devices for "ninja-like" barefoot runners.

*Starts daydreaming*

Okay, now back to the good part.. (That was just for you Jesse)

The issue most people have is that getting the right cadence is sometimes easier said than done. Especially if you have come from "heel striking", supportive-shoe territory. You are so used to running at a slower cadence that running at a 180 pace makes you feel like you are in a hamster wheel and it feels very strange. It's hard to automatically know what 180 beats per minute feels like. Until you have been running at this cadence for a while it's easy to slip up and that's when your form issues come to the front again. People have used ipods with specific tracks, or even a metronome to perfect it. But why carry around all of that gear. We are meant to be reducing our running burden. The only gadget you need is your mind and a 10 second burst of chanting in a very loud voice.

I personally run at a higher cadence; I would estimate I run at about a 200 ish beats per minute. I put this down to the fact I run trails a lot. When you run trails it's easier to have a quicker cadence and a smaller stride so you can dodge the obstacles on the trail. This gives me the slight edge because generally during a road race or when I am tired on a long run, my cadence won't really go below that magic 180 number.

However, that doesn't mean it doesn't come close. When I get tired during a long run and I feel my form slipping, I use a quick 10 second burst of the "double-time" march as a silent chant in my head to check if my cadence has slipped. If it has, I repeat the double-time march through my head until my cadence comes back up. Trust me, having "Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duhhh" or "1-2-3-4-hey" running constantly through your head is more annoying than any tweenie pop song the local radio station can throw out. You will pick up your form just so you can stop chanting it to yourself.

I found it so helpful for me, I have suggested it to fellow running friends and those who run at the "Good Form" group at the local running club and scarily enough it works. Everyone seemed to have issues maintaining 180 cadence until I told them to quietly chant the double-time march in their heads. As soon as they did, their cadence picked up and their form improved. You see, I am a genius. Or it could be Angie... like I said it was a long time ago and I was probably "very, very drunk".

I have experimented even further. I have downloaded a few marine "double-time" military chants onto my iPod (mainly these ones - look for the ones marked as Running Cadence) and placed them into the play-list from about 30-40 minutes into the run then at about 10 -15 minute intervals. (Just think of them as mental GU shots). I found I was able to run longer because during the natural lull in my run -at the point my form would start slipping- my mind became focused on the rhythm of the chants. I also found the call-back part of the chants very calming despite the chants themselves being sometimes very uncomfortable to my civilian mentality. (If people can think of "Barefoot running chants" post them in the comments section. Maybe we can make our own playlist!)

So you would like a quick and easy method to getting better form? Then chant boys! Slap on the black paint and webbing and repeat after me…

"I wanna be a barefoot runner, Live the life of beer and summer."

Fancy a Chat?

2011-11-30T08:37:00.001-08:00

Not just with me, but with a whole plethora of (okay 6) female barefoot runners?

Want to talk about what's it like to ditch the shoes and still keep sexy?

Want to talk about alcohol, running and having fun? Now, I've got ya!

Merrell are hosting an all female, singing (badly), dancing (only when we're drunk) crew of female barefoot runners on a Facebook Chat. Myself and others will be there to talk about running barefoot and pretty much anything else you have on your mind.

They start tomorrow with Emily Snayd and continue once a week till you hit me at the bottom (literally, it is after Christmas) on Jan 5th. So come on, grab a glass of something; if it's too early then grab the chocolate; if you are paleo grab the bacon; and sit with us for a while.

Date's and Info are as follows: All times are Eastern.

12/01/11-1 to 2pm and 7 to 8pm-Emily Snayd

http://www.merrell.com/US/en-US/Blog/Article.mvc.aspx/d200882f-e290-481b-812e-7c3777ab3c89

12/08/11-1 to 2pm-Iris Sutcliffe-http://www.stetthatrun.com/

12/15/11-1 to 2pm-Caity McCardell-http://runbarefootgirl.com/

12/22/11-1 to 2pm-Shelley Robillard-http://shoelessshelbell.blogspot.com/

12/28/11-7 to 8pm-Krista Cavendar

http://www.nakedonsharppointystuff.blogspot.com/

01/05/12-1 to 2pm-Katie Kift-http://barefootkatiek.blogspot.com/

Running Hiatus, but still running around

2011-11-25T09:34:00.001-08:00

Yep, I have been a bit quiet on the running front. Also put in "blogging front" into that sentence too. The Internet has had a small respite from ramblings. However, I won't let the Internet get complacent, I am still around, lurking, like the bad smell left in the bathroom after a big Thanksgiving dinner ;) Oh, I bet you have missed my mental imagery!

A weekend of deep aquafit, running in heeled boots and general weather changes meant my "post-recovery" status was reverted back to "recovery" status. Added to the fact that I slipped on a damp ramp at the food store yesterday and my running has been set back a month or two. It was a classic fall -Laurel and Hardy couldn't do better- and it has rather diminished my love affair I had with my bright yellow Gum Boots. It seems my "little bits of wet weather sunshine" don't like inclines and damp - huh? who knew?! However, I know in my head that I can get back there. My brief entry into "back to running" has shown that this is a temporary hitch and I will recover. I have to keep chanting that to myself as I avoid the pre-christmas chocolate and treats. Damn you Christmas; the 1Kg British Dairy Milk bars are in the stores and I think I have already eaten half of one in a futile attempt to pretend I am running. (Yeah, I don't get that logic either).

Winter has hit Vancouver in a surprise series of snow storms. Our Summer was very late this year, so most Vancouverites were shocked when we had early winter storms. There wasn't enough time to adjust our thinking. Seeing red autumn leaves mixed in with snow is a very bizarre sight. Yet, at heart I am a Brit and snow to us mean's playtime. Everyone has an idea that the UK get's snow every year, but in the 30 or so years I lived there, I can only remember a handful of winters where we had large dumps of snow. Therefore the idea of playing in the snow creates such kid-like excitement, that I immediately regress 30 years. (Which as I believe I am 6, would make me -24).

The early winter and running hiatus, has lead to some bonuses. I have managed to settle D into Grade One and he is coping better than expected. I feel as if I have more of a handle on the situation than I did last year. I feel more confident that we can get him through this year, whereas last year I felt in permanent battle mode from November onwards. He still has his little quirks and issues, but I think we can creatively solve them before they happen (in a TARDIS, Doctor Who way), instead of fire-fighting (in a Torchwood, end of the world kind of way). Yep, it's close to Christmas and it's this time of year I miss British TV. Expect lots of UK TV references over the next couple of weeks.

I have started a few new projects and stepped up on a few others. I am starting a new blog-site in the next few weeks and I have been busy writing for that. I have been researching for articles I am writing that have more of a "scientific feel", hopefully I may be able to deposit them on BRU and active.com. I have also taken on a bigger role with the Barefoot Runners Society. I am now responsible for day-to-day running of the Chapters across the world - it has the fancy title of Regional VP which I still feel uncomfortable using. Thankfully TJ is very supportive and breaking me in slowly. I am just beginning to realise how much work she puts into the site. Honestly if there was a medal of courage for Barefoot Running, she should have it!

I have also started coaching. I am still uncertain about this because I still feel barely qualified to call myself a runner, let alone feel qualified to teach running form. However, the coaching is informal and my test Guinea Pig (Ellie - yep you!) is coming on fantastically well. I am getting a lot of satisfaction seeing all the tips and techniques I have learnt over the last couple of years come together. It's solidifying my idea's and allowing me to test theories I had used on myself. I am seriously enjoying it and although according to some, my business plan sucks -I coach for coffee and company- I don't think I would have it any other way. Not sure I am really cut out for making money out of this running business! Which is good, because I'm not. :D

I have been spending a lot of time on the snowy mountains with my family. This is the first year, D has really been interested in the snow and he is loving it. Every weekend we have been driving to the local mountains and I have to admit this is where I have been reducing my stress levels. Forget running, I have been glorying in playing in the snow like a kid. I am investigating snow-shoeing and my skates have been sharpened for the first time in a year. Normally I run smiley, but as my knee is out of commission I have been playing smiley instead.

So okay, not running so much, however, I am still running around. If you see a woman loping around the Vancouver area in a general "Quosimodo" type lurch, that's me. Sorry Internet, but I am back :) Haven't you missed me :)

Merrell Dash Gloves: I don't do reviews..

2011-11-13T19:23:00.001-08:00

However, in this case I will make an exception. This is my concept review; imagine a wine review, however, it's not wine, but well shoes. Confused? Well grab a glass of wine and may-be it will make more sense ;)

So here goes...

Year: To be released 2012. Although Imanaged to grab an early pair in the same fashion of a restaurant trying tograb the first Beaujolais nouveau of the season.

Price: TBA

Region: Designed for road and easytrail. may be found on technical trail but only when worn by a lunatic lookingfor an easy escape from life - literally.

Color: Ranging from "pink andpurple" to "Grey and Lime Green"

Aroma: Currently the least fragrantalthough a winter of wet running may create a more distinct nose.

Texture: A seamless upper design. A breathable mesh that allows drainage and anoverall dry finish. A moulded Vibramsole with a the flexibility of a fledgling gymnast. Finds itself easy to bend forwards but alittle stiff bending back.

Taste: Minimalist road runners who arelooking for ground feel with the ability to keep their toes during damp winterruns. Should also appeal to those thatlike an "all-rounder"; the indoor gym rat and the outdoor joggingbunny,

Disadvantages: Can be a bit of a slippery customer if youdecide to partner up with it on a soggy grass and slippy foresttrail.

Finish: I think a long lasting finishthat may leave the pleasant dirt-filled taste of experimentation and pushingyour limits.

KittyK rating: 4 out of 5

For the more serious readers out there -there may be some:

Merrell Dash Gloves - Out Feb 2012.
As you can tell this pair has been worn - LOTS

So,I snagged a pair of these from Merrell whilst in New York for the 2011 NYCBarefoot Race. One of the perks for the Merrell Roundtable I was invitedto. It was a once in a lifetimeopportunity and you have to grab the goodies whilst you can; I am fairly sure Ibehaved badly enough that I won't be invited back ;) So here's my BIAS warning; when reading thereview, consider that I did get these for free! ;)

Todate I have run in them in the following conditions:

Road,Easy trail, warm temperatures (23C/74F), cool temperatures, sun and rain. I have tried cross-fit, outdoor boot-campsand fitness classes. I have even manageda bit of muddy semi-technical mountain bike trail. You name it I have probably tried it - withinreason of course. In our house shoes never make it to the bedroom. Lest said about that the better I think.*cough*

Todate I have probably worn them for approximately.. well most of the time I havehad them and I think this is the beauty of the Dash gloves. So far there hasn't been a minimalist shoeout there that you can throw on and do most things in. Wether it's dashing to the bank and grocerystore (like me this morning), or going for a quick run around the easy inlettrail. Going to a Zumba class, the gym, or a a cross-fit bootcamp, these fitthe bill. Indoors and outdoors, they will work. I have to admit I was quite surprised about how versatile these shoeswere. Quite often with minimalist shoes,they will do one job; they will do it remarkably well, but as soon as you takethem out of their comfort zone you have had it. This was the case with the Merrell Pace gloves; take them on technicaltrail and well.. WOW. Take them for a walk around town and they weren't ascomfortable - not overly bad, just noticeably different. This was the first time I have had a pair ofshoes where I was able to use them in a variety of environments.

Ithink there were some serious design changes between the Merrell Pace Glovesand the Merrell Dash Gloves. Someonemust have told Merrell some things because they listened. Gone is the rock-plate of the PaceGloves. This was probably where I hadthe biggest issueswith the Pace Gloves. Just for me, thecombination of the snug arch of the sole and the foot plate, meant that on roador easy trail, I could feel the change in my form. It wasn't noticeable on technical trail orserious incline/declines, but on flat surfaces, yeah it was there. The Snug fitting sole along the arch is thereon the Dash Gloves, but now it doesn't appear as noticeable and I am findingthe more I wear them, the less I feel it. It could be I am just getting used to it; perhaps my "hobbit"feet are just stretching the uppers to that well-worn feel.

Also gone are the Luggs that were apparent on the front of the Pace Gloves. That's understandable. This isn't a trail shoe; additional traction as you bomb up and down mountains isn't needed. I compared the sole of the Dash gloves to those of the Merrell Barefoot Kids shoes. They are pretty much the same. I think this is the one thing other runners had been asking for and I am glad Merrell complied.

Dash Gloves compared to a pair of
Merrell Kids barefoot

Merrell Dash and Lithe gloves, side by side

Thelacing system is pretty much the same as the rest of the Merrell line-up. They hold the shoes onto your feet and onlyoccasionally come undone if you are a completely unable to tie shoes properly -like me. They seemed less prone tocoming undone than my Pace gloves, so I count that as a plus. :)

A pair of well worn Merrell Pace Gloves
alongside a pair of well worn
Merrell Dash Gloves

Theheel is the same as the Pace gloves; there is an elasticated heel insteadof a conventional heel. I am prettyglad about this. I know the elasticatedheel isn't to everyone's taste, but if you have small "fairy/hobbit"feet like me, it's a god-send. Theproblem I have with conventional running shoe heel is that they usuallyride a little high for me, so as I am running I can feel them digging into thebacks of my heel. I suffered this alittle with the Merrell Lithe Gloves and this issue was so bad on my NB Minimusthat I gave up wearing them for a long time until I had the courage to grab astanley-knife and hack the backs off them. If you have smaller feet, you may find the elasticated heel much kinderto your achilles heel!

As you can see the Shape and Size of both the
Merrell Lithe Gloves and the Dash gloves
are very similar

Theshape and size of the sole is pretty much the same as the Pace/Lithe Gloves, soexpect the same amount of toe-box room and general fit. They have a moderately wide toe-box. The lateral support across the arch is snug but not uncomfortable.

The are pretty flexible; you can easily roll them into a ball - the usual trick to check the flexibility. They are of course zero drop; no heel-toe height differences to worry about.

Sofar so good - well for me and my duck-like feet anyway. So how do they handle (said in a JeremyClarkson Top-Gear kind of way)?

Prettygood on what they are designed for. Theyhandled a Zumba class pretty well, (with the help of the "Z-sliders";a hairband for your shoes,just don't go there). I have tried theZumba class with a number of other minimal shoes (mainly the Pace gloves andthe VFF Sprints) and these were the most comfortable. I ran a few sessions with my running club(road running) and I didn't suffer from the change in form I had suffered fromthe Pace gloves. On easy trail, theyworked well - not as much ground feel as maybe my VFF's but enough that that Iwas able to keep my form in check.

Thatdoesn't mean there were no area's they had difficulty with. I went to an outdoor bootcamp in the pouringrain and I did have to be extra cautious. On the leaf-strew uphills we were working on, I could feel someslipping. As to the wet grass we wereworking on, for quick, tight turns I was all over the place. I was a little cautious on the wet easyforest trail, but they did hold up better than I expected. This isn't a surprise - without the Luggs,the grip is compromised and as such in exceptionally wet or sloppy terrain, theshoes will be a little harder to handle. So on icy roads (not that I have hadthe opportunity to test this yet) I can imagine you would have to be a littlecareful. Saying that, I did run on some damp semi-technical bike trail and they were better than I expected. I wouldn't recommend it as a trail shoe but if the mood took you and you saw a bit of trail as you were running along, these shoes wouldn't stop you from going there. I think their only weakness is very slippy and wet terrain.

Asto my other criteria for a good minimal shoe, they performed quite well. My feet were warm even during the soakingrain. I have very funky feet and Isuffer with the cold terribly. So warm feet even under wet conditions is a bigplus for me. Even though my feet and socks did getcompletely drenched during the bootcamp, the shoes drained very quickly. I was surprised that it only took a couple ofhours over a heating vent to dry them out completely. With some of my minimal shoes, it was usuallyan overnight job.

Not the prettiest shoe out there; Not as pretty as the mens version
However, it's not looks that matter - supposedly ;)

Iwill be interested to see what other styling options may be forthcoming. I currently have the purple/pink variety,which certainly get noticed. I recentlywent shopping for winter boots and the store assistants were more interested inthe shoes I was wearing (i.e. the Dash gloves) than any they were selling. The styling for the Dash Glove doesn't seemto be as sleek as the styling on the Men's version (Road Glove). I think the term "striking", i.e ina "not completely hideousbut certainly not the Prom Queen". I am not sure if that's just because I have small feet, but I have heardof the same complaint from other quarters too. That's a shame, because I think the Men's version of the Dash Glove is afantastically looking shoe.

Sooverall, it's a shoe that performs a number of jobs quite well and that's rarein a minimal shoe. I think it's the shoethat will probably appeal to the female runner who is considering a minimalistshoe for the first time. It looks like anormal running shoe, it does everything you need it to do as you are startingout. I can see the Merrell Dash Glovesbeing the shoe that people are directed to when they first start outMinimalist running; like the VFF's werea couple of years ago. The advantage theDash Gloves have is that it doesn't scream; look at me! and I think this willappeal to a lot of women. In fact as atest, I lent them to a friend who I am coaching. She is new to running and we are starting outthe right way; good form, as close to barefoot as possible. Let’s just say, her comments were along thelines of, “They are so comfy, they are like running in slippers”. I was on the point of having to wrestle themaway.

Yep,Definitely the "grab them off the shelf and run" staple that we havebeen looking for.

NOTE: Apologies in the time it's taken to get the review out. When I test something, I REALLY want to test it...:)

In the Teacher's Office (AGAIN)

2011-11-10T21:59:00.001-08:00

When you decide to have kids; when you get that positive test result after pee'ing on a stick, you see your life stretched out in front of you. You see where you will be in 9 months time; giving birth. You see your life 12 months time; weening a happy baby with mushed banana and rice pudding. In 6 years time you are patting them on their head and sending them to school. Happy, content and ready to be educated. Your life will then be set to resume on it's normal course, except poorer and more hectic. Everything will be just peachy.

Except in 6 years time, (or in our case 7), you aren't sat in front of your office desk, looking at family pictures, waiting till 5pm comes around so you can pick up your angel from Day-care. Nope, you are sat in the resource room discussing behavioural issues. AGAIN. For the.. what is it? The fifth time that year and it's only November?

Yep, that was me. AGAIN. Why is it whenever I get called to the resource room regarding an incident with D in school I get that feeling of dread? I am not 15. I haven't been caught kissing Rob, "what's-his-name" behind the school gym. I haven't forgotten my homework. I haven't been sending notes to the back of the class to my friends. I left school 20 years ago, but yet, every time I get that call (or in this case text message, this is the 21st century), I get the exact feeling. I can feel the humiliation as I walk to the teachers office. This time however , it's not a case of being a bad student, but the feeling of being a bad parent.

The stupid thing is, is that I know I am not. I also know that the teachers and probably the parent's at the school -well the one's worth knowing- know I'm not. They know I am doing the best I can. There is no reason to feel like this.

They know that at 9:30 at night, (let's call this a Friday, because it's a public holiday tomorrow), with a glass of wine in hand and maybe a couple already in the system, I am sat in front of the computer checking out Behavioural Consultants. I have a browser tab open at the local "Mental-health" bookstore, so I can research books on behavioural intervention. I am sending emails to Autism centres about group sessions. I am looking at my own collection of text books on behavioural intervention seeing what practises I can put into place to help the issues happening in school.

Yet, when I walk into that office, I feel like I have failed and it's crappy. It's stupid and idiotic and completely untrue, but yet, the smell of the dis-infectant and floor wax, just takes me back 20+years. I get that feeling in my stomach and I feel my heart racing. I get that feeling of dread; the same one you have before you take an exam - or a firing squad.

I am writing this post not for any real reason, other than to unleash my slightly tipsy and over-tired thoughts onto the unsuspecting populous. Just feeling a need to rant and rave at the unjust feelings I have because I was dealt a slightly different hand to the one I had planned 7 years ago, as the stick turned blue. Just wanting a few moments to shout, "THIS ISN'T FAIR! I WANTED A NORMAL FAMILY".

I then realise that as soon as I say something like that - as soon as I jealously covet the other mothers picking up their normal kids from school - that I realise I actually don't want that at all. Frankly having a normal kid would be dull and would drive me more insane than I already am. That if I had a normal 6 year old, I wouldn't have the opportunity to feel pride as his resource room teacher mentioned she had a very interesting discussion with him about black holes. I wouldn't get the same "kick" out of the "normal" kid, as I do with mine, when he get's up on stage to recite a Remembrance Poem with his class. Looking at him fidget and squirm, but knowing that just being up there on stage means he is trying 110% more than his class mates. I wouldn't be able to show that I can be the exceptional mother I am because I have the exceptional son I have.

Okay, that post turned into more of a self-affirmation than I had planned, but you know what? I don't care. Frankly it's kind of what I needed right now. It was either patting myself on the back, or hitting the hard liquor and prozac. I just had to shell out $450 on police certificates for our residency application today - self affirmation is cheaper ;) Okay, so the internet is in a sorrier state than it was 25 minutes ago, but I feel better. Hey, just be thankful - I could be posting one of those blog posts, telling you that my golden child had just scored his 3rd world class medal at chess and he's only 3. Admit it, my (slightly) drunken posts talking about my (slightly) dis-functional kid is a lot less annoying. :)

Thanks for reading this far. If I ever meet-up with you, I'll buy you a drink. Heck, if you have read this far, you deserve it! Personally, I am going to publish this, crash into bed, then wake up tomorrow as I look on in horror and scream "I WROTE WHAT?". Enjoy this before I wake up tomorrow with a slight hang-over and remember how to use the delete key.

Pissing me off

2011-11-06T08:26:00.000-08:00

Sign found at the trail-head of one of my
favourite trails.

There aren’t many things in this world that Piss me off. At most you may get the sense of mild irritation from me, but as far as stuff that actually makes me angry, well, they are pretty few and far between.

As I came off a walk on a local trail the other day. I saw something that really pissed me off. It was this sign

The trail I had come off is one of my hidden favourites. It generally is quiet and although it’s really only a short trail and not technical, I loved the fact that here I was off the beaten track, but still relatively safe.

The unfortunate situation we have here in Vancouver is the regular attacks on women on trails. I am sure that it’s possibly the same in every city, but perhaps it’s the fact that Vancouver is portrayed as generally a safe city to be around, these attacks always come as a shock. However, at least once a year, there is usually a murder on one of the many trails around here; the victim is always a woman. Last year, the murder happened to be on one of the trails I was running with a friend in Burnaby. The year before the murder happened to be at UBC.

I am not an overly cautious woman. I don’t jump at my shadows or feel scared to venture out of the house. I lived in South-East London during college and the area I frequented wasn’t necessarily the safest place on the planet. I prided myself that I was always super-aware of where I was, aware of the nearest safest places I could run to and that I could handle myself if needs be. In an very urban environment, it’s easy to get help, you are never more than a shout away from another human being - saying that attacks happen there more frequently. I judged the risks and I carried on.

The same in running trails. I am aware that when I am out in the wilderness; that the likelihood of someone coming to help me if I get into trouble are very small. However, attacks although publicised are not necessarily that common compared to an urban area. Despite all of this, I have to admit, I am usually more concerned about a Bear encounter, than an attack by another human being. I still run alone on the trails and I glory in the fact that this is my way to escape from the normal life. I wouldn’t swap that for anything. I still felt relatively safe.

I am also well aware that I am only 5’2” and a 110(ish) lbs. If I did get attacked, my only means really of protecting myself is running to the nearest safest area. This is why I chose trails that are either more populated, or are small and have good access to roads/houses/anything with people on it. If I run unknown trails or those that are not frequently trafficked, then I run with others. I hate to do it; but I accept it.

Would I have felt different if I was a man? The thing is that if I was a 5’2” man weighing a 110lb’s, then I still would be incapable of fighting off a stronger, heavier adversary. Gender in that respect has nothing to do with it.

So when I saw this sign, I got angry. Angry on so many different levels. I was angry that someone felt they could upset and frighten another human being. I felt angry that one of the few places that I felt safe to run by myself was taken away. I was angry that this petty little man had felt that he had a right to do this. I was angry that his actions had made me consider altering my own in a way I didn’t like. I was angry that I felt smaller because, perhaps, he in fact, thought he was insignificant.

Unfortunately what gender does have to do with, is that women are still seen by a section of men as an object and that they can do with what they want, when they want. That unprovoked attacks like this, are more likely to be men against women, not the other way around. That if I was attacked “some” sections of society would claim it would be “MY” fault because I was acting in a manner that was not appropriate - I wasn’t in the stereotypical place of the home with kids.

I get angry that even in our supposedly enlightened age and society, women are still counted as second place to the rest of population. Wages, jobs, perception - even after all this time we are not counted as equals.

I suppose in some respects I am just as angry at myself because by typing this I am allowing this “unknown, middle-aged” man to upset me this much. I am blaming him for making me feel this vulnerable. I feel cheated that I am having to alter my actions. I am angry at myself because I feel like a potential statistic for enjoying a sport, which I enjoy doing alone.

A couple of days later I went back onto the same trail. I am trying to do a little photography and this trail is beautiful. As I walked towards the trail-head an elderly lady stopped me and in her faltering English, warned me not to go on the trail. As she put it “There is a bad man”. I comforted her that I was only going a little way onto the trail. During that one hour I was there, I met a few people walking their dogs. Each time I was always a little wary when a solitary man went past. However, you could see it in the faces of the people that passed me, each man was thinking, “I hope she doesn’t think it was me!” I then began to realise that it wasn’t just the woman who frequent the trail that had something taken away from them. The men had too. The men were having to be just as guarded and they had in a way, altered their behaviour because of the actions of one man.

It’s safe to say that during that hour I spent on the trail I wasn’t accosted or molested and in some ways that made me feel stronger in reclaiming my trail back. Doesn’t stop the fact that despite my determination to run there regardless that for the fore-seeable future, the actions of one man has altered the behaviour of everyone who frequents the trail. That he has made the world a scarier place for everyone.

And that really Pisses me off.

The Futile Search

2011-10-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

This week I have had a number of, what appears at any rate, futile searches. I am sure I will find a solution at some point; but the pain of trying to find a work around, when there really isn't one, is a little demoralising. I like being creative and finding bizarre solutions to problems, so when I have to trudge through a mundane alternative - well that just sucks bigger than the cast of a Twilight movie. (I had to get a Halloween joke in there somewhere!)

So I have two futile searches going on this week. The first is trying to find a Behavioural Consultant for D. When D was under 6 he underwent an intensive round of behavioural therapy at a "one-stop-shop" Autism Centre. This was great at the time as we only went to one place and D had Occupational Therapy, Behavioural Therapy and a host of other services. Now he is in school, the challenges he has and the support he requires is different - Not to mention the finances; we only have a quarter of the funding available now. Yep, don't go there as to the "Why?"; that's a whole other futile search which is to big even for this post!

As D is in school it is becoming quite clear he is developing some form of Oppositional Disorder. Put in simple terms, he is saying "NO" to everything and will do absolutely ANYTHING to ensure he doesn't do what he doesn't want to do. It's quite common in Autism - a kind of learnt behaviour which because of the way Autistic people learn it's hard to break.

It's showing up in school BIG TIME. At home I have the ability to negotiate and alter my plans, at school there isn't that sort of luxury. You have to do jobs you don't like to do and you just have to suck it up, (again like the cast of the Twilight movie - I know I am using the same joke twice, it's called recycling!) So there has been screaming and tantrums and on a couple of occasions some aggressive behaviour, all borne out of frustration and the fact that he has learnt that when he has to do something he MAY hate he'll say NO before he even tries.

This week I have been trying to find a Behavioural Consultant that will go into school and evaluate his behaviour and provide work-arounds. Not as easy as it seems. Either they won't go into school, or can't because of their work-load. I am ringing around chasing lead after lead with no success. There is no novel solution to this. I have to find someone who is registered on about 3 different lists to get the funding to pay. I can't fix this with craft paper and glue and it is frustrating the hell out of me. Hey, craft paper and glue - perhaps I could create the DIY Behavioural Consultant. I mean how hard can it be? ;)

The second futile task is finding winter boots. Let me rephrase that: Finding Minimalist Winter Boots. You would have thought with the increase in popularity of minimalist footwear over the last year or so, someone would have thought, "People don't just like to run in minimalist footwear, they want to wear it all the time because frankly, heel's hurt! When winter comes, they will need boots..." Surely I can't be the only person who doesn't live in Southern California?

Okay, I accept that finding zero-drop, flexible soled, waterproof boots that were warm was probably a long shot, but I really didn't think it would be so hard. I checked the internet, asked friends, walked fruitlessly around the stores. Nope. I was even willing to pay, but still no luck. Anyway, my search attempts were scuppered by a sudden down-pour during lunch recess on Friday. All of the kids - who were wearing normal running shoes etc - got drenched and a message was passed on that as of Monday all kids should come to school in waterproof boots.

I count shoe shopping on the top part of "will only do if the security of the universe depended on it" list. I hate it. Add in a 6 year old who has inherited my dis-interest in shopping for shoes (and clothes and anything that improves appearance generally). The only things I like shopping for are bright, sparkly and probably have a half-eaten Apple logo on them. I am such a man sometimes!

Yesterday a very un-interested Mum, dragged a very un-interested 6 year old around the Mall to find a pair of winter boots. Only to discover that it wasn't the right season for it! I was too early. Seriously! I could even buy a normal pair of winter boots let alone a pair of minimal winter boots. The irony.

Eventually in the fourth or fifth store, I managed to find some kids boots that were calf length, waterproof and suitable for temperatures of -15C. Sorted. I had to concede on the ground-feel; 2 inches of rubber does not allow an intimate relationship with the ground. There was only a small heel - the overall 2 inches on the bottom probably negated that. They were also stiffer than a 60 year old conservative at a political party meeting. However, D tried them -they were at least one size too big- and declared they were fantastic. I have to admit that the thought of a cookie at the coffee-shop may have influenced his decision, but frankly I was about thirty seconds from losing my last remaining sanity. They were also on Sale.

As for my winter boots? I went back out again after dropping the spawn back home and found that the shop assistants were more interested in looking at the Merrell Dash Gloves I was wearing than actually selling me some shoes. I need to remember to wear boring shoes!

So after some liquid brain fuel - COFFEE, the saviour of over-ambitious missions - I am back out again this morning to try and find some winter boots I like. For someone who hates shoe shopping I am spending a lot of my weekend in shoe shops.

So my call to the universe is this: Please help me in at least one futile search. Either find me a Behavioural Consultant who is willing to go into school OR help me find a pair of winter boots that won't cripple me. I am willing to take my losses on one of my impossible tasks. I'm not greedy after all ;)

Hoping this isn't a "New Coke" moment.

2011-10-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

Yep, before you all do a double-take, the blog page has changed a little.

There were a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, I was playing about with blogger, testing new templates. I am looking to do an overhaul over the next week or so - frankly the cobbled together in 5 mins site I had is, (like me), looking a little tired. I had my old template backed up, so I thought I could get away with it. Then I tried to upload my old template to find it didn't work. So, umm.. Oopss.

I then thought what the heck, if I am in for a penny, then might as well go for the whole pound, so I changed the Blog name - only a little.

The URL is obviously the same, but after all of my reflections over the last few weeks, I took the "Barefoot" out of the title. Why? I now think that it's not important that I run barefoot, what is important is that I run. I am reclaiming the word "running" in my own way.

The motherhood and life bit is something I can't get away from, so that's staying. I also still "Ramble" A LOT and everyone should be used to that by now.

(For those who hate change of any kind - grab a large box of wine, you will need it. There will be loads more tweaks and changes until I have finally figured out what works).

I have also come to a decision about how I want this blog to operate in the future; my whole, "Should I review stuff" quandary. Not that you'll be particularly interested, but I'll let you know what I have decided in the next couple of weeks.

So there you go... another drunken accident. Let's see if my mistake proves as successful now as the alcohol-fuelled decisions of the past.

"Over-the-top" KittyK solution to the "women in barefoot AND minimalist" running problem

2011-10-20T14:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I wrote a post about why women aren't attracted to barefoot and minimalist running. It was a very broad sweeping, over generalized piece where I think my "PMS fuelled" objective was to try and insult as many people as possible, I have to admit I was surprised I didn't have more outraged comments or women camped on my doorstep claiming I was a "Disgrace on our sex" as I woke up. Clearly I wasn't trying hard enough ;)

The main problem with the post was that I didn't really set out any solutions to the problem. I hate it when people complain about something then fail to plan out a solution. I was guilty of this yesterday. The difficulty I had was that I am not really sure the scale of the problem or how much effort or money people are willing to invest to solve it. These perimeters are purely individual and subjective. We could end up going completely overboard with a solution and frankly complicate an issue that isn't there, or we don't do enough and never rectify the problem.

The other issue I have is that I am not really into promoting barefoot or minimalist running with either sex. I AM into promoting running with Good Form. I think this is important and something that SHOULD be tackled. The situation is that BOTH sexes suffer from this issue, so I am not really a fan of promoting one group over another. Likewise I think we should teach good form to everyone who run's, not just those who wear minimalist shoes.

Regardless, I have identified issues that are existing within the Barefoot and Minimalist running community and I should provide a plan. So I have come to the conclusion that I am going to create a plan that is completely overboard. It is going on the premise that women in the barefoot and minimalist community is too small, it should be expanded as a priority and that money from minimalist shoes companies is NO object. I fully accept that this is NOT going to happen. My goal here is to throw so many wild idea's into the pot that they will create discussion. I want you to disagree with me! The idea's are so impractical in the form I am describing, but with a little.. okay, a lot, of moderation, they are actually do-able. These idea's and the discussion they produce will after a time MAY produce something that may help women feel more comfortable running either barefoot or minimalist shoes.

I am also going to state that I am looking at this as a "minimal" shoes approach. Although I would love more women to run barefoot, I think solely concentrating on this would be a dead-parrot before I even start. Minimalist shoes is something we could work on, Barefoot running at the moment, nope.

My "over-the-top" Kittyk solution to the "women in barefoot AND minimalist" running problem

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.

This isn't going to be a plan supported by one minimalist shoe company. I want ALL shoe companies to come together and accept that there needs to be more women running with good form in minimalist shoes. To get this plan running you WILL need backing from people with money (and that ain't me). By doing a collaborative approach we are limiting the perception that one company is doing this to sell shoes. Okay, this IS why they would be doing that, but by providing information and resources from multiple companies, not only will this give the program a more "unified" objective, but also allow the the participants a feeling of choice. They feel the information they are obtaining is not overly biased. It is also cutting the cost burden to multiple companies.

PARTICIPANTS.

Firstly, this is going be an "ALL female" program. The program will be run by women for women. There is scope to allow the program to be mixed-sex, but I think if you want a big take up by women, then you will need to at least have the majority of groups that are segregated. If it's any consolation, I don't like the idea of segregating the groups. It goes against my "education is for all" principle. However, despite my overwhelming adversity to the idea, it probably is the only way this would work initially.

WHEN.

I was trying to see how we could combine an educational program WITH the social aspect that women prefer when they partake in an activity. I was thinking about how and when women congregate together. In my limited experience, this happens in two ways. In the morning after dropping the kids off at school and on organized "Girls-night-out" evenings. To combine the aspect of socialization AND learning running form, we should organize the "running program" in conjunction with a coffee morning. Or have a "Run and Rum" evening. Go for a run, then head to the bar.

I have highlighted two different times for the program to run. The morning "after drop-off" program will work well with Mum's who have kids in Elementary school. Usually these women are either working part-time or are looking after younger children. Organise childcare, so the younger siblings can be watched whilst the program is being run. Organise an indoor track or gym so that you don't need strollers. Maybe see if the school gym could be rented for an hour a week - schools could use the money AND you are creating a community within the school.

For those that have kids who are older, or perhaps they are working full-time; organize the program for after work. Make it a social event, by going to a bar or coffee-shop afterwards. Most women understand how much a stress-reliever exercise is, so it may be easier to say "I have a fitness class", than "I am going for coffee with my friends".

Advertise the program via the school or through the community recreation centres.

COST.

The program itself should be free or a very nominal charge. Some exercise programs are prohibitive because people can't afford them. Running can be a relatively cheap form of exercise. Learning how to run should be too. The people running the program should either be volunteers OR receive payment from the "shoe company collaboration"

INSTRUCTORS.

The instructors should be women who have experience in running themselves but who have gone through an "Instructor" course held by the "shoe companies". There is no accreditation at the end. The instructor course is there to familiarize the Instructors on proper form, establish form-evaluation skills, clarify the program itself and any other paperwork that is involved in any program. There is NO charge for this course. The instructors should be women who have strong links to the community they are in. The point of the program is that the instructors are pulled from the area in which they will teach. The instructors should be able to socially relate to the participants of the group.

The ultimate goal is that the Instructors will teach others to be instructors. Initially there may only be 1 or 2 groups in an area. However as the program becomes mature, the few instructors will train up new coaches within the area. The number of groups will expand. Eventually the initial instructors will be take on additional advisory roles.

As mentioned the instructors should either be volunteers OR be paid by a collective fund.

PROGRAM

The program itself should be about teaching proper running form. Minimalist shoes help this and education as to why should be given. Methodical and scientific evidence should be used in conjunction with individualized and small group hands on teaching. The program should be easy to tailor to a group or individual. It should be easy to understand and follow. It should be about education. It shouldn't be so structured that people are put off, but provide a good amount of validated information that those participating in the course can take what they need. The aim is to provide a good basis on proper running form and enough information that people can investigate more if they want to. The program is fun and the main goal is to provide a skill that women can build on and take to their families. The session should be no more than 30 mins long and should be over a number of weeks so that fitness and body strength can be obtained over time. Maybe in a C5K program format. Include a short written guide. Verbal information is transient. Provide a guide that people can refer to when they are at home.

PROGRAM INCENTIVES

There could be program incentives that are sponsored by the "Shoe company" collaboration. Maybe money off vouchers for running shoes. Allow the shoes to be affordable and accessible. Maybe run a shoe fair at the beginning of the program where women can try the shoes on and obtain information.

Maybe hold a "Race" at the end of the program. Bring the area's running programs together and hold a race for charity. Make it a community event - everyone can take part - but perhaps the women who undergo the course can have free entry. Provide an event where there is a goal the women can look to attain and provide accomplishment. If the women who undertake the course feel pride in running a race, they may want to continue running after the program has finished.

EVENTUALLY CREATE OTHER PROGRAMS

Run a similar program for kids in school. Run mixed group sessions at existing running clubs. Provide programs for people rehabilitating from illness. In time the community can benefit from these programs.

What do you think?

Yes, this is a wildly idealistic program. It's expensive and complicated and over-kill probably. It's not everyone's idea on what needs to be done to bring women into minimalist running. That's the point. By picking apart this plan, we might actually come up with something that can be accomplished.

[Additional note: Remember I don't like people who just say "This idea sucks" without suggesting an alternative. If you don't like this plan then say so, but also make sure you tell me what you WOULD do. If you could change this plan tell me how. If you write a reply to this post in your blog, then post the link to your reply in the comments section. Repost, share, disagree, print and use as toilet paper... Just DON'T comment without providing your own ideas].

Where are all the women?

2011-10-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

Women, roll-up, roll-up… we want you!

The topic regarding the number of women in the field of Barefoot and Minimalist running has been a bit of a "hot-topic" of late. It's been the subject of numerous blog-posts, conferences and think tanks. The reason being that there isn't that many. No-one seems to know why. As is usually the case I am going to put in my un-informed 2 cents into the pot! Before you all flame me, a lot of the comments below WILL be sexist. I am not sure how we can start this discussion without highlighting the cultural and mental differences that generally exist between the sexes. It's like discussing presidential candidates without talking about the 300 years of history behind the party they represent. There are some points that I can't be "delicate" about - so in my usual style, I am not going to try! ;)

I have to admit I get a skewed view of the number of female Barefoot/Minimalist runners out there because like women on a dance-floor we all tend to congregate together. For me, I see the number of female barefoot/minimalist runners around a 40/60 split when I compare the gender of my running Facebook friends. However, in real-life, (because apparently Facebook isn't real-life), the number is more in the single percentage figures. This is an unusual turn of events, because when you compare the ratio of male and female runners who run in road races, you will find that roughly 30-50% of runners will be female. In fact if you look at the half-marathon races in the US, you may find more female runners than men.

So why are there so few women running barefoot or minimalist? There have been quite a few theories, some I see as more valid than others. The problem I have is that I am not really a typical woman. Yes, I have the physical and chemical markers that put me in that category, but as far as thinking goes, I pretty much fail. This it turns out is quite common in the barefoot/minimalist world. I think that's why we all stick together. We aren't girlie girls. We embrace mud, dirt, scrapes, bruises and scratches if they were all earned running down a trail at 60 miles per hour. We don't dress up for you, but if we did then you can be guaranteed that every guy (and probably a few girls) would know about it. Barefoot Running women are strong, feisty, out-spoken, confident, "don't give a rats-arse", "outside of the box" fighters. You will find us in male-dominated industries and we are holding our own. If you get a bunch of us together, I think we could pretty much take over the world and then tell you how to run it. We would probably put a bar on every street corner too ;) Generally we kick ass!

Barefoot and Minimalist running is a man's game at the moment and I think the women in this field reflect that.

So how do we convince ALL of the women out there that they don't have to "ball-breaking" femme-fatals who can out-drink their male counterparts, in order to take their super supportive shoe's off and run?

After speaking to a few friends of mine on the subject (all who happen to be newer runners and NOT barefoot), I have come across some trends. This is why we don't have more shoeless women in the field (or on the track, on the trail or running down the road).

Women may feel they need guidance on starting out. We have just a little insecurity and nervousness when approaching what we feel is a new activity. I know running ISN'T a new sport, but when you start running without the 1-2 inches of heel cushioning, you have to start from scratch. I can relate to this. When I start something new, I do have a nervousness and I want confirmation that I am doing it right; I feel I would like some guidance. For me this lasts for about 10 minutes because with most of the things going on my life there isn't a manual. So after a moments pause I revert to my "What the heck, I'll do it anyway" attitude. I can do this, I am not sure other women can. There is a cultural trait that "women should do everything perfectly" and it's hard sometimes for some people (male and female) to try something and fail.

Women feel more comfortable learning from other women. I don't really relate to this; I prefer to learn from the person most competent regardless. However, speaking to some of my friends, I think if you placed a male and female sports coach together, (both of whom have the same qualifications), the women will always pick a woman. A friend of mine did comment that it would depend on the age of the woman and if the male instructor was hot. That's probably true too - but for the most part, women will chose a woman.

Women chose a fitness activity for the social aspect it provides. They don't just see it as a way to get fit. They see it as a way to meet friends; discuss what's happening in their lives. Male athletes are perceived to be competitive and more focused on their overall goal. I say perceived - I help run the "Run Smiley Collective" and I know that's not the case :) It's easier to make this social connection when you have shared experiences. Kids, family, daily routines - these for a lot of women are a basis of commonality. If they were learning a "New skill" they would like to learn it from some-one they can relate to.

Women are self-conscious about their bodies. Especially as we get older, we have lumps and bumps in the wrong places; throw in child-birth, even more so. Women are uncomfortable if they are in an environment where they feel more exposed - let's face it fitness wear is not very forgiving - and the subject of scrutiny by people (by both men and women). The self-consciousness is less when the environment is tailored to "women-only" than mixed sex. You just have to look at the boom of "women-only" gyms to see that.

Women have more to do and don't have time to figure "something out". I read a report (I would cite it, but that involves a search engine!), that stated women have about 8+ roles to perform a day. Men have around 5. We have so much going through our heads sometimes that having to think about one thing exclusive to everything else… well it's just too hard. Perhaps this leads to the fact that we may not be able to truly concentrate on how are bodies are reacting to our environment - we just don't have the extra brain resources to do it. We have lists and tasks taking up all that spare space. Women don't want to spend hours working out how to run in minimalist shoes, we just want to put on our shoes and run.

Women find it harder to go against "society-norms". This is a purely cultural trait. Women have for centuries been taught how they should behave and that they shouldn't go against that. Taking off your shoes is a "society faux-pas" and women would feel uncomfortable doing it. Men have been indoctrinated that "going against the grain" is a good thing. Women are behind on this score.

Women feel they need to maintain an certain level of appearance. Make-up, shaving-legs, manicures, eye-brow tweezing, high-heels, nice clothes. We have it in our heads we have to look good. Bare feet are seen as sign of poverty; shoes are an essential element of clothing. Without them you are not giving the right signals. If you don't believe me, how many barefoot runners have heard the expression "Can't you afford shoes?".

Minimalist shoes have up to now been pretty hideous. Come on let's face it. VFF's? Yeah, not good. It takes courage to be different and have comments thrown at you as you wear VFF's. Gorilla feet are out-side "societies norms" and it's tough to wear. However, paint them pink and you will have more reception. Women generally want something that is pretty, fashionable and generally pink. When I had my first pair of VFF KSO's they were "Goose-poo green". Not one woman approached me. Put on my bright pink VFF Sprints and I had women approach me nearly every day during one summer asking where I had brought them. Seems as if Girlie Pink sells! The new shoes coming in from all quarters in 2012 will probably rectify this. They look like normal running shoes and they are female fashionable!

We haven't sold the health benefits with science enough. I think this applies to the barefoot and minimalist movement in general, but I think if we extolled the virtues of barefoot and minimalist running in a SCIENTIFIC approach, women will be more inclined to try. Women are very health conscious. Not just for ourselves but for our entire family. Heck, I can read a nutritional label on a packet in about 10 seconds. If we show how barefoot and minimalist running improves our bodies and posture, we will see women giving it a go. If we show how minimalist shoes are good for our kids (as I believe they are), then women will investigate if it's better for themselves too. We will try most things if we think there is a health benefit.

There are not enough female role-models for the future women barefoot/minimalist runners out there. Let's be more explicit; there aren't enough female role-models they can relate to. If women see a slew of male Ultra runners promoting barefoot and minimalist running, they will perceive that it is only male ultra-runners that can do it. If we only show female minimalist runners who qualify for Boston, or run 50 miles up a hill then women will feel you have to be super-fit to do it. We need to show that women of ALL walks of life can run barefoot and minimalist. This isn't just the case for running - it's the case in everything. If you want to gain gender equality in a profession or sport, you need to be able to show the minority that this is a field they could participate and potentially excel in.

So am I right or wrong? In some cases I am being deliberately antagonistic, because without differing views we can't discuss this issue properly. As you can tell I didn't discuss how we rectify this. I am hoping you guys may give me some ideas ;)

Let me know what you think. It would be good to see our merry band of drunken… *cough*… I mean vibrant female runners growing.

Living in the present: Combining history and the future (Desiderata/Steve Jobs)

2011-10-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

Desiderata - Max Ehrmann 1872-1945

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,

and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

In 1986, at the age of 13, I left my very prim and proper (but still state run) Middle School in rural England and I was given a photocopy of this poem at our "graduation" assembly. (The British don't do Graduation, but this was the best way I could describe it).

For some reason, I am not sure why -because heck, I was 13- this poem struck a cord with me, and every so often I still refer to it. Like a mental reset; a reminder of how to move through life.

Also, in 1986, I remember going on a field trip to a technical college to "play" with their computers. I walked into a room that housed about 10 or 15 Macintosh computers. They seemed all wonderful and shiny compared to the "single" Sinclair ZX81 that was our schools only computer at the time. The trip didn't foster my love for writing computer programs. I didn't head out of the colleges "computer lab" and immediately write an operating system. Ten years down the line, I did end up in a "computer" related career as a Network Engineer, but at the age of 13 I still wanted to .. actually I don't remember what I wanted to do. If truth be told I still don't.

This week, as everyone knows, Steve Jobs passed away after a long battle with cancer. The one speech that appears to have gone "viral" over the last few days is the Commencement speech he gave at Stanford in 2005. Rightly so, it's a powerful and inspiring speech.

Today I was thinking not only about Steve's speech, but the poem I was given at the age of 13. It lead me to contemplate the changes we have all experienced over the last 25 years. The world my son lives in is so much different to the one I grew up in.

Our house is filled with computers and gadgets, all of them that glow and beep in a variety of tones. He can use a computer mouse (I was over 20 before I got a chance to do that). He understands the words, 'Internet', 'Log-on', 'account', 'web-page', 'youtube', 'iPod', 'iPad' and of course 'Apple'. He doesn't turn to a book for information, he turns to the computer. He is growing up in a world where we are all so connected. He is able to see his grandparent's over a video-call whenever we are able, despite living in a different country. He doesn't even need to get out of his 'Jammies'. When I was 13, I lived 2 hours from my Grandparents and when we saw them it was a major expedition.

Seeing the changes in this world is wonderful, beautiful and if truth be told slightly scary. Seeing the advances we have made, make me excited to see what the world will hold for D.

But regardless of the the excitement and enthusiasm for moving forward, we must always ensure we look back. The bright, shiny and new have a lot to offer, but so does, the dusty and old. In High School and college I decided to take a few courses in History. Something then told me, that looking to the past was just as important as looking to the future. The past keeps us grounded. The past keeps us honest. The past allows us to learn from mistakes; whether they are our own or societies. Without looking at the past we can never move our society forward. Without learning from previous errors we will always be destined to re-make the same mistakes. We will stagnate and well… stop.

To allow us to be wholly in the present we need to take BOTH the future and the past and be prepared to work with them both. We need to ensure that our history isn't lost because it is no longer sparkling and new.

So as I am typing here, listening to the Commencement speech in the background, I think that when D leaves Middle school, the likelihood would be that instead of being given a photocopy of a poem, he will be shown Steve Job's speech at his graduation. The world never stands still, but always moves forward. We progress.

Not a bad thing. It's exciting. However, I still will give him a copy of Desiderata regardless. When progressing forward we must always ensure we look back. How else can we learn from our mistakes.

Reclaiming the word "running"

2011-10-05T22:16:00.000-07:00

I admit I should be doing BRS work at the moment, but it's been another crap filled day, 2 glasses of wine too many and my "professional hat" has been placed on the hat-stand. Being professional can wait - hence why I going to rant here instead. Before you say it - you're welcome ;)

The last couple of weeks I have been going through a change in my thinking about barefoot and minimalist running. It's all New York's fault. When you drag so many intelligent people from the same community - yet, who all have different view-points - then you proceed to lock them in a "hipster dungeon" for 3 hours to talk, well, viewpoints are going to change.

I wish I knew who said the magic sentence that changed my idea's, but it wasn't a dungeon for nothing. The light was bad and Merrell haven't released the transcripts of our interrogation yet. (Kidding, before the UN start indicting Merrell on crimes of torture! Phew..)

The epiphany was this. Why do we count Barefoot running outside the realms of running? Why is "Barefoot running" a separate entity?

I had never really seen our community like this before. Okay, I knew we were outside the norms of what most of the running community would call sane, but hey, I can say that about myself about 100% of the time anyway. It was the first time I realized that we were doing this to ourselves. We were cutting ourselves off.

This thought has germinated more as we talk about "Barefoot running" coaches and "barefoot running" shoes (yes, I realize the people that "know" still call them minimalist shoes before I get flamed - chill, grab a bottle of beer).

Why do we have to attach the word "barefoot" onto the front of anything we do? I know it's a little contradictory considering my blogsite is "barefootkatiek", but understand that this is an evolutionary thought. (I am also not going to change my blog name - it took me ages to get my 60 or so followers, I am not going to lose them now).

Two years ago, I was very much about "Barefoot" this and "Barefoot" that; just like I thought running barefoot was the ONLY way to go. I have grown and understood the situation in this small but rapidly growing community. I have seen how we have developed. I have come to understand that we need some type of shoes in certain conditions (shoes as tools), and that we are alienating ourselves from the running community.

I have become less zealous in my advocacy of pure barefoot running. Yes, I still think it is the best way to learn really good running form. However, I have come to accept that we are not going to convince everyone we meet that this is the case. I will still try, but I will accept that this isn't for everyone. I have come to realize we need to concentrate on what is important.

What is important is that people who run (regardless of what is on their feet), need to know how to run well. This is where the whole "segregation" issue is starting to make me think.

I think by placing the word "Barefoot" in front of everything, is preventing the greater goal of allowing more people to experience "good" running. It is preventing more people from running better.

The thing is "barefoot running form" isn't barefoot running form at all, t's GOOD running form. It's a running form that should be adopted by everyone who wants to run well. It's harder to do when you have 2 inches of rubber on your feet, but regardless, it's something you should strive to attain.

It's the same with "Barefoot running shoes". They aren't ever going to be as good at teaching you form as being completely barefoot, however, they ARE better than foam, support and control.

I think we are missing the point on what we are trying to teach here.

The situation is that a lot of people (I would even go as far as to say, the majority of people) aren't comfortable with the idea of going barefoot. Twenty or thirty years of images and philosophy is a hard thing to change and we aren't going to change it for a lot of people. Let's accept that. However, we should concentrate on allowing them to practise running safely in the philosophy they do have.

I think if we detach the word "barefoot" from it's companions "Running", "coaching" and "shoes", we may find that we will have a lot more people considering zero-drop, minimal support shoes. If there is education on form that is not restricted to a small community, people will listen. When we call ourselves "Runners" instead of "barefoot runners" and we call "barefoot shoes" just "shoes", we will discover that more people are willing to experiment.

As I help educate my friends, (either via running club or in that moment of sanity as the kids are in school), on good running form I am becoming very conscious on ensuring I don't use the word "barefoot" in the conversation. If I tell them I am going to help them with "Running form" they are more inclined to listen. The running form I am teaching them IS "barefoot running form", but because I have side-stepped the issue of what they have on their feet, they are more acceptant of what I have to say.

I think this would be the same with "Barefoot" or minimal shoes. I think if we took the whole concept of "Barefoot" out of the equation - just called them "shoes", yet at the same time we educated on why minimal shoes are designed as they are, we would find that more people would buy them - not as a transient "fad" but as something serious they want to work with.

The key is logic. If you just say the word "Barefoot" that immediately puts people off. If you explain the anatomy behind running with good form, why good form helps everyone run better and why minimalist shoes help this process, then you will get more converts.

I think as a group we need to forget about separating ourselves from the running community. I think we need to discard our need for being "outside of the box". I think if we seriously want to get more people "on-board", running in minimal shoes, or barefoot - running with good form - we need to go back to the fold. We need to work from within.

Essentially we need to reclaim the word "running".

Just when you thought..

2011-10-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

...you could get rid of me, I pop up in other places. I did an interview with Caity from RunBarefootGirl a couple of weeks ago. She has just edited it and here it is. I apologise for the slurping and swallowing noises, *cough* note to self - don't drink coffee as you are talking on the phone.

*blush*

Run Barefoot Girl interview

2 cents on "certification"

2011-10-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

Today I went out with a friend who wants to "get into running". After years of not being very active, combined with doing something new she was undoubtably nervous - especially as I have a reputation for "running" that far exceeds my talents.

I knew it was going to be a walk/run affair, with more emphasis on the walk, but that was okay for me. I was more interested in the company than the workout (I have a running club clinic later anyway).

So as we walked to the trails I asked her; "Do you want me to teach you a little but about good running form?". I am not an expert, but I certainly didn't want to see her injured within the first 10 minutes. She agreed, so I went through the "ABC's" of good running form (as shown by Jason Robillard in various books, clinics, blogs and general ramblings). Her main issue was posture. Years of daily life with bad posture meant that resetting the idea of how to stand was hard for her. So foot plant and cadence went pretty much out of the window. We just concentrated on standing and walking with good posture.

Last weekend I ran a Barefoot Runners Society meet-up downtown and afterwards a few of us went to one of the few - if not the only- minimalist shoe store in Vancouver. I am not sure how long "The Natural Runner" has been operating, but they were new to me. They know their stuff - it was nice to talk about form and foot/leg structure whilst in a running shoe store. It was wonderful that they knew who Mark Cucuzella, Jason, Lee Saxby etc. were and yet didn't mention the book "Born to Run" once. After talking to Tim (the manager) about various topics we briefly got onto the topic of certification in teaching barefoot running.

The whole topic of Barefoot Running training and certification has become a bit of a hot topic lately, more so with Vivobarefoot introducing a certification program specifically dealing with coaches who deal with Barefoot Running.

As is usual on this blog I am going to put in my 2 cents into the pot. I only have 2 cents, so if you want anymore from me then.. umm.. tough.

To put it simply, I am not wholly convinced on the "Certification" route. At this present moment in time I am not sure it's the best direction for the Barefoot Running community. That's not to say in time my views may change - that's the good thing about this community of laid-back hobby joggers, we don't stress about changing our views - but currently, yeah, I don't know if this is what we should do.

I'll explain my reasoning. This is not against VivoBarefoot and their certification process. I am glad they are promoting education and that they are doing it in a structured, carefully considered way. This is more of a musing on the "Certification" issue in general.

Running is complex and it deals with lots of variables - mainly us; the human race. I find it hard to believe that a training program would be able to cover all of our little quirks. When an extensive program is put into place, so many rules and techniques are used that the whole process of teaching becomes too rigid. "Stand like this", "move like this", "visualize this". A more formal teaching style has a tendency to be taught as a program for the masses not being taught for the individual. I see potentially a lot of people having difficulty because they are being taught techniques which aren't structurally suited for them. There is so much to learn - it could get very complicated, very quickly. Okay, the "ABC - 3 rules" technique won't give everyone 100% perfect form. However it is flexible enough that it will give good guidelines to pretty much everyone who wants to run. It's simple, it's easy to understand and it's do-able especially for a novice. I would rather see an 80% improvement in form over 100% of the group than 100% improvement in 80% of the group. Does that mean there is no place for a more formal program? Actually a more formal program could be very useful for a more experienced runner or someone who is actively looking to improve the small, resistant issues in their form. For a new runner, I think it would be overwhelming.

Why concentrate on Barefoot Running? Barefoot running isn't a sport in itself, it's just a different way of, well.. Running. We should be concentrating on teaching "good running form", not teaching "good barefoot running form". I admit that developing good form is not as easy when you are in conventional running shoes. However, some improvements can be made regardless of what you wear on your feet. Let's not isolate Barefoot Running. Let's just teach good running form to everyone and let people decide what they should wear. We have to accept in the Barefoot and Minimalist community that we are not going to convert everyone to our way of thinking. So let's concentrate on teaching techniques that are extensively used in good barefoot running form and teach everyone. When we teach using science and good information, then people will be more converted to barefoot and minimalist running; they will switch because it makes sense NOT because it is a "current craze". The same with "Barefoot Shoes". Let's just call the minimalist shoes, "shoes" but explain why they are designed the way they are.

Certification does not always guarantee competency. I am a cynic, but we have all seen it in other professions. "Yes", you can take the coaching course, "Yes", you can do your exams and "Yes" you can have your piece of paper. Does that mean you have the experience of teaching the hidden in's and out's? "No". Does that make you a good teacher? "No". However you have that piece of paper. So when new runners are looking for an easier way to obtain information regarding barefoot running, they will look for someone "certified" and maybe will be less reluctant to question the teacher. I personally would listen to someone who has years of solid experience, who can tailor my program and has no piece of paper, than that of a runner with little experience but the word "certified" after their name. However, I think that maybe I am in the minority. I was brought up to question - I am not sure this is the case of the majority of the population.

Certification takes out the need for self-evaluation. This leads on from my previous point. We are all lazy - the human race is always looking for an easy way out. Taking a training course is useful, but it is an easy way out. Years ago when I started Barefoot and minimalist running, we didn't have books, manuals or training courses. If we wanted to learn about good running form, we asked questions, we tried new techniques and we listened to what our bodies was telling us. We worked it out for ourselves. Would we have done all of that if the information was handed to us? Would we question what was working if we were held by the hand from beginning to end? I am concerned that if someone took an extensive "certified" training course that the ability to self-evaluate what was and was not working for them would disappear. We would listen to the teacher and follow all of the steps without questioning if the information was applicable to us. A good teacher would be able to understand if something was or was not working for their student, but you can never guarantee good teachers in a new "field". The "ABC" program is basic enough that there is still a need of the student to self-evaluate and investigate. The onus is on the student to tweak their form. The student needs to work for that 20% to obtain perfect form.

Certification divides a profession or sport. It's sad, but kind of true. When you start implementing a documented way of doing something, you start creating divisions. It starts becoming a case of "This way is better than that way". You get zealots who believe their way is the ONLY way something should be taught. New programs that are introduced have to find a "quirk" or a "spin" on how they teach so they can stand out from the rest. Certification creates competition which ultimately divides the industry it set's out to standardize. It's true of ALL professions. Look at Doctors, lawyers, or engineering - you need the degree from the "right" university. It also means that a certain way is taught religiously, even if there are techniques from other educators that may work better for your student. In my early days of Barefoot running, I revelled in the fact that we were all working on a common goal. Okay our education techniques had a lot to be desired, but still, our only aim was that people ran well - how they did it was up to them. It makes me a little sad to see how this unified objective may be destroyed.

I want to clarify, I am not against training programs or education. Teaching people how to run well and with less injury is a GOOD thing. I think the work done by Vivobarefoot, Merrell, Vibram, Skora, New Balance and all of the other minimalist shoe manufacturers out there (many of whom I should remember, but the coffee hasn't kicked in yet!) is amazing. The "Good Form" programs that are currently out there are an excellent way of gaining information. The books and magazine articles as well as the forums and web-site/blogs, all have a role to play. My concern is the attempt to make one program appear better than all the rest. This change I know is inevitable. It's already in progress and the changes it will have on our little freaky community will be felt. In 12 months time, I may lament this stance and wonder when I re-read this post, what all the fuss was about. I may be a convert - who know's? But, at this time, I am uneasy. I am not a certified running coach - I don't even count myself as a good running coach. However, when someone comes to me and asks for advice, I do try to ensure the information is taken from multiple sources. is easy to understand and is individual to them. My aim is to help them understand how their body moves and make them move better. My payment is a coffee and a chat afterwards. Until someone gives me a piece of paper, verifying me as being a mediocre coach and a very good coffee drinker, I think I will leave "certification" where it is.

Party in New York! NYC Barefoot Run 2011 - Part 3

2011-10-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

Part One can be found here. PART ONE

Part Two can be found here. PART TWO

Yep, I am taking ages with this run report. Blame catch-up; catch up on housework, catch up on sleep, catch up on all of those 300 emails I had waiting for me when I landed. To be fair the sleep was the most important - the others, yeah, not so much ;)

So, Race Day. We had pretty much realized that racing - in fact any type of running was going to be a little difficult.

Drunken hugs in the lobby at 6:45AM
Photo by Krista

The last thing on my mind was running; anywhere. I just wanted a hole to curl up in until my hangover kicked in. I think everyone else wanted that too. I had no time to shower and I must have smelt like a winery. I am painting a gorgeous picture of myself.

Sleeping on the Ferry - Thanks Christian

So we took the subway to the governor island ferry. Merrell bods, Krista, myself and Christian were in attendance. Jesse, Shelly, Jason and Pablo, umm.. not so much.

Drunken Kate and Sober Larry.
Photo by Catherine Gibbons

We met up with Trisha, Catherine and Larry at the race start. They looked vaguely healthy; well Larry and Catherine
did, but they did the sensible thing and left at 11:30. As well as Chris who also left early because he was on "daddy duty". Chris had brought the Run Smiley TUTU's which I managed to drag onto myself as the ferry left the terminal. (I didn't do a good job, as the pictures show. My running skirt was all caught up and looked suspiciously like I had rushed to the bathroom and then forgotten to tuck my underpants in). Well if that was the worst humiliation I had during the race I was a lucky girl.

Chris and I in our TUTU's
Not sure if this was taken
by Krista or Christian

We hid ourselves well for the group shot and hung around trying desperately to sober up. Still no sign of Jason, Jesse, Shelly or Pablo. Humm...

So we chatted and ate banana's. Christopher McDougall was there. Krista and I told private rude jokes as we munched our banana's in a failed attempt to be seductive ;) Unfortunately the drunken gang from last night were the only ones with Beer Goggles - everyone else could see us perfectly. :D

The race was called to start and we all lined up. Everyone started yet Krista and I ran to the nearest porta-potty. Yep, We spent the first 5 mins of the race in the loo. Not an auspicious start :)

Yeah, not good.
Thanks Bob for the photo.

I had forgotten to tape up my 2 funky toes, so I elected to run in my stripy socks. I was carrying my "Invisible shoes" huaraches in my "hobby Jogger" hoodie, just in case. I have to admit I don't remember much of the first lap; if the photo's are anything to go by, that is probably a good thing as I was transcending the "drunk" stage to the "okay I feel fine stage".

It was warm and muggy, so after one lap, we all congregated to drink coconut water in an attempt to continue the sobering-up process. Coconut water is the most evilest creation on the planet. Okay, it isn't usually - I have actually drunk coconut water before and with a little tweaking it's actually drinkable. This stuff wasn't. Although that could have just been my queasy stomach. The effort to keep the coconut water in my stomach worked and after a little while I was actually feeling vaguely human - although looking human wasn't going to happen for a while.

Larry, Trisha and I enjoying coconut water
Not really - photo Catherine Gibbons

It was then I discovered that during my drunken stagger around the first lap, my 'Invisible shoes' had fallen out of my hoodie. It turns out after talking to other runners, that they had fallen out at separate times along the course. People were asking about who's huaraches there were. I should have gone for another lap and picked them up, but I came up with a cunning plan. After talking to Steve from IS, we decided to leave them where they were and let everyone wonder. Start an 'Urban Myth'. What happened to the runner who lost one shoe? Did they get eaten by the monster of Governor Island? Did the 'Loch Ness Monster' go on vacation and have a snack? Was the runner captured by aliens? We came up with a future plan (if we are ever invited back), that next time we will take with us random and bizarre pieces of clothing and leave them in strategic places on the course. How strange can this 'Urban Myth' get?

As I was feeling better I decided to do another lap with Christian and Chris (I think it was Chris, now I am wondering… as you can tell I am not drinking as I write this so I am hindered in my attempt at recall). As we approached the ferry terminal we saw the first passenger ferry disembarking. Yep, there was Jesse, Jason and Shelly. We walked the last part teasing them about the fact they didn't turn up. They did have the opportunity to shower and have breakfast so in fact they did make a better first impression than we did ;)

The Run Smiley team - photo by Merrell.

The first ferries were about to leave and a lot of our group decided to leave. Just before I managed to escape, Christopher McDougall pulled me into a Hula dance with various others. I was becoming hung-over, I was tired and I am naturally un-coordinated. I saw Chris from BRS NY, grinning as he was drinking beer. We decided to do a runner. So like naughty school kids, we slipped out from the back of class and did a runner when we thought we were far enough away.

Patrick pulling us. Yes we are pretending
to use Whips. Thanks Bookis for the photo

Krista was waiting for me as the others had left. Just as we we walking back, we bumped into Patrick and Bookis from Luna. Patrick offered to take us to the terminal in the rickshaw. This was an offer we couldn't refuse. Patrick is one of the sweetest people I know and has a wicked sense of humour. So the four of us (Patrick pulling Krista and I as Bookis ran along side) headed to the terminal talking very dirty and causing general mayhem. To give you an indication on how off-colour we were being, Krista actually suggested we should quieten it down because there were kids about. Coming from Krista? Yep, we were that bad.

According to Patrick we were too heavy and he happily deposited us at the terminal - especially as we had broken the rickshaw flag twice on the circuit. The first ferry was just about to leave, so in fact we caught up with the rest of the crowd on the ferry.

We all took the subway back and at the hotel we got showered (thank god) and we actually began to look vaguely decent. Pablo, Jesse, Christian, Krista and myself went looking for food. It was good to get out, although the mexican food didn't quite agree with my stomach - at one point I wasn't sure if I was going to pass out or throw up. Close call. The food did the job though and on the way back I was feeling normal.

We collapsed in the hotel lobby for a couple of hours as we waited for everyone to catch their flights. All of us trying not to fall asleep and contemplating the end of the biggest experience we have had for a long time. It was bitter sweet saying good-bye to all my friends. Although I had only technically known them in real-life for less than 72 hours, the bond we had created on-line and had cemented on the weekend, meant that when we said good-bye it was like saying goodbye to old friends. There were hugs - lots of hugs.

Krista and I sober and on 'Top of the
Rock' One of the few photo's I was
actually able to take

Krista and I were left alone. We decided to do a little sight-seeing in the last few hours. Although I had been in NYC for the whole weekend I hadn't seen much of it. It was nice for the two of us to walk along Broadway and 5th, take in Times Square and go to 'The Rock' to see the view. It solidified where I was; I couldn't help but be overwhelmed all over again.

We settled for an early night and little drinking. Didn't stop Krista and I talking till midnight like teenage girls on a sleep-over. We talked about running and form as well as making rude jokes. I can't believe I actually gave a form running clinic as we were sitting on the bed in our jammies :)

I couldn't sleep, my body-clock was screwed, so as I got up for my flight at 4am, I had no sleep. I said a quick goodbye to Krista and headed to the taxi as I left NYC. All over - but what an amazing experience.

On reflection, the weekend stats speak for themselves. In total I had only 10 hours sleep over about 96 hours. I ran a total of 7 miles. I spent about 20 hours drinking and I have no idea how much I drank. I made loads of new friends and cemented the friendships I already had.

As I collapsed on the plane I couldn't help but smile :)

Party in New York! NYC Barefoot Run 2011 - Part 2

2011-10-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

My photo of Times Square.

Part One can be found here. PART ONE
Part Three can be found here. PART THREE

So it's been just under a week and in a desperate attempt to remember last weekend I have decided to under-go "State-dependant recall"; i.e. I was drunk when I was walking around NYC, so therefore I need a couple of glasses to remember. (also referencing all of the photo's taken of me whilst holding a glass of wine - there were so many). The photo's are all taken by others. I would cite them, but there are so many. My camera was useless, so I had to use other photographic evidence) ;)

When I left off we were being whisked away by Merrell via very yellow taxi cabs to a dungeon in the ACE hotel. I am not sure if myself or my fellow bloggers (namely Christian and Jesse) were aware of the company we would be keeping. Walking into the room (after being asked to remove our shoes), we were in the same space as Amby Burfoot of Runners World, Mark Cucuzella, Vibram and Merrell big-wigs. Famous bloggers like Josh and Pablo. Let's not forget Jason and the other big names there. There were literally so many and I have a very small brain - If I forgot you, umm.. sorry *sheepish grin*.

Underground bunker. I think
Christian took this one.

So I was overwhelmed and luckily a beer and sharing a comfy seat by Christian was enough to get me to loosen up (That sounded kind of rude - cool). Before long I was giving my uninformed 2 cents. The "round-table discussion" was actually a geeky highlight of the weekend. Despite all of the goofing around, I think some really important points and issues were raised. Not sure how much I am allowed to say, but the whole meeting left me feeling that we were on the right track and on to something.

Josh's photo of our Dr. Who timelines.

After a quick change, we were again whisked in a more hollywood style (Lexus this time) to a restaurant where very tiny food and way too much sangria were served. This was where were able to be more ourselves and less corporate. As my glass was filled more and more with apple chunks and less with Sangria; i.e. way too many glasses of alcohol, I took the time to just generally chat. I am such a nerd, but the highlight here was discussing Doctor Who/RiverSong timelines with Josh Sutcliffe (BarefootJosh). We had pens and the backs of menus. Much to the avoidance of some of our companions and the mirth of others. One of the Merrell guys was almost peeing himself watching us as I (sad as it is) accurately named episode titles. *cough* it was a highlight for me okay!

Then off to the Merrell pre-race party and packet pickup. This is where the majority of the drinking was done. Free barefoot wine and beer - come on. Most of us made a token gesture to listen to the talks, but after 20 mins of being stared at whilst giggling at the back of the class, we decided a position closer to the beer was needed. Outside it was then.

I'm British... pulling funny faces in front of important people
is my hobby. (I think Trisha took this)

I don't really remember much of this. I DO remember me "chewing out" Christopher McDougall for ruining my life (he was the reason I started "Run Smiley") and he promptly tattooed me (temporarily of course) as we both pulled funny faces. I remember snagging a bottle of wine (we weren't allowed whole bottles) and that it was a really long run whilst drunk to the nearest toilets. I remember getting very huggy and probably quite incoherent. I apparently could stand given the photographic evidence - however how I have NO idea. I think Christian standing next to me may explain that. When a short person drinks too much you need a 6 foot+ giant to hold you up.

Inside Trisha's room. I think they were talking
about Orgasms. Not sure who was taking this.

I know we started walking and then all of us needed the bathroom and so we ended up at Trisha's hotel because it was closer - however I think we did get lost on the way. We then ended up on a subway to the ACE hotel where we went to the bar and carried on drinking. I think Jason said in his "I propose" voice that we all go to bed at about 4am. I can see the sense of it as we had to be up at 6:30, however, if we were thinking straight (and we weren't) we would have stayed up and started drinking water and coffee, then headed to the ferry with NO sleep. We were a happy band of Jesse, Jason, Shelly, Trisha, Pablo, Krista, Christian and myself. A very drunk happy band.

So we had to meet the Merrell people at 6:45am in the lobby. At 6:30 Krista's alarm went off and she kicked me out of bed. (Still not sure how I managed to get to bed, that's still a grey area). I stood and pretty much fell over, yep, we were still drunk.

I went to bathroom and I think I fell over and at 6:40 was still in a fetal position trying to get up and not throw up. We did make it to the lobby; of the gang that were drinking Christian, myself and Krista were the only ones who made it. The look we gave the Merrell guys pretty much told them we needed coffee and water.

We still had to run… the race and after-math in the next instalment (I need more wine!)

Party in New York! NYC Barefoot Run 2011 - Part1

2011-09-29T17:30:00.000-07:00

Part Two can be found here. PART TWO
Part Three can be found here. PART THREE

I have spent the last weekend having what can only be described as the best party of my life. Sorry, hubby, college friends and fellow co-workers. I spent the last 72 hours living it large in the Big Apple in the world of barefooters a lot more famous than me.

There are times in your life when you look back on an event, or series of events and you think that honestly it could not have been as great as it was. As if after the partying high, life resumes and the gloss wears off. I have been back from NYC for a total of 4 days and I am still waiting for the gloss to wear off.

Admittedly I am also trying to remember what happened for some of it and i hoping that the rest of "The Collective" will be able to fill in the lots of gaps I have when we do our collaborative report.

So here is my brief re-cap of some of the highlights of the weekend.

Firstly, after a 10 hour flight and some hassle at US Border Control (based in Toronto - yep, still haven't figured that one out either), I landed in NYC. I got to the hotel at about 7:30PM and my first quest was to shower, find Krista - who was bunking with me- and get to the party. Krista walked into our room pretty much as I was finished getting changed and meeting her for the first time pretty much typified my whole NYC experience.

The thing is; the majority of the people I was meeting in NYC were people I had never met before in real life. We have known each other virtually for years and as a result you get a good idea of what the are like, but sometimes reality never matches up. Would there be awkwardness? Would we sit in stoney silence waiting for someone to be who we thought they would be? Okay, the likelihood was small, but it was still something to think about.

So when Krista walked in the door, we pretty much squealed at each other, hugged and started telling rude jokes. This was the same scenario for pretty much everyone I met this weekend. Everyone I met were genuine people. It was just nice to know that over the last few years, everyone was themselves on-line. I still marvel about that. Perhaps it's an in-built cynicism that people play a role and not themselves. So to have my faith in humanity validated over and over - well frankly it's awesome. (I apologize now, the word "Awesome", "Fantastic" and every other compliment will be used repetitively - get used to it). So when we met, there was no need to do introductions, or small-talk, we just launched into rude jokes and immaturity whilst drinking a stupid amount of alcohol.

Krista and I headed off to the PoPBurger restaurant for "informal" drinks. The rest of the Merrell crew were flying in later and there was a good chance we wouldn't meet till the next day, so Krista and I decided to head out and represent regardless.

On getting there we ordered Guinesses and Chips (well Fries) and started being our rowdy selves. We met Caity, who was awesome (see told you). Then I heard a tentative, "Kate?" behind me and Patrick was behind me. Everyone seemed to go quiet as I screamed "PATRICK!" and I think I actually broke some windows. We carried on drinking, laughing, being rude and doing death stares to the random guys who were stealing our food. The rest of the evening became a bit of a blur. At the PoPBurger Bar I vaguely remember meeting Barefoot Ted, (who complimented me on my "Alabaster skin") and KenBob who we convinced to place his fridge magnets as nipple tassels whilst we all took photo's.

Krista and I took off as the bar closed and for some bizarre reason we decided to run back to the hotel. It was one of the most surreal runs. Krista in her flip-flops, me in my Merrell Mary-Janes. Not completely drunk, but not quite sober, running with huge grins on our faces through Manhattan at 12:30AM. As we got to the hotel, we decided to text the others to see if they had landed. I think the text went something on the lines of "we're drunk, where are you?". Within minutes we had a text saying, "we're in the bar". Christian and Jason were there to meet us. Inside the bar was Shelly and Jesse, happily drinking away. Again, there were huge hugs and no awkwardness. We sat down and set about drinking till the bar-closed at 3am.

At 7:30 I got up and had breakfast with Christian. We were meeting all of the Merrell party in the foyer and the plan was to run to the clinics. The plan slightly changed and we were allowed to take the subway if we wanted to. Christian and I changed our minds about 30 times before we decided we would join the others on the run. Out of the drunken louts from the night before, there was only me, Christian and Jesse running. It became clear after 5 mins, that we had made a mistake. The running group was lead by Mark Cucuzella who won the Air Force Marathon the weekend before. Our sorry little group was hindered by hangovers and my short legs; we could make about a 10 min mile. We soon lost them, but decided we knew where we were going anyway. After another mile, we realized we didn't. Christian "googled" our location and we discovered we were 4 miles from Battery Park - not bad for a 3 mile run. As usual in these situations we brainstormed a solution. Heck, this is New York - Call a cab. So we arrived at the clinic via Taxi. We spent 5 mins goofing around, until we saw the running group coming through. Despite taking motorized transport we were still late!

The event at battery park was low key, a few tents and some coconut water. However, that's not why we were there; We were there for the clinics. It was a little surreal to see KenBob and Jason, Mark, Lee Saxby, and Barefoot Ted being dragged by Patrick. All of these A-class barefoot running dudes, all in one place it was like a wild-life documentary. All of these Barefoot runners in their natural habitat.

Here I met on of the last friends I had been anxious to meet. Another tentative "Kate?" and another squeal from me and I saw Chris. Chris was one of the first authors on Run Smiley that approached us when we got going. The previous authors were those that I had known in my past-lives as blogger and lay-about on Runners World. They were press-ganged into the "Collective". Chris volunteered. Chris is an awesome writer and as soon as I read his blog I realized he was a find. I have only known Chris for a few months on-line, but I felt I had known him for years. We stuck by each other, on and off through-out the weekend, and meeting him was a highlight for me. Chris highlights for me the power of "Run Smiley". I have met so many fantastic people through the blog - it's like another avenue to new and fabulous friends.

I was able to only part-take of 2 clinics. Mark Cucuzella's clinic was a real eye-opener. He was able to explain why a barefoot form was essential for running well. Even after a couple of days it has enabled me to describe the science behind why we stand, walk, run the way we do. Jason's clinic was simple, concise and validated in my mind the way I feel we should teach Barefoot/Bareform running. Again at my running group, I have already used his methods to be able to proper form.

I wish I could stay for more, but I was being whisked away in movie star fashion to a dungeon deep in Manhattan to be a small fish in a very famous pond. Wow, that did sound kinky!

Learn more in Part 2.

Essential packing guide to running in NYC - might not be what you are expecting.

2011-09-17T19:46:00.001-07:00

I am getting ready. I'm preparing. I am organising, what is essentially the biggest party I have been to in years.

We aren't talking about a party involving vomiting kids and piñata's; although I am sure there may be vomiting happening somewhere. We are talking about lots of... well society would call us 'Kooks' and frankly society thinks we are a little bit strange. That's okay, we are a bit, but now we have become organised and we are hitting New York City in droves.

On September 25th hundreds of barefoot and minimalist runners will be converging onto Governors Island in New York City and in a big snub to the mainstream shoe industry we are running; defying the norm. Okay, snubbing the shoe industry is our secondary goal. Our primary goal is to inflict our drunken kookiness on as many unsuspecting New Yorkers as possible. Fine, I have let our secret mission 'out of the bag' as it were. It's not really a secret anymore. Who am I kidding? No-one reads this blog.

Mwwwhahahahaha... New York will not know what hit it!

So I am planning. What do I take? My aim is to go as minimalist as possible. I only want to take carry on luggage, so everything has to fit in a carry-on case. I have to take the bare-est essentials. So what does a 'Kook' need to for a drunken rampage on NYC? Oh I will be running too; I keep forgetting that bit.

Here is my must-have list:

iPod 64gb. This is going to be my main gadget workhorse. I love this thing. I will be able to link up to do web-cams with my family when I am away, I will be able to watch TV, listen to music, check my email, update Facebook, you name it. It's small enough that I can throw it into my purse and no-one is any wiser until I whip it out and take very embarrassing photo's of people doing very strange things. Some of them I may even know!

Yoga pants. It's a sign of middle-age, but I beginning to really love these. They are the new "tracksuit fat-pant" leggings of the 21st century. They are warm, comfortable and hide everything. The don't crease and the fold into small spaces. Yet, they can look smart if placed with a smart-top, t-shirt or sport top. I will be taking 3 pairs - all the same colour. I am a bit like a man like that. Yes, I know "Yoga Pants" are the reason why Vancouver came 3rd in the "worst dressed city in the world", (Jersey shore came 10th - so this is a true achievement), but I don't care. Stretch spandex/luon is my new friend.

Freebie shirts. I have been given a few freebie shirts over the last few months. Have to show my swag catching abilities right? So my BRU, BRS and Luna shirt are making the trip. I also have a couple of Run Smiley shirts and a zapshirt. I may have to trim which ones I take. This isn't a fashion show, apparently (??) My "Hobby Jogga" hoodie will also have pride of place - It`s a statement of attitude not a piece of clothing!

Minimalist running Shoes - yep I am taking some shoes. I am thinking of wearing my Merrell Barefoot Mary-Janes as they are vaguely smart and comfortable. For running I am thinking of stripy injini socks and my 4mm Invisible Shoes. My theme for the run, is hobo/wicked witch of the west, mixed in with prima ballerina - more on that one later. Yeah, the mental images are a bit scary huh? May also take my Luna Originals if I have room. I can then mix in a bit of roman centurion look into the mix. (We all know "Centurions are cool")

Ta-Ta Tamers. The ultimate running bra. Yes, I know the sign of good form is "no boob-wobble", but with a cup-size rivalling a "Venti" order of coffee at Starbucks, I need all the help I can get. TMI'ing a little there. Again, you are getting some fantastic mental imagery here.

TU-TU's. I admit I am cheating here. I couldn't get the TU-TU's made and shipped to Canada in time. These aren't going in my hand luggage, although I will have figure out a way to bring them back without being detained at the airports as a security risk. They are being shipped to NYC directly. This is the ballerina part of my costume. Luckily I won't be the only ones wearing them; should give our "kookie" ambience some credence.

Tweed jacket. I will be wearing this on the plane. Okay, so I am going for a hobo/wicked witch/ballerina/Dr. Who look. Yeah, I am not helping with this mental imagery here. I am going to have to take photo's. If I get the bow-tie my outfit will be complete. Oh so tempted. I am also tempted to take my straw stetson hat. Like Centurions, "stetson's are cool"

An additional empty bag. Although my personal shopping time is limited, I am hoping to snag some goodies at the expo. Free would be nice, but the credit card will have to be with me for security reasons. I also have very little will-power. I wonder if that will work as an excuse when Hubby opens the credit card statement next month? I also have to find a smurf'. Really, CAPCOM really has a lot to answer for when they made 'Smurfsville'. Disney didn't help with the movie either. I now have a 6 year old that believes New York is completely covered in Smurfs. Forget running as a goal, if I don't come back with a smurf the next 6 months of my life won`t be worth living. (Although I do like Caity's idea of claiming that "Smurfs don't have a passport and were detained by immigration". That is my back-up plan!)

As you can see, there is not one mention of a Garmin watch, black lycra tights, supportive running shoes or body-glide. Not the usual suitcase for a trip to a running race. However, an accurate reflection of my attitude I think. Yeah, Merrell are never going to ask me back are they? *Big Grin*

Should we provide Manuals for Running Shoes? ALL running shoes?

2011-09-04T17:46:00.000-07:00

[Warning: This is a PMS, angst ridden post about the state of modern society and peoples inability to think for themselves. Kind of - it's about running shoes too. I am sure it will upset someone, but frankly I haven't had my therapeutic dose of chocolate yet, so.. umm.. tough. Deal with it. Also remember this is my personal view, so if you don't like it, okay by me. Just remember to keep snarky comments polite. :D]

I am not talking about getting guides or manuals when you buy a pair of VFF's, Merrells or any other minimal shoes. I am talking about ALL running shoes. However, how much information should we provide?

Firstly, should we provide a manual for all running shoes? I was thinking about this the other day. How much information do you get when you walk into a store and buy a pair of running shoes? I can tell you - usually zip, nada, nothing. They will do funky tests, make you run up and down the store, but essentially when you walk out that door you are on your own. Let's face it, how many of us are going to then go on the internet and research how we run? Again, zip, nada.. you get the idea. We have a gleaming pair of $140 shoes. We just want to take them for a test drive. We have all seen "Chariots of Fire". Look at all those action movies - there is a lot of running in them. Hundreds of Hollywood actors heel-striking can't be wrong, right? So why should we need to research this?

Frankly, most of us run wrong. Ask coaches, elites and those that run for a living and they will probably tell us we are running wrong. Look at the statistics; the hospital admissions and trips to the Physiotherapists. Running Injuries are common; they cost millions of dollars a year in bills; yet, there isn't a warning label on your shoes. You don't have a huge sticker that says "This product may seriously damage your health". Why not?

It is clear due to a plethora of anthropological and anatomical studies, we now know how our bodies are designed. We know how we are physical built to move. Heck, even Newton and Einstein had laws of Physics and they are integral in the way we are built to walk and run. Newton and Einstein can't be wrong, can they? If they are, then Scotty no longer has a catchphrase. So why do we run in a way that is detrimental to us?

Because we are more likely to believe the movies and we have no "free-in the box", "automatically handed out" manuals. The Human Species is essentially lazy. As a species our greatest developmental surges happen in times of plenty; when we can spend less time looking for food and more time increasing our grey matter. This is why we prefer sitting in front of the TV with a bag of chips. Because through our desire for progress, our food is now easily available and lasts longer than a TV Sit-com re-run. This is how we are designed to act in a time of plenty. What would you prefer? Chase your food for 3 hours or sit on the couch with an easy to open bag? I know what I would do if I was given a no-guilt free choice.

It's the same for everything else. We get manuals and instructions for everything these days. Your Kettle, your toaster, probably that easy to open bag of chips. And we follow them to the letter. Why? Because it is easier to follow instructions than to think for ourselves. Why re-invent the wheel, when you can "google" the word "wheel" and in 10 seconds you have a stream of easy information?

When you walk out of that store, there is no manual on how to run. So what do the majority of people do? They slap on their shoes and they run. They take the messages they have seen from TV and the movies and they run. Badly. They then go to the doctors offices and wait to be treated.

So should we put instruction manuals in with our running shoes? Should there be a 10 page step-by-step instruction leaflet on how to run, along with the usual disclaimers, that if you put your shoes in water you will be electrocuted? Sorry, scrap the last part, I was thinking of the toaster again. You get the idea though.

Is it now time to accept that we are incapable of performing the simple act of running without help? Should ALL shoe companies automatically accept we need instructions?

In my personal view. Probably. Even if it's a single sentence that says "Running is a complex sport; check your local library or the internet for more information"

Then there is the issue of what should we put into the manuals if they were provided. Running isn't a simple concept to distill because there is a huge variable at work here. Us. The human body. The glory of the individual.

The thing is how I run is not the same as the way you will run. I am a short-arse female, of middling years and European descent. I have wobbly bits in the right AND wrong places. I have funky toes and screwed up ankles. My knees bend in different directions. Okay, I am making myself sound like an extra for the "Muppets" or a horror movie. Most of all however, is that I am unique. Completely unique. This is the same for every single one of us. When you have 6 billion variables in the mix, how do you create a prescribed manual on how to run.

Fact is you can't. This leads into a difficult and perilous situation. Our uniqueness combined with an innate desire to be lazy means that if someone DID write a manual on how to run, chances are that you will find a large proportion will try and follow it to the letter. Every step will be completed regardless to the fact that step 3, 4, 5, whatever, is actually causing more harm than good?

You have a choice; too much or too little information.

You could write a manual with SO much information that every variable is covered. The manual would contain more pages than "War and Peace" and will either be completely unreadable or just totally ignored. If the manual WAS read and understood, you still risk the problem that there is one variable you did not cover. As you didn't mention it in your "bible of running", the reader would not think to ask, or make the mental connection. The ability to consciously think about what you are doing or what you are trying to achieve has been removed.

I fell into this trap when I started minimalist running. I took ALL of the advice that was given to me and I tried to follow it. All of it. It was easier to listen to the advice of others than it was to listen to my body. I was willing to trust others I deemed more knowledgeable, at the expense of trusting myself. Although I had run longer and further in minimalist shoes than I had ever achieved in conventional shoes, I still had difficulties. It was still hard. Then, one day, I decided to just listen to what my feet were telling me; I went against a lot of the well-meaning advice and then my running fell into place. I listened to my body and myself - eventually. Still didn't stop the 4-5 months I spent figuring out the good information from the bad.

TOO much information is a bad thing. Trusting everything you read is a bad thing.

However, you can go the other way, condensing a complex activity into 2 or 3 sentences; you are giving the basic information and trusting the masses will work it out. In a society where everyone from the government downwards are so busy covering themselves legally; are we ready to put the trust in people to use common sense and work this out (without holding someone accountable if they personally Fuck it up)?

it's a fine line to walk - or in this case run. I am not sure there will ever be a right or wrong answer.

Personally I am for giving the power back to the people. Ensuring that the information I give is accurate, even if that means leaving a lot of the "extra" helpful stuff out. You can never be sure that the "helpful" stuff will actually be true for your target audience. I am for allowing people to use common sense; to trust themselves and then providing extra help if it is needed. There will be people that fall through the cracks; that can't handle the lack of immediate, "no effort necessary" approach, but I am putting my faith in my fellow man that this percentage of the human race is smaller than is portrayed in the media.

Still won't stop me putting a disclaimer. My life of idle meanderings doesn't cover any potential legal bills. :)

Running with the Doctor

2011-08-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I ran with the "Doctor", my "Doctor".

Let me first explain, I am a category one British Nerd. As a consequence I am a fan of Doctor Who - let's add Torchwood too (except for this year, but that's a whole difference essay).

Yesterday, was the first episode of the second half of the sixth season. Yep, it doesn't make sense to any of us either, but let's just say there are quite a few of us [Category One Nerds] who were pretty excited about it. So many questions, so many plots... Do they kill Hitler? Do they find Melody? Does RiverSong come back? Will Amy become all lame-arse because she is now a "Mother"? The usual life-death questions.

So in celebration for, 1) I can now run and 2) Doctor Who was back, I made an effort to run with the "Doctor" yesterday. I have a pretty eclectic play-list on my ipod and it get's weirder every year. I do run without music on the technical trails. If I do wear my iPod, it's usually on an easy, well-known trail. I usually only have one earbud in and it's on very low. I can still hear my footfalls. It's more of a background beat than anything I consciously listen to. Quite often it set's the mood of what could be a mundane run. I have my warm-up music (Bowie) and I have my fartlek music (currently Arcade fire and the Killers). I have my mental reset music (snow patrol). I have my happy music (Noah and the Whale and Mumford and Sons). I also have a fantasy tune. This is a fast sprint with a grin - where I run with the biggest smile and as I quick as I can. It's a narrow margin if I don't kill myself as I fall over a tree root.

It's this:

It's called "I am the Doctor" and it's the 11th Doctor's theme tune. I do not have any other orchestral music on my iPod except this, but this is one of my favourite tracks. When this comes on, I run over my bit of trail as fast as I can. I pretend there are aliens in the sky and that the sky is a funny shade of purple. I imagine that we are being chased and shot at. I dash from bush to tree and try to hide from deadly ray blasts. I see explosions and debris flying in the air. For 4 minutes I am transported and I am running for my life. I skip and I dance over the roots and gravel and if I had a "sonic screwdriver" I am sure there would be a few trees without leaves and quite a few squirrels scared "poo-less".

This is my unbidden fun track. I know that no-one would understand what's going in my head when this comes on, but that's fine.

So yesterday I ran from the Soltaran, the Darleks and the Cybermen. Okay, my knee didn't like it and I developed a kick-arse blister on my funky toe. My 3 mile run only ended up being 2 miles before I accepted defeat. However I DO NOT care. I got to play this and for 4 minutes I was 7 years old and hiding behind the sofa, imagining what it would be like to be with "Doctor Who" on his travels in the TARDIS. I was having the best time. Many people would count the fact I had a "technically" bad run as something to be upset about. I don't - I got to run with the "Doctor".

So, Run. Basically Run.

[Note: Fantastic episode last night. Just want to know, WTF happened to Hitler? Is he still locked in the cupboard?]

What to do? An internal debate…

2011-08-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

So Guys, I am in a dilemma and I need some advice. Don't fret, this isn't a life or death situation. Nothing will get harmed, maimed or mutilated as a result of your advice; except for peoples sanity, but sanity is not necessarily a quantifiable thing. Thankfully, if it was, I am not sure I would be able to type due to the straight-jacket I would have been placed in.

So I am looking for an opinion; a direction. I am looking for advice on what this blog should/could be about.

After about 27 or so months of minimalist running and about 20 or so months of inane ramblings about -well not much really- I am wondering if I should start to include reviews of the minimal shoes that I have tried. This is a dilemma for me because this was never what the blog was to be about and I am still not sure it's what I want it to be about.

The thing is, there are a million reviewers out there on the interwebiverse and a good chunk of them review minimal shoes. There are also a proportion of that "minimal shoe review brigade" that actually review the shoes really well - they are the ones I look to when I want to see what a shoe will be like. If you want to know who they are, look at my sidebar. So I have never felt the need to put in my two-cents worth, because they would say it so much better than I would. There is an overload of information out there and I don't necessarily want to add to that. I like just "Keeping It Simple (and yes I am Stupid sometimes)".

That doesn't mean I don't give my opinion if I am directly asked. I will tell you what I do and don't like about a shoe -in fact about anything at all really- so that's not necessarily it. I just don't want to volunteer the information out of the blue, straight into your inbox without any warning.

Living in Canada I also have a limited selection of minimal shoes I can just go out and buy, (and yes until about 2 weeks ago I have brought or won every shoe I currently have in my possession. Invisible Shoes and Merrell have sent me shoes to check out). I hate ordering over the internet, because I have funky feet and I hate the hassle of trying to figure out what size I am. Heaven forbid if I get it wrong and I have to send them back and order new ones. Especially in Canada, the mail delivery from the USA is shocking. We are talking about a 2-3 week delivery of the Luna Sandals I won from a blog-contest and they were only travelling about 140 miles. Can you imagine that timeframe x2 or x3 for a pair of shoes ordered over the internet? Forget it. Oh and as an additional note CANADAPOST SUCKS!

So I own a few pairs of minimal running shoes, (more than DH would really like) and they have been confined to the Five Fingers, Merrell and New Balance varieties. I have recently been running/walking in Huaraches - which I love BTW. It's enough that I know what I do AND don't like in a shoe. In fact I have even gone so far and made my own minimal shoes. They are also still to date my favourite shoe. In fact they are the only pair of shoes I have reviewed and that was as a (comical) guest post on BRU.

I am now getting to the point where my minimal shoe collection is growing and the field on what I do and don't like is getting more refined. So, readers.. yes, you… the ones sat with an open web-browser window and probably a cup of coffee (or tea, I am a tea person myself), I need your input?

If I posted my thoughts on what I like/don't like in a shoe would you be interested, or would I just be adding to the information overload? Would it be a beneficial service to the female minimalist runners out there? (Sorry Fella's my feet are SO small that there is NO way I will be able to review the men's shoes - not unless little fairies came in and magicked them into a tiny size). Would the reviews from a "short-arsed", "pixie-footed", "buggered toed", "run's like a duck on land" minimalist runner be of any use to you? Now that I have refined the criteria I am guessing not :)

Let me know, your input could be saving the interwebiverse from additional stress and trauma.

Autistic and Barefoot

2011-08-14T15:17:00.000-07:00

I have a theory,

Not often do the two halves of my life come together. Usually (well here anyway) I am a barefoot runner OR I am a Mummy. Generally it's pretty fixed. Until, I started thinking.

As you are all well aware, my son has a form of Autism, which involves a lot of sensory integration issues. He has sensory issues in pretty much all of the senses. One of his biggest hurdles is how he marries his tactile, proprioceptive and vestibular senses. These senses deal with how we perceive our arms, legs, body etc in our environment. It's how we take these signals from our eyes, hands, feet, skin, ears/gravity and interpret them so we can stand up, walk in a straight line and not bash into anything.

When people have issues with these senses it can be seen in a number of ways. Sensitivity to clothing, inability to stand up straight, falling over, spinning, a craving for deep pressure. They may also deliberately bash into objects, prefer small cramped space to get sensory input BUT at the same time hate a scratchy sock or shirt. They have difficulty holding a pencil, putting on clothes, sitting still and climbing. How children and adults react to these sensitivities are all based on them. Everyone is unique. You unfortunately have to work it out yourself.

To get a clear idea of who we are dealing with, here is D's sensory profile:

Visual hyper-sensitive (see's everything, unable to filter)

Auditory hypersensitive (hears everything, unable to filter)

Gustatory hypo-sensitive (prefers bland, hard foods, limited diet)

Olfactory hyper-sensitive (very sharp sense of smell)

Tactile hyper-sensitive to light touch (so dislikes tight clothing, will jump and sudden touch)

Proprioceptively hypo-sensitive - possibly. Hyper and hypo sensitivity have similar traits so it's hard to tell. However he is sensory seeking in this area. He seeks deep pressure (high pain threshold, likes rough-housing, self-injures, self-stims, poor body awareness)

Vestibular hyper-sensitive. (Clumsy, poor balance, craves movement. Doesn't get dizzy, has difficulty self-calming)

So I watched and observed. I noticed that D seemed more "stable" at home. Outside, he always seemed to trip up or fall over and even his Occupational Therapist mentioned he had balance/crossing midline issues on her evaluation. He also seemed calmer. This could be due to the "quieter" environment at home, but could it be due to something more?

I couldn't understand why he was better at home and then I realized at home he was always barefoot. Could it be that simple?

It made sense in some ways. Most of our sensory input comes from our feet. The input from our feet is fundamental in telling us how we are connected to the world. I asked friends who had dealings with children with sensory issues. They all seemed to say that the children they dealt with seemed to have a certain "reaction" in regards to the input of their feet. They can either HATE the feel of the floor, or were calmer when they were barefoot OR had stimulation on their feet. Just "google" "Sensory issues, Autism and feet" and you get one of two responses. Either the children need super tight socks and shoes or they rip their shoes off and need to go barefoot.

As I researched this topic more I discovered that Proprioceptive input can decrease hyper-active responses from other sensations. The book "Building Bridges" by "Yack, Aquilla and Sutton" cite an article by "Wilbarger, Williams and Shellenberger" that states:

"Certain types of proprioceptive sensations can help the brain regulate arousal states. Proprioceptive sensations rarely overload the nervous system and some sensations can have both calming and alerting abilities depending on the individual nervous system."

Wilbarger is responsible for the "Wilbarger Brushing technique" which has been used by Occupational Therapists to regulate Sensory Integration in children.

The Proprioceptive sense is how our bodies interpret touch. Could the increased input through the feet gained form being barefoot be used to help D calm himself?

Obviously D was in the camp of wanting to rip off his socks and shoes. However, we do not live in a society where going barefoot is considered acceptable. In schools, Malls, or any public building you need to wear shoes. Also Children who need sensory pressure, also have very high pain thresholds. I know this is the case with D. Keeping him barefoot, will not solve his problem of looking where he was going and lifting his feet if he steps on something sharp. I have spent an evening picking splinters out of the bottom of his feet because he ran onto bark chipping and didn't feel the splinters until later that night when they were imbedded. So how did I marry all of these problems? Minimalist shoes!

Unfortunately being in Canada, I have no easy access to minimalist shoes in a children's size. I could order them, but as D is super picky I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on shoes he may hate the feel/look/shape of. The beauty of Autism is that once their minds are made up it's hard to break the pattern. The only decent minimalist shoes I could find were the child's sized VFF's. As he is a child that can't find his fingers to put on gloves, I didn't want to risk my sanity. In the end, I decided to go and buy a pair of $10 water pool shoes. It was only an experiment right?

But then I tried it. With no real expectations except idol curiosity, I discovered that this was something he needed. Within hours, he was claiming these were the most comfortable shoes he had worn. Within days, he was climbing and climbing with confidence. Within a week, he refused to wear anything else.

[Edit: My husband is more of a skeptic than me. He accepts my barefoot/minimal running as one of my quirks, but he isn't a convert. However, even he commented that when D was in his water shoes, he was able to climb and run with more stability.]

This is a situation where I wished I had the foresight to take video of him before I switched his shoes. Now I can't take him out of his falling apart $10 pair of water shoes. However, I do have "after" video of him showing us his new climbing moves and telling us what he likes about his shoes.

Yes, I know I am coming to this topic with an element of bias. As a barefoot runner and advocate I AM going to say being barefoot is best. So, I would love to know from others who may work/live with children with sensory issues. Is this something you have experienced, or may think it explains your child's behaviour? Are we onto something? Obviously going barefoot or minimalist is not the cure for sensory integration or Autism - however, if it can provide the sensory feedback these children need it can't be a bad thing.

I am not a Behavioural Consultant, Occupational Therapist or a Doctor. I am a Mum how is largely self-taught on Autism. So I would also be interested if anyone has any medical research on this. I have tried searching on the internet. Although I have found a lot of antidotal information I haven't found any documented studies. If you are in the medical profession and this is an area of research you could be interested in, then please let me know - I will happily try and help.

I am back people - now it's your turn to start running

2011-08-12T19:36:00.000-07:00

"Basically Run". No really RUN. I have been given the go ahead to chase you - although for me to actually catch you you will need to run as fast as a snail and only for 2 mins at a time.

On Wednesday I went to the Orthopaedic surgeon and he has told me that my x-rays didn't show anything, but heck, they didn't last time when my knee was a size of a melon. However, given the fact I have been a very good girl (and no I didn't sleep with him!) I can start running again.

So on Wednesday I went for my first "official" run in 8 weeks. I had run before, but as I mentioned to the nice intern who was admiring my "Invisible Shoes" Huaraches with neon lemon laces, it was only in emergency situations; a.k.a Chasing and saving a 6 year old from immanent death. I hadn't run more than a handful of steps in any real direction for pretty much 2 months.

So as instructed I went onto the indoor level track. No trails just yet. I took off my shoes and ran in my threadbare socks. As a note I would have run barefoot, but I have been cautioned about running barefoot by the city staff too many times. It's a no-no here in Canada. Obviously the shoe industry has players on the city council.

So I ran - and walked, but I ran. I put on some of my favourite songs and I danced, sang and generally did the most kick-arse air-drums for the slowest mile ever recorded by something that didn't carry a shell on it's back. I hadn't forgotten but I was still overwhelmed about why I love to run.

It isn't about the numbers - I ran a mile on a flat track in about 25 mins. It wasn't about the need to wear lycra and the funky Garmin watches. It was just the joy of feeling the ground underneath my feet and the air passing through my hair. I may have only been going quicker than walking distance by definition, but I felt like I was flying.

Despite the fact it was only a mile, I did take photo's. I made jokes with the two pensioners walking the track. I sprinted and then giggled like a school kid because I knew I shouldn't.

I was reminded that this is why I run. This is what I have been looking forward to it. Although my mind has been up-beat about my absence, I am SO glad to be back.

Next stop (aside from NYC), a informal running clinic with some other Mum's from school. Fall Classic 10K here I come! How sweet life can be!

Okay, this is starting to kill me.

2011-08-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

First off, I will apologise. I have had an exceptionally horrible day, after an exceptionally horrible couple of weeks and the only way I can deal - just today - is to have maybe one too many glasses of wine. This always makes me maudlin, so apologise I will.

However, I am at the end. It makes me sad looking at my son. How horrible is that to say? I love my son to bits and I would never change him, but the last few days all I have wanted to do is break down and cry.

He isn't the same as other kids. He will never be the same as other kids and at his tender age of 6, I am having to sit down and accept that AGAIN.

Don't get me wrong I have been in this situation before. Lots more. However, after every time I go through this, his symptoms get better and as a high functioning Autistic child, you forget it. His quirks are just quirks. Something that makes him stand out and makes you cherish every part.

And then there are the bad days. The bad weeks. He is tired, overstressed and out of routine and every little issue comes to the front. You can't hide from it, and because you were able to before it just hits you. He is not the same, he will never be the same and life will always be tricky for him. How as a mother can I cope with that?

It's a mother's job to make things better. Fix things; make things happier. Take away all the problems. But what happens when you can't? When before you could even tried you have failed. When your whole life is making your son's life just good enough to get by. I am not making his life better, I am just enabling him to cope.

D has been having a lot more interaction with children of his own age during the school break. I can make excuses for his behaviour and usually his strangeness is dismissed in a "Really?" kind of way. But not this week. I cannot make any explanations. When his oldest acquaintance; his longest known peer; turns around in a parroted "taught by his parent's" fashion and says "D you are just too hyper", as D spins, bent double, as his head is on the floor, ignoring everything and everyone. It just doesn't cut it. I see the difference. As he scrunches; nay destroys the game cards, because he needs the tactile comfort and his friends just politely queries it. What do I say?

As he sits in the corner and avoids any interaction in a camp today... I know there is nothing I can do. I can't make him better. I can't "Fix" him, I can't help him. I just start to die.

So forgive me for this quiet blubbering into the ether. I already feel a bit better as I wipe the tears. I know tomorrow I will feel better and I will slap that smile on my face as I face the day. I will love all the things I usually love. I will counter all his issues and our day will be full of fun. But just for these 30 minutes as I have typed this, just forget I have quietly broken my heart and mended it again. That I have looked the - perhaps false - truth in the face and then ignored it.

Tomorrow will be better.

Just send this post into the unknown as it was designed. Ignored, forgotten by anyone who reads it as I cleanse the last few days from my soul.

Not really an uplifting post. Feel free to get some wine and ignore. I know I want to.

Do I really have to answer that? (Part 2)

2011-08-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

Well, you asked for it... yeah, actually you did! Huh, you only have yourself to blame.

If you could be a superhero, what superhero would you be and why? (Zap)

Didn't you already know I am one? I am "Tootles" the crime-fighting squirrel. Myself and "Nutty" (a.k.a Jesse) wear capes, masks and fight boring people with Nutella sandwiches and our lame sense of humour. Yes, we were drunk. VERY, VERY DRUNK! and it was a slow night.

What mental strategies do you use to get through the "pain cave" and other challenging moments when running? (Zap)
I chant "Only X number of miles before I can crack open the flask of wine iskiate during races. On normal runs I carry my ipod, although I don't necessarily use it. I have a play-list that is full of kick-arse tunes. Generally I just make fun of myself - even if I think/do something that at the time is not actually funny. As soon as I get the giggles, the run get's a lot easier.

What was the last experience that made you a stronger person? (Zap)
I suppose when my mother passed away last year.

When you have "free time" to yourself, what do you like to do (besides running)? (Zap)

I love to read - I was given a Kindle a couple of years back and if I was stranded on an island, I would take my Kindle and a solar powered connector. I suppose recently I have enjoyed writing. I am not necessarily that good at it, but it's very satisfying. I don't get much chance to write in my blog, but I like to try at least once a week - it just clears out my mind.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? (Zap)

Just one thing? There is so many things I would love to do. I suppose it would be to learn to play an instrument. I missed out on that in school (because for some reason I am tone deaf and they wanted me to learn the tuba! Just not going there). I think it would be very satisfying to pick up an instrument and just play.. It's a plan of mine to start when D goes to school.

There are ton's of things I want to try - I want to learn languages, rock climb, learn to fly. I would love to take beautiful pictures. Knit, sew and carpentry. I used to draw - albeit badly. I suppose deep down despite my very analytical self I am little bit of an artisan.

What's the most annoying American habit? (ShelBel)

I don't any culture or nation has an annoying habit that is unique to them. I think that's something I have learnt over the last few years. No country is really that different.

I suppose a LONG time a go, I thought the "American enthusasium" for well everything was annoying. I remember (and we are going back about 10 years now), walking into a clothes store in Washington D.C to browse and the clerk insisted on dressing me up and shouting out to everyone "Here's my new British friend, she's so sweet". It was really hard not pulling a face and saying "Really? Come on". I think I brought a handful of clothes just to get away - which in some respects fulfilled her job.

However, now I have experienced a lot more, I am not sure I even notice it anymore and if I do, then I just silently laugh. I have more annoying British habits than any habit's the Americans have.

When people try to pretend they have a British accent does it annoy you? (ShelBel)

No, I think it's pretty funny. I would probably join in. Actually my accent is strange and I usually get mistaken from being from anywhere else than the UK. If I talk in an Irish accent then that's when we are really in trouble. It means I am about to fall flat on my face and throw up in a bush. If I get asked "which part of Ireland am I from?" then that's a sign I really need to stop drinking.

If you were a My Little Pony, which one would you be and why? (ShelBel)

It's been so long since I looked at "My Little Pony". I took the on-line personality test; yep, I am not sure what is scarier, I looked at the site or I actually took the test. My answer was Pinkie Pie. After evaluating the rest of the ponies (did I just say that out loud? *shudder*), then yeah, Pinkie Pie would be it. Only because there wasn't a punk/goth little pony, who falls on the floor after eating fermented berries - do they eat berries or is that the surfs? Hasbro really messed up on that one.

According to the site, Pinkie Pie, is giggly, playful and skips through the streets looking for fun. She is the silliest pony around and is a free spirit acting on her whims. She marches to her own drum.

Yeah, I could handle that. Now if we could just get her dressed in black with a G+T in her hand, she would pretty much be perfect.

Do you have a nickname? (ShelBel)

Not really. I suppose Kitty or KittyK from the old days of RWOL. Most people I know virtually probably know me as kitty.

What is the best place you have visited or lived so far?(ShelBel)

If we were looking for a general area/country I am not sure - London I suppose. I lived there for 4 years as a student and honestly there is SO much to see and do there. You could go to a different part of the world just by going down an alley.

If we were REALLY narrowing it down then South Kensington in London. In this little area they have so many huge, vastly different and awe inspiring museums. The Science Museum, V+A, Natural History Museum. I think I spent most of my free time as a student here. I used to pay 3 quid (British pounds) and head here for the day with a packed lunch. The Museums were free. I used to spend a lot of time at the National Gallery too.

If you could have one last food or meal item what would it be? (ShelBel)

Fresh raspberries. I would pretty much do anything for fresh raspberries. Really, not kidding… pretty much anything. :D

What's the BEST thing about having a son with autism? (UTR)

The fact that he is unbelievably smart and he see's the world so simply. I always worried about becoming a parent. I would have to deal with Bob the Builder and have to break things down to the simplest level. But I have a son that challenges me. He wants to know about physics, biology and chemistry. I can use complex language and explain concepts that go above normal 6 year olds. He see's the world in such a unique way and comes up with patterns, links and solutions to problems, that I wonder what he will come up with next. He's very logical; I like that.

How'd you wind up in Canada? (in 10 words or less) (UTR)

Husband is very smart and was offered a job here.

Who is your favorite Doctor? (UTR)

I am assuming we are talking about Doctor Who here? You aren't asking who my favourite family practitioner is I take it..;)

Ahh, okay very tricky. Of the new Doctors, it will probably be Matt Smith - can't believe I am saying that, because I never thought I would like him. He has the old soul which hints at his past, he is very childlike and quirky and he has that undercurrent of power and authority. The other Doctors had some of those traits, but they never really had all of them together. I mean Matt Smiths doctor has come up with the best lines - just watch the Christmas Carol episode for most of my favourites. I suppose he has more of my sense of humour.

i.e. "Big, flashy lighty thing has me written all over it. Well not actually, but just give time and a crayon" Classic!

As for the old Doctors, I suppose it was Tom Baker. Not really because of the story lines because I have to admit I can't remember most of them. Just because of the memories from my childhood. He was the Doctor I grew up watching behind the back of the sofa. I just have a feeling of winter, the coal fire and all the lights being off. My little sister and I used to make a little Den and our heads used to pop out during the non-scary bits. When the monsters came we used to duck behind the sofa like prairie dogs or something. He just reminds me of my childhood.

Do I really have to answer that? (Part 1)

2011-08-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

Firstly, thank you for all of the great questions. Considering I was trying to hide the fact I was doing this as much as possible I ended up with so many, I will have to split this into 2 parts probably. There were some really hard ones in there and it made me think quite a bit about who I am. I suppose that's the whole point of this really.

So Thanks to all those that asked me something - I may have been a little upset if there was a tumbleweed lingering in the comments section, but my brain and liver are complaining. I am a bear with a very small brain (and now an empty wine bottle) ;) So here goes.

What do you miss most about the UK and Australia? (AngieB)

I suppose I miss my family from the UK. I also miss the history. I know that sounds bad, but I used to visit castles and country houses that were hundred, if not thousands of years old nearly every weekend in the summer. I went to a state school that was founded in the 1500's and lived in student houses that were 150 years old. I remember digging in our back garden as a little girl and pulling out old coins, 200 year old bits of pottery and bit's of flint etc that were thousands of years old. I just miss that.

As for Australia, I miss the people. They really call black, "fucking black". The phrase to describe some of them is "Ocker". I remember i had landed in Australia about 2 weeks before and I went to a "Queensland Playgroup" meeting, which was just a glorified play-date with broken toys in a church hall. D was about 3 or so and I was approached by this lovely, typical Grandmother. Her first question to me was, "has your son found his favourite toy yet?" I looked at her quizzically. "His Penis dear". As a Brit I am used to frank questions, but even I was stunned. When after 18 months we had to leave, I had people I hadn't seen in about 6 months coming up to me in the Mall saying, "I hear you are leaving". I haven't found that automatic acceptance or familiarity anywhere else.

I also miss the wildlife in Australia. It's the only place where you can see exotic birds and koala's in the trees - AND IT'S NORMAL. The bugs, the snakes and the bats floored me everytime. Seeing a Kangaroo as road-kill. It was just surreal. Saying that, I am sure my Australian friends would think 200 foot conifers, fungus the size of dinner plates and Bears/Racoons going through your trash was pretty exotic.

What do you like best aboot (hehe) living in Canada? (AngieB)

Eh? *laugh* I love the scenery. Even after 6 years, it still blows me away and now that I run, and run trails, even more so. I am also glad we are here for D's sake. I have heard horror stories from my friends in other countries in regards to children on the spectrum. I don't think we would have found the governmental and educational support for D anywhere else.

If you could be Jesus, Mohammed, Zues, Ra or the flying spaghetti monster which would you choose? (BourbonFeet)

I actually believe there is something bigger than me out there - I just don't know what it was. It could be a God, or a computer program, or a random dog dreaming about us. I don't really know or care. However, I am actually against organized religion. I think that organized religion has been the cause of much of the bloodshed in our planets history. As to Paraphrase (badly) the film "Dogma", "God was actually a good idea until religion became involved".

As for which of the above I would be. Well Jesus and Mohammed are just prophets - they would still have to appeal to a higher authority. Zeus and Ra are old school. Dog's heads and birds claws. Seriously? They just wouldn't suit me. Now the flying spaghetti monster is someone I could get behind. He know's how to party, likes to have fun, and is probably quite forgiving. ALSO he would enable me to move to Austria and have my drivers license photo with a strainer on my head. You have gotta love that!

You must choose 1 and why.
1. Give up drinking and you will never get injured again.
2. Give up running and all your drinks are free for the rest of your life? (BourbonFeet)

Actually this was a really tough one to answer. In the end (much to the annoyance of the Spaghetti Monster) I have decided that I would give up drinking and not be injured.

Why? It's not that I actually mind being injured for short periods of time - for example at the moment, it's given me an opportunity to re-group and prioritise what I want from running. There is also something quite cathartic about starting again. I have a tendency to be lazy with my form, I know I will be a better runner because when I start out again I will be super aware about how my body is feeling.

So the reason I chose to keep running and NOT have free drinks is because after a while free drinks would be kind of boring. There is nothing new and challenging about it. I can't imagine that happening with running. There will ALWAYS be a new trail, or new location, or a new person to run with. Even when I am 80 I can still imagine I could find somewhere new to run. I can't imagine there would be that many new drinks around when I am 80; not that my liver would last that long.

What is your favourite thing to cook or bake? (VanessaR)

*laugh* not sure where the idea that I am a some type of cook came from. I am not a "great" cook. However, my personality is very much about "fixing things". There is not a problem I don't think I can't fix (except world poverty and the debt mountain, but that's only because I can't lock up the world leaders in a room and get them drunk). Since moving D to a Dairy, Gluten and Soy free diet, I have had to be creative. D is 6, and it's hard for him to see what his friends are eating and for him not to have that. So I have enjoyed trying to figure out substitutions that are good enough to fool him. So I am not a fan of cooking normal stuff, but more of a fan of cooking something where I have to figure out a solution to a problem.

What's the prettiest thing you've ever worn? (VanessaR)
I suppose it depends on what you define as pretty. I am a huge tomboy and as such I am pretty happy in jeans and a t-shirt. I don't really do the girly stuff. My theory on clothes shopping is that I find a shirt or jeans that fit and then buy 10 pairs in varying colours. I did own a Ball-gown at college (which I promptly threw-up over in a fancy club in London - In-between the main course and the desert. Yes I was drunk). I suppose there was my wedding dress (although that was under duress). I do own a floor length velvet hooded cape which my mother made. As far as flowers and girlie stuff nah. The running skirts only came about because I wanted to hide my arse from TMI bum, so I am not sure that really counts.

What's the most disgusting thing you've ever done on a trail? (VanessaR)

I am assuming this question is about running. Actually I am pretty tame on the trail. I am only a recent convert to "pee in the woods" and snot rockets. I have never managed a number 2. I did accidentally swear loudly at a group of old ladies, but that was because I was singing loudly to Tenacious D at the time.

I have done other "disgusting" things in the woods, but they had absolutely NOTHING to do with running and.. well, let's leave that there shall we? :)

What's your favorite distance to run? (VanessaR)
I have never really run anything much over about 14 miles. Not a conscious thing, just timing and injury really. It's not that I wouldn't want to run further, I just haven't been in the opportunity to get enough time to run longer. Maybe that will change in the next 12 months, who knows. I am not a fan of racing the shorter distances; anything under 10K doesn't really do anything for me. It's more of a terrain thing. Give me a nice wooded trail and I would run that as much as you like. I would take a 14-18K mountain trail run over a 21K+ road run any day During the week I like running about 8-10K, hopefully when my knee get's better and schedules are more accommodating I would run a longer run - going up to about 2+ hours.

How did you meet your husband? (VanessaR)

Ahh, I was a nerd before the word was invented. I knew M about 3-4 months before I actually met him. I was in college studying to be a teacher and I broke my leg badly during my teaching practise (Friday night, beer and a step is all I am saying). I wasn't allowed in school because of the pins, crutches and general kick-arse pain meds situation. So a group of my computer friends would sign me into the computer lab - it was easy to commute to, I could prop my leg up and occasionally nap. I knew M via IRC - when IRC was strange hash-codes, green screen and high end SUN boxes tied into a 56K link. He was studying in South Wales for his Doctorate. He came down to visit friends at a games conference and he popped into see our little group. My jaw dropped as he wasn't what I expected. The rest is a bizarre history (and a whole different question).

What is your greatest wish for D? (VanessaR)
Just that he is happy to be who he is. Nothing more. I just want him to be comfortable enough in his own skin that he makes life decisions that will make him happy and content. I don't want him to be famous, or rich, gay, straight, married, kids, anything really - unless that's what he really wants.

You are stranded on a deserted island with Angie Bee and Krista. Krista is bringing the booze and the masseuse apparently. You may bring 3 things. What do you bring? (VanessaR)

A swallow, a sparrow and some scales. (potentially with a coconut!)

Angie Bee and Shelly Robillard are competing in a bikini mud wrestling competition. Who do you place your bet on and why? (VanessaR)

Ohh.. good question. Kind of scary as I may be in a room with both of them at some point. Can I make the decision after a few test matches? No? Damn. There are few people reading this who also lament that ;) (Not looking at you Jason, Patrick and Christian - honestly!)

Okay, Sorry Shelly, I would think it would be Angie. I can imagine she would pull quite a few dirty (get it) tricks. I also think she would have learnt a few moves from Jaymon - he can seriously kick some arse.

Regardless I would just be happy to sit there and watch. :)

Part 2 to follow when I have sobered up :D

Getting to the point where I need to start running again...

2011-08-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

...and before you all nod and agree with the Doctors about being competitive, it's not for the reasons you think.

It's been about 7-8 weeks since I last ran. Remember I am not about numbers so I am not really sure, but it's about that. But heck, I am beginning to feel it.

Not Mentally; which is what most people would expect. As far as that goes, I am still feeling quite chipper. Keeping up with a 6 year old during the summer vacation has been enough to keep me psychologically challenged. in a "please don't blow that up" and "Come down from there before you kill yourself" kind of way. Yes, I have reached that "Why aren't you in school yet?" point of the vacation, but I think that would have happened even if I was running 100 miles a week.

The reason I need to get running is purely physical. It's not as if my body is solidifying into a mass of lard - well okay maybe a little. I have been careful and ensured that I am eating better. Over the last few weeks I have managed to do swimming and pool running, but I am finding that this isn't cutting it as far as my body is concerned.

The last month or so I have been plagued by a host of little health issues which are now starting to really annoy me. I have suffered from asthma and eczema all my life. I have had hay-fever and a whole host of other auto-immune conditions. All of them seem to have materialised, all at the same time. I am finding it hard to breathe. My skin is tight and itchy. I feel like I always want to sneeze and I have sinus headaches. My body aches and, well, it's just giving up on me.

These things are cyclical, I know and I am probably due for a dose of these complaints, but I thought about it today and I realised. At the moment I can't breathe because my lungs are full of gunk. I can feel it in every breath. As I run, I use all of my lungs in huge gasping breaths as I push my limits; this clears the lungs from gunk. Swimming doesn't do this. My skin is tight and itchy because I am not getting the usual pink flush I get as I run. The blood flow and perspiration isn't there. I don't get this as I pool run. My sinuses are all screwed up because all the gunk is not getting cleared and solidifying (or alternatively, it is being drenched by lovely chlorinated pool water - nice!). My joints are seizing because there isn't the resistance training my body get's when I run. The gentle landing on the ground works my whole body as I relax into the ground 180 times a minute.

So I don't need to run because of the usual mental and endorphin hits. I need it because other forms of exercise don't reset my body as much as running. I need that clear-out of gunk and residue that lingers. I am slowly being formed into a body of green gloop and I need to get rid of it. I have tried other types of exercise, but it's all about strength. I don't need that, I need the deep down, gut wrenching, heart pounding workout I get when I blast through the trails.

So Mr. Orthopedic man, please take my advice and a prescription from me. If you want this body to work as it should, sign my knee off as "fit to return to work". My heart, lungs and joints will thank you later - oh and let's not forget my pelvic floor - umm.. am I TMI'ing again? Ooops!

Apparently I have been tagged...

2011-07-30T22:08:00.000-07:00

Krista from 'Naked on Short Pointy Stuff' has tagged me on this strange interwebiuniverse game people have been playing.

A fellow blogger "tags" you in one of their posts. You're it. You then ask people to leave questions "they have always wanted to know" in your comments section and you HAVE to answer them in a blog post. You then "tag" a fellow blogger. The madness then continues....

I am still undecided about it all. I mean there is only so much people SHOULD know about me; sanity is a rare and fragile thing, I don't want to be responsible for any emergency trips to therapists. I will not be liable for anything you find out about me!

Anyway, I will play along. I am hoping that my internet obscurity will play a big part and I will only get a comment from a foot fetishist wanting to see a picture of my big toe.

I set the deadline to Saturday 6th August

I tag Patrick Sweeney from Bourbon Feet. Let's see if he plays.

I WILL EMBRACE, I WILL EMBRACE...

2011-07-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

I was driving back from dropping some letters off to a friend this morning and as I drove down the hill, I could see the Coast Mountains stretching before me. There are some days when the light is right and the sun is in particular place and then those mountains just shine. Today was one of those days.

I could almost see every tree of the forests that blanket the mountains. I had three thoughts: One, the mountains are beautiful and I am so very lucky to live here. Secondly, those mountains are huge and some of the trails on them must be awesome. Lastly, I suck at hills.

I don't mean a little. I am lousy at hills. Spectacularly crap! As soon as I manage 5 mins on anything looking like a gradient, my calves cramp and my legs give out. I then have to power-hike the rest of the mountain in a huddled "Hunchback of Notre-Dame" impression. Because of that, I always avoid hills. They are painful and contrary to my "run and have fun" ideology. I know though, that the trails on the mountains are some of the best and I would have a blast IF I could go through the pain of getting to them. Bit of a pickle really.

My Facebook Brother, Jesse, mentioned in a blog (and everyone quotes Jesse, so he must know what he is talking about), that sometimes you have to run through the pain to be able to enjoy the runs that come after. It then hit me. I made a decision. I WILL embrace hills. As soon as I am up and running (literally), I will embrace those hills. I will remember how I felt when I couldn't run and I saw those hills. I will remember the eagerness to see the trails beyond 600ft and I will push through those leg cramps.

Even though I know trail running will probably be out for me months after I return to running, I will still embrace those road runs up the mountains because I know that at some point, it will mean eventually, in time, I will be strong enough to run trails up the mountains.

I missed most of the mountain trail running season because of my knee. I knew then as I placed towards the back, that hills were my weakness. Well I have 10 months before the 2012 trail season starst. If I learn to embrace those hills I may find that the uphill runs are just as fun as the downhills. I will be remember all of this as I am mumbling "Why the F&^(#$ am I here?"

This also leads me to something else I need to embrace. Something a little more immediate; a little more.. well lets face it humiliating. Pool Running and Swimming.

Honestly, who thought up Pool Running as a sport? You don a very fetching blue float that you strap to your waist SO tightly, you get muffin-top definitions below AND above the belt. You then proceed to move at 0.0000005 miles per hour down the leisure lane of the pool being overtaken by the overweight, asthmatic kid in water-wings. All the while you try to look as if this is the most natural thing in the world. I always joke that my running form is similar to a duck - that wasn't an incentive for the universe to introduce water to the equation.

As for swimming? Well that wouldn't be humiliating if you were anyone other than me. I only learnt to swim about 18 months ago and my technique is similar to a fish with too much gas; floundering and all over the place. No, there there are no little bubbles floating to the top... the fish and gas was just an analogy - HONEST! Let's forget that the only swimsuit I own is 6 years old, poo-coloured, saggy and two sizes to big. My friend had to take emergency action this morning and she dragged me to the swimsuit store of the mall and insisted I buy another one. Supposedly swimsuits are meant to tight-fitting and not SO baggy they can actually collect water like those cloth buckets you have for hiking. Huh, who knew?

I have also found it's impossible to be able to do any of the above activities laughing. Pool running, or more correctly "deep aquafit" produces a look ... well, I can only describe it as a cross between giving birth and having a big poo. My tongue even pops out of my mouth in that "I am 6 and trying to tie my shoe-laces" kind of way. When it comes to swimming, laughing is just too dangerous. For example, two days ago I was swimming and my (now redundant) poo-coloured, saggy swimsuit gave me a wedgie. A big, butt-creasing, show a whole bum-cheek wedgie. Normal people would be horrified, however, I have never been called normal - okay, maybe once, but the guy was drunk - and I started laughing. Mid-stroke, in the fast lane (we have very slow swimmers in my area), is not a place to have the giggles. I eventually came up to the surface, spluttering, with a concerned life-guard ready to dive in. Swimming Smiley is hazardous to your health. Where is the fun in that?!

However, I will embrace the pool running and the swimming. Pool running and swimming are just temporary conduits to the NYC Barefoot run in September. The are a pre-cursor to the mountain runs I have planned. The are just an adjunct to embracing those hills.

So I WILL EMBRACE, I WILL EMBRACE ... do you think if I say it often enough I may actually make it happen? Umm.. watch this space.

I need to be less competative.. apparently..

2011-07-15T22:36:00.000-07:00

Well according to the Orthopedic surgeon I saw on Wednesday, "The problem with competitive people is that they like to run, regardless.."

I felt it was inappropriate to laugh. I really wanted to. The snot rockets were close to being launched. I could feel the hysterical laughing building.

This guy did not understand me at all...

Yes, I was consistently asking when I could run again. Yes, I did break myself running head-long, unbidden down a 20% down-hill ascent like a lunatic. Yes, I think I did mention I had some new running shoes coming in the post. Yes, I did keep mentioning that I had this race I really need to be in at the end of September.

However, all I could do was nod at his assumptions. Hold in the uncontrollable laughter. Put on a serious face and pretend that I was this "typical runner". I had to, because.. well if they knew the truth - this is not how a 30 *cough* someone should act.

So why was I SO eager to run in September. Was it to be first? Was it to impress people? Did I want the accolades Me? Heck No.

I am a mediocre runner at best. Okay, I am not back of the pack, but I am not the front. I am not dedicated, I am not strong-minded enough to be any better. I always wonder how good I would be if I actually DID train. Then the thought lapses as I realise that sort of notion requires effort and organisation.

So why was I pestering the surgeon about when I could run again? Two reasons.

Firstly, I LOVE running. I get excited about it. Even now, when I know I can't run for another 4 weeks at least, I am not sad, just excited to get back to it. The thought of running that first half mile - well I feel like a 6 year old who has just eaten Thanksgiving turkey and realised that the next holiday is Christmas. I am planning it in my head - just looking forward to the joy I'll get. I won't care if it's roads or slow or well.. just 5 minutes. I just want to get back there. I don't need to - I just want to.

Secondly, I have been given a fantastic opportunity to run the New York Barefoot Run in September; with no real expense to myself (Thanks Merrell). This may be the first weekend I can run and I want to experience it all. I want to meet all of my friends (old, new and currently non-existant), go to all of the clinics, try out new things and most importantly meet people who don't think I am a local freak. I also get to see (although meet and talk is optimistic) some of the big players in barefoot and minimalist running. Do you think I can go to an event like that and NOT run? It's like taking a kid with braces to a candy store and telling them everything is off the menu. So yes, I want to know when it's safe to run.

I have no idea where these "other" pre-conceptions come about. [ Note: Okay, re-reading the first couple of paragraphs, I can see why the Doctors were confused]. In the last few weeks Doctors have called me athletic and competitive... as if I take this stuff seriously. They mention Sports Doctors and Surgeons. They look knowingly at me, yet fail to see. I am a middle-age (ish) woman, who has a normal BMI and a tummy that my son lovingly calls "a comfy pillow". I am not fast, I am not elite, I do not run exceedingly long distances in stupidly quick times. I am and never will be a Boston/Western States graduate.

It's just that people seem to see me as competitive because surely that is the only reason you do something. Running, is still not seen as something you do for fun. The goal is still seen as the end and the numbers but not the journey. You are not allowed to run because you love the kid-like feeling it gives you. I am old enough to know better. Life is serious; exercise is serious; running is serious. (Apparently).

So, I laughed inwardly and let the Doctors place their label. Secretly I knew inside the real reason I was pestering to run. The reason we all should have in our hearts when we think of running...

I am being taken on a free-trip to a race to see super cool people, I get free beer, I can hang out with my super-hip friends and I am liable to make such a fool of myself when people realise I am NOT what they expected, that I am unlikely to be invited back. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, of course I don't want to let a little thing like a broken knee mess things up.

Is there honestly any other reason? ;)

Still Running Smiley - just minus the running

2011-07-11T20:40:00.000-07:00

Yep, I am still not running...

Four weeks ago I injured my knee running a local trail race. Since then I have had examinations, scans, tests and everything else that goes along with being injured. I have had suspected causes, vague guesses and hints about when I can go back to running.

And yet the jury is still out. I have finally received my MRI results and in some ways the news is good and some ways it's bad. I haven't damaged the cartilage, I haven't torn any ligaments, it appears I won't need surgery. YEA!!! Let's bounce up and down in rejoice. This is what my physiotherapist suspected and I was hopeful that it could mean a speedy return to running. My knee has been feeling pretty good. It twinges, it aches, but I have been walking about, I can put weight on it, I have even been doing some light training on the elliptical and a load of physiotherapy at home.

But, oh, okay, small undisplaced fracture of medial tibial plateau. That doesn't sound so good. Even so, that could be just a stress fracture - I have had those before and this is mild compared to that. Then I make the mistake of "googling" it on the interweb thingie. WHY did they decide to invite the medical community onto the internet? It's like those books hypochondriacs buy to discover they are dying of a rare disease when all they have is a case of indigestion. It does no good.

The more I looked the more I wish I hadn't. Knee casts/braces for up to 16 weeks. Yeah, right, like that is going to happen. I have a 6 year old and 8 weeks of summer camps and activities. No weight bearing, crutches *swear violently* ... This is when I decided to walk away from the computer and adopt the technique I have been adopting lately; ignorance and alcohol! I await what the Orthopaedic surgeon says -well whenever I manage to get in to see him, this is Canada after all.

I have been carrying along just fine over the last few weeks; I am still relatively chilled out and relaxed. I have had enough to occupy myself and I have taken the rest from running as a gift. Like a heat-filled vacation in the sun -except summer is skipping Vancouver it seems and we have had very little sun or warmth so far. I have used the time catching up on things. Spending time with D who is now off school, seeing all of the wonderful things coming out of the "Run Smiley Collective", sleep, you know the simple things in life.

I find (at the moment) I am still running smiley, I am just not doing the running bit. I am still finding the small things in life to rejoice in. Although I can't run through the woods, it doesn't stop me walking through them (well until the Orthopeadic surgeon decides otherwise that is). It doesn't stop me planning what is still to come.

My virtual Facebook brother Jesse, wrote:

"You can't have good without bad. You can't have hard without easy. You can't feel elation if you never know pain. The care free feeling of an easy run is amazing- you coast down the sidewalk or trail, floating under your own power, feeling like you could go on for hours. You smile at neighbors, stop to play with dogs, and take in the views. [...] On the other side, there's a joy in the hard run that is almost beyond words".

This is my hard run. This is the challenge I have to go through to truly appreciate what it will feel like at the other side. I have so many exciting things happening with my running that are yet to come, that I am enjoying this hard road. I know my running may now be a long time coming (well longer than I hoped), but that first mile of running under my own power will be so much sweeter.

So I am still Running Smiley, it just happens to be that my race involves no running what-so-ever. I am just living Smiley, Chilling-smiley, just, well... smiley

(Saying that.. come back to me in 4 weeks time when I am ready to scrape the wallpaper off the walls and I snarl if you come in a 50 mile radius).

Getting excited about hair gel...

2011-06-25T16:02:00.000-07:00

I am going to pre-warn all those who think this is a running blog. Generally it is, but I do other stuff as well. Unfortunately world-famous super-hero isn't one of my other roles. General barefoot drunkard, yep that's my evening job. My other role in life -my day job- is a Mum to an autistic kid. This post is about that...

I walk in after my Doctor's appointment into the drop-in day-care D had gone to after morning Kindergarten. It's actually not a drop-in day-care as such, but the owner, Helen, has known us since Pre-school times and in times of need she picks up D after class and looks after him if I am running late. Without her, my life as an 'almost' single-mum, (i.e. single Mum between the hours of 7-7) with no family would be super-painful. "CKC" as we know it, runs an pre/post school care program, so there is a whole mixture of ages and demographics in the group. Digressing.. anyway. I pick him up and he announces...

"Mummy I want to get spikey hair for my girlfriends. Do I have any other clothes? You know smarter ones. Can I borrow your make-up I need to look beautiful"

He's 6 and we haven't really had any discussion about how your appearance can be viewed by others. In fact, I am glad if I manage to wrestle his clothes on the right way before school. When he has matching sock's I almost call a national party. We aren't a family that concentrate on how we look. To be honest I am usually found turning up at the school gate at drop-off in running gear and hair that needs to be washed. At the pick-up the only change in my appearance is that I now stink. You get the idea. However, this isn't why D's comment was so amazing, (well amazing to us that is).

He's Autistic -okay mildly- but one of the common characteristics that Autistic kids share, is that they don't give a fudge what anyone else thinks. D falls into this group in spades. It all comes down to something Psychologists called "Theory of Mind". Essentially, understanding that other people have different thoughts to us. Other people view and judge us on their own personal or social rules. It's the basis of empathy, the basis of understanding social cues and I suppose the basis of basic grooming.

Most Autistic kids (and adults) don't have "Theory of Mind". They don't give a 'rat's arse' what you think of them. A lecturer on one of my courses once said you can't embarrass an Autistic person into doing something, because they aren't embarrassed. They also believe that everyone is thinking the same thing they are; hence the random comments about unrelated topics in the middle of conversations, why you can't shut them up if they start talking and how they laugh inappropriately. The whole "If I do this, people will think..." Autistic people just don't get it.

So to have someone on the spectrum say "I want to look good because it will make someone like me more", (although looks aren't generally considered the meter you should base your friendships), well it's huge. It means that they are concerned about what other people think about them and what they do.

Yes, I know that most 6 year olds will want to look good for their friends. That they will want to act correctly to get praise. This behaviour is all embryonic. Children pick this up from a very early age from the body cues and "un-spoken" language that we all give out every moment of the day. "Theory of Mind" is something we instinctively learn. I know I shouldn't make a big deal...

Yet, I understood what I huge step this was for my little one. I realised that his request to dress up in a yellow shirt and wear a necklace of pony beads was the formation of a type of "Theory of Mind". That this could mean that he could more easily learn social interaction. This could mean that would develop more advanced empathy. That social rules won't have to be taught via lists and scripts. He is understanding that what people think of him matters. Party? You bet ya! I almost had to stop myself writing to the Prime Minister announcing that "On this Day, D started to develop the concepts of "Theory of Mind", please make this a National Holiday"

So yes, I brought him hair-gel to spike his hair - even though I just blow-dry mine… maybe. Yes, I let him chose the most outrageous outfit he wanted - even though he looked like a lemon. No, I didn't let him near my make-up. It's not that I care about if he wears make-up, but last time he raided my cupboard it cost me a $100 and I spent 2 weeks walking around with a kid that looked like he had been beaten. (Long story.. very long). *Rolls Eyes*

But Yes, we are going shopping for kid-friendly make-up on the weekend... I mean, he has to look good for his girlfriends.

What a difference a couple of years make...

2011-06-16T11:06:00.000-07:00

So I am injured. Kind of serves me right thinking I can take "trail" on and not give her respect; she is a fickle mistress. Boy, did she whoop me... I still love her though.

I am still unsure what the situation is with my knee. The swelling has pretty much died down, but as the physiotherapist moves and pulls, it is apparent there is SOMETHING going on. I have an orthopeadic appointment next week but what they say and what my outcome is, I can't hazard to guess. As I sit here in my knee brace, drinking coffee with my leg proped up, I think, I will be up and running in no time. However, once the painkillers die off or if my knee twists I am suddenly reminded, that... ummm... maybe I won't.

This kind of uncertainty has lead me to examine what is my next course of action and how I would feel if I had more bad news than good. In thinking about the next few months I have discovered aspects of myself and my life which are as welcomed as they are surprising.

I have been in this situation before. Over two years ago I was in a leg cast, but in a completely different place mentally. I was a new runner and I had just been told that perhaps it wasn't a good thing that I was running because no-one get's stress fractures in their heel from running 10 miles a week. I was structurally NOT able to run. Try Swimming instead.

Last time I was in a cast I was also in a state of depression. My Son wasn't coping well with school and had to be removed and I couldn't understand why. I felt isolated as my family was far away and my social group was so small. My husband was busy with work and then to cap it all, my only outlet for any physical release had been taken away from me. I literally felt as if my world had ended.

As people may know from me, you never say "Don't" to me. If you tell me I can't do something then I will go all out and prove you wrong. It's a trait I am quite proud of -as I found out after taking 3 courses of applied economic statistics in college after only taking intermediate maths in high school. It is a trait I wish my 6 year old hadn't inherited. I am now beginning to realise why my parent's used to do a LOT of "counting to 10" when I was a kid.

So I went out and I came across barefoot running and decided that I wouldn't lose anything by trying it out. What I gained was so much more than the ability to run again. That summer of hanging out in the Runners World on-line forum forged virtual friendships that are as important to me as the ones I have in real-life. The kooky crowd of mis-fits helped me in more ways than just finding a way to run.

I am marvelling about how 2 years of barefoot running and hanging out with the right crowd has altered how I feel about my mishap.

I am probably seen more as a runner now than I ever was 2 years ago. In fact the ER doctor even said "athlete". I am quite glad I wasn't drinking coffee at the time because he would have been showered with it. I know he was being nice, but really? I did have to chuckle, I barely count myself as a runner. Running IS more of my life than it was last time I was injured. I have more to lose this time. Shouldn't I be more concerned about my outcome? Because frankly I'm not.

What I have learnt over the last couple of years has taught me that with every setback there are infinite possibilities. Barefoot running has taught me to embrace everything; embrace the challenges, embrace every opportunity presented to you. Embrace the comments and strange looks, embrace the new and different. Barefoot running has shown me that patience and looking inside yourself has more rewards and benefits than looking to others or tools. Others will not solve your problems. You have it within yourself to overcome everything life sets before you.

I have also learnt NOT to take myself or life too seriously. My running lately has not been about goals and times, but about having fun - running smiley. Does it mean that because running is not part of my life at the moment, that I still can't do this. Of course not Running smiley is just an extension of living smiley. I enjoy running for what it is not what I can get out of it. I enjoy life for what it is and not the arbitary measures people usually assign to life; job description, pay, bonuses, houses, cars, gadgets. I can hop with a smile on my face just as easily as I can run.

I am also aware that things in life happen for a reason. As it was mentioned in the Steve Jobs speech which Jason Robillard posted a while back. Life is a series of dots (connections) we just have to accept that they WILL join up, even if we can't see it now. I know there is a reason for where I am at the moment sporting a very cute, grey leg brace with black velcro strap accents; just because i can't see that reason, doesn't mean I should negate it.

I suppose I just find it ironic, that when I saw running as a tool to feeling better - when I was running less but relying on it MORE - a little setback felt like 'world's end". However, now as I am older (it happens to us all) and supposedly wiser, that running although it is more a part of who am I, is less of a crutch (crutch get it? Hardy Har har). A setback is just an interesting problem I have to sort out. Running won't fix my problems; it is not a magic trick I pull out to make my life perfect. I fix my problems; running is a just a part of me. I can't see the dots at the moment, but I know that one of the dots out there is Running and I will somehow get there. I am just happy to go with the flow and let life take me there.