Coaching Tour of Ontario & Quebec

Last week I was away on an epic, whirlwind Natural Running Coaching tour of Ontario & Quebec. The trip was awesome and entailed A LOT of talking. I coached staff from VIVOBAREFOOT retailers and minimalist shoe consumers in addition to having LONG conversations about the different offerings on the minimalist footwear market. I was hoarse for a good three days after the trip.

For more details, you can check out my recap at: http://naturalrunningcoaching.com/2012/07/nrc-in-ontario-quebec-recap/.

And here's a map of the route we took:

More Barefoot Time and Coaching Update

I've probably spent more time barefoot in the last two months than I have any other time in my life. The increased barefoot time is absolutely due to the increased time I've spent coaching. It's been a very busy couple of months for coaching events. Natural Running Coaching is sponsoring the 5 Peaks Trail Running Series in Alberta this year so I attended a promo table at the first two races. I've held 4 Introduction to Natural Running - Large Group Clinics in the last two months. I've personally coached dozens of people through One-on-One or Small Group Coaching and transformed them into Natural Runners. And most recently, attended the Footstock 2012 Race Expo where I shared Natural Running with countless people.

Coaching really has become my passion job and I am grateful every time I get to share Natural Running with anybody willing to learn. And the increased time being barefoot is an extra special added bonus. During Natural Running Coaching, we use being barefoot as a tool to better listen to your body and feel good running form. It's all about form, however, and not footwear. Once you understand what good running form feels like, it doesn't matter what you wear on your feet, although shoes that provide as much proprioception as possible definitely help to maintain good form.

Here are some pics from my recent coaching endeavours:

Me at the 5 Peaks Northern Alberta Series Terwillegar Race

Walking practice at a Small Group Coaching Session in Canmore, Alberta

Squatting practice in Canmore

Jumping practice in Canmore

A coaching client's BEFORE picture

And AFTER picture

Me at the Footstock 2012 Race Expo (with the NRC TV Extraordinaire)

In case my blogging frequency decreases further, don't worry, I'm still here. I'm just enjoying coaching! You can keep updated with NRC adventures at NaturalRunningCoaching.com.

Back at the Track

As all the sidewalks and paths have been icy where I live, I've returned to running at the indoor track.

The indoor track at Spray Lake Sawmill Family Sports Centre

To keep it from being too boring, I thought I'd try a variety of shoes and see which ones I like best for indoor track running. I always start out running a few laps barefoot. Then I put on some shoes (and socks if necessary), run a few more laps, switch shoes, and repeat. Below are the pics of the shoes I ran in my last time at the track and some thoughts for each model.

No shoes: best barefoot feel (hehe), not that grippy, felt like I was landing too far laterally on my forefoot (I haven't figured why that might be), very quiet landing, got quite a few looks from other runners.

VIVOBAREFOOT Lucy Lites: AWESOME track shoes, my preferred shoe for running on the track, excellent grip, felt like I was running super fast, no shock absorption (how I like it), felt like I was landing on the medial forefoot more easily than barefoot, not as quiet as barefoot, love the uniformity of the outsole, ADORE the width, no need for socks with their super soft inside, kind of hot even without socks.

New Balance Minimus Trail Zero: despite their being designed for trails, I like them for indoor track running because of their excellent flexibility, a little high in the stack height, outsole absorbs some impact making for a cushy run (which I don't particularly enjoy, I like no shock absorption whatsoever), love the width, need socks because the inside is kind of rough, good ventilation, not too loud on the track (in terms of sound but not colour).

Soft Star Moc3: soft inside, great width, really loud slappy sound, good ventilation, decent grip, surprisingly uncomfortably cushy on the track.

Vibram FiveFingers Performa Jane: great grip, very quiet, quite comfortable upper, no shock absorption, but I can feel the edges of the pods underfoot which is kind of distracting.

Switching shoes is a great way to make an indoor run more fun. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to do that. Winter makes me miss some of my great barefoot alternative or minimalist shoes so indoor running lets me wear them for a while. At least until Spring arrives. :)

Road Tripping

My spouse and I just returned from an 8-day road trip to the U.S. and back. We drove south through Alberta, crossed the border into Montana, drove through Idaho, Nevada, and reached California. We stayed in Auberry, CA for three nights where we learned how to ride dirt bikes through Rich Oliver's Mystery School (if you've ever wanted to try dirt biking, I would highly recommend going to Mystery School, Rich and his wife, Karin are wonderful hosts and teachers). We drove back up through California, along the coastal highway in Oregon, across Washington, a little ways through Idaho again, across the border into British Columbia, and then back home to Alberta.

It was a trip of three seasons: we drove through snowstorms on the way down as well as beautiful fall colours and experienced summer again in California. On the way back, it was the reverse until we reached winter again in northern Washington.

Why would I write about my road trip on a blog about being barefoot (or it's alternative of minimalist footwear)? Because sometimes it's hard to pick the best shoes for travelling. I often find it a dilemma picking which shoes to pack before going on a trip; I'm often limited in space. This trip I brought my Soft Star Moc3s, the VIVOBAREFOOT Evo, and the VIVOBAREFOOT Boxing Boot (they just arrived to review).

So what did I wear? Mostly the Moc3s. I find they are really very comfortable for road tripping. They feel like slippers and have plenty of room to wiggle my toes wide. On the occasions where we got out of the car to see up close what we usually drove by at 70 m/hr, I enjoy the extremely minimal sole and their amazing ground feel. I loved being able to feel the squishy ground at the Redwood National Forest in Oregon and the beach beneath my feet at the ocean. They were even fine in the snow as long as I didn't need too much traction. :)

And here are some pics of our trip:

Yes, I'm actually barefoot! The ocean is a little cold this time of year but I did manage to run along the beach and into the cold water. This picture was taken after the dip.

A little further along the coast from the dip. The Soft Star Moc3s are perfect travelling shoes.

You can't tell, because I'm so small in the picture compared to the enormous redwood tree, but I'm wearing the Moc3s. The ground covered in redwood needles was wonderful to feel through the minimalist soles.

Run Barefoot Girl Interview

I had the pleasure and honour of being interviewed by Run Barefoot Girl's Caity McCardell a little while ago. Caity has completed her editing magic and posted the interview recently. It was definitely weird for me being on the other end of the microphone questions. I probably could have gone on and on, however, as we were talking about my favourite subjects: minimalist footwear and natural running.

Here's the link to RBG Episode #6.

For those not familiar with Run Barefoot Girl, it's a website and podcast dedicated to 'celebrating women who run barefoot.' It's DEFINITELY worth checking out!

New Standing Desk

I like to keep this blog dedicated to 'barefoot adventures' but I think this piece of news qualifies: I (and my spouse) built a platform to convert my sitting desk to a standing desk. I think it qualifies because I'm barefoot most of the time while standing (unless the house is cold and then I'll wear socks :) ).

Why would I want a standing desk, you may ask? After learning the plethora of information on biomechanics, I learned how bad sitting is for humans. I have had bad back issues in the past (if you know me well, you might laugh at the understatement) so sitting has been a big problem for me. Standing just seemed like common sense.

Why didn't I convert to a standing desk sooner? Standing has a lot to do with good posture and I have had terrible posture most of my life. Therefore, standing was not very comfortable for me either. But after learning a plethora about posture and HOW to achieve good posture easily and without thinking about it (but feeling it), I now know how to stand properly (at least I think so).

So far the results have been a much happier back (and happier me as a by-product of the lack of pain) and somewhat more tired legs. I'm working on reducing the muscle action required for standing and balancing better but it is a process. My feet are a little more sore after standing for a long time but they are adjusting, too.

Here's a pic of the new setup (old desk, new platform):

Tales from New York City

My trip to New York was utterly amazing in every way. I learned so much about biomechanics, coaching and people in general that I will undoubtedly be processing for quite some time. In short, it was truly life-changing for me.

I arrived at Newark on Saturday after an uneventful flight (other than a lovely conversation with a local Calgarian and a plane-shifting wind close to landing), followed by an easy and direct shuttle ride to the Chelsea International Hostel (which I highly recommend for low-budget travellers). It was late when I arrived so I hung out at the Hostel to prepare for the following day of sight-seeing. (I ended up moving to the Gershwin Hotel on Thursday night, which was totally awesome and would recommend to any New York tourist no matter the budget as they have a wide range of rooms available.)

On Sunday, Angie Bee Hotz (super mom and barefoot runner), Sabra Ellingson (Operations Director for VIVOBAREFOOT), and I walked all over Manhattan soaking in the sights. We met at the Chelsea Piers Sports Centre, where the VB Coaching Program was going to take place, and then walked and rode the subway around Manhattan checking out Central Park, the American Museum of Natural History, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Terminal, the Chrysler Building, Battery Park, and ended the tour with a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. We managed to squeeze in quite a number of sights in a short time. It was so much fun hanging out with Angie and Sabra! We ended the day with a late supper at the Brooklyn Public House and I headed back to Chelsea to get some rest and recharge for the beginning of the VB Coaching Program course.

Me and Angie Bee at the American Museum of Natural History

I don't want to go into detail about the course, it would take me a week. It was outstanding! I feel incredibly honoured to have participated and been given the opportunity to learn from Lee Saxby and meet the wonderful people who also participated in the course with me. Congratulations need to be given to Lee for the incredible success of the event. Not only does he possess a profound depth of knowledge in human movement but also the skill to share that knowledge clearly and effectively to his students with a wide range of backgrounds. Thanks must be given also to Michelle Hinsvark, the VB U.S. In House Marketing Executive; she was completely invaluable to the running (haha) of the course.

Basically, we were taught the biomechanics of human locomotion, how to diagnose inefficient and/or injurious running form, and how to coach correct form using video analysis and drills. I am excited to apply what I learned to not only improve my own form but that of any runner interested in becoming a more efficient and potentially uninjured runner.

The basics are already available to anyone who wants to learn. I highly recommend Lee Saxby's ebook Proprioception - Making Sense of Barefoot Running. It outlines the concepts and exercises important in the evolution of a not only a barefoot runner but anyone who wants to develop their sense of proprioception, the most important sense that humans have in developing good biomechanics.

Me and Angie Bee after the course

Me and (genius coach extraordinaire) Lee Saxby

Miscellaneous Updates

I prefer to write one blog post per subject but my 'Barefoot Adventures' have taken over my life recently, in a totally awesome and creative way. So here are some updates as to what's going on in my world:

I wrote my first Book Review for Living Barefoot. Al and I decided to venture into writing book reviews and I thought the first one should be for Born to Run. It's definitely a different writing style and process than writing shoe reviews. In fact, Al was so surprised with it he initially doubted that I wrote it. :) Here's the link: http://www.livingbarefoot.info/2011/04/book-review-born-to-run-by-christopher-mcdougall/.

My WOODWAY Treadmill Review was posted. I had so much fun at Stenia Health and talking with the owner, Kelsey Andries, that I had to write more about the WOODWAY treadmills. There was a bunch of material that I'd taken out of the Barefoot Running Treadmill Review that I felt still needed to be shared so I wrote the WOODWAY Treadmill Review for this material. If you're looking for a treadmill to run barefoot on, these were undoubtedly the best of the 20 treadmills I tried. Here's the link: http://www.livingbarefoot.info/2011/04/review-woodway-treadmills/.

This past May 1 was International Barefoot Running Day! As I had run the day before (in my Evos), I celebrated by going for a barefoot walk with my family. I'm working up to barefoot running outside (after many barefoot runs indoors this winter) so decided to start this year's barefoot running program with some barefoot walking (as suggested in the Complete Idiot's Guide to Barefoot Running). I have a long way to go before I'm ready to run barefoot on concrete, my tender feet have some sole strengthening to do. But spring is here and the weather is warming up so I can look forward to many more barefoot walks, progressing to barefoot runs, in the coming months.

Living Barefoot Coaching has taken off! I have two clinics booked already and plan on looking for many more venues when I return from the VIVOBAREFOOT Coaching Program in New York. This is super exciting for me and I can't wait to share the joys of Natural Running with experienced runners and those looking to start or get back into running.

Stay tuned for stories from New York City! Off to pack...

Spring Firsts

In the last couple of weeks I've done a few 'Spring Firsts' that I'd like to share and some realizations that came with them.

First Spring Barefoot Walk

• Warm concrete is much more pleasant on the soles than cold concrete
• Ice really is as cold as it looks to walk on
• Pea gravel (the stuff they coat the roads with here when it snows) is NOT comfortable in the slightest
• My already pansy feet got pansier over the winter (not surprising realization there)
• I really can't wait for it to warm up here so I can go on more barefoot walks because, despite the above complaining, it felt WONDERFUL to be free of socks and shoes

First Spring Road Run

• After several months of running completely barefoot on treadmills and the indoor track, my feet got wider AGAIN (my feet are now too wide to comfortably run in my VFF TrekSports :( )
• The VIVOBAREFOOT Evos are the most comfortable road running shoes I own at the moment (they are the best at accommodating my newly wider feet)
• I need to be careful running across pea gravel-strewn roads, they are really slippery
• Running with wet feet in shoes is not as bad I thought it would be

First Spring Trail Run

• It would be lovely to have a shoe as comfortable as the Evo with a little more traction.
• Trail running is MUCH more fun than road running (not really a realization, just a reminder)
• You get an incredible foot workout when running on trails in minimalist shoes (again, just a reminder)
• Again, I can't wait for it to get warmer so I can enjoy some more (slightly drier) trail runs

It's nice to be reminded about how great warm, sunny weather is. I was reminded that it's spring by Angie Bee's latest blog post with flowers picked for her by her sons. I'm looking forward to spring flowers and warm weather. In case you're wondering why the lament, this is what I woke up to this morning:

Spring in Alberta

Thankfully it melts fast these days. The latest spring snow dump should be gone in a few days. Bring on the warm Alberta weather (it's fleeting but it does happen on occasion).

WOODWAY Treadmill Day

While in the process of writing my barefoot appropriate treadmill comparison review, I had the pleasure of spending several hours at Stenia Health & High Performance trying out their WOODWAY Curve and Desmo treadmills as well as chatting with the head coach and owner, Kelsey Andries. Kelsey was a fountain of information about her treadmills and a pleasure to talk with. I'm currently in the process of writing a WOODWAY treadmill specific review and the helpful information Kelsey shared with me. Stay tuned for the link to that review when it is finished. :)

The WOODWAYs were the first treadmills I tried out for the barefoot treadmill review. They also turned out to be the best. Hands down. No contest. The BEST! I liked running on both of them because of their total lack of temperature increase of the running surface and the ideal suspension. The Curve was my favourite though because the workout running on it was so hard. The non-motorized, curve design forces good form and mindful running because you always have to be aware of your driving your pace.

I could go on and on about the Curve and Desmo but I think I'll just share some pictures of them share the full-length review when it comes out on Living Barefoot.

WOODWAY Curve and Desmo

Curve

Curve Running Surface

Close-up Curve slat

Desmo

Desmo Running Surface

Close-up Desmo slat

VIVOBAREFOOT Coaching Course

I'm super excited to share that I will be attending the first VIVOBAREFOOT Certified Coaching Course next month in New York. The instructor is international barefoot running expert Lee Saxby, who also hosted the 'Learn to Run Barefoot' video linked in the Resources section above. The course will be a week long and based on the eBook recently published by VIVOBAREFOOT called Proprioception - Making Sense of Barefoot Running.

And one of the best parts about going to the course, is I get to learn along side Barefoot Angie Bee! She's a true pioneer of barefoot running and an inspirational woman.

If you or your organization is interested in having an experienced and soon-to-be newly certified coach teach a seminar or class on barefoot/natural running, feel free to comment on this post to let me know.

Barefoot Runners Society Treadmill Recommendations Post

The Barefoot Runners Society posted a shortened version of my treadmill review yesterday. The short version includes my criteria for a barefoot appropriate treadmill, the best treadmill for barefoot performance, the best treadmill for barefoot value, and my recommendations when considering buying a treadmill specifically for barefoot running. Here's the link:

Don't get burned: What to consider when picking the best treadmill for barefoot running

Barefoot TJ at BRS is an inspiration to the barefoot running world. Thanks TJ!

Barefoot Running Treadmill Review

After four months, from inception to delivery, my Barefoot Running Treadmill Review is online (the link is below).

I originally conceived of the idea of 'What is the best treadmill for barefoot running?' after speaking with Corrado Giambalvo about my lack of barefoot running in the winter months. He recommended checking out the WOODWAY Curve. He raved to me about the unique and innovative curve design that imposes a natural running style. Then I started thinking about the difference between running on a conventional, flat-decked treadmill in shoes versus barefoot. I searched online for reviews of treadmills for barefoot running and didn't find any. I then decided to undertake the challenge of finding out what is the best treadmill to run on barefoot and what are some considerations that need to be made.

I set out to find as many treadmill brands as I could and to run on each completely barefoot. I occasionally encountered skepticism from fitness store employees but, for the most part, I was pleasantly surprised at how inviting and enthusiastic people were about my idea and barefoot running in general. I will probably write more on the process and the people involved in bringing the treadmill review into being; there are so many to thank for helping me write this review. But until then, you can check out the full-length review at: http://www.livingbarefoot.info/2011/03/special-review-treadmills-for-barefoot-running/

Sharing Passions

It's not every day you get to share your passion with the people in your life who inspire, motivate, and impassion you. I shared a conversation with my good friend Melanie Jones the other day about natural running. Melanie is a self-proclaimed writer, performer, lion tamer, sillypants, defender of dreams and most especially creator of ENDURE: RunWomanShow. To me, she's an inspiring woman and artist who shares her passions daily with the people around her (for which I am grateful to be among).

During our conversation, I recounted how and why I switched to wearing minimalist footwear for walking and running. I told her about the positive changes I've benefited from due to the switch.

She's written two phenomenal blog posts about her reasoning and progress. They were humbling for me to read and I wanted to share them with you:

The Courage to Cross a Zillion Start Lines
Natural Running Transition Process: Day #2

Again, welcome to the world of natural running, Melanie. I wish you a glorious, exciting, beautiful, and triumphant adventure. I can't wait to hear and read more about it.

New Barefoot Jewellery

It finally feels like spring is coming as we've had some above zero temperatures here recently. In light of the warmer weather, I thought I'd post some pictures of my barefoot jewellery. My mom made me a pair last year and I loved them so much, she recently made me another. The original pair is purple and the new pair is a bright blue.








If you're interested in buying some barefoot sandals/jewellery, there are a number of online retailers including Ladybead.com, Jewels by Michele, and Seaheart.

There's also an eHow on how to make your own beaded foot jewellery.

Barefoot Running at the Track

Today was another barefoot running day at the track. On days like today, meaning cold and windy, I wish I had a barefoot-appropriate treadmill but that hasn't happened yet. So, I ran at the track today.

It started out like any barefoot run, waiting for my feet to warm up. I thought I'd run for half an hour because I haven't run much in the last few weeks. But then something interesting happened: I saw a woman running passed me in VIVOBAREFOOT Evos! I was really impressed with a) her running form b) her running speed and c) her running shoes! I smiled a great big smile.

Then I saw another guy running in Evos!

Then I saw yet another guy running in Evos!

Three people all running in Evos at my small-town track! I was amazed.

The next time the last guy I saw in Evos came around the track, he stopped to talk with me on his walk break. He asked me why I ran barefoot and I replied, "Because running in running shoes hurts my back and running barefoot does not." He then asked if I'd read Born to Run and I replied with something like, "I had it preordered before it came out." We chatted about his Evos for a bit and he said his wife and son were both running in them (the other two people on the track at the time). He said he got the Evos from his daughter for Christmas because she runs a store in Calgary that sells them. He said he thinks they're great and likes running in them. And then he was off running again.

A little while later, his wife was on a walk break so I talked to her for a bit. She also loves her Evos and finds running in them very comfortable. She told me all about their daughter's store and about their son (who was running with them on the track). And then she was off running again.

It was so great to meet a family of Evo runners! And that they were curious about my barefoot running.

The store in Calgary, which I'm really interested in now, is called Riva's Eco Store and sells not only shoes, but all kinds of non-toxic, environmentally friendly products. The owners "strive to provide products that are both healthy for the planet, and healthy to those that use them". If you're interested, here's the link: http://rivasecostore.com. I think I'll go visit the store one of these days on an upcoming trip into the city.

And my run turned out to be over 40 minutes long. It felt much shorter due to the engaging conversations. :)

First Completely Barefoot Run of the Season

I decided to run indoors on the track today as -20C (not including the wind chill) is a tad chilly for me to run in (I've done it but it's not the most enjoyable experience). And if I run on the track, it's always completely barefoot.

Some observations I noticed while running today:

• There is a huge difference in the temperature of the floor between the walls beside windows and those that are not
• Random dirt on the track (it must have needed sweeping) did not stick to my feet this year
• I needed a few walking breaks to give my foot muscles a break (I ended up doing 3 X 10 and 1s). They are obviously not as strong as at the end of last winter
• Thirty minutes was enough for my first time running barefoot this year
• My form could use some improvement as I ended up with a hotspot on one big toe and another small one on the outside edge of the ball of the same foot (it’s probably my form and not being careful enough rounding the corners, which were all in the same direction)
• You really can’t push off at all with no shoes (which I was observing everybody else doing in their shoes)
• Running really fast barefoot (or as fast as I can go) is more like flying than running because your feet are in the air much more than they are on the ground (as opposed to my usual plod-along but comfortable pace)
• I can’t wait to do it again :)

Foot Changes

I wrote a similar post to this some months ago but I extended and updated it for the Living Barefoot site. It's about how my feet have changed over the last two years since I switched from wearing conventional shoes to minimalist shoes.

I think it accurately captures the changes that I've noticed in my own feet. I don't know if others will experience the same kinds of changes but most, I think, will experience some similar changes.

Here's the link: Foot Changes after Two Years Living the Barefoot Alternative



(And the pictures are of my feet. ;) ).

Barefoot Breakthrough - Completely Barefoot Running

After my foray into barefooting in the rain today, I thought that it is finally time that I try completely barefoot running outside. I've run barefoot before on an indoor track so today was a first attempt at running outside sans shoes.

I started out with my Evo shoes and Injinji socks as I was going to do a trail run. I ran out and back on the trails with my shoes and socks on. When I finished the trail part and was back on the road home, I decided it was time to take off the shoes.

I ran on smooth black top asphalt through one of the near neighbourhoods. It was great! I didn't really feel much difference in my running form other than I probably step a little lighter. Cadence and speed were probably the same (for the end of a long run). I did feel the ground more though (obviously). The little rocks and cracks didn't bother me until I got to a section of 'sidewalk' that cars used to drive on. It was too rough for my new-to-barefoot-running tender feet so I walked this section. When I got back to concrete sidewalk, I ran again and didn't have any problems.

It was a great experience and I think I'll try more of it. Again, I was surprised that my feet were clean when I got home. Hopefully my soles toughen up a bit more so I can run on some slightly rougher terrain. And I really want to try barefoot trail running (because trails are my favourite).

First Barefoot Walk in the Rain

Most days I walk to the mailbox completely barefoot. As I was about to step out my door today to see if my new review shoe packages have arrived yet, I saw that it was raining. I thought that today would be a good day for my first ever barefoot walk in the rain.

It was nice. The concrete right by my house was cold but the asphalt road was warm and wet. It wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest. My feet didn't get cold at all from all the water. And when I got home, my feet were clean. :)

I did feel kind of silly wearing my rain jacket and rain hat with no shoes, though. ;)

It was clearly time to try rainy barefoot walking because 10 minutes after I got home, the rain stopped.

(And sadly, no new review shoe packages yet. Even though I like barefooting, I still love trying new shoes to review for Living Barefoot.)