In the last few months I have sporadically mentioned that I am running or attempting to run barefoot. The story of how I found the barefoot running movement is a little weird. When I was in a younger guy I was invited to a lot of quinceañeras. I was invited to help out in on in Mexico. Naturally being the brilliant mind I have always been, I forget dress shoes. I was given a pair of shoes a cousin had brought for her dad (my uncle) but that did not fit him. They were Rockports with Vibram soles. I loved those shoes. I held on to them for a little over 7 years. Those shoes were so well made and so comfortable that my raving got my cross country friends in HS to dare me to go to practice in them. I did. And I dominated. I let those shoes go a few years after college, I would shine them at least once every few weeks but the sole was the money. The vibram sole just worked. I went out to look for a replacement and found that many of the shoes with vibram bottoms were any of the following: ugly, mountaineering shoes, trail running shoes, or anything but a plain dress shoe. So my dream to get another pair ended there, but I figured a good pair of trail running shoes would be great for me. I am trying to get back into running and what the hell. I looked and did not find anything interesting, by interesting I mean my research on dress shoes can only be for so long before I get bored and read something else. I found, Vibram 5 finger shoes. I started following links and all of a sudden I am reading about the benefits of barefoot running. Most of the stories were like mine…I was an athlete, got injured, never felt the same, or…I run but always get injured or suffer from shin splints knew problems so I have to stop running. I decided to give it a shot. The way I figured, I wear some funny shoes, run a few miles and strengthen my feet, which will help my golf swing. I ordered a pair dos Vibram KSO - black. I have since become an addict. My running style has completely changed. I went from being more of a sprinter because of soccer to a short bouncy step where my heel rarely touches the ground. And I am running on shoes that are probably as close to barefoot as you can be. I am currently running at nights, after law school and work. I am hoping to train for the Disney Half Marathon, 100 Mile OC AIDS bike ride and the LA Marathon, and in the future who knows. But I feel free. Running really saved me. Early this year there were a lot of troubling feelings and thoughts in my head. It was a very sad time for me. But, I have always been the kind of person who uses anger as motivation. I get mad and work harder. The mantra that used to run through my head was from Metallica: give me fuel give me fire give me that which I desire. I would beat myself up for a long ride or a jog and instantly feel better, but injuries would sideline me for weeks. Barefoot running, although a long shot provided an answer and for a change was not trying to sell me anything.


I started to run with the five finger shoes. I get a lot of stares and a lot of questions. But the facts are these: I am a slower runner (getting faster), For the first week my feet killed but I have toughened up and have not suffered an injury yet, I am not dead tired after a jog, I smile more. My motivation has also changed a little, I still use anger as a motivation, but it has mutated into courage/controlled rage. It is not longer a negative beat yourself up feeling. Now when I get angry I feel more courageous…I want to complete the task at hand for myself, not for its own sake or for a self of primal male ego, but for the simple reason that I choose to. Period.


In this breask from school, it will mostly be Opinion on News, Sports (football season is coming and baseball is ending), golf and running.

I will try and throw some pictures of trails just for some spice.

Few quotes to meditate:

Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own; sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction.
-William James


When you run on earth and run with the earth, you can run forever
-Tarahumara Saying