Merrell Barefoot Road Glove Winner; RUEZ Underwear Winner; Random Shots of Beauty (and Mojo)

Before getting down to business this weekend, let me say this: my readers are awesome.

Not only did you provide an overwhelmingly favorable response to Merrell’s Road Glove review and giveaway contest, but when I enlisted your help to come up with an outlandish number of male euphemisms to help me prove a ridiculous point, you managed to surpass the number I threw out there (100) and completely crack me up in the process. The RUEZ contest had so much crazy momentum that the owner of the company actually logged in a couple of times to join the festivities.  Now that's a contest.

So hey, that was fun - we should do it again sometime. Maybe one of these days we can come up with a list of nicknames for women’s breasts. Until then, let’s get to the items at hand.

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First we’ll announce the winner the aforementioned RUEZ contest. 51 Feet Under, e-mail me your contact info – you’ve won a pair of boxers and briefs from RUEZ. In case you’re curious, the winning comment (randomly selected, of course) from 51 Feet Under was “tallywacker”. Have I mentioned how amusing that contest was?

Now for the grand prize for the week: a pair of Merrell Barefoot Road Gloves. Jeff Gallup – you’re the winner! E-mail me your contact info so I can pass it on to the Merrell rep. For everyone else, you’ve got another chance to win a pair of Road Gloves here on the Maple Grove Barefoot Guy’s website – but you may have to write a poem or something, so, you know … good luck with that.  I'll also post an update and sale link on this website when the shoe is officially available to the public.

Obviously, I owe a huge thanks to the companies who sponsored these contests, and another big thanks to everyone who entered. This was one of those weeks that makes it fun to be a blogger. The festivities will continue next week with more giveaways, so stay tuned. Until then, a couple more items to keep you occupied on this long weekend …

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… starting, of course, with our customary Random Shot of Beauty. Like our previous installment, this one comes from the Big Sur coastline:

A view looking north from a region called Garrapata, as seen during a family geocaching outing this morning on another delightfully warm January day in Monterey County.

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Also, since I’m finally starting to get a handle on my running plans for the year (separate post coming soon), here’s a bonus item I stumbled across that got my adrenaline pumping for some outdoor adventures in the weeks and months to come: a trailer for the upcoming Sheffield Adventure Film Festival.

There’s obviously no chance that I’ll make it to Sheffield to see any of these films, and I don’t even do the vast majority of the activities depicted here, but just knowing there are people out there doing things like this helps me get my own mojo cranked up an extra notch or two – which will definitely come in handy as I get into training mode again.

“Sheffield Adventure Film Festival Trailer 2012” (click to play):





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RUEZ Performance Underwear Review and Giveaway (And a Fun Little Name Game)

A couple of administrative notes before today’s post …

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Thanks for the great response to the Merrell Road Glove review and giveaway. You’ve still got a couple of days to enter, so if you haven’t done so already, go over there and throw your name in the hat.

While you’re there, scroll through a few of the comments; when I mentioned that you could leave any fool comment you like, quite a few people took me literally – which is awesome. A few of the comments made me laugh - which is always a good thing – and the notion of creative commenting gives me an idea for today’s post, which also happens to be another contest.

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Today’s offering is another “males only” product, which makes two giveaways in a row where the women have been left out. Fear not, ladies – I’ll make it up to you. I have a review and giveaway for Merrell’s female-specific road shoe scheduled in the next month or so, and I’ll rig another contest next week so that only females are eligible. So there – are we still friends?

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As I mentioned above, today’s contest is for the boys: in the literal sense, since it’s a product designed just for men, but also in the figurative sense, because, well … it’s made to protect your boys.

RUEZ underwear ... on a model that's NOT me.  I've mentioned it's my off-season, right?

Yes, that’s a euphemism for male private parts, and if you’re wondering where I got the idea, look no further than the e-mail I received from a marketer representing RUEZ performance underwear. These are actual excerpts from her description of the product:

The company’s founder created RUEZ to address one very specific problem: package chafing.

He’s designed RUEZ with two layers on the front panel. The one closest to the skin (which is made from a wicking compression material) holds the family jewels in place.

A strategically positioned hole separates and protects your joystick.

The founder is a serious innovator with a HUGE … sense of humor.

You get the idea. And all this is without even mentioning the name of the company, which could apparently be pronounced “Are you easy?” (although according to the website it isn’t) while addressing all the benefits in store for your package.

So clearly, the company and its founder, Chris Varney, have a clever sense of humor. It was enough for me to give RUEZ a test drive and see how they compared to other performance underwear I’ve used.

RUEZ briefs feel something like a thin swimsuit instead of cottony underwear, using a neoprene-like 85% polyester fabric instead of the more cottony material of other wicking underwear. It also has 15% elastic for some slight compression that does indeed keep things in place, and both the interior and outer surfaces are silky smooth, which, um … feels nice.

The main feature of RUEZ is the performance pouch, an extra layer of wicking fabric in front of the briefs, which could potentially be used as a storage area if there’s something you wanted to stash there. While stuffing the front of my shorts might me look a little more impressive from a distance, the notion of actually carrying anything down there that I’d be touching with my fingers later was a bit more than I cared to try.

Actual size of your banana may vary

The interior layer also has a notch cut out of it, in case you want to separate your banana from your berries. This might be beneficial in the summer when the weather gets warm, but for me, the main benefit of the pouch is that there’s an additional layer of insulation and protection from cold winter air. In the summertime, I’ll just use the regular lining of my running shorts, but for cold-weather situations RUEZ definitely provides improved insulation compared to other brands I own.

RUEZ come in boxer or brief versions, both of which feature the performance pouch. They’re available for purchase on the RUEZ website – the briefs retail for $28, and the boxers are $30.

Another dude who's not me ... and I suspect he might have a stuffed pouch.

Of course, we’re doing a giveaway contest here, so one person will receive a pair of boxers and another pair of briefs for himself when this review is all said and done. However, in keeping with the creativity of the previous comment thread and the humor of the RUEZ company, I’m adding a twist to this giveaway – and before I explain it, I have to describe a conversation that took place between my wife, son, and me about a year or two ago.

We were having one of those “coming of age” talks and discussing some of the language he was starting to hear at school when the topic turned to slang terms for the male sex organ. I started rattling a dozen or so off the top of my head - some of which my wife hadn’t heard before – and when I continued on, we had the following exchange:

Wife: How many slang terms do you think there are for that?

Me: At least a hundred. Probably more.

Wife: You’ve got to be kidding.

I wasn’t kidding – and here’s your chance to prove my case. To enter the contest for two free pairs of RUEZ underwear, leave a comment below this post with a slang term for that piece of anatomy. Consider it a game of Name That Junk. Here’s the catch: you can’t use a term that’s already been used by a previous commenter – or for that matter, in this post.  If your term is already on the list, you're disqualified.  So “package” is out, as are boys, family jewels, joystick, banana, berries, junk … and come to think of it, let's take “performance pouch” off the list as well.  Obviously the earlier your enter, the easier the task is, but I can't imagine there's going to be a shortage of options out there.

Here’s your chance to crack me up, fellas. Ladies, feel free to play along as well – maybe you can win your man a nice little reward. The winner will be announced this Saturday night. Thanks very much to RUEZ for sponsoring this contest, and good luck to all the boys out there!

*Product provided by RUEZ.
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.



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Merrell Barefoot Road Glove Review and Giveaway

In last month’s Gear of the Year post I mentioned that 2011 might be considered the year that Merrell caused a seismic shift in the footwear landscape with its outstanding Barefoot series of shoes.

Here was a major industry player embracing the minimalist movement, taking the lead in instruction and promotion of natural running technique, and creating several different varieties of shoes to choose from – with each one maintaining the company’s high standards of workmanship and performance. Two of their shoes ended up on my Keeper List – the Trail Glove as an all-purpose trail runner, and the Tough Glove as an everyday office / casual shoe – and their Kids Glove was a narrow second place to the VIVOBAREFOOT Neo.  (All of the previous links are my product reviews.)  All things considered, it was a pretty good rookie season.

Merrell Barefoot Road Glove

Noticeably absent from that initial lineup, however, was a dedicated road running shoe – but Merrell has now filled that void with the Road Glove. It’s not officially available for purchase yet, but one lucky reader of mine will get an opportunity to try them on very soon; that’s right, we’re doing a giveaway! You know the drill here, though: review first, then contest details. So let’s get to it.

Here are your vital specs on the Road Glove: it’s a zero-drop shoe with a 4mm midsole and a standing height of 10mm. It's completely flexible and allows full range of motion throughout the foot and ankle. Its weight hasn’t officially been verified from Merrell, but my size 11 model weighs slightly under 8oz, so I’m guessing that the official spec will be around 7.5 oz. [*UPDATED: per the Merell rep, the weight is 6.6 oz.  Perhaps I need a new scale.]  That last number is probably my biggest drawback about the shoe, as I’ll explain later.

Breathable mesh upper; rubberized toe bumper

From a design and construction standpoint, the top half of the Road Glove looks remarkably like last year’s Trail Glove. The uppers primarily consist of breatheable mesh with some synthetic overlays to aid in with lateral stability. There’s a thin rubber bumper at the front for a bit more protection from stubbed toes.

Seamless interior footbed

Like other Merrell Barefoot shoes, the Road Glove is designed to be worn without socks. Both the sockliner and the interior surface of the upper feel smooth against the skin, and the seamless footbed effectively keeps the foot in place while providing soft comfort as well.

The heel area is also similar to the Trail Glove, with a synthetic foot sling for stability and a thin collar that sits comfortably against the skin. In my testing, there is very minor “gapping” on the inside surface of the ankle, which is only a drawback if you do a lot of trail running in these (as I do – see photo further down).

Fit through the upper feels slightly wider to me than the Trail Gloves, which I found quite narrow in the midfoot region. I haven’t had any issues putting these shoes on, even on the infrequent occasions when I wore them with socks. The lacing system is also somewhat different, with a more traditional setup than the Omni-fit system on the Trail Glove. This could be bad news if you like to really customize your lacing, but not a big deal if you’re mainly a “lace ‘em up and go” person.

There appears to be a bit of confusion about the midsole of the Road Glove – specifically, whether or not it has a rock plate. The “place holder” product page on the Merrell website indicates there’s a forefoot plate, but I’ve seen other reviewers say there’s no plate.  I’ll clarify this with the rep and report back here.  [*UPDATED:  there's no plate.]  Otherwise, the 10mm standing height of the Road Glove is approximately 2mm lower than the Trail Glove, and ground feel is noticeably better than the Trail Glove, thanks also to a more streamlined outsole.

About that outsole: it may be designed for road running, but it’s more than adequate to take on the majority of trails you encounter as well. In fact, probably 75% of my mileage in testing these shoes was done on gravel fire roads and groomed trails, and I had very few problems with gripping the ground. Needless to say, there’s absolutely no problem gaining adequate traction on roads or all-weather track surfaces. The rubber compound is Vibram’s TC-1, the same material that’s used on the Trail Glove, which has proven remarkably resistant to wear after high mileage (probably 300-400 miles total) on my pair.

On the trail in Toro Park

Honestly, the outsole traction seems almost like overkill - which leads to my primary issue with the Road Glove: mainly, it’s a bit too much shoe. If my recorded weight is correct, it’s actually heavier than the Trail Glove, when road shoes are generally lighter and leaner than their off-road siblings. It’s worth noting that despite their extensive outdoor footwear credentials, Merrell has limited experience with making a dedicated road shoe. Consequently – and this could be just wild conjecture by me – they’ve made their first road running shoe by starting with a trail shoe and stripping it down, rather than making a running shoe from the ground up. In my opinion, when they stripped stuff away, they didn’t go nearly far enough: the outsole could be carved out more, the uppers could be thinner or lighter, and some of the support elements could be reduced or eliminated.

There’s a relevant comparison to be made to New Balance, another established company who has embraced minimalism over the past couple of years. Before making minimalist footwear, New Balance had a wealth of experience with racing flats and track spikes, and presumably had a good understanding of what parts of a shoe were essential and what others could be removed. Accordingly, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the New Balance Minimus Zero road shoes I’m currently testing are significantly lighter than Merrell’s Road Glove – but I’ll wait until that review goes live (probably in February) to give you details on that one.  [*UPDATED:  with the corrected weight, the discrepancy between New Balance and Merrell isn't exceedingly large.  New Balance is still lighter, though.]

So I’m not wild about the Road Glove as a dedicated road shoe; however, I think it’s an outstanding hybrid for runners who spend a lot of time on both paved and dirt surfaces.  If this review had posted before the end of last year, I would have included the Road Glove on my 2011 Keeper List as my favorite hybrid.  And if you don’t happen to be a shoe reviewer and have to actually pay money for your shoes, the Road Glove just might give you the most value for your buck when it comes to a “one style does all” training shoe. Wear them on the roads, take them on the trails, go off course to visit the cows … it doesn’t really matter what you do in these; the Road Gloves can probably take it.

Road Gloves and cows ... because why not?

Merrell’s Road Glove retails for $110, but is slightly discounted at Amazon.com. And now it’s time to get your lucky commenting hat on, because we’re doing a giveaway!

In conjunction with this review, Merrell has generously offered one pair of Road Gloves to a winner selected at random from the comments below. Keep in mind that this is a men’s model, so the ladies are entering for a boyfriend, spouse, or relative here – and if a girl wins this one, that dude had darn well better appreciate it.

Since this is a fairly substantial prize, my “major” contest rules are in effect: you’ll get one entry just for commenting and saying any fool thing you like. You’ll get an extra entry for linking to this post from your blog, and a third by linking from Facebook or Twitter. When you comment below, please let me know how many entries you’ve earned – up to three total – along with a link so I can verify if necessary. The winner will be announced this Saturday evening, January 14th.

Thanks very much to Merrell for sponsoring this giveaway, and good luck to everybody!

*Product provided by Merrell
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.



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Patagonia Capilene and Merino Wool Discount Sale; Random Shots of Beauty

Remember how I said that every now and then I have a spontaneous confluence of blog topics that I didn’t exactly plan? Another one is happening this weekend, and it’s also an opportunity for you to get some great bargains from Patagonia.

In my Gear of the Year post I raved about Patagonia’s Capilene baselayers, and described how I made it the short of choice for my Team Soft Star uniform at the Tahoe Rim Trail 100-miler last summer. I mentioned the material again in my Kourage shirt review, which was almost-but-not-quite as silky soft as the Capilene. To borrow a theme from my gear review, Kourage was a worthy challenger, but Patagonia is still the champion.

And now this weekend you can get any one of those champion garments at half-price: through January 9, all Capilene baselayers - bottoms or tops, short sleeves or long, in various thicknesses – are on sale for 50% off at the Patagonia website. The only exclusion is the new Spring 2012 performance line – but anything from the Fall 2011 line or earlier is fair game. Use some warmer layers right now for your winter sports, and grab a couple of t-shirts for the warm days of summer. (Or as the case has been around here lately, the warm days of January. Not that I’m complaining.)

Check out the Capilene sale with this link, and while you’re there, take a look at Patagonia’s merino wool baselayers, which are also 50% off this weekend. The sale is limited to stock on hand, so get going.

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The first Random Shot of Beauty in 2012 actually dates back to 2011; not terribly far back, however, as it was taken just one week ago:

A beautiful, characteristically hazy vista of the Point Sur Lighthouse, as seen during a family hike high above Big Sur on New Year’s Eve 2011.

You can have Times Square; I’ll take this kind of celebration every time.

(*One last note: be sure to check back on Monday for a killer giveaway contest. Trust me.)



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VIVOBAREFOOT Breatho Trail First Impressions Review

Earlier this week I expressed some indecision as to what shape my ultra calendar will take over the upcoming year. I’m happy to report that some pieces are slowly falling into place … but not really enough to mention yet. More to come soon, I hope.

In the meantime, I can confirm with 100% confidence that I have a handful of sweet shoe reviews coming up over the next several weeks, from some of the biggest players in the minimalist market: Vibram, New Balance, Merrell … and today’s offering from VIVOBAREFOOT.

VIVOBAREFOOT Breatho Trail

With many of these models, I’m prohibited from saying (or showing) too much in advance of the official product release; other times I’m allowed to offer a few perfunctory thoughts before a full-fledged review is published closer to the release date. Such is the case with the VIVOBAREFOOT Breatho Trail, which will be released in February. I agreed to post some first impressions here just as I did with the company’s Neo Trail shoe last fall, and then follow-up later on as I’ve logged more miles in them.

After 2 runs and 27 miles

I’ve had my Breathos for all of a week, and I’ve done two trail runs in them totaling 27 miles. Like pretty much every VIVOBAREFOOT shoe I’ve tested, there’s never any issue of a breaking in period; I can pretty much lace these up and go for as far as my legs will carry me without worrying about discomfort or hot spots at my feet.

The premise of Breatho Trail is essentially to combine the off-road innovations of the Neo Trail with more lightweight construction that would appeal to runners in warmer climates (in other words, runners like me). Accordingly, the outsole is identical on both shoes, featuring 4.5mm directional lugs on a 2.5mm-thick base layer, for a total standing height of 7mm …

… unless you include the removable insole, in which case you have an additional 3mm of thickness. Both of my initial runs included the insole, but I’ll definitely experiment with removing it soon.

Ventilation on the Breatho is much improved, with mesh uppers that are thinner and more open than the Neo Trail. How open, you ask?

So open that you can practically see through them. (And how about my artsy photo skills here, huh?)

One question mark I have is with the top of the midfoot, where a conventional tongue has been replaced with a moderately thick neoprene-like sleeve. VIVOBAREFOOT uses a similar style of upper construction on its dress shoes, and I like the convenience of being able to slip the shoes on without lacing. On the Breatho, I’m not so certain; even though you can tighten the laces down to secure the fit, on both of my runs I’ve felt that the midfoot area loosens up in later miles. I checked to see if the laces were untied, but they were still securely fastened – which leads me to think their “grip” on the neoprene upper is somewhat tenuous. This will obviously be an area of closer attention with increased mileage.

My biggest issue with the Neo Trail was its relatively heavyweight 10.5 oz spec; in my book, anything over 10 oz stretches the boundary of minimalism. The Breatho marks a modest improvement, weighing in at 9.3oz, minus another half-ounce or so if you remove the insole. However, this is honestly still a source of mild frustration for me with VIVOBAREFOOT.

Here’s what I mean: VIVOBAREFOOT’s first-ever running shoe, the Evo, weighs in at 8oz. It’s a high-performance shoe that I used extensively for road running as well as trail ultramarathons. Over the next two years, the company has released no fewer than three different running models (the Neo, Neo Trail, and Breatho*) which all weigh more than the original Evo. While most other minimalist companies are striving for lighter weight – for example, all of the brands I mentioned at the top of the page are releasing lighter versions of their previous models this spring – VIVOBAREFOOT can’t seem to dip under their very first offering, at least from a weight standpoint.

(*UPDATED : I forgot about the Ultra, which is super-lightweight but billed as more of an amphibious / cross training shoe than a running shoe. With the same outsole as the Evo, it could probably be used for running, although I haven't tested it.)

I get that the trail outsole on the Breatho and Neo Trail is bigger and therefore heavier than the Evo outsole. However, I wish the company could experiment with ways to carve more weight away from the upper, or with a lighter outsole material that offers the same performance features – especially because weight is one of my most important criteria when choosing shoes for long training days. Yes, this is asking a lot … but I’m a shoe critic, after all. It’s in my job description to nitpick.

Perhaps the coolest feature of the Breatho isn’t pictured here: the proposed price tag, which is currently set at $90. VIVOBAREFOOT has a reputation for high-end pricing, but the Breatho price point is right there with Vibram, New Balance, and Soft Star in terms of affordability, and a little bit lower than Merrell. I have a feeling the Breatho will be in the same category as the best offerings from those other brands as far as top trail running options in 2012, but that’s still to be determined throughout this winter and spring.

The VIVOBAREFOOT Breatho Trail is scheduled for release in February, and you can get first dibs on them by signing up here on the company’s wait list. Those who register on the wait list will be the first ones notified when the shoes are in stock, and there’s even a chance that you’ll get your Breathos for free. That’s right … free.

Here’s how it works: everyone on the wait list who eventually orders a pair of Breatho Trails will receive a coupon code for free shipping. On top of that, once the global release is announced to the wait list group, the first 10 approved transactions will be reimbursed for the entire cost of their order. All of the details haven’t been worked out yet, but the company will likely have some sort of announcement of who the 10 lucky winners are so that people who purchased immediately aren’t kept in too much suspense. Keep an eye on their website for contest details, and on this one for a follow-up review of the Breathos in the next couple of months.


*Product provided by VIVOBAREFOOT.
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.



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Kourage Athletics Shirt Review

“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires Kourage.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Well, OK … that’s not precisely the way Emerson wrote it, but that’s the way the quote reads on the website of the company in question today.

The quote itself is pretty cool, though; it certainly sounds like something an ultrarunner can identify with. However, in this context we’re not talking about ultras or epic adventures – not directly, anyway – we’re talking about a brand of clothing.

Kourage Athletics is a Kenyan company that exists for two primary purposes: to make high-quality performance apparel, and more importantly, to reduce poverty through creating jobs in Kenya. According to the company website, the name reflects “A choice to be kind and compassionate and to do the best to make the world a better place. Kourage is making the daily attempt to become a better individual. There is no better agent for improving ourselves and the world than Kourage.” So now the intro quote makes perfect sense, right?  The final word is courage, but spelled with a capital K for Kenya. See? Clever.

Kourage factory; photo from Kourage Athletics website

As for the product itself: all Kourage apparel is designed and manufactured in Kenya by Kenyans, then exported and sold to developed countries, with revenues reinvested into the Kenyan economy. The production factory is in the Rift Valley, otherwise known as home to the highest concentration of elite distance runners the world has ever seen. It currently employs over 200 Kenyans where each employee works 45 hours per week at national wage standards in a comfortable work setting. For most workers, employment at Kourage makes the difference in their families’ ability to afford school, medical care, meals, and enjoy a meaningful quality of life. You get the idea: it’s a good company to support.

Their product inventory is quite limited, with only 6 shirts in either male or female cuts. They are built as performance shirts, reportedly tested by Kenyan runners at the top of 15,000’ Mt Kenya and in the scorching plains of the African desert. However, they are also extremely comfortable and somewhat stylish, and would be perfectly passable as casual wear as well.

I’ve worn mine in both casual and athletic capacities; when I first received mine (the Stripes model here), I wore it around the house and as an everyday shirt. I also happened to wear it to Disneyland on a day in October when the temperature topped 100 degrees, and the shirt remained very comfortable even while worn underneath a backpack for most of the day.

Lately I’ve used my Kourage shirt strictly for running, and it works as effectively as any other moisture-wicking garment I have. It dries quickly and feels silky soft against my ski - in fact, it feels nearly as comfortable as Patagonia’s Capilene material, which as you’ll recall just landed on my Gear of the Year list for 2011. It’s also a nice change of pace from my standard race-or-company-logo shirts; I like the colorful print, and the slight V-neck offers more cooling than a traditional crew collar on hot days. It has also held up well after multiple trips through the washer and dryer.

The company rep explained to me that with their initial offerings, the Kourage product line was kept intentionally small, so they could focus on quality manufacturing and performance. More products will be introduced as the company grows in years to come; in the meantime, their shirts are definitely one of the most comfortable and versatile garments I’ve tested in quite a while.

Kourage shirts retail for $39 from the company website, which offers free shipping to customers in the United States. If you can’t run like a Kenyan, perhaps dressing like one while supporting their culture would be the next best thing.

*Product provided by Kourage Athletics.
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.



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Shaking the Devil; A Barefoot Resolution

“I like to keep my issues drawn -
But it's always darkest before the dawn -

Shake it out, shake it out - shake it out, shake it out, oh woah …
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back –
So shake him off, oh woah.”
-Florence + the Machine, “Shake It Out”, (video after post)

**

The first days of the calendar year are always somewhat anxious for me, in that it’s time to shake the devil off my back and get reacquainted with the routine of training on a regular basis.

I usually give myself permission to be a complete slacker during the month of December, so there’s very little guilt about sleeping in when it’s dark, drinking wine when I want to loosen up, or eating cookies when they magically appear around Christmastime. The whole process is so predictable, it’s become almost a holiday tradition for the family to guess the date when I’ll finally pop a button on my pants. (They don’t make Hallmark cards for that, I’ve noticed.)

New Year’s Eve tends to be a symbolic rock bottom, the darkest point before I start crawling toward the glimmer of good habits and self-discipline dawning on the horizon. Once January rolls around I can usually step up and start making some tangible progress toward whatever goal I’ve set for myself further down the calendar. But this year I seem to be struggling a bit more than usual, in that I have absolutely no idea what I want to do in 2012.

I don’t know if I want to chase far-off windmills or hunker down closer to home. I don’t know if I want to do something epic and inspiring or something more mundane and manageable. I don’t even know if I want to do formal races, or have more of a “choose your own adventure” year of visiting places and trails that I’ve been longing to explore. Especially considering that the Northern California ultra scene is currently wracked in so much unfortunate drama and shocking grief, it’s hard to elevate the importance of any particular race (or for that matter, running in general) in the grand scheme of things.

So … yeah. I’ll manage to shake something out, but it might take a little bit longer than usual; the devil on my back feels especially heavy this time around. In the meantime, I was asked to author a piece in a local magazine on the subject of New Year’s resolutions; instead of doing the regular “you should start running” spiel, I decided to put a spin on it that might grab the attention of anyone who has started and eventually given up a running program in New Years past. You probably know where this one is going – and the full article follows below.

**

“Resolve to Start Running – Barefoot!”

In the long, storied, frequently disappointing history of New Year’s resolutions, perhaps the most common one is this: I’m going to get in shape this year. I’m going to start running.

Certainly that’s a good idea … but what are you going to do differently this time to make sure you enjoy it more, avoid injuries, and stay consistent until January 2013 and beyond? If you want to make a major change in your previously unsuccessful or long-dormant running habit, here’s a radical notion to try: ditch your running shoes.

(You may recognize these photos - they're all recycled from past blog posts.  They were also used in the magazine article last week. ) 

Barefoot running isn’t exactly a novel idea, but it’s currently the most revolutionary (and often controversial) movement the running community has witnessed in quite a while. Runners with chronic injuries often find that going barefoot solves their problems, and veteran runners experience joy in their training that they haven’t felt since running across the playground as children.

More recently, the movement has gained increasing legitimacy. Barefoot running – as well as its close cousin, minimalist running – has progressed from a weird fringe element to popular fad to the subject of research studies. There’s mounting evidence that the natural running style associated with naked feet has multiple biomechanical and health-related benefits for all runners.

Here’s the premise: Over the past 30 years, modern running shoe technology hasn’t reduced the injury rate among runners at all. No matter how many cushioning, support, or stability features are crammed into your expensive high-performance training shoes, you’re no less likely to become injured – in fact, you’re probably even more so. By contrast, when you strip away the so-called protective and corrective features, your running form changes toward a style with less impact, and a lower incidence of most running-related injuries.

The primary downside of barefooting is that to get started, you must proceed extremely slowly. As in one minute at a time slowly. 20-minutes-per-mile pace slowly. So slow that it feels like you’re not actually running. Barefoot running is a skill developed over months and years, not days and weeks. If you’re not the patient type, you’d better make a resolution about that one as well.

Start anywhere you like – and believe it or not, asphalt is an ideal surface for your first baby steps. Remove your shoes and socks, and run for a minute or two, landing softly on the front of your feet before lightly touching your heel to the ground and then repeating with the opposite foot. Take very short steps, and don’t worry about how slow you’re going.

Build up the length of time gradually over a period of many weeks – and if you have any significant pain, stop your run and try it again another day. You’ll probably get some blisters or hot spots on the bottom of your feet; they’ll eventually become callouses that aren’t nearly so bothersome, and the underside of your foot will gradually grow firm yet supple, like the leather of a well-worn baseball mitt. Your feet, ankles, and calves will get very sore when you start; remember, those muscles are being stretched and used in ways they never were when confined to clunky cross-trainers.

Look online for barefoot running resources to help you get started, or check out two outstanding books: ChiRunning by Danny Dreyer, and Barefoot Running by Michael Sandler, who also operates the website RunBare.com. The support and instruction you will find from like-minded souls online will be helpful as you progress.

Of course, it’s January, so you can’t always run outside with nothing on your feet. That’s where minimalist shoes come in. These products allow your feet to move as they would without shoes, while providing a small amount of warmth and protection for external conditions.

Minimalist shoes are built as lightweight, flat, and low to the ground as possible, without any unnecessary cushioning or support. The most popular models are Vibram’s FiveFingers – those strange “toe shoes” you’re starting to see everywhere – but there are literally dozens of options on the market to choose from. The topic of minimalist footwear is an article all its own; for now, check out my Running and Rambling website for some ideas and other good resources.

Once you’ve built up to it properly, barefoot running is simply a lot of fun. You’ll feel like a kid, and exercise starts feeling like recess. If your goal is to maintain a running program throughout the year, the ability to enjoy yourself will be one of the greatest contributors to your success. Kick off your shoes, and go have some fun!


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Florence + The Machine, "Shake It Out" (click to play):





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