Shamma Sandals - Warrior Review

Well, this review is really long overdue.  Strap in, internet!  The ride won't be bumpy, but safety first and all...

A nice gentleman from Shamma contacted me back in August of last year and asked if I would like a trial pair of sandals for review.  (That's a disclaimer, folks.  The footwear was free.)  Of course I said yes.  My experience with huraches is limited, consisting of a pair of Invisible Shoes (before they were Xero Shoes), a pair of sandals crafted with a friend from a motorcycle tire (a blog post I started, but never finished), and a pair of ill conceived sandals from another company (out of respect I won't name them here) that were sent for review and literally could not be attached to feet because of the lacing system they used.  I hacked those up and crafted traditional lacing for them and still wear them from time to time, including running. The sole material on those is 10mm Vibram newflex, so I was jazzed up to get a much thinner sole from Shamma.

I'm kind of a jerk for taking so long to review them, but I got them at the end of my running season and was only able to put a few miles on them before short daylight hours and icy cold hit Minnesota.  I know that some of you reading this might be tough and run in the snow barefoot or with sandals.  More power to you, but forget that noise.  I also don't run much in the dark around our place after a close encounter with a skunk, and because I'm a grown-up and I do what I want!  The nice thing is that I have nearly a year of wear on them so I feel like that is a good review.



This review is limited to the Warrior model from Shamma.  From Shamma's website:  The Warriors are a minimalist’s runners dream. The Warriors are our thinnest sandals. They are light and flexible with an aggressive tread that keeps you agile and surefooted. These sandals are ideal for technical trail running and uneven terrain, where ground-feel is key.

The Specs:
The soles are 5mm Vibram Newflex.  They have a glued on goat-leather footbed that is super soft.  (Love that new glue smell when you open the package!)  The lacing system starts with a plug at the toe so there isn't a knot at the bottom of the sandal.  The majority of the lacing system is 11/16" wide tubular nylon webbing with hook and loop closure.  The heel strap has a suede material wrap to prevent rubbing.  I find that it is a little grippy too, helping the strap to stay put.  There is also a plastic buckle to help you position the strap where you want it at the top of your foot. 

When they contacted me for a review, I had still been running, but hadn't done any races in a long time.  (I'm still not fast, if you were wondering.)  However, I was planning on doing a local 5K in September and I got the sandals the week of the race.  I figured that a minimalist sandal should be the kind of footwear that you can strap on and start running without having to worry about how the footwear will affect you.  In that spirit, I only put the sandals on once before the race to get the straps set.  I did not run in them at all before the race.

The First Run:
The local run is the Stagecoach 5K.  It runs through town (population ~1,200) and includes an out/back on a gravel road.  There is a lot of hills.  Surfaces were new smooth asphalt, old and beat up asphalt, gravel, and dirt (part of the course went through some road construction).  The varied surfaces were nice so I could test them all in the first (sandals right out of the package) run.

The run starts on an immediate sharp downhill, then makes a 90 degree turn to the right to head back uphill.  My feet did not slip at all on the shiny new leather, and I was able to make the turn at full speed with no problem.  I say full speed, but that is full speed for me (~6 min mile).  The next uphill section is slightly worn asphalt, and that surface continues until about 1.25 miles, where the course turns to gravel for an out/back section.  The gravel road includes one moderate hill, and then a long gradual uphill to the turn around.  The road was hard packed with loose gravel here and there along the tread lines, but was thicker loose gravel toward the edge.

I started out on the hard packed areas, but the random loose stones were difficult when I couldn't avoid them.  By about 3/4 of the way out on the gravel, I moved to the edge of the road where there was all gravel and no hard-pack.  That was a great improvement.  I would love to try these out on a trail run with big rocks instead of gravel, but I haven't had the chance yet.

As I got to the turn around at the top of the hill, I had to stop and tighten the straps on the sandals.  The heel strap was sliding down as they broke in a little.  If there is one thing I have found with securing these sandals, it is to tighten them to the point they feel almost uncomfortable when you are standing, and they will be perfect as you run.  I'll chalk this problem up to me not getting used to them at all before the race and not understanding how tight they needed to be.  As I was tightening the straps I think I counted off 30 seconds or so in my head.

Poetry in Motion.  A glorious sight to behold.

The rest of the race is flat or downhill.  Awesome way to finish a race in my opinion!  It was in this last portion that we hit the road construction areas.  That included stepping down from cut off streets into the work areas and back up out of the work area to asphalt.  A nice test because one of the issues I've had running in sandals is catching the front edge when stepping up and ending up gracefully slamming to the ground.  Not a problem with these sandals.  Even though the sole is supremely flexible, it is not floppy and comes up nicely with your toes.

I finished the race at 25 minutes flat.  My fastest 5K time ever!  In this picture you can see how I beat the gentleman behind me by apparently elbowing him and laughing my way to the finish.  Thanks to all my sponsors:  Shamma Sandals, bananas, and water.

 

 

 

 

A dramatic fight for 12th place.

So, what do I think about these sandals?  I love them.  I've worn them all over the place.  Walked in them on trails and around the yard.  I've run a lot of miles in them with no issues.  They are wearing very little, even though most of my running has been asphalt trails.  I've worked in the garden with them on and had them so caked with mud I had to spray them off with the hose.  I dried them in the sun and the leather and strapping didn't harden up.  The leather footbed has taken on the shape of my foot and they fit even better because of it.

If you are looking for a pair of sandals to run in, the Shamma Warriors are a great choice. (Click the link.  Their pictures are better than mine.)

Exercise and Depression

Last night, I realized I had been in a bad mood for about a week.  Busy at work, some sick kids at home, blah, blah, blah.  You've been there too.  I couldn't put my finger on a specific reason, I just felt like kicking someone.  Then my wife said "You were snoring last night".  Don't worry, I didn't kick her.  But it made me realize my problem.  When I don't exercise (also, when you don't exercise) my brain starts to shut down.  We are made to MOVE!  This is documented in medical literature, as well as thousands of running and exercise books, blogs, movies, fliers, and pamphlets.  My last run was on October 27, when I was still in Phoenix!  I had gotten zero exercise since that time.  I have been trying to catch up on work stuff, including hiring a new staff member and had generally just been lazy.  Problem noted.  Now to solve it.

After we got the boys in bed last night I went out to run my 3 mile loop.  I felt so good after the first half mile that I ended up going 5 miles.  I could have kept going, but it was getting late and I knew my wife would be heading to bed soon so I went home.  I feel better today than I have in two weeks.

I just did a quick search on PubMed - the depository for all things related to human research.  Searching for "exercise and depression" yielded 9500+ hits.  Searching "exercise improves depression" still hit 273 times.

What does it all mean?  If you feel bad, get off your ass.  It is as simple as that.  Even just going for a walk around the block will improve your mood a great deal.

Run on, Runners!

Rae's Run Across America

Just wanted to tell you all about one of the coolest things I've ever heard of.  Maybe you already know about it but I just found out.  There's a young woman from Iowa spending her Summer running across the U.S. to raise money for Soles4Soles, a charity that donates shoes to poverty stricken and disaster victims around the world.  Her name is Rae, and she is officially awesome.

She started her journey in April, and I saw a Facebook post today that she was only a day away from Iowa.  This is an amazing undertaking, but even more amazing is that she is running it BAREFOOT!

She has a website that will give you all the info.  There is a Facebook page as well with pictures of her journey and updates.

How can you help Rae?  Donate!  You can help her out directly (a girl's got to eat and ramen noodles aren't going to cut it), you can donate to Soles4Soles, or you could let her stay at your house for a night.  Her website has all the info you need, and here's a link to her nightly stops.  If you are on the route, consider helping her out.  She might need a shower and a little foot rub at the end of the day.

Rae will be hitting my hometown of Denison, Iowa on the 9th of July.  I wish I could be down there to run with her but I can't make it happen, so I'm donating to her cause.  I hope you will help out if you can!

Great work, Rae!  You are an inspiration to be sure.

2012 Med City Half Marathon Review

About a year ago my wife and I were walking around a city park pushing son #1 in the stroller.  She was pregnant with son #2 and I had been running about two months.  The 2011 Minnesota Warrior Dash was about a month away and we were chatting about it.  I was surprised about how much I had improved already and I mentioned that maybe a half-marathon would be possible in the future.  It was a thought that would have been impossible not long before.

Fast forward to May 27th, 2012 and I'm in the pack for the Med City run, along with a few other barefooters (Christian, Katie, Jane, Nicole, and Bob)!  This would be my longest run ever, on a hot day, when I was already dealing with a little pain in my foot.  Here we go!

The Med City starts in Byron, MN and follows a hilly county highway to Rochester where you hop on some blacktop trails of varying age.  Some as smooth as butter, some not so smooth.  At mile twelve the half marathon and marathon routes diverge.  As hot as it was that morning, I was glad to take the right turn to the finish, rather than the left turn for another 14 miles.  Let's not get ahead of ourselves though.

Standing at the start was a little chilly, but the skies were clear so the sun would be on us soon.  Christian entertained us with his Schwartzenegger impression and we discussed the finer points of peeing in the woods.  We also stood and chatted with some other runners about barefooting and one lady was pretty interested.  She told us that she had a pair of Vibrams but her feet were very sore after her first run.  After we found out that she went two miles her first time out in them, we gave her some tips and ideas to get her started right.  I hope she tries them out.

We got started and were sticking around a 10:20 pace for the first miles.  By one mile in, the heat was already on us.  We kept at an easy pace and headed out into the open countryside.  I was feeling good, with just a little pain in the top of my right foot.  The weird thing about it was that it didn't hurt all the time.  I had it taped with Kineso Tape, trying to ward off extra pain and swelling.  Even though that tape is usually magic, it didn't provide much relief in this case.  The other thing I was wondering about was my food intake before the race.  At my last race (a 5K in February) I had eaten some oatmeal pre-race and it sat in my stomach like a rock, eventually leading to stitches in my side that forced me to walk.  Pretty lame for a 5K.  For this run, I tried a banana, Snicker's Marathon bar, and a Red Bull.  It was a lot of sugar, but seemed to be OK.  No problems with side pain and no stomach upset from the sugar.

We had a little break at about three miles while Katie and Jane hit the porta-potties and we were off again.  The first seven miles are pretty straight but a little hilly.  After mile seven, the course is nearly flat to the finish.  I was feeling fine at the first water stop so I skipped that one.  Not sure if that was good or bad.  I had two or three cups at each stop after that, but I still ended up five pounds lighter at the end of the race.

Nicole ran ahead down the last hill around mile 7 and took a picture of four running hobos with no shoes. (L to R: Me, Bob, Christian, Katie)

Responses to a pack of four with no shoes on were varied, but mostly supportive.  In fact I only heard one negative comment the whole time.  Usually people would shout their support and approval, and then follow it up with "I could never do that!"  Funny, I used to say the same thing.  No one even mentioned Bob's kilt.  I guess kilts are mainstream.

By about mile six we fell in with the 2:30 pacer group and alternated passing them and getting passed.  At about mile nine, my feet started to get a little tender on the bottom.  I wasn't hitting many rocks or other debris, but the pavement was warm and starting to get rougher and I was getting a little tired.  I got a bump of energy at about mile 10.5 when we passed my wife, my boys, and a few in-laws who were waiting to cheer me on.  It was this point in the race that I knew I would finish with no trouble, but I was ready to be done!

About mile 10.5

We hit the mile 12 aid station and stopped for a picture before Bob and Nicole headed for the second half of the marathon.  Katie, Christian and I walked about 100 yards and took off for the finish.  My feet were pretty tender by this point, but I didn’t have much trouble as long as I kept moving. 

Mile 12 Aid Station.

The half marathon course follows around Silver Lake in Rochester before heading South to the Civic Center for the finish. As you pass Silver Lake you cross over 7^th Street.  It was at this point that someone on a bike wearing a vest rode past me on the course.  The vest said “Lead Biker”.  I thought to myself, “Huh.  I guess maybe there is more than one lead biker, and this guy’s shift is over.”  That’s when I was overtaken by a flash of red as the Marathon winner ran by me.  Embarrassing?  No.  Humbling?  Absolutely.  I guess I need some more practice.  He finished the marathon three minutes ahead of me.

Coming in to the finish.

My family made it from the park to the finish line to wave me in and I finished in an official time of 2:31:12.  My longest run ever by one mile and my first half marathon.  I grabbed a handful of orange slices and a bottle of water and stood around chatting with my barefoot compatriots.  There is really nothing like orange slices after a run in the heat.  Christian was pounding muscle milk and discussing his work capacity across time and modal domains.  You should ask him about it sometime.

I found my family and made a mistake.  I sat down for a couple minutes.  My feet were ungodly sore when I stood up to walk to my car.  No cuts or bruises, just really tender.  I hobbled to the Jeep and made it home for a nice Memorial Day weekend with the family that included a little Gatorade, a lot of water, a large amount of green salad, pork loin on the smoker, drinking beer, brewing beer, and generally lazing around.

Still smiling at the finish.

Me and my boys.

No post would be complete without telling you what I learned so here it is.

1.      Hydration.  Even though there were aid stations every two miles I really could have used an extra drink or two in-between, especially towards the end.  Next time I might bring some extra with me if it is going to be so hot.  Also, don’t skip an aid station.  Just grab a drink and go.  I also learned the “fold the cup” technique so the liquid goes in your mouth instead of down your chest.  Very handy.

2.      Pre-race food.  I think my banana, Marathon bar, Red Bull combo worked nicely.  Plenty to get me through the distance, but not so much that it was sitting in my gut.  I usually drink coffee in the morning, but that didn’t sound good pre-race.  Plus, I hear that Red Bull gives you wings.

3.      Run with a friend.  It’s more fun and the miles go quicker.

Run on, Runners!


*Edit:  I forgot to say thanks to all the volunteers staffing the aid stations!  You folks are awesome!

Bare Feet and the Brain

Here's an interesting point of view by The Gait Guys.  I'm into brain research/training in the course of my clinical practice, so this was nice to see.  They give some of the rationale I use for no longer advising orthotics as we (and Podiatrists) are taught in school.  I don't just tell everyone with back pain to wear a back brace all day, so why give people with foot pain as a first line of defense?  We start now with foot strengthening and mobilization.  Some people will need orthotics in the end, but better to avoid them if possible.

They also briefly mention children and footwear.  Finding protective footwear that is functional is starting to be a little difficult for our toddler.

Neurodevelopment of the Barefoot Brain

To sum it up: if you don't use it, you lose it.  (You can, however, work to get it back!)

This is a picture of the sensory homunculus that is mentioned in the article.  The homunculus is how body parts are represented in the brain.  If they are large in the homunculus, they are well represented in the brain.  The picture is from joecicinelli.com.  Not sure if it is his or he linked to it too, but at least know you know I didn't just steal it!

Jason Robillard's ABC's of Barefoot Running - With Video!

So, I've been on a hiatus for two months now.  What have I been doing?  The list is actually pretty short:

1. Adjusting to having two kiddos at home instead of one. (Change is hard for me, even when I love my kids.)
2. Trying to learn how to not be flustered by change.
3. Working.
4. Running.
5. Playing Xbox (Batman: Arkham City - thanks to my wife for the b-day present!)
6. Annoying my wife by playing Xbox and a sometimes surly attitude.
7. Apologizing to my wife for the annoyance.

I realize both of my readers have been wondering when I would get back to posting again so lets do this!

In true lazy form this post is just pirated info and a link!  A few months ago I did a post on the ABC's of barefoot running as presented by Jason Robillard.  Now there's a video!

Check out the video for a visual "how-to" and get started today!

Bare Feet!

Just a quick update on what I did today.  Baby boy #2, Liam, was born at 11:18 this morning.  He and mama are doing very well!

Welcome Liam!  We are glad you are finally here!

Educational Barefoot Running Videos

Well, maybe not so educational.  The two videos below have just been kicking around the barefoot running community the last week or so and I wanted to share them.  I hope you enjoy them!

This one's a little older, but still funny.

Do we all think like this?  Probably.  Now, I'm going to go keep being awesome.  You all have a good day.

Run on , Runners!

Running in Winter...It's Cold

Thanksgiving morning I went out and did 4 miles.  It was a nice morning to be barefoot!  About 45 degrees or so and sunny.  I figured it would be one of the last times I would be able to get out barefoot this year.  I was right!  About two days later I started to get a sore throat, and by the morning after I had the black plague in my lungs.  That was annoying since I bragged up that I would get at least 50 miles in between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I didn't get out again until today.  Nearly two weeks!  50 miles is going to be a little more difficult now, especially with the impending birth of offspring #2!

So, this is my first winter of running outside.  Last winter was all on the treadmill, with my trusty role model Jack Bauer saving the world on DVD.  Being that I was still deeply in hate with running it was really more of a run/walk/stand and watch TV sort of endeavor.

It was 17 degrees when I headed out tonight.  I was pretty unsure about how it was going to go.  Two weeks off, still a bit of a cough, 17 degrees out.  Yikes.  For those of you wondering, I did not go barefoot.  I'm crazy, not stupid.  There's a subtle difference.

Since I don't even get a coat out until the temp is below 30, I wasn't that worried about being cold, but I didn't want to freeze.  Here's what I wore, hoping it would be right:

• UnderArmour compression shirt  (If you don't have one of these you need one.  They make you feel like a superhero when you wear them.)
• Cotton thermal shirt
• UnderArmour fleece pullover
• fleece vest
• UnderArmour compression shorts
• Two pairs regular old gym shorts (down to knee)
• Mittens (knit wool, snowflake motif)
• Stocking hat (no poofball)
• Merrell Trail Gloves (no socks)

Was I cold?  Nope.  My legs were a little chilly for the first quarter mile, but I didn't even notice that after a while.  My favorite part of tonight's run?  I ran past someone huddled and shivering on their porch having a smoke and she felt the urge to comment "Little cold for shorts, don't you think?"  I let that one go.  Apparently it's too cold to run in shorts, but shaking on your porch for long enough to burn down a heater is appropriate.  To each their own.

Like I said I still have a little cough so I didn't want to push it too hard today.  I did 1.6 miles at a 9:30 pace, so I may have gotten cold if I stayed out longer but who knows.

What did I learn on my first dead-of-winter run?

1. It's cold, but not that cold.  I was kind of dreading this run, but it went just fine.  Keep the core warm, the legs will take care of themselves.
2. Wear gloves.  I was out a few weeks ago at about 40 degrees and my hands suffered even though my feet were fine wearing Invisible Shoes.  The mittens tonight were awesome.
3. Wondering about your running form?  Run on some ice!  That sounds crazy, but if you are over-striding or pushing off on ice you will slip.  Running on ice is instant feedback and great when you lose the barefoot sensations by putting on shoes to deal with the cold.
4. The best part of winter running?  Ice on your facial hair!

You cant really see the ice under my nose, but trust me it was there.

Are you an experienced winter runner?  Leave your best tips in the comments so everyone can learn from you!  Are you an inexperienced winter runner?  Tell us what you have learned so far!

Run on, Runners!

Road ID Review and Giveaway!

Road ID is a company that began after a near miss and a good idea.  Edward, one of the owners, was nearly hit by a truck while out running.  His father had been bugging him to carry ID, but Edward didn't think he was in any danger while out running.  After the near miss, Road ID was born.

The concept is pretty simple.  You need ID, but you don't want to carry stuff while running.  Wear the ID.  Problem solved.  The other issue is that sure you can carry stuff around, but what if that stuff gets lost in the shuffle and you are unconscious?  A friend of mine who is a rescue diver for the county told me once (paraphrasing) that the only thing an EMS crew is sure to take with them when they pick you up is your body.  That's why it's a good idea to make sure that ID is coming with you.  It may just save your life.

I was firmly in the camp of not wanting to carry stuff around, including my driver's license.  I was more worried about losing my license than I was about getting hurt and needing ID.  However, my wife likes me and wants me around.  In fact, she prefers it that way.  I thought a Road ID would be a good way for us both to get what we wanted.

Like a lot of people, I was first exposed to the company at a race.  They sponsor races by providing number bibs and they sponsored the 5K I did last June.  I'm also proud to have them as a sponsor of the Turkey Trot we just hosted on November 19th!

"I need a Road ID.  This giant tag makes me look silly."

They offer 8 different styles of ID.  Three that are worn on the wrist, two that attach to your shoes, a chain/dogtag combo, an ankle ID, and one for your furry four-legged friend (or hairless cat).  Being a barefoot runner, I chose the ankle ID because it doubles as a holder for your timing chip during a race, solving a problem of the shoeless runner.  Double duty!  That's smart.

Besides their ID products, they also offer some night-time safety/visibility items, extra bands if you like to color coordinate your fancy purple shorts one day, and your fashionable yellow bike jersey the next day.  They have some apparel too, all at wicked low prices.  Buy some shirts and tell people you are a sponsored athlete.  They won't know that your main competitive sport is beer pong.

Here's a couple shots of my Road ID.  The band is neoprene and has a Velcro closure.  There is space to print six lines of text on the ID tag, and tags are interchangeable between different ID products.  There is a reflective strip that runs the length of the band to help with night-time visiblity.  The ID's are fresh and saltwater safe.  The neoprene band is very comfortable and the the thing is so light you don't even notice that it is on.  It fits above the laces when I wear it with Invisible Shoes.  There are lots of different color choices depending on the style of ID you choose, and some of the styles work great for kids.

I promised a give-away so here it comes.  I have three $15 gift certificates to the Road ID store!  One of them could be yours, and here's how you make that happen.  To enter, do one or more of the following things:

1. Share this blog post on Facebook, Twitter, or Google +.
2. "Like" Road ID and Barefoot Chiropractor on Facebook.
3. Follow Road ID and Barefoot Chiropractor on Twitter.
4. Follow this blog in the sidebar to the right and get all the knowledge you could want in a timely manner.

Leave a separate comment below for each thing you do.  I'll count them all up and pick three winners using random.org.  The more you do, the more chances you have to win!  The contest will be open until midnight December 2nd.  I'll pick three winners and let you know who won!  Check back to see if you are a big winner!  Have I used too many exclamation points!?!

Invisible Shoes on Sale! 25% Off!

You all know that I love my Invisible Shoes.  I anticipate them getting me through the winter easily, and I even did a run at 26* F last night with no problems.  My hands were actually cold, and my toes were just fine!

Steven and Lena are coming up on two years of business with Invisible Shoes and they are having a HUGE sale to celebrate.  From now until midnight, November 28th, you can get 25% off everything at the Invisible Shoes online store including Custom-Made Invisible Shoes, FeelTrue™ kits, extra laces, decorative add-ons, and even the limited edition Colored Vibram Cherry kits.  When I'm not barefoot I run in the Invisible Shoes 4mm Connect featuring the FeelTrue rubber and they are awesome!

Click on the banner below or the Invisible Shoes logo to the right to check out their products and Feel the World™!

4th Annual Gilman Memorial Turkey Trot Race Recap

The 4th Annual Gilman Memorial Turkey Trot was on Saturday, November 19th.  It's a 5K run/walk with all the proceeds donated to the Alzheimer's Association.  We named it for my grandfather Fred Gilman who suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

This year was certainly the best so far!  We had 54 runners/walkers not including a few pre-registered runners who ended up not being able to make it.  Due to the assistance of four awesome people (Terri, Brittany, Becca, and Becky) runner check-in and race day registration went perfect.  We had 30 runners register same-day.  We are pretty sure that because of the date and the unpredictable nature of Minnesota weather, people wait to register.  Not a huge deal, but it makes it a little hard to plan.

A few of the runners before the race.

I wanted to do this race barefoot and the temperature would have allowed it, but there is a stretch of old street that can only be described as tore up.  I knew it was bad but I was still planning on running it barefoot until I went out to mark the course before the race.  It was worse than I thought so I decided to use my Invisible Shoes instead.  I had some good conversations about them before and after the race and a few people seemed genuinely interested.  One runner (the eventual first place finisher, Mario) was wearing Vibram Five Fingers, and I also spotted someone wearing New Balance Minimus but I didn't get a chance to talk to him to see how he liked them.

I made a couple of announcements right at 9:00 am, then Race-master Terri got the runners going!  I started towards the back of the pack so I ended up winding my way through a few runners right at the start, but by the time we were just a few blocks in, I was comfortable with my pace and I settled in hoping for a good run.  I'm not really a morning runner, and I hadn't really had anything to eat so I was worried about getting tired too fast.  At 1.5 miles I checked my pace and found out I was running 8:35 minute miles!  That's about 40 seconds per mile faster than my usual runs so I was pretty psyched up.  The thrill of racing gives quite a boost to an amateur like me I guess.

I kept a steady pace through the rest of the course.  The course takes you on the "scenic route" through Dodge Center so there is a lot of turns to make sure the course ends up at 3.1 miles.  We had volunteers stationed throughout the route to make sure everyone stayed on course.  We have had at least one person go off course every year, but I'm happy to report that everyone made it through with no problems this year.  It really bugs me when people get lost because it makes me think I didn't do a good job marking the route and I really want people to enjoy the run and come back again next year.

Sara, Terri, and Brittany clocking the finishers.

I finished the race in a time of 27:05, which is a personal best for me so I was pleased about that.  The only thing I wasn't pleased about was that I wasn't really tired afterwards so I wish I had made a little more of a kick through the last mile.  Not a big deal since this is only my third race since I started running last Spring, and my fourth overall (I did the Bix 7 in Davenport, Iowa in 2000).  Every time I do a race I learn a little more so I hope that my PR's keep dropping.

The men's overall winner was Mario Minelli (Champion two years in a row!).  The women's first place finisher was Erin Erpelding.

Here's a list of the finishers in order with bib numbers and times:

Name	#	time
Mario Minelli	17	17:55
Jesse Delgado	31	18:27
Jack Mallmann	35	19:48
Paul Haase	18	21:16
Travis Turner	13	21:27
Jacob Chapman	33	21:55
Peter Tate	12	22:16
Gary Lovelace	44	22:19
Andrew Galbus	47	22:27
Jace Minelli	15	23:23
Erin Erpelding	49	23:25
Kelly Erpelding	50	23:42
Brad Schrader	45	24:05
Rodney Myer	48	24:12
Sarah Chapman	34	24:54
Lori Yokiel	32	24:56
Melissa Mergen	46	25:47
Jeffrey Haase	14	26:46
Jenny Delgado	30	26:56
Jordana Thompson	39	27:05
Andy Klein	62	27:05
Michelle Yankowiak	38	27:15
Colleen Keuten	37	27:30
Cherie Jensen	42	27:31
Al Keuten	36	27:37
Elizabeth Adamson	28	27:42
Samantha Porche	9	27:47
Chris McKrern	43	28:53
John Cook	1	29:14
Tracy Culbetson	27	30:13
Suzanne Norby	24	30:56
Jenano Delgado	29	32:14
Emily Billard	3	34:17
Tina Kasper	5	34:17
Carin Minelli	16	34:44
Amy Evans	51	36:09
Ann Greise	41	38:52
Teresa Walter	40	39:50
Tom Haase	19	45:27
Dennis Ross	21	45:27
Keara Ross	22	45:27
Amanda Ross	23	45:27
Susan Allen	56	45:27
Mary Haase	20	45:33
Gabriel Domask	52	46:37
Scott Stroh	55	46:37
Bob Sponsel	57	46:45
Davey Stroh	53	46:50
Lean Stroh	54	46:50
Phil Putratz	7	49:52
Veronika Spieker	58	49:52
Kathy Thielges	25	53:30
Jack Culbertson	26	53:30
Cheryl Gillard	4	53:36

We had a ton of sponsors for the run this year.  Many thanks to them!  Some of them have been with us since the first year!

Sponsor Banner with our wicked 2011 logo.  Visit the event page on Facebook to see a list of this year's sponsors.

Ready for a little more Gilman Memorial Turkey Trot action?  Visit Super Mario's race review for his perspective!

If you couldn't make it this year, don't worry!  The 5th Annual Gilman Memorial Turkey Trot will be held November 17th, 2012!  I already have it on my calendar, do you?

Run on, Runners!

Invisible Shoes - 4mm Connect Huarache Review

Ever since first hearing about huaraches I have wanted to try a pair.  What the heck are huaraches you say?  According to the Beach Boys, they are the footwear of choice for surfers.

Basically, a huarache (pronounced in my Spanglish as "whar AH gee") is a thin soled sandal that you tie on your feet to protect them from rough terrain.  Huarache translates directly to English as sandal, so there you go.  A quick Google search reveals all different types and styles of huarache sandals so I guess some further definition is in order.  To a runner, a huarache is a very thin, flat, flexible sole that is is lashed to the foot.  Historically they are leather, but now you see rubber as the more common soling material.  Laces are typically made out of leather or nylon.

Interestingly, there is a traditional Japanese sandal called a waraji that is constructed out of rope and lashed to the foot.  Waraji.  Huarache.  I don't speak Japanese, but it sure looks like the Japanese "waraji" is pronounced a lot like the Spanish "huarache".  I consider this definitive proof that aliens initially populated our planet allowing each specific culture to progress independently but maintaining a common language throughout the ancient peoples.  I eagerly await the return of our alien overlords through the Stargate.  Somebody better call Kurt Russell.  Whoa!  Went off on a tangent there!  Anyhow...

We're looking for James Spader.  Have you guys seen him?
(Note the sandals on the aliens!  Huaraches! Or, Waraji!)

Stephen Sashen from Invisible Shoes contacted me in a blog post and asked if I would like to try out a pair of his huaraches.  I never look a gift-Steven in the mouth so I jumped on the opportunity.  He gave me the option of a custom built pair or a do-it-yourself kit.  I chose the 4mm Connect sole made from Invisible Shoes' Feel True rubber, and of course I picked a DIY kit!

Invisible Shoes has been in business since November 2009 and up until very recently were using a 4 mm soling material from Vibram called Vibram Cherry.  They now offer their very own Feel True rubber in either 4 mm or 6 mm.  The DIY kits with Vibram Cherry soles come with a square sheet of soling material and laces, requiring you you cut out the soles and punch all the holes.  The Feel True kits are a little easier to make, since they come pre-cut in standard sizes.  All you have to do is measure your foot, send them the measurement, and they get you the correct sole along with your choice of lace color.  There is a video on the Invisible Shoes website that shows you how to measure your foot correctly.

I should also mention that there is a TON of other videos on the site that show you how to cut, punch, lace, and tie your Invisible Shoes.  Customer service is second to none with these folks. The Feel True soles have both ankle holes pre-punched and the ankle area is reinforced to prevent tearing.  You will need to punch the toe hole.

I resisted the urge to take a picture of the floor and try to convince you that the shoes were really invisible, so here they are from the top.  Yes, they really are that flat and thin!

Here is a picture of the tread pattern on the bottom.  The new Feel True soles were created along with two designers that were formerly with Nike and Reebok.  The tread pattern will help prevent slipping in less than perfect conditions.

Here are the laces that came with my kit.  I chose a stately and classy lime green.  If you are going to have crazy sandals to run in, you may as well have crazy colored laces to go with them.  You can also just barely see one of the legs of the bobby pin they include in the kits to help you lace them.  The pin makes them very easy to lace since the holes are just a bit smaller than the laces to help keep them in place.  You just stick the end of the cord in the pin, stick the pin in the lace hole, and pull through with a pliers.  Easy-peasy.

These babies are flexible!  I made a Shoe Roll-up to prove it.  I could have rolled it up tighter, but you get the idea.

Bottom of the sandals after lacing.

Close up shot of the figure-8 knot that anchors the lace.  It looks like it would constantly push on your foot but because of the position, it lies between your toes and you don't really feel it.

The basic lacing pattern.  From the toe hole, down through the outside ankle hole, back up and around to anchor the lace and create the heel strap, down through the inside ankle hole and back up inside the heel strap.

First attempt at tying.  Kind of messy, but I've refined it to be easier and distribute the extra lace more evenly.
Here's a post on my tying style.

I got them in the mail on a Thursday, laced them on Friday and played around with them a bit running a couple hundred yards outside my office, causing my new assistant to question her career choices.  I then wore them around most of the day on Saturday.

The first time tying them took about 10 minutes each.  Second time about three minutes each.  After just a few tries I can have them both on in under two minutes, just as fast as I can put on my Trail Gloves.  That is tying them toga style, not just slipping on.  From what I hear there is a "correct" way that huarache purists tie them on, but it pretty much just comes down to lashing them onto your feet snugly but not so tight that they irritate your skin.  End of story.

On my first run I did 1.8 miles at a 9:55 pace.  I really expected to get some hot spots between my toes, but no problems at all!  There wasn't even a line of redness between my toes.  I hope that says something about my form.  I did almost trip once stepping up onto a curb when the outside edge of my left huarache caught the concrete.

Running Overview
These are really nice to run in and I've put a lot of miles on them so far.  Since it is getting dark so early now and I don't really like going barefoot in the dark yet, all of my weekday runs have been using the sandals.  My Trail Gloves are getting lonely.  I like running in the Invisible Shoes way more than just wearing them around.  When I'm just walking around in them, the laces tend to be uncomfortable between my toes.  I think it's because I have the laces primed for running form, so when I start walking and landing on my heels, the laces pull funny between my toes.  They aren't showing any major signs of wear yet even though the rubber seems so soft.

I am definitely not silent in my Invisible Shoes, but when shortening my stride the noise diminished. The "sandal slap" isn't too bothersome though.  I'm left wondering if it is a problem with my form, a problem with the way I'm tying them, or if some amount of noise is inevitable.

Groundfeel
While running on asphalt trails and sidewalks I went out of my way to step on some things and the groundfeel of the shoes is awesome!  They certainly diminish the intensity, but you can readily feel even small objects.  More on off-road groundfeel below.

Trail Running

I'm not yet an avid trail runner but to do a full review I felt the need to do some off-roading in these bad boys.  I went out to a park that is built on the site of an old limestone quarry, strangely enough called Quarry Hill Nature Center.  I've done some hiking here (pre-barefoot days, so wearing boots) and I knew the trails would be a good test for the Invisible Shoes.  Like I said above, groundfeel is superb with the thin soles.  Here's what I was running on:

This is the first hill off of the asphalt path, up to the quarry trail.  It looks like a nice dirt path covered in leaves.

It actually consists of large pointy rocks, covered in leaves!

These trails were a whole new experience as far as my running goes.  The little bit of gravel I encountered during the Warrior Dash doesn't compare.  These were big rocks and they were everywhere.  This was an awesome test for the Invisible Shoes, and they passed with flying colors.  Their job is to protect my feet and that is what they did.  I'm not going to tell you that they made this path comfortable because they didn't, and that isn't really the point.  They allowed me to run over the rocks and uneven ground without an undue amount of pain.  I couldn't attack these trails with abandon, but I could go at them with gusto and not worry quite as much.  I did hit a couple of pointy hidden stones that made me yelp with pain but no cuts or bruises.

This is the path at the top of the hill.  The bigger stones are about fist-sized, but are a little flatter in this area compared with the uphill trail.  You can see that there is no avoiding the rocks though!

The path eventually leads to this wall.  No trouble scaling it in my sandals!  The trails continue at the top.

I headed out of the quarry into the wooded trails for a while too.  The dirt/rock trail runs right up the middle of this photo along the creek bed, then off to the right.  The leaf covered trails were sometimes tricky but the outstanding groundfeel kept me stable and upright.  I also found that wearing the sandals made me concentrate a little more on where I was putting my feet and the flexibility made it easy to find a good grip on logs and rocks.

Final Thoughts
Since this is my first pair of huraches, I don't have a rating system or anything to compare them to.  I will say that I like them a lot.  They are super thin and are as close to barefoot as you can get without just taking them off.  Groundfeel is superb (better than my trail gloves), and you can pick laces in 10 different colors.  They will protect your feet under extreme conditions, including the cold day runs.  They are a conversation starter too!  People give you a confused and interested look as you run by!

They are quick to get on and off.  The Feel True DIY kits are easy to finish up and require little in the way of tools.  Don't be afraid to trail run in them either.  They will take the punishment and shouldn't let you down.  There was a couple hidden rocks that I expected did some physical damage to the soles, but they were just fine.  I did get some gravel bits between my feet and the sandal on the downhills, but nothing huge will get in there because the sole stays well in contact with your foot.

In the "cons" category, I've spent a bunch of time trying to get the laces to the right tension.  Too tight and they will rub, too loose and I've had the heel strap literally come off while running.  I've got them set now, so just take a little time to fiddle with them before you start running and don't expect to get it right the first time.  One other con is that just like any other foot covering, they do decrease some feedback and can cover up issues with form until it is too late.  I developed blood blisters at the ball of my foot on both sides when I went out for a run in a worn out state and my form was suffering.

There are any number of ways to tie huaraches.  In regards to tying my Invisible Shoes, I think I'm going to stick with the "Toga style" for now.  I just figure that you are already running in something that is going to blow most people's minds, why not use a bunch of lime green cord too? Anything that makes you feel like Maximus stepping into the Colosseum has to be a good thing, right?

"Why won't anyone give me a hug?"

Run on, Runners!

Minnesota Barefooters Unite to Form An Unstopable Group of Running Superheros

Ok, maybe it wasn't all the Minnesota barefooters, and we did stop a few times, but Superhero is certainly an apt description.

Sunday was my first official group run with the Minnesota Chapter of the Barefoot Runners Society.  What a great time!  Seven of us struck out from the Maplewood Community Center and headed down the Gateway trail.  It's a pretty flat route and was a nice run.  The trail was asphalt/chipseal and helped us "build character".

Here's an official recap from our fearless leader the Maple Grove Barefoot Guy.

At a distance of about 6 miles this was technically my second-longest barefoot run since my longest was the ill-fated 7 mile "get lost on a trail" run back in August.  The results of this one were much better!  I didn't end up in pain after this run and I probably could have squeezed out another mile if I had wanted.  The thing is, I'm trying to prevent those overuse injuries from ever happening again so I wouldn't have pushed it another mile.

All in all, it was a great time and I look forward to more group runs in the future.  I got some news from the MGBG that the Med-City Marathon in exotic Rochester, MN next May could turn into a real barefoot fest!  Looking forward to that in a big way!  I won't drop the names he did since I don't want to put anyone on the spot (not like they read this anyway, but still).  I'll just be doing the half-marathon, but that means I get to hit the after-party first!

If you are interested at all in barefoot running, I really encourage you to find a Barefoot Runners Society group near you.  Homebrewers and barefoot runners are the people I like to hang out with and both groups consist of the same laid-back people.  These group runs are a great place to get a little instruction, camaraderie, and confidence in your barefoot running endeavor.

Are you running the Med-City next May?  Are you going to run it barefoot?  Is anybody still reading?  Leave a comment below or on Facebook and tell me all your hopes and dreams!

Just so you don't think I've forgotten, the Invisible Shoe review is coming.  I'm hoping the snow holds off and I can go out and get some off-road running done in them on Sunday.  If not, I'll post the review with only road miles, and do a trail running review separately.  Here's a little spoiler for you:

Me, after my first run in my Invisible Shoes.  Before you ask, yes I am rocking a 1995 DHS Monarch Track and Field vintage long sleeve t-shirt.  That shirt is magical and I will never give it up.  In case you were wondering, I also have the 1994 edition at my disposal.  That's just how I roll.

Run on, Runners!

Eddie Izzard's Barefoot Running Adventure

Eddie Izzard is one of my favorite comedians.  Possibly even my most favorite.  Since most of the video I've seen of Eddie usually features some sort of stiletto heeled boot I was surprised to hear that he was a runner.  But not just a runner.  More like a freakin machine.  In 2009, he ran 43 marathons in 51 days.  After five weeks of training.  Five weeks of training.  Five.

Now, he is planning a barefoot run across Africa.  That's right an 1,100 mile barefoot run across Africa.  It is a charity fund-raiser for the British charity Sport Relief.  Eddie's first running stunt was also a fund-raiser for Sport Relief.  Sport Relief itself is a fund-raiser for Comedy Relief.  That is a lot of relief!  Anyway, they raise funds to help people who need help, which is a great reason to run!

Here's a quick story on Eddie's upcoming adventure.  There isn't a lot of details yet, but follow Eddie on Twitter and I'm sure he will be keeping us up to date on the run early next year.

Here's a little taste of Eddie's stand-up for your enjoyment.  My favorite clip of him on YouTube.  I will bet you can figure out why.  Enjoy!

Here's one more, just because you deserve it. Also because it's about Star Wars.