[audio:https://runrunlive.com/PodcastEpisodes/epi122.mp3|titles=RunRunLive Episode 122 – Barefoot Erskien Lenier]
Show intro by:
Doug – Really not a runner.
Intro:
Hello and welcome to farming alpacas for fun and profit – the podcast that will have you snuggled up in homespun alpaca sweaters in no time…wait no that’s my triennial may day podcast – this is the RunRunLive podcast where each week we wax poetic about running and how it’s changing the world. Sometimes we wane poetic too.
I write this on an airplane somewhere over the US of A. I’m on an extended whirlwind trip to the West coast. Took my nap, ate my smuggled hummus veggie wrap and now I’m working away, pounding the keyboard like a maniacal novelist in a metal, cylindrical garret. I
I hit up my IT guys for every working laptop battery in the building so I should have enough electrons to make it to San Francisco. I do my best work on airplanes. It’s like enforced focus. I know I’ve said it before, but I don’t mind traveling. Each trip has the potential to be a little adventure if you open your eyes, look around, engage the world and lean into the experience. Life aint happening in my office or between my ears – it’s out here in the world. Each trip is a gathering of mental pollen and karmic energy that I bring back to roost with me.
You know what I’m going to say next, right? This same sense of adventure, this little miasma of discovery is in every training run and every race. Lean into it my friends. Lean into it. It’s an abundant world if you choose to see it that way. (we’ll see how I feel about it after the redeye in 3 days!)
Today we have a supercalifragilisciousexpialidocious show for you. We interview Erskein Laneir about his barefoot running and it’s really good. I had my doubts about Erskien but he came off clear, intelligent and well spoken, a credible advocate for our sport and the execution of it sans shoes. Colin the resurrected runner and Kelownagurl team up for a song parody like the Captain and Tennille (showing my age again, huh?)
So, being the unbiased reporter that I am I decided last week to take my shoes off and go for a run in the woods. Running barefoot absolutely forces you onto the balls of your feet. It really hurt because my feet aren’t used to it. I mean really hurt. Parts were nice, but then I’d step on an acorn or a root and it would bring tears to my eyes. It would take me a long time to toughen up my feet to run any kind of distance. I can remember when I was a kid we’d take our shoes off for the summer. It would take a week or so but we’d be able to spend the whole day, the whole summer, playing outside without shoes.
So – yeah, I think you could run barefoot if you chose to. I doubt it’s a wonder cure-all and I think it would take a long time to train yourself to do it. For me it would be like starting over.
I got out with my daughter on the MTB yesterday and it was cool. First thing that happened was I got a flat tire (or as the bikers say – “I flatted”) so we had to do an impromptu tube patching demo. We rode for an hour or so and she’s good. Fearless. This is going to be fun!
After talking to my crazy MTB buddy Dan I’ve got my goals set for the Wilderness 101 MTB ultra. Goal number one is to finish. Goal number two is to break 11 hours. I’m psyched – I feel strong. I biked 3 days in a row, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Then I’m thinking about maybe going after that 1:30 marathon again in the fall. We’ll see. I’ve got my Boston qualifier, so the pressure is off!
The infamous Buckeye Outdoors “There can be only one podcasters challenge is thankfully in its 14th and final month. It’s just me and coach Ken left so if it isn’t too much trouble go log your miles for Team runrunlive before the end of May. I put a video on how to do this on my youtube feed. Go to youtube and look for CYKTRUSSELL and you will see it there.
Enough of this nattering – on with the show.
Audio clips in this epi sode:
Text Here
Mountain Bike Metaphor
Katie: “And now for today’s Mountain Bike Metphor!”
When you’re out on the trails, and you’ve been hitting hard for a few hours, you start to get into a flow on the bike. You start to look ahead and read the terrain. You stop fighting the geography and choosing paths to flow with it.
It’s the same in life. Looking ahead and reading the lay of the land will allow you to choose the best path and flow with the path, instead of fighting it. Choosing the right line on the trail is the difference between flying exultant through the rough parts and finding yourself upside down in the poison ivy bleeding.
Skits, commercials and parodies in this episode:
I’ve avoided sponsorship for almost three years, but I thought this next bit was special, tasteful product some of you might be interested in…
Triagra Commercial – Joe Bears
Don’tYouBreakMyPR (parody).mp3 by Colin Hayes and Kelowna Gurl
Story time:
Equipment Check:
Here’s something new I got. Fingerless gloves. I got them for the mountain bike, but I’m sure you could use them for any endurance exploits. Basically they are gloves with the fingers cut off at the middle metacarpal knuckle. Pretty useful for adjusting you iPod volume and being able to tie your shoes and pick things up. I like ‘em. Yah – that’s all I got.
Featured Interview:
‘barefoot’ gErskein Lanier
Links
Quick Tip:
Text here
Outro:
Ok my friends that’s it episode 122 in the can. It’s Friday night and I’ve got to get this podcast put to bed so I can jump on my road bike Fuji-san and get home. I rode in this morning. Going back is more up hill and it’s around 17-18 miles on bad roads with cranky drivers. I need to beat the sunset.
I’ll return you to my thoughts while I was still in that big ‘ole metal can they call a Boeing 737.
The cross country flight has reached that point, after the snack and beverage service, after the in flight movie, where people just get up and start milling up and down the aisle like some sort of flying picnic in the mall. A movable feast. I bet Hemmingway liked traveling. But he’d be up in first class getting drunk on whiskey and hitting on the stewardesses.
Thank you for Doug, “Reallynotarunner on Twitter who I met through the miracle of social networking at the Dailymile tweetup in Boston this year. And then he came out and ran the Groton Road Race.
Next week I interview John from Resole America – a cool company that resoles shoes, go figure. It’s a cool process, they send you an envelope, you send them your shoes and they send them back good as new! Full disclosure – I’m not getting anything from them compensation-wise – I like the service and you know I like talking to CEO’s – they are a interesting breed.
When I was at the Groton Road Race this year I made sure I was at the finish line to greet the runners as they came across. I think that’s important and it always means a lot to me when I race. I try to see if there is anyone in distress that I can get to the med tent or help to some water. I try to look them in the eye and ask “Are you alright?”
The funny thing is that the ones who look the worst are the elites. They come across the line and literally collapse. These are the winners I’m talking about. These are the people who race every week. They fall and stagger across the line slack jawed and wheezing. They bend over and clutch their knees panting, coughing, spitting and looking like they are about to pass out. I ask them, with genuine concern, “Great job! Are you ok? You need medical?” They glance up, unable to speak and either give me a wan knowing smile or a feeble dismissive hand wave.
Part of what makes them winners, what makes them elites, besides their physical gifts is this ability to dig this deeply into themselves in a race. They give 100% or as close to 100% as they can get, and not only do they survive, but they thrive and grow strong from the effort.
How deep did you dig in your last 10k? Di you cross the finish line looking like a stranded fish gaping for oxygen in the unyielding air? I know I didn’t. I used to. Maybe it’s time we pushed a little harder? Dug a little deeper? Plumbed the depths of our aerobic souls? You do that and your really living my friends. Stop cheating yourself. Leave it all out there. And out there is where I’ll be seeing you.
Music tonight. the_blind_eyes-the_well-traveled_gentleman.mp3
Really folks – enjoy your weekend, hug your kids, pet the dog and make love to your lovers.
Ciao,
Music:
Links and text here:
All music used or sampled is from the Podsafe Music Network at http://www.musicalley.com Please go buy the songs so that the starving artists can live to write another day.
the_blind_eyes-the_well-traveled_gentleman.mp3
byther_smith-i_dont_like_to_travel.mp3
stingray-soul_travelling.mp3
Standard Links:
Cyktrussell At gmail and twitter and facebook
Chris’ book on Amazon – > http://www.amazon.com/Mid-Packers-Lament-collection-running-stories/dp/141961584X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228687012&sr=8-1
Dial in number for RunRunLive is – 206-339-7804