From Desk Geek to Bare Feet Running Shoes Enthusiast

            Today is a post on where I came from and what gave me the motivation to become a bare feet running shoes kind of guy. To give you some background on who I am, is that not only am I a computer geek that loves his share of video games, but I'm just head over heels over various philosophies that practicably can be applied to my life. It isn't enough for me to just be healthy physically, because what is physical health when it comes to inward health. So me in a nutshell is that I spend a lot of time at my computer desk, either studying philosophy, playing video games and in my other times I go out with good company and enjoy nights out. My story may be very similar to a lot of other bare feet running junkies as the common question of wanting to feel that utter freedom of self-contentment and it may be something that may be coming up from the depths of your noggins as well.
            I will say this though, is that I went from 165lbs and over the course of a year and half of living behind the desk as a desk geek (and having a girlfriend) I exceed my goal weight of 175lbs. I totally passed it up and hit 185lbs. It was shocking to me that it could happen in such a flash. It turns out my general health was being neglected both physically and mentally. This is where I turned to bare feet running to help me pick myself back up. See, being a computer desk geek doesn't mean that you have to be unhealthy (the misconception of us geeks is that we are fat slobs, and that just isn't true right guys?!)

Quick Recovery for Bare Feet Running

I've often found that recovery from a long bare foot running is just as important than the run itself. I mean who wouldn't want to recover more quickly so that we can get back out there in the world to do the thing that we love doing for ourselves. This is where I've learned about quicker recoveries. Now I'm nowhere near a running professional but if its one main thing that I've learned is that water is one of your most important assets when it comes to running with bare feet. Not only during the run but also days after bare feet running is it still just as important. Getting oxygen to your muscles is important and water is one of the most important assets in accomplishing this task. Now of course this is common sense, but many people neglect it even in everyday life and choose by their own will to drink other things that may actually impose on the bodies ability to get oxygen to the muscles.

There are other means in which I use when I'm running bare foot and that is making sure to get the right nutrients into my body as well. Usually make sure a good source of protein in the morning and throughout the day and a myriad of vitamins... now I don't suggest everyone supplement vitamins as the sole nutrient and it's definitely going to be different for each individual but I find that a good multi-vitamin, a b-complex, and a good E,C, and D capsule is always a good shot at recovering your muscles quicker.

One more tip for bare feet running that I have used since my runs tend to extend longer then I initally think they will last is after the run, I tend to do a stretch which requires one to have your legs up straight against the wall to let the acids circulate back through the blood to allow some dissipation. This is crucial for me as I know its taken affect at the point in which my legs will tend to go numb for a short while and then get their feeling back. Here is an example, image of it courtesy of realityyoga.com

Here is where it gets good for all you bare feet running group and that is dating back to the Tarahumara tribe and what they use to help them recover quicker. There is something specific they use and it is all thanks to a book that I recently read called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall which really sinks into the heart of the bare feet running lifestyle. It is a book of what it means to know life and to live it to its fullest. You can read more about the philosophy behind the book and what I got out of it from my other blog Atomic Potential. Anyway what I wanted to get at is what is referred to in the book as a major energy booster which comes from the Chia Seed drink. This drink is relatively simple to make and it is said while running that it will lift the spirits of even the most exhausted of bare feet runners, and I can attest to this. I always drink this after I go bare feet running and I would have to say that it has helped me feel almost completely energized every single time.