Last year Ken and I went to some meet and greet in Boulder for outdoor enthusiasts. I spent two hours drinking beer and trying to make conversation with really fit people wearing expensive North Face jackets who all seemed to have very important jobs.
I am a social person – I really like people – but I hate the networking thing. I just do. I can’t stand small talk. This might be a flaw in my character, but it is just who I am. I am not knocking anyone who enjoys it. I just find it to be too much EFFORT. If I can’t jump right to bodily functions and how I was kicked out of hula dance class in 7th grade for having a potty mouth (true story), then I get a bit bored.
Like any married couple – Ken and I split off for the evening because we hang out together far too much and it’s good to actually talk to other people. When we got in the car at the end of the night, we did a review – Who did you talk to? What did you learn? Who was weird/funny/nice/boring/cool?
Ken said he spent at least an hour talking to a guy who made invisible shoes – “You know, he was the short guy with the long hair wearing the sandals.” Nope, not Jesus. Anyway, turns out he learned this guy, Steven Sashen, is a minimalist runner and has a company called (get this!) Invisible Shoe! In fact, he and his wife were on Shark Tank a couple of months ago! (they didn’t get a deal, though). I feel so famous being married to someone who talked to someone who was on Shark Tank.
Why do I bring this all up today? Probably because I ran into this video called, “Sh*t Barefoot Runners Say” and realized it was the same dude who makes the invisible shoes. We runners can take ourselves so stinking seriously – so I love how he can poke fun a the barefoot running movement.
My favorite line is, “Look I don’t care if it is a wedding. I’m not going to wear those FOOT COFFINS you call shoes!”
I’m not opposed to barefoot running. I’m not opposed to running with shoes on. I’m not opposed to invisible shoes or shoes with a 95” heel to toe drop.
I AM opposed to there being one and only one right way to do things – and people judging people who don’t do it their way. I think we all need to find out what works for us and stick to it. In the meantime, life goes just a bit easier and smoothly if we can laugh at ourselves.
Ever tried barefoot or minimalist running or have any desire to? No, I haven’t. I have moved to a lighter, more flexible and more neutral shoe (Mizuno Wave Elixir) and I do think this (in conjunction with form changes) has helped me to be a more efficient runner.
How’d you laugh at yourself today? I was vacuuming the stairs, with the vacuum two stairs above me. I pulled it down on my head by mistake. It hurt like hell and I almost passed out, but then it was funny.
Do you watch Shark Tank? I am kind of obsessed by this show. It is my dream to go on there one day although I am not sure what product I would pitch since someone already invented this and this.
SUAR
