Scott Jurek, the Ultimate Ultramarathoner.

 Scott Jurek - website

World renowned ultramarathon champion, power vegan, running coach, physical therapist, passionate plant-based cook, and star of NY Times bestseller "Born To Run".. FaceBook Page.

Scott on barefoot running:

·         Gave a disclaimer prior to talking about barefoot running- he works for a running store and is sponsored by Brooks. 

·         He believes it is an excellent training tool to teach form and technique.

·         He also believes it should be done with caution.  He expressed some concern about the explosion of popularity of barefoot running because people were doing too much too soon.

·         Didn’t think it was good for trail racing (at least for the really fast runners) due to rugged terrain.  When he talked about his race pace, I agree with him. J

·         The Tarahumara had no interest in VFFs or barefoot running. 

·         Helps build proprioception (position of feet in relation to body… think balance) skills

Scott on modern running  shoes

·         The build-up of soles is bad, more minimal shoe is ideal because it places the foot closer to the ground, less chance of injury.

·         Sees shoe companies making a transition to minimalist philosophy in the very near future (mostly in response to barefoot/VFF phenomenon)

·         Talked about the need for muscles being used for cushioning, not shoes (in response to question regarding his thoughts on “spring” technology in shoes).

Scott on Form/ Injuries

·         Mentioned research that indicated 90 strides/minute good, 95 strides best… most runners stride too slow, causes over-striding.

·         Midfoot strike is superior (though he did use a heel strike on occasion on the run)

·         Run relaxed

·         Weight training is essential- running does not strengthen muscles (he’s a physical therapist), cause of many injuries

·         When rehabbing injuries, we should continue doing exercises after recovered as a means of preventing future injuries

More....http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/runner-communities/barefoot-running/scott-jurek-talks-tarahumara-ultrarunning-barefoot-running-other-random-topics-report

HappyFeet - Be Happy. Just Run

HappyFeet's F4T : Confucius says....

By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
 

Second, by imitation, which is easiest;
 

and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.
 

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.

He who learns but does not think, is lost! 

He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.

If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.

It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

Look at the means which a man employs, consider his motives, observe his pleasures. A man simply cannot conceal himself!

Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.
 

Never give a sword to a man who can’t dance.

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.

Confucius (born around 551 B.C.) was a Chinese thinker and philosopher.
Extracted from http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2010/11/21/character-of-the-week-confucius/ 


HappyFeet - Be Happy. Just Run

The Essentials of Barefoot Running.

 

Vibram's 6-ounce FiveFingers Bikila (Photo by Inga Hendrickson) Back to Basics
IF IT SEEMS LIKE there are a lot more dudes chugging down the trail or sidewalk in those foot-glove thingies these days, well, it's because there are. Ever since the 2009 publication of Christopher McDougall's bestselling barefoot-running manifesto, Born to Run, which profiles the sandal-wearing runners of Mexico's Tarahumara tribe, the long-simmering barefoot (and nearly barefoot) running movement has exploded. This past year, Vibram sold $50 million worth of its barefootlike FiveFingers "shoes," a five-fold increase from 2009, and this spring nearly every major running-shoe company has a barefoot-inspired line coming to market. While these models account for just a sliver of the $2.4 billion running-shoe market, some retailers estimate that minimalist models could make up a quarter of all performance running shoes sold next year, and the once-groundbreaking notion that less shoe is better is driving the change.

Extracted from Outside Magazine, February 2011    By Brian Metzler
"Without a question, it's the biggest revolution we've ever experienced," says Curt Munson, owner of Michigan-based Playmakers, one of the country's top running retailers. "The whole running industry is evolving." This is a good thing. New research suggests that by helping you mimic the way a barefoot runner strides—that is, gently landing on your forefoot or midfoot—minimally padded shoes can make you faster and more efficient, improve your form, and theoretically reduce injuries. But there's one big caveat: a sudden switch from thickly to barely padded shoes is a terrible idea. What's gone missing in the rush to run like our ancestors is the fact that our modern lifestyles have left our feet pampered and ill-prepared to go bounding down the trail in sandal-like shoes. 
Any transition has to be gradual, careful, and calculated.
One reason you can't change your shoes and your stride overnight is that we've become a nation of heel strikers. The thickly cushioned shoes that helped usher in the running boom of the 1980s still dominate the market, accounting for the vast majority of all shoes sold. While they're really comfortable and make jogging less painful for new and heavier runners, their built-up heel pads and steep ramp angles (the interior slope from the heel down to the toe) all but force you to land on your heel, an unnatural motion that increases the shock waves going up the leg (by as much as 50 percent, according to one study, compared with runners who don't land on their heels).
"Shoes with higher heels encourage heel striking because your brain thinks it's OK to land that way," says Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, founder of Shepherdstown, West Virginia's Two Rivers Treads, the country's first store dedicated to minimalist running shoes. But it's not OK. Between 37 and 60 percent of all runners suffer overuse injuries every year, a rate similar to that of the late 1980s, despite 20 years of advancements in shoe technology.
Don't chuck your traditional training shoes out the window, though. There's still no hard evidence that minimalist shoes—and the more natural stride they promote—will lower your risk of injury. And abruptly switching to featherweights, or even just models that are lower to the ground and less padded, will only increase the odds of injury. "If you transition too quickly, you'll probably get hurt," says biomechanist Iain Hunter, an associate professor of exercise science at Brigham Young University. Even so, if you're like most runners, there's a good chance you're wearing more shoe than you need—and easing into a more sparsely padded one will almost certainly help improve your form and make you a faster, more efficient runner.

Running in minimalist shoes can make you stronger and faster, but it also involves changing your gait. Here's how to get started.

By Brian Metzler

ASICS's 10-ounce Gel-DS Trainer 16 (Photo by Inga Hendrickson)

Pick the Right Shoe
Go to a specialty running store (find one at runningnetwork.com) and ask the salesperson to point you to a shoe that's a bit lighter, less cushioned, and built with a slightly lower heel than your current one. Don't make any drastic changes. Dropping cushioning too rapidly can, for example, leave you with a stress fracture, and switching to a shoe with a dramatically lower heel puts extra strain on your Achilles. Here's a good, gradual progression:
GET YOUR FEET WET
To begin easing into lighter shoes, look for a traditional running shoe that's been put on a diet, like ASICS's 10-ounce Gel-DS Trainer 16 (left; $110; asicsamerica.com). The heel is a bit lower to the ground than a traditional shoe's, and there's a little less forward slope to the insole, so it won't come as a huge shock to your feet.
HIT A NEW STRIDE
Once you're accustomed to sparer shoes, it's easier to transition into midfoot running. Besides being even lighter and closer to the ground than the ASICS, New Balance's 8.2-ounce Minimus MR10 (see page 85; $100; newbalance.com) has a relatively flat midsole, which helps to discourage heel striking.
GO (NEARLY) BARE
Strong, well-conditioned feet need very little shoe at all (witness Abebe Bikila, who won the 1960 Olympic marathon barefoot). Vibram's six-ounce FiveFingers Bikila (see above right; $100; vibramfivefingers.com) has just a hint of padding and an almost completely flat midsole, so landing softly on your midfoot is just about mandatory.
Easy Does It
You need to adjust to your new shoes very gradually to avoid straining your muscles, tendons, and joints. The first week, run a mile in them every other day, using your original shoes on all other runs. For the next two weeks, run about 10 percent of your mileage in your new shoes. Bump it up to 20 percent for the next two weeks, and so on (see "Make the Switch," right). Repeat until you have no problems running all of your mileage in the new shoes, then repeat with another, slightly lighter, lower-to-the-ground pair.

Check Your Form

Running barefoot or with barefoot-style shoes means changing your gait to avoid injury.

By Brian Metzler

Strike the ground near the ball of your foot or your mid-foot (not your heel). (Illustration by Chris Philpot)

With less-padded shoes, you'll need to run more softly. That means striking the ground near the ball of your foot or your midfoot (not your heel). Feel awkward? Try leaning slightly forward, taking quicker strides (about 180 steps per minute or more is ideal), and swinging your arms faster. "Don't force change to happen," Cucuzzella says. "Get your form down first, then add distance, and the speed will come later."
1. Striking the ground with your heel out in front of your body is both inefficient—since each footfall is like hitting the brakes—and hard on your legs, resulting in much higher impact forces on the heels, knees, hips, back, etc.
2. Landing on your midfoot puts less impact on your body, since bent joints are natural shock absorbers. Hit the ground almost directly beneath your body, lean slightly forward, and use shorter, faster steps—about three per second.

Barefoot Running Training Plan

By Brian Metzler

(Illustration by Chris Philpot)

Use this training plan—based on a 30-mile-per-week training load—to transition slowly from your old shoes to your new minimalist kicks.

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The Fila Skeletoes Review ! Updates

 Updates 2 Mar 2011: Review Fila Skele-Toes - Four Toed Shoes

" A huge plus in the Skele-toes camp is that they can be had for $50-$60 — and they are coming out with kid's sizes. At the $55 price point, they're $25 cheaper than a pair of KSOs and almost half the price of any high-dollar FiveFingers. So if you're looking for some affordable toe shoes, the Skele-Toes are worth considering. On the other hand, if you want a more dynamic toe shoe, I think you'll be happier spending the extra money and getting a pair of VFFs.

At the end of the day I'm happy to see the Fila Skele-Toes enter the toe shoe market. Competition is wonderful. That said, Fila will have a tough time catching up to Vibram insomuch as figuring out the ins and outs of manufacturing fully functioning toe shoes. Maybe my blathering above will help point them in the right direction (emphasis on "maybe")."... 

Video Review — Fila Skele-Toes

 Source : BirthdayShoes.com
The Fila Skeletoes.. look similar to Vibram Five Fingers ?
They are certainly priced right at $59 for Men and Women and $49 for kids.

Under the Hood

In the photo above, the upper material looks like Neoprene, but it is not. Skeletoes are made of four-way stretch, two ply nylon. They have a bungee cord for ease of entry and velcro straps for a customized fit. They have a multi-purpose slip-resistant rubber outsole.
There are two things that really differentiate this product from Five Fingers:

• The bottom sole of the Skeletoes do not cover the top of the toes as this might infringe on a Vibram patent.
• Skeletoes incorporate what they call an EZ slide feature that combines the smallest two toes for ease of entry. For some people that have issues with their toes and can't wear Five Fingers, this feature alone might make the Skeletoes an attractive option. Our contact claims testing shows that Skeletoes were much easier to put on than Five Fingers.

Availability

The expected release date for the Fila Skeletoes is February 1st, 2011. Our friends over at Comet Shoes are taking orders now!

HappyFeet - Be Happy. Just Run

“NEVER GIVE UP” and "YES I CAN"

Against all odds on the highways of America, Terry Hitchcock, in 75 days, carved his name into the history books as perhaps one of the most famous long distant runners of our times by running the equivalent of a marathon each day for 75 consecutive days – over 2,000 miles.  An only child raised by his grandparents, Terry rose from valleys of discouragement and despair to the pinnacles of success. 

“I firmly believe human beings can accomplish anything they put their minds to.  All they need to get started is
someone to show them it’s possible.”
- Terry Hitchcock

HappyFeet - Be Happy. Just Run

DO you still have DREAMS?

Based on a true story

What do people live for ?

For missing someone ?

For keep living?

For live longer?

Or for leaving ?

These 5 Taiwanese
Average aged 81
One has hearing problem
One has cancer
Three have heart disease
Everyone has degenerative arthritis

6 months of preparation
13 days travelling around Taiwan
1139 kilometers
From north to south
From night to day
For one simple reason


What do people live for?

 夢    o DREAMS !

For ordinary people with extraordinary dreams

TC Bank - Dream Ranger
Advertising Agency: Ogilvy & Mather Taiwan
Executive Creative Director : Jennifer Hu
Director：Thanonchai

人為甚麼活著？
為了思念？
為了活下去？
為了活更長？
還是 為了離開？

5個台灣人
平均年齡81歲
1個重聽
1個得了癌症
3個有心臟病
每ㄧ個都有退化性關節炎

6個月的準備
環島13天
1139公里
從北到南
從黑夜到白天
只為了ㄧ個簡單的理由

人，為甚麼要活著？


HappyFeet - Be Happy. Just Run

"The Morning After Run".. the newly discovered MR trail route.

HappyFeet loves this newly discovered short stretch of trail route so much, she went back with a camera last evening.

This short stretch of trail route is so serene, peaceful and remote. One can hear the sound of water flows from the nearby stream. Also, the rustlings of the dry leaves as the nature little creatures hurried into their hiding as we approached them.  It was love at first run for HappyFeet with her and her tranquility!!

Dennis ( Half past Six runners) was so kind to map the trail to complement the photos.
 

"The yellow line is Prunus Trail (used for the MR Ultra).

The green line is the Venus Trail used by most to get from the Venus carpark to the HSBC Treetop Walk. 

The red line is a 11.37 km route which includes the Venus Loop & the Northern Trail. Where the red line meets the green line is the stream with the small wooden bridge." - Dennis


Why is this run called "the morning after run"... well, you will have to ask my "FUn" buddies @ Harry's!  :P  That's another story for another day! :-)

Slideshow

So Peaceful and Serene..hear sounds of the water flow and nature.

Barefoot Trail Walker! Met this Japanese man who was doing the MR northern trail route BareFoot. Told me that it was his first time doing BareFoot on trail. haha... Lot of Ouch ..Ouch... he said. But, next time he might be wearing VFF, he asked me where to buy the VFF.  :P
DO Salutes for him good endurance and positive attitude, he was smiling all the time, regardless! :)



HappyFeet - Be Happy. Just Run

Are we born to run?

Some of the best long distance runners live and race here…everyone who finishes the Copper Canyon Ultra-marathon wins 500lbs of corn. Enjoy the footage of these super athletes in their loin cloths and sandals. :)

Christopher McDougall: Are we born to run? | Video on TED.com   15min talk by the author of Born to Run

NOTE: Before you take off in your brand new Vibram Five Fingers, seriously consider going barefoot first. Build stronger feet and diminish your risk of injury.   http://birthdayshoes.com/how-to-transition-to-running-in-vibram-five-fingers




Is Less More?
From the November 2010 issue of Runner's World
By Bob Parks  

- Fueled by the barefoot-running craze and the success of the FiveFingers, a new crop of "minimalist" shoes has emerged, heating up the debate over what we should wear on our feet—and what the running shoe of the future will look like.  

HappyFeet - Be Happy. Just Run

Man runs marathon every day for a year

Source : CNN, February 6, 2011

(CNN) -- He already holds the honor of being the only person to complete 20 Iron Man triathlons in a single year, but now Belgian athlete Stefaan Engels has claimed another world record by running 365 marathons in as many days.
Engels completed his year-long mission at the Carretera de les Aigues race in Barcelona on Saturday.
The "Marathon Man" has covered a distance of 9,569 miles (15,401 kilometers) since setting off from his home town of Ghent on February 5, 2010, participating in races in Spain, Portugal, Canada, Mexico, Britain and United States, as well as several in his native country.
The 49-year-old has smashed the previous record of the most marathons run in one year, which according to the Guinness Book of World Records was held by 65-year-old Akinori Kusuda -- who ran 52 consecutive races in 2009.

I don't regard my marathon year as torture. It is more like a regular job
--Stefaan Engels

But in a statement on his official website, the former graphic designer played down his amazing feat.
"I don't regard my marathon year as torture. It is more like a regular job. I am running just as Joe Average goes to work on Monday morning, whether or not he feels like it," he said.
"I don't always feel like running, but when I am done, I take a shower, have some physiotherapy for an hour, and that wraps up my day."
Engels suffered from asthma as a child and was told he would never be able to do exercise. It was then that he decided he would start running the grueling 26.2-mile (42.195 kilometers) discipline.

He said he hopes to inspire others to take up exercise and has encouraged people to run marathons with him in the past.

CNN Report.
ESPN Report


HappyFeet - Be Happy. Just Run

Power Yoga Moves

VIDEO: Power Yoga Moves Runner's World

Take 10 minutes to strengthen key muscles for better running this spring.