Running Barefoot (AKA, A Little Bit of Life Coaching)

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Nine and a half months ago, a perpetually overweight and out-of-shape man made himself a resolution, an addition to his life goals.

He was going to get in shape by running every day. Not only would he run every day. He would also run barefoot…no man-made cushion, no rubber shock absorption, nothing, only what his body provided him.

His first run, he almost couldn’t round the first corner of his block without stopping to walk.

But, he made it that far. 1 block. Then, he walked the next 2 miles as quickly as he could, which was still a struggle for him. Imagine seeing that, an overweight guy running down the block only to poop out at the end.

It was the same story the next day and for the entire week actually.

But, by the second week, he was up to a half mile.

While he did this, his neighbors watched in dismay and thought, “He’s too big for this. He’ll kill himself.”

Even, his wife had doubts, but she did what she could to remain positive and supportive.

By the third week, the knee and hip pain that he had had during all of the rest of his runs wouldn’t go away after a night’s rest.

It lingered on into the next day, and he started to question whether he could keep this up. He was only 19 days in…more running than he’d ever done his whole life…but it hurt.

He actually cried a few nights because it hurt so bad.

But, the more he ran, the more resolve he had to continue. He might have only lost 4 pounds, but those were the only four pounds he’d ever lost from exercise. That was progress, he hoped.

There had to be a way to run barefoot every day without all of the pain he was having.

So, he researched and educated himself, and as he tested running slower or faster, landing on his heel or his toes, and more, he found that the pain started to go away.

It was three months in. He’d been running every day and had now lost twenty pounds. His neighbors didn’t think he was so crazy anymore.

They actually started to wonder if they could lose twenty pounds by doing what he did.

Then one day, he stepped on nail.

The doctor told him to rest his foot for a few days. “Absolutely, no running!” But, he didn’t listen. He ran 200 feet and walked a mile the very next day.

But now, he could see the neighbors doubting him again.

They shook their heads as he ran by, as if to say, “He can’t keep this up.”

But, he persisted.

And, by the end of the fourth month, you would never have known that he had had a major foot injury…unless you were curious enough to ask.

That man ran and ran…and ran some more.

All the while, the neighbors stood by and doubted. But eventually, they started to wonder again if they could do it too…but they never started.

5 day ago, that man finished his first half marathon…barefoot, 80 pounds lighter than nine and a half months ago.

Given the choice, who would we all rather be: the overweight and out-of-shape man with a goal or the doubting and inactive neighbors? This is a questions we have to ask ourselves when setting our next personal or business goals.