Finding Time To Do It All

Minimalist Shoes - for Kids!

You all know how much I love to run barefoot (when I'm able to), or even BE barefoot (as I type this, I am sitting at my work desk...barefoot!).  Last year I pretty much gave up regular shoes completely.  If there is a raised heel, I don't wear it.  I saved one pair of shoes "just in case I went on a hike or something".  It turned out to be a good decision, because I just spent three months in a boot and needed the height...but that's a different story.

Now that I've freed my feet again, I'm back to my minimal footwear.  I wear moccasins, sandals (no heel), Vibram Five Fingers, and flip-flops on rare occasion.  I have even been known to wear Dr. Scholl's Fast Flats to work with a skirt.  My kids, on the other hand, wear the heaviest shoes known to man: Skechers and Nikes.  There is no way I would wear either of their shoes for longer than 10 seconds.  Of course, these are the tennis shoes they are required to wear to school; when not in school, they are either barefoot or in Crocs.

Apparently, shoe companies are starting to wise up on children's shoes.  Now they are making the same minimalist shoes for kids, that they make for adults, which is uber-cool in my humble opinion.  There is a Fila Skele-toes that comes in kids sizes, and now Merrell will be releasing some in May (w00t!).

Jason Robillard over at Barefoot Running University has done an excellent writeup on the children's shoes (as well as scads of adult shoes), so please check out his site for more information.  If you've never heard of Jason (where do you live, under a rock?), he's a well-known barefoot runner and evangelist.  I've never had the opportunity to meet him (although I'd love to when the chance is available) but we do both belong to the same online "club", Barefoot Runners Society.

It makes me really happy that shoe companies are starting to realise we need to solve the problem before it gets started.  And yes, you can bet I'll be checking out investing in some of these shoes for my boys very soon!

Daily Burn Community Blogging!

So by now, if you read the Daily Burn blog, you've heard that I'll be one of the community bloggers there.  I'm really looking forward to the challenge of not only motivating people to get started with an exercise routine, but finding ways to help people keep it up despite all their responsibilities.  I'll be posting over there about once a month and I'm going to do my best not to cross-post - because where's the fun in that?  I know how much you all enjoy reading my drivel. :)

I've been a little "absent" from my workouts lately because I'm still on crutches, but I am about to get back into the floor routine (read: when I finish this blog post, I'll start!).  I don't think I've worked out since the New Year and I'm starting to feel icky.  No, I haven't gained any weight to speak of, but all the effort I put into getting toned up over the last year has very quickly disappeared into...wherever it goes when it doesn't become flab.

Anyway, I still feel strongly about getting fit, or keeping fit, whichever the case may be.  And, since I'm easily bored with the same old same old, I'm always looking for something crazy to spice things up.  Can you say parkour?  Yes, I knew you could.  Unfortunately I've found out the hard way I'm a little too old for that kind of crazy, but maybe if I keep it mild I can do it.  Maybe I'll try it again in several months (this is a big hint to say that trying parkour had a hand in me being on crutches).

But, I digressed into blathering...back to the Daily Burn blog.  I'm not sure yet whether I'll know beforehand when my posts will be up, but if I do, I'll be sure to post a quick link from here.  But you can do yourself a favour and follow them here, because lots more interesting people than me will also be posting there, and I'm pretty sure they'll have something interesting for you to read or try too!