How I found Barefoot Running

Moab Half Marathon 2005
(My first Half Marathon & the pain that came afterward)

I can’t believe that it is finally Friday March 11, 2005. I thought (mostly hoped) this day would take a lot longer to arrive then it has. Sitting at work around four in the afternoon and my mind can’t seem to sit still. I drift off into worry land and back about the task that is at hand tomorrow. Jeanine, my beautiful wife knocks on the door at 4:30 and I have her come in the office as I turn off my computer and grab a last few things. Before I know it we are on our way to Moab to run in the Canyonlands Half Marathon. What on earth have I gotten myself into?

The last few months have been met with soreness and frustration. Shin splints seem to be my constant companion and I had to resort to running many weeks in the grass. As I reflected back on my previous runs, I wondered how on earth I would be able to run in this crazy person’s race(?)! I have always hated running my whole life and decided that I should try something different. Well this sure is different enough. What was I thinking? The miles between Orem and Green River seem to fly by and before I can grasp any sort of reality we are checking into our hotel for the night.

Just as I close my eyes to forget about the run of death I will do the next day, the alarm goes off. I open my eyes and the painstaking fear of doubt haunts my mind! Before I can realize where I am, or fully grasp what I am doing, I am sitting in a bus with my wife and some of her friends from her running group. We are making the long trek to the start line where I will do the dance of either shame or victory!! We arrive a half mile before the starting line where there are thousands of other runners. They are all talking, standing in line at the porta potty, huddling around a heater and some even trying to sleep. As I stand in line for the porta potty I take in my surroundings. The fear and doubt turn into excitement. I start to become assured of myself and the training I have done and doubt starts to fade. I see myself crossing the finish line. Hopefully not last but if so be it then a victory will still be celebrated!

“I can’t believe I have had to use the restroom three times this morning!” We have now been standing around for close to 2 hours and an announcement is made to start making our way to the starting line. The half mile walk goes by so quickly and before I know it I am kissing Jeanine goodbye and leaving her at the 7 minute mile pace runners. I merge through the sidelines looking for my pace. I see 8 and then there is a 9 a lot further back, I think I see a 10 but no 11 or 12 or 13? WHAT THE HECK? Is everyone in this race speed demons? What about those of us who don’t have the legs and lungs of a gazelle? I think next year I will make a sign that says “Whoever wants to finish pace” and hold it up!

I finally make my way to the back of the pack. As I am standing there the warm sun has now hit me and my body warms up. I stretch out my calves so the shin splints won’t kill me to bad at the start of the race. Within a few minutes of stretching, a nice man and his wife start talking to me. I confess that this is my first half marathon and race altogether. They could probably tell due to my uncertainty. I made sure though I did not look to “Touristy”. I have the proper running attire, I have placed body glide on the places that my body needs to glide and I have been so hydrated that I could pee every 2 minutes if I wanted. What a nice couple though. They were telling me about the New York Marathon and several in California. Before I realize it the gun goes off. I can see the front of the runners take of running like there were fresh donuts back were we started walking from. It took a good 5 minutes of good solid walking to get to the start line and then the tail enders were off. I made sure that I did not overdue it to start as it is downhill for the first mile.

“Wow I feel great!!” Coming up on mile 2 and I am still feeling very good. The nervousness has gone and the calm peace of just trying to breath has settled in! There it is… the first water break. I try to grab my cup and drink while running only to find myself having to slow down to stop choking.. “Note to self… Walk through the water breaks if you want to finish and not choke to death.” I walked and finished the water and was off again. I keep seeing a lot of people running past me quickly and then see them walking a few minutes down the road. “Slow and steady, slow and steady. Humm, I didn’t tie my right shoe tight enough,” blister is starting but I am not stopping now in fear of not starting again. “Wow, I can not believe that mile 4 is almost here.” I have said hi to 2 people and many have told me good luck. “GOOD LUCK? Do I look that bad?” I soon figured out that this is a common saying to those who choose to stay behind to bring up the tail. Here it is water station and mile 4. Time to take out one of my Volcano Gels! “Ohh these things are so tasty.” My wife says they taste like flavored castor oil. If this is what castor oil tastes like sign me up for two servings! I think they taste delicious and give my taste buds a wakeup. On we go winding down the canyon and then up a hill. Around mile 5 I see a slow but gradual hill. Blister is killing me now. I know that it is the size of Arizona! Where did this hill come from? I did not see it when the bus brought us up here. Funny thing is I didn’t see any uphill when the bus brought us up. I am glad my mind played a trick on me and not let me see this before hand. Ok, just remember, you can do it. As I am halfway up the hill, a cycler comes behind us ringing a bell and shouts “come on runners take this hill!!” “Take this hill?” Yeah more like this hill will take me to my grave! Almost to the top and breathing is getting harder. “Wait a minute, I am almost there.” Ahhh… a little shade next to the side of the rocks, and some nice downhill. Here it is, mile 6 and more water! Thank goodness for water. “Gatorade, Gatorade” I hear people yelling. “WATER where is the water?” Ahh, finally a nice old gent hands me a nice cup of water. “WOW this water is cold. It isn’t warm like the ones before!” I savor every last drop and throw the cup.

Mile 7 isn’t so bad and the hills are more rolling than I had expected. Blister is roaring now and it won’t leave me alone! The map on the website made this course look like a downhill stroll. “Note to self, find out the true course map as the one they have on the website is there to lure people in…” Just before mile 8 a nice man jogs with me for a bit. His first words are “My legs are 2 miles back somewhere”. “Ha” I say. “Mine are 3 miles back, so you passed mine along time ago!”

Mile 8 is finally here and I am starting to get very hot and tired. I take my water and start back up around the bend. I no longer know if my feet and legs are attached. I just keep looking forward and run hoping they will follow my arms. Right now would be a good time to have a nap break! Just as I come upon mile 9 I see the one small hill I do remember seeing. SMALL?? Maybe to those that have been running for some time. All I see is GOLIATH standing there laughing… Wait a minute though, I hear some people just at the bottom of the hill. If I can make it there and get some water I will do just fine. Just as I get to the climb of the hill I realize they are not giving water. They are giving compliments…. Hummmm!! “Good job, you are almost there!” “Almost there? I am only on mile 9! I still have 4 more!!” Still I stay focused and want to tell them thanks but the lips will no longer move. I give them the thumbs up sign and trudge up the hill. Almost to the top I have to take a quick walking breather. Just as I top the hill there is the camera crew taking pictures… “HEY!!!! NO FAIR!!!” I start running so I don’t look like how I feel inside. Muscles are truly sore now. “Note to self, run more hills in training…….”

As I near mile 10 I can see the water station. I now know that this is by far the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I hear the drums at the bottom of the canyon playing and hear people singing! I can do it. Jeanine said she would run back and run in with me. She said she would be there around mile 10. “Where is she?” I start back up the pace and I catch up to another guy that asks me “What are we doing this for again?” I laugh and continue on.

I can now see the drummers and we cross under the freeway. Blister is now more than I can handle and body is done! Wore out and tired, ready to quit! Just as I am coming up the hill I see the best thing in the whole world. My wife is there and starts to smile. As I get closer to her I see her eyes and she is crying. She saw me and even though I had on my sunglasses I was crying as well. Nothing could have better than to see her there at that moment. She asked “How are you doing Jon?” I answer “I hurt and this is by far the hardest thing I have ever done!” She looks at me and says “I am so proud of you!!” I looked at her with tears streaming down my face I whisper, “I am doing it!!” We had to walk a little and now we are close to town and the heat is getting to me. We make it to water stop at mile 12. I have Jeanine get me 2 cups and I down them. As I pass a nice lady has a hose and asks “Want to get sprayed”. With all the energy I could muster I shake my head yes. She dowses me real good and some life comes back to me. “Just around that bend up there is the finish line” Jeanine says. I believe her but it seems so far away. Blister is now more than I can handle but I will not stop now! We round the corner and this was by far the most relieving site of the day. In big letters I read FINISH!! I can see it now. I don’t know why or how my legs are doing this but they are. Jeanine tells me she can’t run through the finish chute with me but runs off into the crowd. There is only 200 yards left now. Time to sprint. I hear cheers from all the other runners and people telling me I can do it. I am now in a full sprint. I want to slow down and walk but my mind tells me “NO! NO, Jon!! You have worked too hard and you are giving everything you have to finish this right now!!”I hear Jeanine’s voice “come on Jon, way to go! You are doing it!!” and I then hear my feet step on the finish line mat. “Thump Thump” I can now no longer stand and hit the ground right away by bracing myself up with my arms. A finisher’s medal is placed around my neck. I hobble over to the next stop to take off my time chip and grab water. My heart is feeling swelled now. I had done it. Tears start to stream down my cheek as I realize that I have accomplished something I never thought I could or even wanted to do! I did it! I finished!!! I drink 2 bottles of water and start on my 3 rd. I eat 2 bananas and am ready to now relax! This is the best part of the race! I take of my shoes, and Jeanine’s eyes get big. “Jon, holy cow that looks so painful!” I told her that I did not want to complain much so I didn’t say anything. It didn’t matter now. It was a war wound from a war I have just won! What a victory!

Runnging Moab in Vibram Five Fingers