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Private E-Mails from Barefoot Runners

Discussion in 'Biomechanics, Sports and Foot orthoses' started by Kevin Kirby, Oct 8, 2012.


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    Since I have been involved in the debate on barefoot running for over 2.5 years now, I occasionally get letters to my private e-mail address which, after reading the first sentence or two, promptly delete from my inbox.

    However, on further consideration, I believe I would like to share these private e-mail messages publicly with all of those following along to show the level of intellectual ability of these individuals who have taken time out of their day to send me some of their warm and fuzzy sentiments. Maybe some of the others involved in these barefoot running debates, such as Craig Payne, can add to this thread which clearly demonstrates their level of knowledge of the existing scientific literature on barefoot vs shod running and their ability to interpret it to meet their own needs.

    Here is one I got a few days ago. In fact on the day I was lecturing on barefoot running at the Spanish National Congress in Valladolid to about 400 Spanish podiatrists and biomechanists.

    Lovely.:cool:
     
  2. I'm edging my bets here, but I'm guessing you won't be on his Christmas card list this year. :D
     
  3. blinda

    blinda MVP

    Your reputation for intolerance of poor grandma obviously precedes you ;)
     
  4. As usual, great observational comedy from Mitchell and Webb. If there's one thing I hate it's people saying "pacific" instead of "specific". That's not poor grammar, it's insanity.
     
  5. Bel:

    Great video....:drinks

    However, if I didn't care about the image of my profession for the international medical and non-medical communities, I would never say anything about the way people write here on Podiatry Arena.

    When I am no longer around to emphasize the importance of the written word.....everyone here on Podiatry Arena will just be able to write anyway they want....and everyone one, I'm sure, will be much happier with the content here on Podiatry Arena...I guess.:cool:
     
  6. Which one? Everyone? One? Or, everyone one? ;)
     
  7. blinda

    blinda MVP

    Nah, you keep us on the straight `n narrow.....and we love you for that :drinks
     
  8. "Everyone" is a superlative term that I like to use when I'm trying to make a point. Of course, more accurately, the proper term would be "some".;)
     
  9. ...."everyone one"...that's jet lag on a day with 24 patients scheduled.......the day after getting 2-3 hours of sleep in 24 hours....:morning:
     
  10. I think Lennon might have called it "Instant Karma". ;):D
     
  11. yesireebob

    yesireebob Member

    Water off a ducks back Kevin.
    Why are the barefoot running brigade such zealots? I don't get it...
     
  12. Ian Linane

    Ian Linane Well-Known Member

    "i have recently read your blogs on podiatry forum. do you run yourself? have you tried barefoot running? have you seen evidence of how a barefoot runner reduces impact forces?"

    Hmm, I'm guessing he must have missed all the hundreds of posts/blogs about you running, doing some barefoot, some shod and your small but passing fad on biomechanics but clearly he has you pegged on your limited understanding regards forces.

    Still, Kevin, what a compliment that the person spent so much energy writing those paragraphs so he can look a complete ....................!
     


  13. Ian:

    I had a rather good laugh when I read this e-mail from someone I have never met and don't know. Letters such as demonstrate the level of intellect that some of these barefoot runners have and also make you realize that just because they make statements on the internet that seem quite factual and informed, these comments are nothing more than idiotic rants from another member of the Barefoot Running Fanatics Club.
     
  14. Dr. Steven King

    Dr. Steven King Well-Known Member

    Aloha,

    I totally agree with you Kevin and we are proud of you for keeping such lofty standards.

    This barefoot running debate has been going on for a very long time and i would not expect it to finish anytime soon.

    I find it interesting that the technique and training regimen for barefoot running has not changed much as well.

    From: Mo`olelo O Na Ali`i
    Roy Alameida
    April 2008
    When the messenger arrived at Kawaihae where Kamehameha was living at the time, everyone saw that the fish wrapped in limu were still alive. To those in attendance, the symbol of the live fish and the two white stones dashed the hopes of war by some of the ali‘i who pressured for revenge against the ali‘i of Hilo.


    At this point of the mo‘olelo (story), let us take a short detour to learn more about the runners or messengers of the ali‘i. Kukini or foot racing was a popular event in early Hawaiian society. According to Hawaiian historian David Malo, these swift runners were a class of men specifically trained to run at great speed:
    The runner was first exercised in walking on his toes without touching the heel of the foot to the ground. Then he was sent running for a short distance and at a moderate pace. Finally he was made to run at full speed for great distances. While in training, he was denied poi and all soggy, heavy food, but was fed on rare done flesh of the fowl and roasted vegetables: taro, sweet potato, breadfruit, etc.
    (Malo, D. (1951). Hawaiian Antiquities. Honolulu: Bishop Museum)
    These runners were the line of communication between the moku (districts) of the island. Makoa was Kamehameha’s kukini who ran between Kawaihae and Hilo delivering the messages between Kamehameha and Keawemauhili, a distance of over 100 miles. He was not of humble status, but a descendant of the ali‘i class. He was described as having “a square head and a broad forehead and his limbs were very strong. His feet were very wide and different from the feet of other men.” (Malo, 1951).
    Ka‘ohele, son of Kumukoa, ali‘i of Moloka‘i, was also a well-known kukini. It was said that he could run from Kalua‘aha to Halawa (roughly 10 miles roundtrip) and return before a fish placed on the fire at the time of his start had time to cook.



    Kingetics-Traking Tireless Terrain...TM
     
  15. Here is how I should have responded to this cordial letter from the barefoot runner:
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Hi Kevin,

    i have recently read your blogs on podiatry forum. do you run yourself?

    Only about 75,000 miles over the past 40 years...not much...

    have you tried barefoot running?

    Probably before you were born but yes, during multiple interval workouts as a collegiate long distance runner at about 5:05 mile pace.....have you ever even run one mile this fast??

    have you seen evidence of how a barefoot runner reduces impact forces?

    Have you seen Benno Nigg's prospective study that demonstrated that runners with increased impact forces have lower frequency of injuries....I doubt it.

    there is a lot of research been done to analyse this, im surprised you oppose it.

    I don't oppose research. I read it and then analyze it for methodology to decide if it is worthy of further consideration

    as for you analysis of the elite runners on the youtube videos on the boston marathon. you clearly dont know anything about analysing a running technique

    That's funny, I have been teaching running gait analysis to medical professionals nationally and internationally now for 28 years,

    none of them are heel striking(meaning their weight is not being transferred through their heel) in fact if you take a close look, when all their weight is fully transferred through their foot, they are on their forefoot. their ankle is slightly behind their knee, their knee is under their hip, their hip is under their shoulders and their heads are up straight. everything is in a straight line, a centre of gravity.

    You obviously don't know a thing about how the term "heel striking" is determined. Heel striking means that the heel of the shoe strikes the ground first...nothing more, nothing less....

    now, i apologise to you, i am not an academic, this emails grammar is poor, but.. it doesnt mean im stupid,

    Yes, but your poor grammar and spelling sure makes you look like an idiot on the internet...

    or i dont know anything, like you ridiculed that Dana guy on your thread in 2011. i really hope this email has wasted your time, your ego is so high that you wont take any of it on board. but by now, im sure you have been proven wrong time and time again, but your to full of **** and to arrogant to consider anything else. i quote you saying "These elite runners know that if they heel strike that they will have a longer stride length which means a faster running speed for a given stride frequency. Barefoot runners must chop their stride which slows them down horribly in races and prevents them from being able to keep up with the heel-striking runners that can take longer strides since they wear shoes which protect their heels. As a result, shod runners are "beating the socks off of" the barefoot runners in overwhelming fashion. When was the last time you saw a barefoot runner (running the whole race barefoot) come in the top 1% of a international level distance race?"

    Sorry, I just fell to sleep again reading your rant:morning:....what did you say again???

    well Kevin, dont you remember Abebe Bikila?

    Yes, he's the guy who ran 7 seconds per mile faster with shoes on than while barefoot in two consecutive Olympic marathons....

    so, the day has probably come by now when you were proven wrong you must of really felt like an idiot, talking all that **** about running when you knew nothing about it and never backed the **** you talked with any evidence anyway. your a disgrace to all runners all academics and anyone who is a professor in biomechanics.

    Coming from you....I really could care less....but thanks for the kind comments anyway....have a nice day....
     
  16. toomoon

    toomoon Well-Known Member

    Blinda.. that was a little piece of gold!.. I will pacifically share that with who ever I can {;
     
  17. stevewells

    stevewells Active Member

    Did you mean any way (rather than anyway)? ;)
     
  18. No, Steve, I meant anyway.:butcher:

     
  19. stevewells

    stevewells Active Member

  20. stevewells

    stevewells Active Member

  21. stevewells

    stevewells Active Member

  22. stevewells

    stevewells Active Member

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