The Long Brown Path

Peak-bagging, running, barefooting, exploring, and other minimalist adventures in nature

9,000 Miles Barefoot

May 28, 2022 Barefoot KenBarefoot Hiking, Barefoot Marathon, Barefoot Running, Catskills, Catskills All Trails Challenge, Ken Bob Saxton, Panther Mountain5 Comments

In September 2021, I reported on my 8,000th mile of barefoot walking, hiking, and running, and this morning I logged my 9,029th mile, so it’s update time.

What started as an experiment morphed into a practice and then became philosophy — and from here on the journey points into mystery. Originally the thought had been to reach 10,000 miles, and now that I’m nearing that objective I can only wonder what lies beyond. Honestly, there was no rationale for 10,000 miles, besides it being a round number. That and the thought that 10,000 hours of training in a discipline is said to make you an “expert.” Although what I’ve found is that barefoot teaches simplicity. There’s nothing to be an expert of.

The following is my account of the last 1,000 miles walked, hiked, and run without shoes — including successful races and other projects, frustrations, and lessons learned….

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Whitman and Wilmington

April 30, 2022May 2, 2022 Barefoot Ken100 Marathon Club, 100 Marathons, Barefoot Marathon, Barefoot Marathon Runner, Barefoot Running, Delaware Running Festival, Manly Health and Training, Moses Velsor, Song of the Open Road, Walt Whitman, Walt Whitman Bridge, Walt Whitman Gravesite, Walt Whitman Service Area2 Comments

By Barefoot Ken

Surprise. On the way to (yet) another race, I’ve pulled off the New Jersey Turnpike — desperate for coffee, water, a break from unpredictable traffic (speeds of up to 95 MPH) — and here I find myself, suddenly, in the Walt Whitman Service Area. Whitman being, to some, the greatest artist America has produced. The singer of the open road. The poet of Democracy. I did not know there was a Service Area named for him. After the race I’m planning to visit his gravesite, which lies a few miles distant. First, though, I must complete the Delaware Running Festival Marathon in nearby Wilmington, my 100^th event of marathon distance or longer. Which begs the question — what next?

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