Before Run!

Lately I’ve been pondering my deepest personal values. Here’s what I’ve got:

1) I value not working for someone else.
2) I value not having to wear shoes.
3) I value the absence of meetings, red tape, and bureaucracy.

Thankfully, Franktuary has some additional ideals. That’s why I recently participated in a 5K run, with Franktuary as my sponsor. Called “Rock and Run for Africa,” the purpose of this jaunt was to help a New Jersey church fund its effort to provide clean and safe drinking water to people in Africa who currently lack that resource. In keeping with my distaste for shoes I chose to participate in a pair of Vibram FiveFingers (pictured above). You can read more about the event here.

More than 1,000 runners participated, and the experience for this “runner” was simultaneously miserable and wonderful. It was awesome to be a small part of a big event supporting such a worthy cause. For that reason, Franktuary is thrilled to have been involved.

On the other hand, distance running is clearly a terrible idea. The term “fun run” is one of the great misnomers of our time. The so called “runner’s high” is pure fiction. Bicycles and inline skates exist for a reason. If you want to use your feet unaided, enjoy a hike!

Let’s face it folks, the only reasons a person should ever consider running a long distance are as follows:

1) For a worthy cause.
2) For his life, literally.
3) To train for a sport that might actually be a good time.
4) To remind himself that, yes indeed, running is a bad idea.

Clocking in at a shade under 10 minutes per mile, one thing is certain. This “runner” looks a lot faster than he is!

After Run!