Confessions of a "barefoot" runner

Hi. My name is Quirl. I'm a barefoot runner. I've been clean for 8 months... Yeah, my name is Quirl but you can call me Jacob, most people do. I should probably clarify though that I'm not an exclusive barefoot runner. Don't get the wrong idea, I don't walk around without shoes at school, I don't go to work in sock feet, I even wear shoes around my own house sometimes. I just want to be up front with y'all, I'm not that guy. I don't picket gas stations that have "no shirt, no shoes, no service" posted on the door. I sneak in a little flip flop action on occasion and if I'm really honest with you I would tell you that I have 6 times more shoes in my closet than the average guy. Maybe more than some girls even -cringe- . okay, okay, I don't even wear my Fivefingers to the grocery store at midnight when I run out of milk. (I drink whole milk) I definitely don't wear them to the grocery store at midday. That's because my girlfriend has convinced me that they are ugly. She would know. I can't say every outfit I put on is the epitome of contemporary fashion but lets just say my blue vibrams don't really match much. Except my urban camouflage pants, I'm kidding, about owning camo pants not about whether they match or not. I don't even wear them to run all that often because, well, it hurts to run on the road. So for a long tempo run on Saturday instead of velcroing my VFF's I lace up my SHOES (ASICS speedstars).
I still run barefoot. As much as I love shoes, especially running shoes, I would prefer to run without them. I could rattle off more information about brands, models, weights, impact reducing technologies, and stabilizing properties of running shoes than you could probably stomach without losing your lunch. Despite that or maybe because of that when I kick off my shoes and take off running I feel like my feet have been unhinged. Its so... clean. Every step I take is like a personal clinic in bio mechanical goodness. I feel faster. Like I might even catch mister Bolt from behind while he is warrior posing towards the sky. I feel lighter. Like I might be flying over the grass with the ease that Dibaba floats on the track. It's an addicting feeling and yeah, I'm addicted.