Once upon a time, I dreamt of running totally free, without pain or limits.
I was very ill and I’d had to quit running. Before then I’d been a pretty dedicated athlete, and sometimes I still miss the sound of smashing spikes on the track. It took me 4 years to recover, and that dream of running free was what kept me going.
Once I was able to run again, just the feeling of lacing my shoes and getting my legs to do what I wanted was overwhelming, but I also started to get injured. I had 5 stress fractures, nerve problems, and every other injury imaginable. I tried every kind of rehab to match, but I ended up just as fed up of that as the pain. It became obvious to me that I had to reset my body in some way, and give it time and space to heal. So I ditched my spikes and ran with just socks. I don’t know why, but I was certain that running was healing, and that I had to let my feet recover naturally.
I didn’t know about Vivo then, but it’s amazing how fast I started to heal by just following my feet. I’ve lived barefoot with Vivo for almost 2 years now, and I’ve been able to make even more progress.
Over time I've realised that to be a skilled runner you have to run as naturally as possible, otherwise you lose touch with your feet and run the risk of falling into a constant cycle of injury, like I did.
I HAVE to be free and feel everything. I want to live in as many different places as I can; I think a home is not a place, it’s a state of mind. I don't know the road to my goal, whether to cry, scream or smile. But I do know that the most important thing is to NEVER stop believing in yourself.
I’m not interested in just talking about my goals, but in meeting them, exceeding them. No matter how hard the way is, I know I can find a solution. And now that I’ve found Vivo nothing can take the joy or the crystal clear happiness of running away from me.
So once upon a time I was a sick, injured child with a dream of being a totally free runner.
Nobody believed in me when I started to run in socks, but I never doubted myself, or my feet. And today I’m a totally free little bird, with big dreams and goals, and an open road to chase them. And with Vivo I will reach them.Walk before you run.
Follow Jennifer’s adventures on Instagram @jejjeasp
