You Shoes, You Lose

I've tried to start running a few times over the years, mainly to try and stave off a beer belly. I always hated it though, especially the way it felt like a chore and made my dodgy knees hurt - so I'd soon give up again (I have a pair of running shoes that are over ten years old but look like they were bought yesterday).

Most of the friends I've made in Korea seem to live to run though, talking about it constantly, going for runs in groups, and signing up for marathons together. One once exclaimed 'if it gets to the end of the day and I haven't been for a run, I just feel wrong'.
I'm even seeing friends who didn't run before catch the bug and start training for marathons.
I just didn't get it - what was I missing?

Then I heard some of my friends talking about running barefoot - and when I went along to a half marathon they were running I was amazed to see one wearing nothing on his feet, and the other wearing strange foot-gloves I'd never seen before.

The same friend then told me to read this book, and it was such an awe-inspiring story I felt instantly inspired - my conversion had begun.

Inspired by this guy, we cut the soles off our running shoes, and I haven't looked back since.
I will shamefully admit I've stopped running for the past few weeks as the weather was so cold. It's milder now though, and as I was walking past a running track today I felt the bug biting again.
I got some unusual looks as I whipped off my shoes and socks, rolled up my jeans, and proceeded to run a few laps (most Koreans come to the track to walk, not run, which is a whole lot stranger to me than taking your shoes off).

I've got a long way to go before I can run anything close to a long distance.
But I'll be spending the next year trying to change that whilst I'm travelling.