Related Article: Pasalubong: Running / Outdoor Gears from Cebu, Philippines
Ondoy Bangcoy is a doting father and husband, a software engineer by profession, and who admits he read more about running than running.
Daughter and Father
He can tell you about the latest gas prices, and the best place to have “sikwate and puto” in town after a run. But in the following Q&A, Ondoy will tell us about running and more about reading about running, bits of philosophy or lack of, and his favorite pair of KAI running sandals!
Runroo: What attracted / made you switch to minimalist running shoes, such as KAI?
Ondoy: When I was new to ‘serious running’ (meaning, taking running seriously ??), I was actually spending more time reading about running than actually doing the runs. Even office hours were spent on blogs and other stuff online about running, and then following the links to other stuff, of course, about running.
It was like crawling the web for the search term ‘running’. I got curious when I bumped into the phrase “barefoot running”, and then into minimalist running. It then led me to asking how can I have a pair of barefoot/minimalist running shoes. VFF (Vibram Five Fingers) was the first kind that I heard of.
I then read the story about huaraches and the Luna sandals, which led me to Invisible Shoes. I was all set to requesting a relative in the US who was sending some stuff for Christmas 2010 to order for me a pair of Invisible Shoes and include it in the package when I heard that (The Master) Jacob was now offering his KAI sandals for sale.
I already read about him and (The Master) Edward with their home-made sandals beforehand. That made me excited since I can now have a pair ordered locally for only PhP500!
I sent my order a week after my first 21K (CCM 2011), followed the “short and slow” advice, and never looked back.
If I remember right, my first run with the sandals was early February 2011. I can recall running in marshmallows only once since then. The Cebuano Barefoot Runners group was also a big motivation. When I received the invitation, I immediately joined the group’s weekly evening runs. That was where I learned pointers about barefoot running and more especially I was able to connect to running friends and superstars.
I haven’t experienced any serious injury since using KAI sandals. The only injury I had was small blister which didn’t come back after two or three months.
The idea of minimalism suits me and my simple outlook in life. That’s just another way of saying that I can’t afford expensive stuff (And I’ll just enclose in parentheses CCM 2013 here).
It’s actually very simple for me. The feet are perfectly designed by God (or by nature, if you don’t believe in one) for running and walking. I don’t need high-tech and high heels to run.
Barefoot running is natural. KAI Running Sandals is not expensive and is locally available.
Runroo: What is your favorite KAI model?
Ondoy: My favorite is the first pair I had which was KAI Classic sandals (although it wasn’t yet called Classic back then). It has carried me for 482 km and still can go farther. I have already retired it for posterity.
KAI Classic — no longer available for sale
Runroo: The usual odd reactions you got when running on KAI?
I haven’t received any odd reaction. Although I guess that just says about me not minding other people. But the first question I usually get is whether it hurts running on the sandals.
Runroo: Did it change your outlook on running or was it more of you find KAI fitting to who you are — your personality / philosophy?
Ondoy: I think my rant on the first question answers this.
I just have to add here that I was attracted with Caballo Blanco’s story…
Run free!
Related Article: Pasalubong: Running / Outdoor Gears from Cebu, Philippines
2 of the very early KAI Runners featured! Thanks again Runroo and Ondoy! 🙂
idol, ondoy!