First things first, welcome to all who landed here at runningpoint.org. The site is obviously still in the early stages of development but I would like to use this post as a quick introduction to who we are and what we are about.

Who we are:

I am Derek, busy father of 2, an Engineer, and a longtime recreational runner from the Mountains of Western North Carolina. I love to run on and off road and especially over elevation changes. I have started and stopped running many times over the years for many different reasons, mostly a feeling that running became a chore. It wasn't until I found the concept of minimal/barefoot running that I became seriously interested in running again. I hope to start competing this year and eventually work up to marathons and off-road 50k ultra racing.

My partner in this venture is Ronald, a student from the Netherlands and site administrator here. He is relatively new to running and started running simply to get back in shape after an injury forced him to become dormant for a few months in 2010. He is also interested in minimal running and starting to compete this year.

What we are about:

On the most basic level, we are two enthusiasts who have fallen in love with running in a lesser shoe. We have had countless hours of conversation on methods, form, potential (and unfortunately for me actual) injuries, shoes, racing, etc...and we felt that maybe we could contribute something to anybody who would read what we have to say. The focus of the site will be the journey of two enthusiasts as we learn, mature, make mistakes, try new things, win, lose, and most of all enjoy the sport of running. We hope to provide unique perspectives, reviews of the equipment we use, and to pass on any information that we find merit in.

To improve upon a quote from Siddharta Gautama, the founder of Buddhism:

“There are two mistakes one can make while running...not going all the way, and not starting.”