I received this letter, effectively banning me from the Running Room just a little over a year ago. I believe if this letter hadn’t shown up in my inbox, I wouldn’t be Barefoot Neil Z and I wouldn’t have all the awesomeness in my life that has come from being Barefoot Neil Z.
Note: this is the first time i have shared this letter publicly… I have a HUGE story written in a private blog about exactly what happened, but I'll save that for another day when I am feeling especially prickly…
So, in closing, Thank you Running Room. This was one of those defining moments in my life. I realized (with the help/solid advice from many friends and family) that something like this was not the end of the world. I know what happened at the running room last winter and I know I was treated unfairly. BUT. what has come into my life since then in the form of running karma, awesome friends and a good amount of swag, had more than made up for any of the crappy feelings I had when this first happened.
It was a couple days of real grieving for me until Josh sent me this comment.
If you notice the shirt he is wearing in his profile photo, he too is a cool kid!
Oh, I went to the Running Room tonight to run with my buds. I don’t go in the store, so I just sit in the car until they are ready to leave for the run, and I join them on the way out… Ran 8k, 5 in the 5’s and 3 barefoot. (It was clear and 30f with not too much road sanding chips to run over, so I obviously kicked off the shoes). It was hill repeats and they felt SO much better than yesterdays easy 4k… it’s true you know, you just gotta get out there to find your groove again, you won’t find it in the cushions of your couch.
AND!!! Really in closing, Chris K over at BqorDie The Manly Runner had a special message for me over at his blog…
It IS neat…
BQ or Die, no. The Manly Runner, no. Barefoot Chris K, it's got a ring to it.
ReplyDeleteBarefoot Josh's commented was just about the best comment I have ever seen.
What did you do at the store? That letter is amazing...
ReplyDeleteYeah! I thought it was amazing too! Because I was/am neither antagonistic nor hostile...
ReplyDeleteIt was quite the deal... They make a common practice of banning people for various self serving reasons...
Wow. That's some drama fo' yo' momma.
ReplyDeletethat is one crazy letter...you would think you were public enemy #1 there...
ReplyDeleteI like BFJ's comment..he was right.
wow, i just cant picture sweet barefoot neil being "antagonistic or hostile", maybe spunky. whatever happened, glad you stuck to your guns.
ReplyDeletewow. amazing. i can only imagine what kind of hostility and antagonistic behaviour you displayed in that store!! :P
ReplyDeleteI really believe that everything happed for a reason~look at all the doors that opened for you when that one closed :)
Rock on
Did you take off more than your shoes in the running room and that's why you got kicked out? ha, good for you!
ReplyDeleteI know...you ran wearing an Oilers uniform...bad boy!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou got banned from retail? that's even better than being thrown out of a bar.. Now I want to know what they think you did.
ReplyDeleteJosh is right.
What a tease.... say you have all the details somewhere else but not link to it.....
ReplyDeleteYou are quite a handful. My sympathies to the wife...she is a strong woman! :)
ReplyDeleteNever boring around here.
ReplyDeleteI need a letter like that.
What happened to you at Running Room?
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to try a few really short barefoot runs (or maybe they'll be so short I'll call them strides) this spring and summer. The snow has finally melted.
Yeah, I'm thinking getting kicked out just adds to your street cred. Right?? Right??
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, i'm totally know as a badass in my suburb...
ReplyDelete