Compromise is never easy

     I have discovered the impossibility of jogging with 2 dogs:  an old one who doesn't want to be out at all and drags 4 feet behind, and a young exuberant one who pulls 4 feet in front and wants to eat grass and chase rabbits.  So we compromise.  We only walk a mile or so, but zig and zag, go backwards and in circles to train the young one not to pull and to pay attention.  The old one never gets that far from home so is also satisfied.  Both get lots of training treats for watching me and for leaving rabbits, grass, and other dogs strictly alone.  It works.
     As for me, I am having to learn patience with a capitol "P",  and to make myself get on the "dreadmill" for a jog when we return home.  This is jogging week 12, so it should now be a habit, right?  (Not so much.)

"Adopt the pace of nature:  her secret is patience."   Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Do or do not, there is no try."  Yoda

(Good luck tomorrow on your marathon, Jason.  We are proud. Mom.)

What is your kedge?

     I read the book "Younger Next Year:  A Guide to Living Like 50 Until You're 80 and Beyond" by Chris Crowly and Dr. Harry Lodge.  It was a funny, easy to read guide to health.  Much of it was common sense.  Here are Dr. Lodge's 7 rules:
          1) Exercise 6 days/week for the rest of your life.
          2) Do serious aerobic exercise 4 days/week for the rest of your life.
          3) Do serious strength training with weights 2 days/week for the rest of your life.
          4) Spend less than you make.
          5) Quit eating crap.
          6) Care.
          7) Connect and commit.
     I liked their suggestion about kedging, which is defined as moving a ship by hauling on a rope which is fastened to an anchor which has been dropped some distance from it.  When the wind has left your sails and you need a kedge to get you moving again, take an exercise vacation (biking, hiking, cross-country skiing) or enter a race or find something/ANYTHING that will keep you going.  Plan your kedge for when you are becalmed by life.

"Do one thing every day that scares you."  Eleanor Roosevelt

Happy Monday.

     Did my slow jog, but it is amazing how much more difficult it is with two dogs than with one.  I finally figured out keeping one on each side of me would keep them from getting tangled together.  Jonas is apparently not familiar with rabbits, squirrels, and deer any more than he is with jogging.  He would like to check them all out.  We will work on that.  The forefoot form that I have been practicing so carefully went to heck.  This will be interesting until the three of us get this figured out.  Meanwhile, both dogs are tired and napping.  Always a good thing.  Have a great week.

"The gaze of the wolf reaches into our soul." Barry Lopez

     Yesterday we went to an Earth Day celebration at Red Rocks Amphitheater.  The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center brought one of their wolves and we were able to stroke his fur and look into his eyes.  They were a piercing sky blue....hypnotic....much like that of the mountain lion...making you think that being devoured by him maybe wouldn't be such a bad death.

"Wolves are not our brothers; they are not our subordinates, either.  They are another nation, caught up just like us in the complex web of time and life."  Henry Beston

"What a country chooses to save is what a country chooses to say about itself."  Mollie Beattie

"In wildness is the preservation of the world."  Henry David Thoreau

     We are fostering a service-dog-in-training for a few weeks.  This is me with our old Sadie-Dog on the left and Jonas on the right.  Jonas was paired with a client and went home with her last December, but recently was returned as the client was unable to care for a dog.  All dogs, even service dogs, require work, needing exercise, baths, walks, & consistent training.  Jonas was devastated to be returned to the service dog kennels and be away from his loving client.  He was one homesick puppy, thus he will stay in our home for a while.   As Edith Wharton said, "my little dog--a heartbeat at my feet."

"The timber wolves will be our friends
We'll stay up late and howl,
At the moon, till nighttime ends,
Before going on the prowl"
          Calvin, "Calvin and Hobbes"

The Ripple Effect

     Happy Earth Day everyone!  I hope you do some small thing today and everyday to improve the planet and the lives of everything on it.  Soon you will see it ripple from your life into the lives of others.
     Last night, on Earth Day Eve, John Denver was made the first inductee into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, along with Red Rocks Amphitheater.  We were fortunate enough to get tickets to this event to honor Colorado's adopted son.  His 1st and 2nd wives, his 3 children, and his band were there.  We heard his music played and sung by the likes of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John Oates (of Hall and Oates), Lee Ann Womack, the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Olivia Newton John (who was also the emcee), and many, many more.  The governor, the mayor, and a congressman were there.... also an astronaut representing NASA who brought video of John at NASA. 
     This was a very special evening for Dean and I.  John's music was interwoven throughout our young adult lives.  We used his music (along with that of Simon and Garfunkle, and Peter, Paul, and Mary) to "indoctrinate" our kids about how to advocate for all that is good in the world, and to hopefully instill in them a sense of wonder.  I think it must have worked...they are wonderful caring adults with their heads on straight, feet firmly planted on terra firma. 
       We were living in the DC area in the early 1970s and had a lot of commute time.  I remember the very first time I heard "Sunshine on my Shoulders" and "Take me Home Country Roads", sitting in the car (a red Gremlin) at a stop light, windows down (no air conditioning), radio blaring.  He blew me away! I was transported back home to the country roads of Nebraska, I was relaxing in the sun by a lake, I was happy.
      I remember frequently seeing a hippy-looking flower-child type van in our subdivision back then emblazoned with "Mountain Mama".  He was a phenomenon effecting everyone.  
     We got to see him live in concert one time in the mid-1970's.  Bill and Taffy Danoff (Starland Vocal Band) opened for him.  It was great.  I had always hoped to see him again live in concert, but his premature death in a private plane crash in 1997 made that impossible.  I will always regret not hearing him one more time.
     He loved the planet, the animals and people on it, flying, the ocean, and his children.  He counted Jacques Cousteau as one of his friends.  He referred to the planet as "Spaceship Earth".  Although human, he was a hero.

"There are no passengers on spaceship Earth.  We are all crew."  Marshall McLuhan

"Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others...he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."  Robert F. Kennedy

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."  Margaret Mead

Right on.

"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?" Satchel Paige

      An update day.
     Today Sadie-Dog and I, two old girls together, took a slow soft jog.  I wore my new Merrill Pace Gloves, the minimalist shoes I bought.  This is the first time I've jogged in them.  So far, my feet feel fine without the excess shoe support.  We'll have to see how they feel when I wake up tomorrow.  I've been practicing fore-foot running for a while now, so hopefully I will be fine.
     This is week 11 for me and jogging.  I can tell it is going to take several more months for my 59&3/4 year-old ligaments, tendons, joints, and bones to get stronger.  In the meantime, I will continue slow, slow, slow and easy, with lots of recovery days. It is just as well:  that is Sadie-Dog's only speed any more.
     Dean and I have completed 3 weeks of "Eat to Live".  We eat a huge salad at least once a day.   Now that the weather is warmer, we have started having green smoothies for a snack or dessert.  They are fantastic!  Yesterday I made one with kale, an orange, cinnamon, frozen pineapple, and almond milk...I added a bit of stevia for sweetness, but any sweetener or no sweetener at all would be fine.  I do diverge from the plan, and have snacks between meals sometimes, but they are healthy ones...fruits, veggies, a few nuts.  This is an eating lifestyle we can live with, but it is difficult to eat-out or travel.  Restaurants have not kept up with those who wish to eat healthy,  I hope they will soon.  I am still voting with my fork.

"Jogging is very beneficial.  It's good for your legs and your feet.  It's also very good for the ground.  It makes it feel needed."  Charles M. Schulz

R.I.P. Grete Waitz, 1953-2011

     Grete Waitz died today at the age of 57 after a 6 year battle with cancer.  For those of you who haven't heard of her, she was a teacher from Oslo, Norway who became a champion runner.  She won the NY Marathon 9 times, more than any runner in history.  She also won marathons in London and Stockholm.  She was a promoter of marathon and long distance running for women.  Her last marathon was in 1992 when she ran the NY Marathon with  her friend, NY Marathon Race Director Fred Lebow, after his diagnosis with brain cancer...the only time he was able to run in his own marathon.
     In the mid nineteen-nineties she spoke in Denver to a group of women-runners.  I was considering learning to run and decided to attend.  Unfortunately, there was a huge blizzard the night before and the temperatures were dismal.  The attendence was sparce, maybe 2 dozen of us.  I was able to meet her and get her autograph.  She was gracious, quiet, funny, and a big inspiration to me. 

"Really great people make you feel that you too, can become great."  Mark Twain

Adventure is out there.

     Our daughter, Kate, is leaving for Montenegro tomorrow to spend 2 1/2 weeks visiting friends.  I have to admit my ignorance.  I had to look Montenegro up on-line.   The name means "Black Mountain".  It is located in SE Europe.  It has a picturesque 183 mile coast on the Adriatic Sea with 45 miles of beaches.  It has a mountainous northern region.  It borders Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania.  Historically it has been part of various incarnations of Yugoslavia.  It is one of the world's top tourist destinations.  Who knew?  Pictures of it are gorgeous.  My daughter goes to Montenegro and we get to stay home and babysit her cat! (He is a nice cat, though.)
     Our daughter-in-law, Kuldeep, is running the Boston Marathon today.  This is her second Boston, and she is thinking it will be her last as the Boston Athletic Association really tightened qualifying times for future years making it pretty much an elite and charitable runners only race.  We hope she is really enjoying herself.  She is a great runner.  She is like the energizer bunny....she just runs and runs and runs.  I have been following her times on-line at the BAA.org website.  Her official finish time was 4:12:07.   Yay, Kuldeep!   The male and female winners were both Kenyans, the top female US finisher came in 2nd, the top male US finisher came in 4th.
     Sadie-Dog and I were out plodding in the park this morning.  Some of the wild plums thickets, the ones in sheltered spots getting lots of sun, are starting to bloom and smell fantastic. Spring must really be here.
     I walked up the last hill to our house barefooted, I was too tuckered to jog and decided to at least strengthen my feet.  Sadie-Dog and I were joined by the nicest 9 year old young man.  He hopped off of his bike, and chatted with us all the way up the hill until we turned off.  Then he hopped back on his bike and continued pedaling on up the hill on his way.
  
"Adventure is out there.  The wilderness must be explored.  Caw-Caw-Rahr!"   (from the movie "Up") 

"Children make you want to start life over."  Mohammed Ali
    

"Play as if Your Life Depends on It"

     I just completed the book "Play as if Your Life Depends on It" by Frank Forencich.  It is a book about human fitness and health.  He has 3 foci:  primal, functional, and playful. 
     Like it or not, we are all Africans.  Our ancestors originated in the sparsely treed savannas of East Africa before they began their migration across the globe.  Evolution is a slow process....we have the same physical bodies and brains as our caveman ancestors did 100,000 years ago....essentially we are "cavemen with beepers."  We need to be active in ways that honor that caveman ancestry.
     We are animals.  We have a 98% genetic overlap with chimps and bonobos.  And animals play throughout their lives.  They don't count sets and reps, and work at fitness.  We need to make our fitness functional as well as fun, general rather than specific. 
     The good animal is biophilic (loving life).  We are social creatures.  We love nature...we prefer landscapes and parklike settings.  Those natural scenes cause us to relax and lower blood pressure; to recuperate faster from hospital stays.  Contact with trees, dirt, rocks and animals is good for us.  Nature is medicine. 
     There are no specific training regimens given.  He recommends determining your specific fitness goal and then basing your training on primal, functional, and playful activities to reach that goal.  We are primarily bipedal, so being a good walker is an important start. Hiking uphill is great.  Run on trails, jump over rocks.  Touch the earth. Play games.  Have fun.
     He gives organized sports a big "fail".   They weed out most people by the age of 13.  They value winning and eliminating the weaker performers from contention.  They force 2 lifestyle extremes:  the athletic professionals and everyone else (spectators).
     So honor your caveman ancestry.  "Push yourself! There is a carnivore back there, and he is gaining on you."

"Before the High and Far-Off Times, O my
Best Beloved, came the Time of the Very
Beginnings; and that was in the days when the
Eldest Magician was getting Things ready.  First
he got the Earth ready; then he got the Sea
ready; and then he told all the Animals that
they could come out and play."
                                        Rudyard Kipling
                                        "The Crab That Played with the Sea"

"All America lies at the end of the wilderness road, and our past is not a dead past, but still lives in us.  Our forefathers had civilization inside themselves, the wild outside.  We live in the civilization they created, but within us the wilderness still lingers.  What they dreamed, we live, and what they lived, we dream."

                                       T.K. Whipple, "Study Out the Land"

A reminiscence.

     It was cold this morning.  Although the sun is shining the bitter north wind reminds me of winter.  Sadie-dog and I went out and did our slow jogging thing.  It was worth it...a blessing,  a reminder of spring....I heard my first meadowlarks of the year.
     I grew up on a farm in Nebraska, and for those of you who don't know, the Western Meadowlark is the Nebraska State Bird.  I heard them in the fields all the time was I was young and wondered how they could possibly make their trilling, fluting distinctive call.   I listen for them every year now in the park by our home as there is a lot of grassland there for their habitat, and still wonder how they make their music.
     Here is the link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology page for the Western Meadowlark, you can see a picture and hear their call:
             http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/western_meadowlark/id

     Now, I am not religious, but would describe myself as being spiritual.  I love the following poem.    God, whoever he/she is, is to be found in nature. You can substitute "Universal Life Force" for God.

And the man whispered, "God, speak to me."
And a meadowlark sang.
But the man did not hear.
So the man yelled, "God, speak to me!"
And the thunder rolled across the sky.
But the man did not listen.
The man looked around and said, "God, let me see you."
And a star shone brightly.
But the man did not notice.
And the man shouted, "God, show me a miracle!"
And a life was born.
But the man did not know.
So, the man cried out in despair.
"Touch me God, and let me know that you are here!"
Whereupon God reached down and touched the man.
But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.
MORAL:  Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way you expect.
                                                 unknown

One step forward, two steps back....

     I'm referring to spring, of course.  Yesterday was cold, damp, chilly.  I promised myself that if I went out to jog, I would only have to do 1 mile.  I was hoping I'd want to go farther once out, but that didn't happen.  I did come in and walk on the treadmill (but slowly, while reading a book...that counts, though, right?).
     We woke up to heavy snow this morning with 1-2 inches accumulation.  As I headed out for the day by car, I passed some brave bright tulip blooms peeking through, and pink crabapple trees trying to hold up under their freezing blankets.  The snow was beautiful in its way.  It is melting off this afternoon as temperatures rise, and we needed the moisture, even in the form of slush.

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush."  Doug Larson
    

How many vegetarians are there?

     A 2003 Harris Interactive Survey sponsored by Vegetarian Resource Group showed that 4-10% of the US population call themselves vegetarians, approxmately one half of those being vegans.  The exact number of vegetarians is hard to pin down.  The survey is old, and very approximate, and I am sure the numbers are increasing, but it sounds like we are in good company. 
     A few of the world's vegetarians include:  Albert Schweitzer, Benjamin Spock, Charles Darwin, Leonardo Da Vinci, Mark Twain, Nikola Tesla, Sir Isaac Newton, Socrates, Steven Jobs, Thomas Edison, Leo Tolstoy, Henry David Thoreau, Plato, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Martin Luther, Benjamin Franklin, Susan B. Antony, Albert Einstein, Vincent Van Gogh, Dennis Kucinich, Betty White, John Denver, Pythagoras, Franz Kafka, Mahatma Gandhi, Buddha. 
     Pythagoras, the ancient Greek sage who gave us the Pythagorean theorem,  is considered to be the father of vegetarianism in the west.  Until the late 19th century, people who ate meatless diets were called Pythagorians.

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."   Albert Einstein

"I feel the earth move under my feet."

     I think spring really has arrived.  It was a chilly, very windy Sunday, but today is wonderful.  Get out there everyone and feel the sun on your face, see the grass greening and shoots pushing their way out of the ground, hear the birds singing.  I did get out there and jog in the beautiful South Valley park nearby with our old Sadie-Dog.  I finished with 1/2 mile of slow barefoot jogging on concrete.  Am really trying to  slowly adapt to midfoot running.  I bought a pair of minimalist shoes yesterday....Merrell Pace Gloves....so far I am just wearing them around the house, but really like their lightness.  I like feeling the connection to the earth, feeling rooted to the planet.

"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair."  Khalil Gibran  

We tried something new.

     Yesterday morning we went to a group run/walk.  It is sponsored by our local running store (Boulder Running Company) and also a local gourmet market (Tony's), and is held every Saturday.  We walked, as Dean had no chemo this week pending test results, so he felt good.  There were quite a few walkers and run/walkers there so we weren't alone.  We did the 3 mile loop around the park and lake.  There was also a 6 mile double loop for the runners.  The weather was great and it was so nice to be out.  Our Sadie-Dog enjoyed it, too.  Afterward the market provides low-cost breakfasts, but had no vegan options for us.  We did buy some great looking produce, though, to take home for lunch.  Hopefully in the future we will be in the jogging/running group.
     Enjoy your weekend. 

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want."   Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbs

"Be the change you want to see in the world." Gandhi

     I just completed the book "Veganist" by Kathy Freston.  In it she interviews many of the experts I have previously recommended:  Dr. Dean Ornish, T. Colin Campbell,Phd, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Neil Barnard, Ruth Heidrich, PhD; and some I haven't read about, such as Dr. Michael Greger.   She discusses a plant based diet for weight loss; lowering risks for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes; and living longer with a better quality of life.  These are things I have mentioned before.
     Then she got my attention by bringing up the whole animal factory farming boondoggle, and I recalled why we became vegetarian/vegan in the first place.  The suffering and horrors these animals are put through are something no compassionate human being can tolerate.  The superbugs and superviruses of the future are mutating in those overcrowded and filthy CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), as well.  It is scary to read about. 
     Global warming is real.  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has described the existence of human-caused global warming as "unequivocal," and as having "abrupt and irreversible" effects on global climate.   In 2010, World Bank agricultural scientists claimed that raising animals for food is responsible for at least 50% of all warming.  Per the Environmental Defense Fund, if every American skipped just one meal of chicken per week and substituted a vegetarian meal, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as if the nation removed more than half a million cars from U.S. roads. 
     1.2 billion people in the world are underfed and malnourished, according to scientists at the Worldwatch Institute.  At the same time, 1.2 billion different people are overfed and malnourished.   Both groups have high levels of sickness and shortened life-expectancies.  If 1 in 10 people around the globe stopped eating animals, it would free up enough food to feed the 1+ billion hungry. 
     She discusses the wisdom of the great spiritual traditions and their clear connections with veganism.  She refers to the guiding principle of Ahimsa, literally "non-violence", the doctrine that all living beings are sacred.  She also suggests that when you become vegan you will evolve, and take the world with you.
     I think she is correct, that we are at a tipping point. We need to vote with our forks.  Stores and restaurants will respond, and ultimately even the government will respond, despite the corrupting influences of agribusiness.
 
"Compassion is a muscle that gets stronger with use, and the regular exercise of choosing kindness over cruelty changes us."  Jonathan Safran Foer, "Eating Animals"

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."   Gandhi

Mmmmmm.....Chocolate.

     Have you been reading the preliminary study results about the nutritional value of chocolate?   A study at Cornell University showed that cocoa powder has 2 times the antioxidants of red wine and 3 times the antioxidants of green tea.  Chocolate is rich in flavanols--strong antioxidants which help maintain healthy blood flow and blood pressure.  They help make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes without the negative side effects of daily aspirin therapy.  One study showed chocolate increases the sensitivity of cells to insulin. 
     A  U.C. Davis study where 1 Tablespoon of cocoa was administered showed increased phenol levels which peaked after 2 hours and faded after 6 hours, so the health benefits will fade away also.  The effects are not long lasting since the phenols do not remain in the blood stream long.
     The best way to get your chocolate phenols is through unsweetened baking cocoa.  It has almost 2 times the phenols of dark chocolate with no added fats or sweeteners.
    
"All you need is love.  But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."  Charles M. Schulz

     Today is a jog day for me.  I am very fortunate to have a county park nearby in which to run and enjoy nature.   So no excuses.  It is time to get out there.

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul."    John Muir

You are in a race for your life.

     Dr. Ruth Heidrich (Senior Fitness) discussed doing research on her cancer, and on the treatments available.  She started getting angry.  Why did she have to discover all this health information for herself?  Dr. David Servan-Schreiber (Anticancer, A New Way of Life) said the same thing after his cancer returned.  They both echo my feelings.  Why is this information not out there for the general public?  If the public knew they could cure their diabetes mellitus or heart disease or prevent cancer with this diet and exercise, wouldn't most people try it?  I think they would.  They should at least be given the choice.
     She recommends questioning authority, questioning assumptions, and being a critical thinker throughout your life.  It is difficult to think and act for yourself, but you are in a race for your life which started on the day you were born.  74 trillion cells in your body are depending on you to get it right.  Educate yourself and act. 

"Teachers open the door but you must walk through it yourself."  Chinese Proverb

Update:  Dean came home from the hospital.  He is on antibiotics for 2 weeks.  Hopefully his fevers will be gone.

There has to be a pony in here somewhere....

     In my last post I talked about Ruth Heidrich and the book Senior Fitness.  In the motivation section of her book she recommends practicing the technique of "reframing"...evaluating a situation but turning it around so you see a more objective and positive view.  She says to think of the worst possible scenario of things that can go wrong in life, then to look for advantages that lie therein, because there are usually some somewhere. 
     She refers to the story of the boy, who, when confronted with a room full of manure, said excitedly, "There has to be a pony in here somewhere!"
     I need to practice my reframing.  I love ponies.

A long weekend.

     Dean is in the hospital again this weekend...still dealing with his high fevers.  He is getting IV antibiotics.  Possibly they have found the cause of the fevers this time.  Hopefully he will come home tomorrow.
     Because of this, I have had lots of time to sit with him and read.  I have another great book to recommend to you.  It is by Ruth Heidrich, PhD.   She is one of the experts mentioned in "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall, a book I have mentioned previously.  The only book of hers available from my library is "Senior Fitness, The Diet and Exercise Program for Maximum Health and Longevity".   Don't let the title with the word "Senior" in it throw you off.  This book is for everyone who wants to live long enough to become a senior. 
     She discusses nutrition, exercise, and their effects on the various diseases of affluence.  It is also extremely inspiring.  Ms. Heidrich is an ultra-athlete as well as cancer survivor.  Her PhD is in health management, so she is capable of interpreting the results of the research she cites.  Her personal story is as valuable to the reader as her recommendations. Please consider it. 

Books can be dangerous.  The best ones should be labeled "This could change your life."
                                                                     Helen Exley

Update:  I am 2 months into this health journey.  I feel great on the vegan diet recommended by Dr. Joel Fuhrman in "Eat to Live."  I wish I would have tried it years ago, but will follow it from now on out.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu

      Today was a jogging day.  I passed the 100 mile mark for this year!
      I am working hard on developing "soft running" form, also called midfoot running or natural running.  It reduces impact forces and overuse injuries.  If I am going to run now and into old age, this is something I need to develop to keep my joints healthy.
      I first read about this in "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall.  The Tarahumara of Northern Mexico's Copper Canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental run this way.  They are very private people and live in widely dispersed settlements, so have a tradition of long distance running. All ages and both sexes are runners.  They are extraordinary at endurance running.  They have a running game that can last several days and cover hundreds of miles.  They use the toe-strike method of running. 
     Barefoot runners and minimalist shoe runners use this method.  It is something that must be built up slowly as our feet and ankles have lost the muscle strength they should have thanks to the very supportive shoes we all wear.  Liken it to wearing a cast for a broken bone...when the cast is removed much muscle mass has been lost. It is same with wearing supportive shoes for 59 years. 
     I have been working at this slowly.  I have been trying the form while still wearing shoes.  Taking short strides which land under the body, not ahead of it;  landing forefoot, not heel.  The secret will be to increase my cadence to 180 steps/minute.  I haven't timed myself but am probably still at 120 steps/min..... jogging speed.  I have tried doing a little actual barefooting, and am up to running about 1/2 mile that way.  If I increase the distance too much too soon I get right forefoot pain, so will take my time.  I do take walks in minimalist footwear.  I wear moccasins (Soft Star RunAMocs).  I also do foot strengthening exercises.
      There are several minimalist shoes on the market as of this spring made by nationally known running shoe companies.  I will soon go try some.  I will also revisit this subject again as I am reading other books on the subject, plus I will update you on my progress.  I am an experiment of one.

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.  It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed.  Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up.  It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve.  It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle--when the sun comes up you'd better be running."  A Proverb, often attributed to Roger Bannister, 1st runner to break the 4 minute mile.