Barefoot Inspired Tattoo

Check out this awesome barefoot inspired tattoo! Dustin recently sent us some pictures of his new work of art. He recently got himself a barefoot inspired tattoo around his leg. Along with pictures of his new tattoo, he was also kind enough to give us the background on what inspired him to get the work done.

Hey BirthdayShoes,

I remember awhile back that you guys sent out an email featuring a subscriber's BirthdayShoes tattoo. I had been thinking about getting a tattoo for barefooting myself for awhile now and I finally got it done! I just wanted to share it with you guys!

Here is the story:

I got into barefoot running about 3 years ago. I would try to run in normal running shoes and get shin splints within ten minutes that would kill me for weeks! You see I was a big guy; 250lbs and 6'3". However I could go run around outside and play Frisbee barefoot for hours on end and be ready to go the next day. I got curious as to why this was and picked up a pair of Vibram Five Fingers and my life hasn't been the same since! I got into my school's exercise testing and research lab to figure out why I could run barefoot but not in my "running shoes". At this point I wanted to be a firefighter and personal trainer and my grades were terrible.

Once I got into the lab I discovered my passion for barefoot running as well as exercise testing and research. Which compelled me to get my Masters degree in Biomechanics. I turned my grades around and am currently finishing my first year of graduate school. I have dropped 30lbs and am running 3+ barefoot miles a day and loving it! I also have published my first research article on barefoot running and was asked to present the research at the international ISBS conference in Australia this summer.

I am considering pursuing my PhD, and my dream job is to work with a company like Vibram, New Balance, Newton or the such where I can test and recommend new shoe models that encourage us to run the way we were meant to! As you can see I wouldn't be where I am today without barefoot running! I decided to get barefoot footprints spiraling down my calf to celebrate how much my life has changed with barefoot running!

I get asked about my tattoo all the time now and it gives me a chance to spread the barefooting word! Thanks for listening! I've attached a few pictures of the tattoo as well!

Dustin

I love the work he had done. I think it looks fantastic. It is great that Dustin can combine his passion for minimalist shoes with his college degree. I am sure one day I will be wearing a pair of shoes that he had a hand in creating.

What do you think of his barefoot inspired body art? How many readers here have tattoos? Do you have a Vibram or barefoot inspired tattoo they want to share? Find out how to submit a story here.

About the Author — Robert Barr resides in Woodinville Washington. He is an avid FiveFingers enthusiast who enjoys writing about his experiences in minimalist footwear. After graduating from the University of Washington with a BFA in Photography he started Washington Home Tours LLC a local real estate photography company. He also enjoys being a Scentsy consultant. At the moment his favorite pair of FiveFingers are his Bormio boots. Get to know Robert better via his interview here.
Robert+ has written 19 articles and 80 comments.