Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton Speaking at YOUR Next Event!

Publicity for your next Event

If you would like some publicity about your event posted on this website, consider offering some complimentary entries to a few barefoot runners, providing space for our BarefootRunning.com canopy, and/or inviting Barefoot Ken Bob (Los Angeles area – mostly), or Barefoot Todd (mostly Seattle Wa, West Virginia, and Los Angeles areas), or other notable barefoot runner(s) as (a) guest speaker(s) at your event or expo.

Then you’ll have a barefoot running tie-in, and we’ll be happy to post about your event, and especially about the barefoot runners and barefoot running guest speakers at your event!

Ken Bob wants to Speak at your Next Event!

If you are organizing a conference, convention, meeting, race expo, etc., and think that it might be educational, informative, or amusing, to have Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton, the founder of the original Running Barefoot website (1997), and co-author of the book, Barefoot Running Step by Step (2011), then INVITE Ken Bob to speak at your conference, convention, meeting, etc..

Booking Ken Bob Saxton

Ken Bob Saxton (2007 February 13) National Contract Management Association

Booking Ken Bob Saxton for Seminars, Barefoot Running Events, etc.

This barefoot running thing has become like a second job for Ken Bob, except he almost needd a third job to finance the travel for his second job, and time off from his first job, for guest appearances, and promotional events.

My Roadies; Flo Saxton, Pat Saxton, Running Barefoot 2003 Summer Tour

Ken Bob Saxton is and has been doing Running Barefoot”Play-Fun-Shops and presentations for more than a decade. JKen Bob have also been speaking and presenting at seminars, race expos, business meetings, and barefoot running festivals (eg: NYC Barefoot Run and Boston Barefoot Running Festival, The Running Barefoot 2003 Summer Tour, etc.) for several years. Ken Bob is definitely interested in doing more seminars and play-fun-shops (anything to get out of working!). However, the cost of traveling to each event prohibits Ken Bob from committing to more than a couple of pro-bono appearances each year. Due to his natural generosity in accepting invitations to appear at the many events, Ken Bob’s credit cards are nearly always maxed out (he almost got stuck in Brooklyn NY last year without cab or bus fare to the airport). So it is impractical for Ken Bob to accept most future invites, without some sort of financial compensation, at least to cover travel expenses, and time off from work (the job that actually pays my bills).

Accessibility

Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton DOES know some American Sign Language (ASL), and can use it in his speaking engagements (though at a slower pace – so if you can provide an ASL interpreter, that would be MUCH better).

Invite Ken Bob Saxton

This contact form is for booking Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton to be a guest speaker at your event. Please include the name of your event, location, date(s), time(s), and nature of your event when contacting Ken Bob.

Also may be used to contact Barefoot Ken Bob regarding past events you have hosted.

If you have general questions about barefoot running which should be shared publicly for Ken Bob, Please post as comments on an appropriate post, or in the Running Barefoot Forum.

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Outline of Presentation(s)

Typically Barefoot Ken Bob can provide presentations based loosely on the following (but not limited to) topics:

• The path to becoming a barefoot running guru (short intro of who I am, where I came from, and why you should listen to me)
• What you think you know about barefoot running is probably wrong.
• How barefoot running helps prevent injuries
• Ken Bob’s graceful barefoot running technique (short intro)
• Why many runners in minimalist  (“barefoot”) shoes are injured?
• Why it can be dangerous to learn to run “barefoot” on “barefoot friendly” terrain
• How shoes get in the way of learning safe running technique
• Why people who grow up barefoot tend to be better runners
• How NOT to break your feet in “Barefoot Shoes”!
• It IS about technique, not what’s on your feet…
• … why are so many shod runners injured so often?
• Why don’t (more) elite athletes race barefoot?
• When and where and why use minimalist footwear?
• What about glass and other hazards?
• Ken Bob’s graceful barefoot running technique (detailed version)
• Questions and Answers

Personal Stories

Woven into these topics will likely be related stories from my personal experiences running and racing barefoot throughout my life, as well as stories shared with me by others through the Running Barefoot website (the original barefoot running website – founded in 1997 May), and various online Forums (of which Ken Bob is owner/moderator of at least 2).

Presentation Length

Ken Bob has a difficult time knowing when to shut up, so he can provide presentations for 30 minutes up to 2 hours easily. And with a bit of free wine, Ken Bob has been known to ramble way longer. If time and travel permits, would also like to offer an informal and free Running Barefoot Play-Fun-Shop in the area of your event for locals, either as part of your event, or at a nearby public park on a day or evening after  your event (that way we can invite attendees of your event to the Play-Fun-Shop), or prior to your event (that way we can invite attendees of the Play-Fun-Shop to your event). In either case, we would consider and thank your event/establishment as the sponsor for the free event (both on this website and at the event – if you remind me).

Equipment

If you have a projection system that Ken Bob can connect to his notebook computer (VGA output, and mini-headphone plug), then we’re all set. Otherwise Ken Bob can bring his own projector and screen (or a bed sheet if not driving his car all the way to your event) and a small portable PA System ( You will need to provide AC power providing at least 750 watts of power).

Ken Bob Saxton: Producer

Ken Bob Saxton has also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio/TV/Film from CSULB – same school as Steven Spielberg – but it only took Ken Bob 8 years to graduate (Speilberg took 30…)! So be prepared for the possibility that Ken Bob will force your audience to sit through some short movies (related, of course, to the topic of Barefoot Running).

Financing Presentations, Tours, and other Running Barefoot Events

Ken Bob Saxton may be considered a guru of barefoot running, but I’m not talented at asking for money (I blame/thank my mom for teaching me that it is rude to ask people for money) so I am not asking for money… However, it will be financially impossible, or at least impractical, for me to accept most future invites, unless money is made available to pay for travel expenses (at least) , and, hopefully lost time from my first job (the one that pays my bills), making it possible for me to share with many more people, my experience running, walking, and living (at least part of most every day) barefoot for more than 50 years, and nearly exclusively barefoot for more than 20 years, and completing more than 400 races barefoot, including 79 marathons (26.2 miles) and a 50K trail race (31+ miles), as well as what I have learned from sharing with thousands of other barefoot runners through my website and forums since 1997.

Hosting Ken Bob

I am often willing to unroll my sleeping bag in a friendly host’s spare bedroom, living room, basement, even your garage … Warning: I am Vegan, sensitive to the smell and taste of coffee, animal flesh cooking, cigars, cigarettes, melons, perfumes, colognes, fabric softeners, etc. …  so maybe a nearby cheap hotel would be simplest solution. My sensitivity to these items range from “bothers me a little” (melons, as long as I don’t eat them), to “nausea” (perfumes, colognes), to irritating to touch (fabric softener), to extreme nausea and headaches (coffee). Most of the time I can tolerate these sensitivities in small doses, however, traveling presents enough stresses not to want to compound with further discomfort.

Ken Bob’s Speaking Fees and Expenses : Estimated cost for various Cities

Travel expenses are based on travel for two people (Ken Bob and his wife) from the location Ken Bob will be at before and/or to the location he will be after your event(s) (usually his home in southern California – ie: LGB, SNA, or LAX airports, unless he will be at another consecutive paying event before or after your event in which case you will not be charged the full cost of travel between the two events – unless you have agreed to sponsor the other event). If his wife can’t travel with him, he may still charge you, since she will be taking care of the household while

Ken Bob likes to travel cheap (using search engines to find the cheapest most practical flights, hotels, and car rentals – if needed), so expenses will be reasonable, though he would expect to stay a minimum of 3 days when traveling by air.

Here are some example estimates (actual costs may vary, probably lower) for inviting Ken Bob to speak at an event in various locations:

• City: location of event, presentation, etc.
• Total (estimated):  be sure to ask about our family and friends rates and pro-bono presentations for good cause (if I can afford the expenses or will be in the area anyway)
• Days: minimum duration of travel (including travel time – sorry I don’t do “time travel”… yet…) The further you are away from my home, the more time I expect to spend there (no sense flying 3000 miles just to do a one-hour presentation)
• Talks: Minimum number of presentations charged for during trip, not including at least one free Running Barefoot Play-Fun-Shop (which your organization will get credit as the sponsor)
• Books (estimated gross sales by Ken Bob): Expected book sales, 25% of gross sales deducted from Total.
• (Speaker) Fee: $250 each talk/presentation + $100 each additional day of travel and time from work (the job that pays MY BILLS!)
• Airfare: based on LGB, SNA, or LAX round trip to destination airport (2 person – what? you expect me to leave my wife at home?)
• Lodging: Hotel, food, etc., but may be reduced or eliminated by hospitality of friendly local host
• Ground (Transport): airport shuttle(s), taxi, mass transit, fuel, mileage, routine maintenance, car washes, shipping of auxiliary equipment (or excess baggage fees for large items), shoes for walking … just kidding
• Other (Expenses): Taking care of business at home (house-sitting, etc.)
• Oversea: 1 if outside contiguous 48 states, 2 if outside the United States
• To: Distance to destination
• From: distance From destination
• Round Trip (distance): Usually to and from my home (used to estimate minimum Days of travel, and travel expenses). May vary if I am traveling to or from your location, from or to someplace other than my home.

These figures are estimates and will tend to be on the high side… I would rather when you hear the final cost, you’ll be relieved, than ticked off at me… Obviouvly airfare, hotel, and other travel expenses I have no control over, but will certainly shop for the most practical prices.

Sharing Expenses with Multiple Events

Cathy and Herman ready for a summer road trip

Every couple or few years, my wife, our dog, and myself take road trips around the United States during June and July, so if your summer event falls in line with those travel plans, you and we would save immensely on air-fare, however we would require extremely dog-friendly accommodations (Herman is 85-90 pounds including a few pounds of hair).

To to invite Ken Bob Saxton to speak at your event, use the contact form above (let us know if you can provide accommodations, ground transport, or if we need to find a local hotel, car rental (except during our road tours), etc..

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