10k in Hyde Park

This Sunday, I met with Barefoot Rick and we did the BUPA 10k together in Hyde Park. The weather was perfect for the run and we both started out in the front wave, which was nice. A friendly girl came and chatted with Barefoot Rick about running barefoot. I think it was her first running event ans she was very excited about it all.
I was feeling in good spirits, it was very nice to be joined by another barefoot runner, and in particular with someone as sociable as BFR. He was in a mood for having fun that morning and have fun we surely did.
My time was pretty good - finished in 43:01. This is very close to a personal best for me, which I think is somewhere around 42:50 sometime in 2006, at the Greenwich Meridian 10k, although this course is much better suited to a PB since it is so flat and barefoot friendly. Nice to know I am in pretty good shape as I start to ramp up my miles for the Snowdonia Marathon in late October.

Barefoot runners untie..

Two experienced barefoot runners will meet to take part in the BUPA 10k run this Sunday, the 20th July in London, Hyde Park.

I will be running alongside Rick Roeber, AKA Barefoot Rick, from Kansas in the USA. He has come a long distance to race against me in my home city. I wonder when I will return the compliment? It will be the first time I have ever participated in an event with another barefoot runner. It still remains a rare sport, even though the health benefits of all things barefootedness are gaining more and more acceptance amongst the more open minded. It makes much scientific sense for a variety of reasons. Indeed, some companies market "barefoot shoes". This is does seem like an oxymoron.

Barefoot runners untie!

I have also entered the Snowdonia Marathon in the autumn, and will run in the Bristol Half marathon a few weeks beforehand as a useful test of my preparations. Some fun to be had!