I don't know if we're technically enjoying an Indian Summer at the moment but either way I'm liking this warm, calm weather. Actually it seems we aren't by looking at the definition (we're not late enough in the year) but I'm not going to split hairs; it was nice enough for me to enjoy some park running and that's all that mattered this lunchtime.
Oddly enough I felt just as uncomfortable and out of sorts as I did at the weekend - which is a bit of a concern as it does make starting a run a lot less enjoyable. All of the way round St James Park and Green Park my lower limbs felt heavy and unresponsive; definitely not interested in the task at hand. So I decided that as soon as I reached Hyde Park I would take my shoes off and run barefoot along Serpentine Road - on the basis that it surely couldn't make me feel any worse! In the event doing this felt fantastic; properly great. Just like that I gained a spring in my step and a smile on my face as I traversed the tarmac, sand and grass (but watch out for acorns - they hurt).
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| Plenty of space here to run shoe-less |
After 10 minutes I returned to the world of normal attire but the benefits largely remained - my stride felt light and my gait more flexible. Truly a remarkable transformation for such a minor change. If I wasn't convinced before of the benefit of barefoot running I am now and it's just so much fun. All of the way back to work I ran at a fair clip and my path remained clear. The power of positive thinking or just plain luck? You decide!
Distance: 6.7 miles
Time: 54m 09s