Barefoot Marathon in Mile High City

As part of the 6-week Naked World Tour, I decided to enter a marathon which was on while we were in Denver.
The Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon is dubbed 'The Ultimate Urban Tour' & it definitely was a great way to explore the Mile High City. Apparently Colfax Avenue is the longest road in America so what better reason to hold a marathon on it?!

Having succumbed to a case of acute mountain sickness after a trail run a couple of days after arriving in Denver 2 weeks before, I hoped I had now adjusted to the effects of altitude.

Another challenge with this run was that it was to be my first marathon run in barefeet & longest ever run without shoes (previous furthest was the Hill 2 Harbour Half Marathon back home in Newcastle on April 1st, 2012).

The training while travelling had been steady but certainly nowhere the miles covered in the build up to my previous 4 marathons. The Fear The Deer Trail Half Marathon the week before was a good hit out. As final preparation I went for an 8mile & a 5mile barefoot run in the week of the marathon but managed to sustain a few cuts to the toes which I hoped would heal.

Race day presented perfect, clear, cool conditions for running, with temperatures in the low 40s (5-7C). The pre-race strategy was to first of all take it easy (directed by my footwear selection & lack of training), find some grass where possible & follow the painted lines on the road - as advised by Mark Cucuzzella in the 'pre-game huddle'.

Grass was easy to find early on as the race started inside Denver's City Park. But the catch was that the feet were fast losing sensation due to the cold dew. Once out of the park & onto the yellow lines of Colfax Ave heading Downtown, the feet found their feeling again & I could settle into a nice rhythm.

It was at this point we (my brother-in-law Chris & I ran together for the first 9miles) passed a blind runner & his guide. The blind runner, who I have been informed is well-known local running enthusiast, Kerry Kuck, on being told by his guide about the barefoot runner ahead, was quick to comment...'My dog also runs barefoot!'.

In the attempt to find the smoothest line in the road or path I found myself zig-zagging around the course a fair bit & in a moment of carelessness almost wiped out a fellow runner, who I later discovered to be minimalist running enthusiast, Todd Parker. Todd was kind enough to let me know I probably had right of way being a crazy barefoot guy to which I responded 'being crazy doesn't necessarily give you those privileges!'.

Running through Mile High Stadium (home of the Denver Broncos & less famously the Denver Outlaws) was a thrill which we got to enjoy on the way out & the way back. I made sure to run down the middle of the field each time & soak in the surroundings, which no-one seemed bothered by.

As the course headed West we entered the delightful little residential area called 'The Glens'. On arrival runners were greeted with Hawaiian lays accompanied by the dulcet tones of a John Denver Tribute Band (consisting of a guy playing a guitar), belting out 'Rocky Mountain High'...very fitting.

Just after the turn for home, around the 16mile mark, I came across a guy I had met the week before at 'Fear The Deer', Eric Blood, who was running his first ever marathon & longest ever run, in his Invisible/Xero Shoes. Eric had to be about the happiest guy on course & running alongside him for a couple of miles gave me an enormous boost. Eric had spotted my footprints on the path around Sloan's Lake earlier & was intrigued to find the mysterious barefoot runner.

Interestingly I was not the only runner with naked feet in the race. Alex Lopicollo (aka Barefoot Alex) was up ahead also running his first barefoot marathon. I must have spotted at least a dozen runners wearing Fivefingers as well.

Feeling pretty good after running with Eric, I decided to do something I'd never attempted in any of my previous marathons & probably not something a lot of other people have done.

Spread out along the longest stretch of Colfax Avenue were a number of live bands & musicians spurring the runners along with their uplifting tunes. On the way out I had the idea that it would be cool to jump on the drums for a quick bash then keep running. On the way back that is exactly what happened.

On the side of the road between mile 17 & 18 a funky 3-piece band was jamming out when I detoured off the course & approached the drummer asking if he wouldn't mind if I subbed in. After the initial puzzled look he obliged & soon we had picked the groove back up & were rocking! Apart from the fact that I love playing the drums, it was quite nice to have a seat for a few minutes!

Thinking I had better get back to the task at hand I jumped up, bumped fists with my new band-mates & continued running...much to the disbelief of the band & any onlookers! I'm still trying to find out the name of the band so I can get in touch to say thanks.

Fully thawed now, I was starting to notice the cuts on my toes reappearing which became a challenge which meant the search for the smoothest line for the final 4 miles was taken to a whole new level.

Soon enough though, City Park re-emerged & I was pumped to be heading down the finish chute to the cheers & high fives (& the customary strange looks) of the crowd. Who, it must be said, along with lots of fellow runners, were awesome with their support for the entire run. 

Big thanks to my fantastic support team Chris Laird, Shauna Laird & Gabby Robertson (plus bump)!

I was thrilled to finish with a time of 3:58 (best in shoes is 3:01) & even happier with the free beer & barbeque on offer soon after.

All up, a great day out & one of the most memorable & enjoyable runs on record. No PR (or PB) but I definitely bagged a new PH (Personal Happiest)!

More race photos via the Naked World Tour Facebook Photo Album

Worldwide Media Coverage of Naked Running

The wheels of momentum are starting to really turn in the world of Naked Running.

Runners World Magazine recently published an article all about the many benefits of running gadget-free:

Tech Time-Out - No watch? No tunes? Leave behind your gadgets and gain a new respect for your efforts. By Jen A. Miller

This article appeared in the May 2012 Issue of Runners World (USA) & the recently released June 2012 Issue of Runners World (Australia).

Also, just today The Naked Runners made an appearance in one of the major Australian newspapers, The Sydney Morning Herald (& also the linked Fairfax publication, The Age).

Titled 'Do You Run Naked?', the article highlights the proposed benefits of running 'naked' & poses a challenge to the reader to try ditching some of the distracting devices on future runs.

The author, Nick Galvin, himself a keen runner, went to the effort of trying this more stripped-back approach out for himself, after confessing he is a 'serial iPod offender'.

We were actually more concerned with his taste of music after admitting Whitesnake features on his running playlist...!

Galvin comes to the conclusion that... "As in most things, simple is probably better in running"

When an article like this is written, there are always divided opinions & plenty of people who get hot under the collar in defense of their choice to use whatever devices they want on the run.

Above all else, we should never forget that regardless of what people choose to wear or not wear on their run, the main thing is for us humans to do what we've been designed to do...move & move often. (We would add to this, move together).

The aim of the Naked Runners movement is NOT to tell people what to do, but give them the choice to approach running and movement in a different, more stripped-back way. Probably best summed up via this TEDx Talk.

To clarify our stance on the issue, I've added my own comment to the list which you can read here:

The fact is that humans need to be stimulated to move. In years gone by that stimulation came from a need to run, either to catch dinner, or avoid being had for dinner ourselves.

In 2012, this primitive form of stimulation no longer exists so we look for other ways to be 'entertained' while we run or exercise.

The easy option is to turn to the vast array of running gadgets on offer, ranging from the simple watch to advanced GPS/heart-rate monitors & iPods/MP3 players.

More and more, modern runners are turning to these devices in an attempt to remain entertained for the duration of the run. Making the experience of moving a bit more bearable.

But as we're seeing with a lot of things in the world, the easy option is rarely the best one.

Many of these devices are amazing & certainly have their place. But they should all be viewed as tools for use when the conditions warrant.

It is when we have an unnecessary over-reliance on them, that they become a distraction which diminishes the overall experience of the run.

The philosophy of The Naked Runners is to seek entertainment through other less-artificial avenues. This includes: finding beautiful places to run, running regularly with others, positive exchanges with other runners/walkers, varying terrain/footwear/effort.

When these options are unavailable, by all means strap the devices on & go for it. Because let's not forget, the single most important issue here is just to get people moving full stop!

We recommend you try going 'naked' at least once a week to begin with.

By adopting the 'naked' mindset more often, we are confident you will unlock the doors to a whole new level of entertainment & joy with your running/movement, that you previously never thought possible!

There has been some great discussion in the comments section of the SMH article. We would invite you to join the discussion yourself, either on the SMH site, at the bottom of this blog post or via our social media channels:

"Is it worth unplugging occasionally and getting back to basics - or would you no more head out without your iPod and heart-rate monitor that you would without your shorts?"

Learn to Run like a Kenyan

One man has dedicated the last 30 years of his life to identify the perfect running technique. He has travelled the world over and spent extensive time in Kenya working with some of the modern greats including David Rudisha and Augustine Choge. His name is Rob Higley, and The Naked Runners endorse his presence on planet earth to teach us how to run better.

This Saturday, in Newcastle Australia, a small group of runners will start a 4 week experience with Rob that will be a turning point in their running experience. The Naked Runners are pleased to announce that there are still a few places available and we extend the branch out to our mob to make it there if you can.

Details are below

• Cost for the full 4 weeks is just $80 or $50 for full-time student
• 2 hours each Saturday morning from 6:45 - 8:45am
• The squad will be limited to 12
• You must commit to all four (financially and in participation).  You can't just come to one.

To Register

Please contact Andrew Dodd andrew.dodd@optusnet.com.au or phone 0411 048780 and supply your email and mobile number.

More on Rob

Rob has recently relaunched his website:  http://www.robsrun.org/

Naked World Tour 2012

For those that haven't been listening to our Podcast, or following the Twitter & Facebook updates, currently there is a global Naked Running Tour happening & it may be coming to a town near you...!

So far, the six-week Naked Running Roadshow, which started in Newcastle, Australia on April 13th, has visited Cape Town & Johannesburg (South Aftrica), London & Edinburgh (UK), & is now in Dallas, Texas (USA).

Next stop is Denver & Boulder (Colorado), followed by LA (Californina). Before the Tour finishes up back in Sydney, & then Newcastle Australia in late May.

The aim of the Naked World Tour is to immerse ourselves in the different running cultures & communities around the world, plus meet up with some of the great thinkers & doers linked with running & in particular Natural Running.

Before embarking on the tour, Mossy set a challenge to come up with a list of running-based 'Hidden Gems' from each of the places we visit.

I'd like to share this list with you, as it stands so far:

Cape Town

- Newlands Forest My previous trips to Cape Town had involved mostly road running so it was great to find some off-road options. Set in front of the backdrop of the stunning Table Mountain, this network of trails provides plenty of options & is also dog-friendly.

- Lion's Head/Signal Hill Flanking Table Mountain are these 2 impressive landmarks which can be enjoyed by running around or to the summit.

Led by a crew of local trail-running enthusiasts (Running The Cape), a 'naked' group run was organised early one morning which took us on some great trail around the ocean side of Lion's Head & to the lookout on top of Signal Hill. We were blessed with an amazing sunrise over Cape Town casting a lightshow on the Table as the Mountain awoke, like the people below it.

- Green Point Park & Beachfront Almost by accident, we came across this beautiful, new green space that has recently been developed in the heart of Cape Town. Combining a run within the park with a run along the nearby waterfront path provides a great option for a run (barefoot friendly also).

London

- Bushy Park (Teddington) This area was referred to it in the recent Podcast as the 'Running Mecca' of London. Bushy Park provides a vast expanse of parkland around which to run, walk or cycle & is a popular area for elite runners to train. Every Saturday morning, several hundred runners line up for the Bushy parkrun, which I took part in...a great experience!

- Wimbledon Common/Richmond Park In search of Orinoco, Great Uncle Bulgaria & the other Wombles of note, I ventured into Wimbledon Common. The only furry, little creatures I spotted were squirrels but I did find a patchwork of great trails. These trails link up via a marked, circular course called The Capital Ring, to neighbouring Richmond Park, where deer roam free runners, walkers & cyclists are again spoiled for options.

- Hyde Park Nothing hidden about London's most famous, inner-city park but I did come across a great weekly event. The shoe company, Vivobarefoot have recently started a free Running Club in the park which is held every Tuesday evening at 6:30pm. A great practical way to learn about good running form.

Edinburgh

- Arthur's Seat via Duddingston Nestled beneath the famous volcanic landmark & lookout is the quaint village of Duddingston. Worthy of mention here is the charming Sheep Heid Inn dates back to the 14th Century (1360) & is recognised as the 'Oldest Public House in Scotland'. A great place to stop for a post-run pint after you've conquered Arthur's Seat via the stairway & trail nearby.

It was wet, windy & wild the day I made it to the top!

- Blackford Hill Having lived in Edinburgh for most of 3 years, in my opinion the best views of the city are had from the top of this hill, which is only an easy 20 minute run south of the city centre. It is overlooked by most tourists but for my money is a must for anyone chasing a great view of The Castle, Arthur's Seat & across the Forth to the Kingdom of Fife.

While we were back in town, I enjoyed a great sunny run with my mate Colin from Footworks, & his friend Karen. We elected to go around the back of the hill taking in some beautiful stream-lined trails.

You can catch up on the Special World Tour Edition Podcast Series Episode 1 & Episode 2.

And stay tuned for Episode 3 coming very soon. A compilation video of the Tour will be made available also.

"I'm not a runner!" - Uncovering your inner child/runner

This blog post was originally written for the Bounce Into 2012 Campaign. Check it out & sign up for some great tips & resources on swimming, cycling, running, triathlon, nutrition & race preparation.

Remember when you were a child and running around played a big part in your life?

It was a mode of transport, a way of getting into trouble, and more importantly, a means of getting out of trouble!

As we get older, we find we tend to slow down and running is no longer second nature. In its place are a whole range of less active endeavours, most of which involve sitting.

By neglecting movement however, we are cheating the very make-up of our body. The human body boasts many features that allow us to run farther & for longer than any other creature on the Earth.

'But I'm just not a runner!' - we often hear people say.

The fact is we all have the hardware that allows us to not only run, but run well & with ease. The trick is to reconnect our modern bodies with the ancient skill & art of 'moving swiftly by foot'.

Learning how to run is something most of us rarely do as adults. As kids we seem to figure it out pretty well, soon after we graduate from crawling, standing and walking. Most people just 'run the way they've always run' & never stop to give the fundamentals of running much thought.

Running, however, is a skill. To get better at it there are some fundamental concepts we can work on to help us tap in to the type of care-free, effortless style we once adopted as children.

On your next run, monitor what you do with your body. Some things to think of are arm movement, foot placement, vertical movement, breathing. It can be good to get someone to film you to see what you look like.

Once you've done this check out our page on the SOFT principles of running - a list of running fundamentals that will allow you to create the conditions to achieve better running form.

In addition, start watching & analysing other runners, research running form by talking to runners/coaches, reading books/blogs, watching videos, attending sessions, travel to Kenya to learn from the best if you have to! Surround yourself with information on better running & pretty soon you'll be running better.

The Naked Runners are hosting the 'Run Better' Workshop on Sunday 4th March (8-11am) at Nobbys Beach Reserve, Newcastle. This session is aimed at any level of runner to help them learn about better form, boost better performance & have a better time!  

Good luck and happy running!

Trail Running in NZ - 'Slice of heaven, yeah!'

'Da da da boomboom, da da da boomboom, da da da boomboom, da da dada dada'

Naked in New Zealand...

Recently I was lucky enough to enjoy a 5 day scenic tour of a picturesque part of New Zealand's South Island.

Having heard great things about the abundance of fantastic trails for running & biking in the area, I was pumped to experience them first hand.

Flying into Dunedin, (known appropriately as the Edinburgh of the South), we headed north to the dazzling turquoise water of the glacial lake, Tekapo.

First run of the trip was a short barefoot run along a path into town and around the lake front.

Total distance: ~4km

Next morning I went looking for a climb and found the trail up Mt John leading to amazing views from the lookout & observatory.

The view consisted of a mix of snow-dusted mountains, glacial lakes & wide, open plains - the sort you would expect to find a battle from 'Lord of the Rings' played out on.

Total distance: ~6k

More breath-taking scenery was discovered on the drive to Wanaka then through Cardrona & over the Crown Pass, the highest sealed road in all the land. Central Otago showing off it's splendour!

On the approach to Queenstown we made a stop at Lake Hayes. Our tour guide claimed this was her favourite run. Didn't need any more encouragement than that!

The trail loop around Lake Hayes has plenty of rolling ups and downs, with jaw-dropping views of the surrounding mountains at nearly every turn.

Not satisfied with just one loop I doubled up to enjoy it again.

Total distance: ~16km

Arriving in Queenstown, all the talk that night was about climbing Ben Lomond in the morning. As this would have been a more serious undertaking & we were pushed for time, it was decided to do part this trip & return another time to complete the full thing.

The Tiki Trail is the trail runner's alternative to a comfy ride on the Gondola. Plenty of zig-zags while climbing and keeping an eye out for bikers on the array of neighbouring bike tracks.

The panoramic views over Lake Wakatipu & Queenstown across to The Remarkables and other surrounding mountains were once again stunning.

A brief rest for a coffee and a date scone then onwards around to the track continuing up the the Ben Lomond Saddle & Peak.

Here we headed back down via the One Mile Track. I gotta say, running through the dense cover of trees, next to a stream was as close as I've ever felt to running through parts of Middle Earth. I think I spotted a few elves & ents on the way!

Total distance: ~15km

Before leaving Queenstown on the final day, we enjoyed breakfast at a lake-side cafe, before a barefoot run around the Queenstown Gardens & further along the lake. Again, magic conditions for running.

Total distance: ~5km

From the short visit I enjoyed, I can't speak highly enough of the great options for trail running, and just generally getting outside in New Zealand's South Island.

Will definitely be back!

Posted a selection of photos on our Facebook page.

Also, check out the short video of the trip:

For more info on NZ Trail Running check out Running Wild NZ.

Have you signed up for the Twitter Road Race?

Recently I read about a fantastic way of bringing people around the world, together through a combination of running & social media.

You may have read already on this blog about the concept of a Spirit Run. This is similar however the focus is not just around one specific event.

Instead participants are urged to go out, create & enjoy their own run (of 5km or more) on a set date, Sat Jan 21.

It's called the Twitter Road Race and the brains & inspiration behind it is @seedouglasrun, also known as Mr Doug Cassaro - a man who clearly loves to keep the run fun!

You can read Doug's description of the event before joining up to register, via his blog 'I run because'.

The Run Smiley Collective have also posted a great interview Doug did with @flintportable recently about the event.

Follow the twitter hype via the hashtag #twitterroadrace.

Participant numbers are already over 500!

Image courtesy of the Official Twitter Road Race Entry Form

Stretching the truth (Part 1)

Image by Toyosucks

In the Top 3 of the most asked questions from the Mob has been "What are your thoughts on stretching for running?". My response is "that's a great question".

For many years the thoughts have been that we should stretch before exercise, to limber up the body and prepare it for the onslaught of action. All in the name of injury prevention.

Anyone who played sport or did some physical education at school was taken through the pre-game routine in anticipation of the fun stuff ahead.

I remember a team mate who would never stretch before a game, "it makes me slower" was his reply when questioned on his perceived slackness. For me it was essential to my performance.

Now, as our scientific understanding of the body grows and we learn more and more about the function and capabilities of the musculoskeletal system, we are questioning the age old advice of stretching.

In this 3 Part Blog, we will explore the practice and science of stretching for running. The what, why, how, and should you of stretching.

A big part of The Naked Runners is the collective sharing of knowledge. Together we can all grow in our running journey. Your thoughts are a rich currency in our world.

So before we go on, I need to get some thoughts from the Mob. If you are reading this, that is you.

So where do you sit on this topic?

Do you incorporate it before, during, or after your run? Do you have designated stretching sessions? Or are you a confirmed non-believer and see it as a waste of time?

Post your comments below by clicking '1 Comment' (in blue).