We are pleased to announce that Barefoot Ted McDonald, the guru of barefoot running world over is in India during the first week of February and has agreed to join us for the Bandra-NCPA Group Training run, scheduled to take place on Sunday, 5^th February 2012.  

He would also be joined by Anand Anantharaman who is a barefoot runner as well and who has completed the grand slam of marathons including running a marathon in the North Pole and recently held Marathon in Antartica.

A brief about Barefoot Ted :

"The Vibram FiveFinger shoes were initially used only by sailors. Ted McDonald saw the use for them in running. He had great difficulty in first convincing the makers of Vibram that these are good running shoes! The rest is history. In 2009, Christopher MacDougall wrote the book 'Born to Run', where he described the Tarahumras of Mexico holding a 100 mile race in the Grand Canyon. Ted ran barefoot in it, and from then on came to be known as Barefoot Ted. BFT lives in Seattle in America, and is an extremely affable person. He calls himeslef the 'Monkey Man', for, unlike humans, he has only one horizontal line in his palm, which incidentally, is a simian trait.  He always wears a monkey pendant, and is a great worshipper of Hanuman."    

An independent athlete committed to re-discovering primal natural human capacities and encouraging others to do the same. 

Having spent the last 7 years focused on mastering barefoot long distance running, BFT now focuses on sharing his insights through coaching clinics and speaking engagements. 

Many have come to know about him through the pages of Christopher McDougall's best-selling book "Born to Run", a book BFT likes to call his quirky PhD. thesis that he didn't have to write. 

Ted has been featured in numerous articles and frequently interviewed. He enjoys sharing his philosophy of running and life to audiences large and small. 

As "Barefoot Ted", he has played a major role in defining and popularizing the new/old concept of barefoot running and minimalist footwear to a new generation, being an early adopter of the current trend. 

BFT will start the run with us from Bandra and run with us all the way to NCPA. At NCPA he will have an informal chat with the fellow runners on barefoot running.   If you are lucky, you will also get to receive the book “Born to Run” toe-graphed by BFT.  

So common runners, lets join the run and have fun.

Date: Sunday 5^th February, 2012.

Time: Assembly: 5:15 am.

Start: 5:30 am Bandra starting point: Southern end of Carter Road Promenade, next to Otter's Club.

Destination: NCPA, Nariman Point.

Estimated distance: 19.5 K

Route in brief: Carter Road, Turner Road, Right at HP Pump, Bandra Talao, Mahim Causeway, at St. Michael's Church veer right on to Cadell Road, Hinduja Hospital, Shivaji Park, Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Bengal Chemicals, Century, Poddar Hospital, Right at Worli Naka, Straight down to Haji Ali (joins Mumbai Marathon route from here), Left at Cadbury House, Up Kemps Corner Flyover, Turn right and past Babulnath Temple, Left on to Marine Drive, end at NCPA.

Of course, runners can choose their own starting points, or join en route. For those starting at Carter Road, drinking water and toilet facilities available at Jogger's Park near the starting point, at a nominal entry fee of Rs. 2-. Park opens at 5 am. Free parking available in the space outside the park. No baggage holding facilities. You run with whatever you land up in. However, of late, runners have been getting their cars. Please check the developing thread to see if you can, after all, carry along a change of clothes.

Runners may also choose to load further mileage by looping Carter Road (single loop = 2.3K approx), looping Shivaji Park (approx 1.3K), detouring via Worli Sea face after Century (approx 1-1.5K added)  or to Mahalaxmi Race Course (single loop = 2.2K); or retrace back from NCPA towards Bandra or part thereof. The rest traditionally wait till all runners come in and then remove to Stadium Restaurant (Churchgate Stn) for breakfast.

As always, join the run only if you're in regular training and have done the distance before. In any case, all runners run at their own risk and take responsibility for themselves.