On the 6th May 2013 I ran my first proper real race, barefoot. I say race, I mean a leg of the Belfast Marathon. I've done some distance running before, a half marathon, various marathon legs etc but that was all done shod. I've been doing some longer runs in my Vibrams to keep up the fitness whilst my feet catch up, however the most I had run barefoot to this point was four miles... My leg of the marathon was just short of 5 and I had no idea of the terrain. I knew it was mainly roads but that's about it. As it happens, it was bad roads, stony pavements, car parks, tow paths and gravelly hell. But hey, all the training I did paid off and I totally nailed it. It was great! The extra distance really helped my form. Any discomfort from the ground I quickly absorbed by bending my knees and spreading my weight. But as much as terrain concerned me pre-race, it didn't worry half as much as all the comments I knew we're going to come my way!
If there's one thing about people from Belfast, it's that they love a bit of banter. For those that don't know, it's having a laugh, good naturedly, mainly at someone else's expense. It's not meant offensively, it's just our way. You got to be able to take it as much as you give it.
Anyway, I knew there'd be plenty of banter coming my way!
So, I went and bought a Mivue camera strap. It holds your iPhone in place, on your chest and has a wide angle lens to capture everything!
I cleared my iPhone of pretty much everything and tested the battery life when recording movies constantly. My first and only test lasted 56 minutes and was still going when I turned it off. 56 mins would be more than enough.
As turns out, it wasn't. The battery died on me at the 36minute mark. I'd used my phone in the three hour wait for the relay runners to get to me. Not much, but enough to sap 15-20% of battery. Gutted. I missed catching on camera my next door neighbour leaping out of the crowds in front of me near the end if the course, shrieking "COME ON ANDY!!!" and I missed the final stretch, crossing the finish line. But hey I got the best souvenir anyone could want on a marathon run, a film of my run from first person perspective. I've watched the full 36mins three times already.
Anyway I cut the film to three minutes to capture a little bit of the run and all the comments I could find in there.
Here it is. Hope you enjoy it.
Ps, please don't expect anything professional.
If there's one thing about people from Belfast, it's that they love a bit of banter. For those that don't know, it's having a laugh, good naturedly, mainly at someone else's expense. It's not meant offensively, it's just our way. You got to be able to take it as much as you give it.
Anyway, I knew there'd be plenty of banter coming my way!
So, I went and bought a Mivue camera strap. It holds your iPhone in place, on your chest and has a wide angle lens to capture everything!
I cleared my iPhone of pretty much everything and tested the battery life when recording movies constantly. My first and only test lasted 56 minutes and was still going when I turned it off. 56 mins would be more than enough.
As turns out, it wasn't. The battery died on me at the 36minute mark. I'd used my phone in the three hour wait for the relay runners to get to me. Not much, but enough to sap 15-20% of battery. Gutted. I missed catching on camera my next door neighbour leaping out of the crowds in front of me near the end if the course, shrieking "COME ON ANDY!!!" and I missed the final stretch, crossing the finish line. But hey I got the best souvenir anyone could want on a marathon run, a film of my run from first person perspective. I've watched the full 36mins three times already.
Anyway I cut the film to three minutes to capture a little bit of the run and all the comments I could find in there.
Here it is. Hope you enjoy it.
Ps, please don't expect anything professional.
