Ode to the Barefoot Runner

OR, Why Pete Likes to Run Barefoot

Pete’s story begins in days of lore, when Pheidippides ran from the battlefields of Marathon to Athens (25 mi) to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon (490 BC).

This professional runner/courier had previously gone 240 km (150 mi) in two days prior to his last run.

With his last bit of strength, Dippy, as he was more commonly known, squeaked out the words “Joy to you, we've won”, and promptly died. These words, centuries later, became a hit for the band, Three Dog Night (Joy to the World).

Pete was there (see photo of Pete on left - he still wears that outfit some Saturday mornings). It’s a little known fact, not even Wikipedia has it correct (and I used to believe everything I read on the internet). Pete ran alongside Dippy, both of them wearing the preferred running sandal of the times, Nike Air Sparta. Dippy, who had purchased his sandals at the local discount bazaar, soon saw them begin to disintegrate over the rough terrain. Pete, a loyal compatriot, gave Dippy his sandals. Running barefoot didn’t bother Pete due to his previous intensive training on the Erie Canal mule path. He actually preferred barefoot running and was known to ride his chariot in similar fashion.

You may wonder why Pete didn’t perish at the end of the grueling run? Pete drank olive oil along the way to stay hydrated and Dippy apparently thought that was crazy. In current times Pete has switched from olive oil to pickle juice.

Pete also paced Abebe Bikila during his first Olympic marathon victory in 1960. Abebe is a legend for finishing the race barefoot. He learned it all from Pete.

Obviously Pete has lived a long and interesting life. He has many more long runs ahead of him, including this weekend’s Toronto Marathon. We wish him well and hope all the water stops have pickle juice.