Duckfeet Billy -

You had a great run this year; congratulations. Unlike last year when I
took advantage of Ken not realizing the race had started and was able to run in
the lead for about two blocks, you took off like a shot making me and Todd
think there must be a different barefooter up ahead of us in this year’s race
when we saw you up ahead within the costume hats worn by some of the runners as
the Crown of Queen Anne 3.3 mile fun run twisted and turned through
sometimes historic and prestigious (e.g. consulate General of Japan) residences
around the perimeter of Queen Anne Hill.

It didn’t take long for Todd to get his second wind and continue on ahead.
I was either lucky (or you were generous with your zilch training to opt not
to beat me after my accumulated 200 plus miles so far this year. Thank you!
Hereafter, we probably should credit Duckfeet Billy with a minute per year in
recognition of his being Seattle’s first RunningBarefooter and renowned as
poster of message no. 1 on RunningBarefoot’’s Yahoo listserve back in June
2002 but he’d eventually end up finishing before the race starts!

While we appreciated the new pavement on the gentle climb up the west bluff
to the final seven blocks down to the finish, that middle mile doesn’t get
much better, does it? I wish more cars would drive it and smooth out that
chip-seal!

In KenBob’s first absence in two years, Barefoot Todd came through with
flying colors (namely, only wearing purple poka dot running shorts) and started
gathering adoring TnT fans for possible enrollment in some of his mentored
California marathons. In the meantime, Cindy and some others may join us in
the
October 9 Royal Victoria Marathon. Though finish times are still pending,
by the time I made the final turn down the last blocks to the church, Todd had
already back-tracked from the finish at Coe Elementary School and was taking
pictures of us coming down the hill.

Afterwards, it was even nicer at Queen Anne Lutheran Church where the
presence of RunningBarefooters was occasionally mentioned by the race/costume
MC,
and even nicer when the post-race prize drawings included a $40 restaurant
coupon for Margaret and my two tickets to ($60value) for an upcoming
Mariners/Indians baseball game.

- jon

ps - we may not find KenBob eating pork-rib sandwhiches but Seattle most
famous running vegan (Scott Jurek who just topped off his seventh consecutive
Western States 100 miler with top honors in the 135 mile Badwater) met his wife
in a McDonald's Restaurant before they both became vegans! ”Western States
Dominator” (TrailRunner, November 2002 @ p.39)


In a message dated 7/17/05 2:15:51 A.M. Central Daylight Time,
email@... writes:

Today I did the 3.3-mile fun run at Queen Ann Hill. Present also were
Barefoot Todd, Jon and Margaret Everett.

I kind of did it cold. My idea of training was to make a run a letter
to the post office down the street. My feet are tender today after
this run, and my thighs feel like clay. I also developed a dry cough,
which seems to happen when I overexert. I don't know why. I told Jon
"I am not in as good shape as people your age." He kept himself in
shape his whole life. Lots of people did pass me. It was relatively
late in the run that Todd and Jon caught up behind me. They probably
used the start-out-slow technique. A number of times I ran onto the
sidewalk or grass to avoid really choppy pavement. But this time I did
the whole run barefoot. Since my feet were too tender to do a barefoot
hike today, I went barefoot kayaking instead. It's a 45 minute ride to
Kirkland across the lake.

I went over to a police man who was involved with marking out the run
course. I asked him "take a puff of your cigar so I can bask in the
aroma." It turns out that he recognized me from a cigar tasting that
the police sometimes stop in for. Now the cigar smoking cops know I am
a barefooter, but also barefooters know I am a cigar smoker.

We met a shod runner with long hair and a beard. We got a picture with
him because he looked like Ken. People will say "Look, Ken has shoes."
Of course people could just as well look at me and say "Look, Ken has
short hair now." I mentioned another possibility, a ken-look-alike
seen eating a pork rib sandwich.

See what happens when you don't show up, Ken? Our imagination runs
away with us - barefoot of course.

If you were wondering if it is right to teach your children that there
is a Barefoot Todd, there is. I'm a grownup and I believe in him. He
was right among us. Pictures should be coming soon.

* * * * * Shoeless in Seattle * * * * *
Billy






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