2023
In modern times, people are very disconnected from nature. Most people see nature and themselves as two separate entities which, to Tom, is fundamentally wrong. Having grown up by the ocean and encouraged by like-minded parents, Tom has always felt an innate connection to nature. This was amplified by his recent move to the compelling Cornish coast.
‘People see nature as a hobby, but I am nature’.
With this connection also comes an element of protection; he feels for the state of the planet and with the decline in local biodiversity becoming more apparent year by year, efforts to protect and revive the landscapes that he fell in love with felt increasingly more important to Tom. He refused to take a backseat in the conservation of the place that he now calls home.
Helman Tor, Cornwall, was previously an environment rich with biological diversity. Granite landscapes, woodland, marshes, and lakes cover over seven hundred acres of land that provides a home to animals big and small. From the highest peaks in the area, both the South and North coasts are visible, showcasing the extraordinarily rough terrain that Tom traversed over his forty-two kilometres of barefoot running.
The Tor’s rich industrial history was imperative in the creation of its untamed present state. Rarer species of insects, birds, mammals, and reptiles now thrive while the land simultaneously holds equal importance culturally to locals. Semi-natural, sacred, and historical landscapes, such as Helman Tor, have a significantly higher level of biodiversity to untouched moorland so the protection of these areas is vital to maintaining Cornwall’s beautiful landscape.
After involving himself with a wildlife-based charity focussed on returning Helman Tor and the surrounding area to its natural, wild state, Tom decided to put his feet, body, and mind to the test by running a marathon shoeless to raise awareness and funds for the cause. The run was just as essential to Tom personally, wanting to return himself back to a more primal version of his current self to reconnect with nature.
In the early hours on the day of the event, the morning sun rose over moorland hills and tensions were high. Drowsy eyes met pink skies as tingling fingers apprehensively picked at a raw beetroot, a pre-run energy boost packed with carbohydrates. Having never run a marathon before, questions were not only raised surrounding the ability to perform the race barefoot, but also about whether Tom would be able to finish at all. For Tom however, there was never any doubt. Whether it would take him eight hours or three, he was finishing this race.
The air was ripe with nervous energy as hundreds of other runners huddled around the start-line, but Tom’s bare feet stood alone. The buzz of anticipation in the air was almost visible. And then, he was off.
He started off strong and confident; the first stretch of the race was tarmacked road, providing a smooth and level surface for his feet. As the race continued, the roads grew old, and Tom’s feet were confronted with varying sizes of rocks and gravel. Blisters and bruises started to appear, painting the balls and heels of Tom’s feet a multitude of shades of reds and purples.
‘Every step hurt. From the half marathon onwards, I was just running on watery blisters, I could feel them moving at every step’.
Even during the stretches of soft grass fields, that were few and far between, the pressure in Tom’s joints pulsed hard. These lengths of pillowy grass did however provide much needed respites on the bases of Tom’s feet. Through these fields, he could fly. The painful restraints of the uneven floor hitting the wounds on his feet were, for a time, not a consideration.
At other times, the pressure built up in each blister proved too much. During a more testing stretch of the race as Tom pushed his foot into the earth, as he had hundreds of times before, one of the larger blisters on the ball of his right foot popped, causing an eruption of blood and puss to spray up his leg.
‘The entire time was a battle’.
Now, with over half of the race behind him and the open cuts leaving patches of blood on the trail below, the challenge changed to more of a mental one. He was fronted with incline after incline, digging deeper within himself than ever before.
Calling him to the finish line was a collection of family, friends, and members of the charity responsible for the rewilding programme that inspired the whole endeavour. In training runs previously, the thought of this cohort alone had brought Tom to tears. And now, this vision was proving enough encouragement to keep placing one foot in front of the other, counting down the distance step by uncomfortable step.
After over six hours of running, Tom approached the finish. The cheers of his loved ones echoed across the final stretch and rang deep within his ears. Feet that were bruised to the bone kept carrying his weight until the finish line, in which he crashed into his mother’s open arms. With tears streaming down his face, a warm glow emanated from Tom as words of pride and admiration showered over him.
In the days following, Tom was full of joy. Having not only completed an intense test of physical and mental ability, he was also able to witness his message and intention spread throughout the minds of the people he holds the closest and the intrigued public. These thoughts turned to words which then manifested into tangible good. Over one-thousand pounds was raised for the rewilding of Helman Tor, promising the land a reintroduction of grazing cattle, ponies and pigs and the wetland ecosystem engineers: the beaver. These funds will also ensure that the Tor is made more accessible to the public, allowing people of all abilities to immerse themselves in nature.
For Tom personally, the achievement rang deeper on a personal level. The money raised was of lower importance.
‘For me, it was almost like a right of passage into adulthood.’
After conquering this huge task, he now knows he can achieve anything he sets his mind to and feels that his connection to nature is stronger than ever.
While a barefoot marathon might not be within every person’s capability, the run’s core message holds true. Viewing ourselves as separate from the Earth, does neither us or the planet any good and even small, shoeless steps in the right direction can create visible change for the planet, but also within ourselves.
Allow yourself to walk barefoot through nature, feel the earth between your toes and the solid ground underfoot. Grasp this connectivity in the palm of your hand and let it seep into every aspect of your being.
Rewild yourself.