I had a fortuitous conversation right at the start to my running journey. I had only completed eight miles (two miles, once a week over four weeks – it wasn’t looking good) when a friend recommended that I read Christopher McDougal’s Born to Run. The book argues that humans are natural runners who, as they mature in to adults, unlearn their natural running ability. The concepts discussed in the book – striking with the mid-foot, wearing non-cushioned shoes, running with grace - were all instantly appealing and exciting to me.

At this point, I had been practising yoga consistently for six months, and there seemed to be a connection between how my mind and body was developing and the interesting approach to running McDougal’s book seemed to be advocating. With no bad habits to lose – nothing to lose, in fact, but a pair of clompy New Balance trainers – I adopted a natural running style and haven’t looked back since.

More recently, I was standing outside my front door, about to set out on a barefoot run, and a neighbour remarked, “Ooh, you must have tough feet”. I nodded and smiled, embarrassed, padding off down the street. And then, as so often happens, the response that I should have said came to me: “No, not tough feet. Light feet”.