Royal Parks Half 2023

This was the pentultimate event of the 2023 season with just the Great South Run to come next week.

For early October, it was very summery conditions, which is great for photographers and spectators, but probably a bit rough on the competitors! It’s a notoriously tough course through the London Parks and with similar conditions last year, I remember there being quite a contrition rate with paramedics working very hard on the final straight – this year was the same.

A long day – getting in early, then out of Central London on trains/tubes with loads of kit is no fun, but it was a good shoot with about 16,000 runners taking part.

I was shooting ‘live’ so I only have some spare camera shots. I spent about 40minutes shooting starters in their waves, then headed back to the finish line in time for the first finishers. My favourite shot is the featured image here; the man with a fridge on his back surrounded in his own purple smoke/fog!!

Hoping for a dry and sunny day by the coast in Portsmouth next week!