Although we had only one event planned for the day, it was definitely high action-packed: we were all registered for the Nike Run London 10K race in Hyde Park! Nike generously offered the World Harmony Run free admission to the race, for which we are really grateful.

The theme of the race was North London versus South London, with one side wearing green and the other orange shirts. The average times of all runners from both teams were taken and compared to see which side would win. Fortunately the rivalry was all play and a real family feeling reigned throughout.

It was a perfect day for a race: beautiful blue skies, mild temperatures and a nice undulating course through Hyde Park. Some of us planned to really race, while the others ran together as a team - accompanied by the torch - at a more moderate pace.

Paula Radcliffe was team captain of North London and Lord Sebastian Coe was leading South London. Both team captains started off the four different waves of the race, which totalled about 35,000 participants! Our North London team had the good fortune of standing really close to Paula when she gave the starting signal for the second wave, which she would also run herself. We presented her with our torch, just before the start of the race. Paula has supported the World Harmony Run before and was all goodwill and smiles as she accepted the torch and wished us good luck.

Since she is pregnant, she decided to run the race at a slower pace. To our joy, she actually caught up with us during the race and chatted for a short while. She ran a few steps with the torch and really made our day! Thanks Paula.

Our big group finished just over 46 minutes, which we thought was decent enough.

But the pride of our day was our Ukrainian runner Natalia, who completed the 10 kilometres in 38 minutes and 18 seconds and actually won her wave in the women’s division! Three cheers for Natalia, our hero runner (right)!

After the race was over we met with a few running icons from both the present and the past, who held the torch and offered their goodwill. First we met with Mo Farah, Britain’s fastest 5K runner, who took a silver medal in the recent European Championships Track and Field. Mo was very kind and all smiles as he held the torch. We also met the winner and the runner-up of today’s race. Chris Thompson was first in a time of 30:04. Like Mo, Chris is also one of Britain’s top middle distance runners of the moment. He was all enthusiasm and encouragement and told us he felt proud holding the torch. Thanks for your support, Chris!

Today’s race runner-up Andy Vernon also was all support for the Run and immediately stuck the World Harmony Run sticker on his tracksuit. He was the first one we met and was so kind to bring his friends Mo and Chris along to hold the torch and give their support. Thanks, Andy!

Then the Irish runners on our team got very excited when Sonia O’Sullivan came out to greet us. She is a former World Champion in the 5K and has won a silver medal on that distance in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Sonia was extremely kind and all smiles as she held the torch for the photograph.

For us it is so inspiring and encouraging when great athletes like those we met today come out to greet us and support our cause. Their inspiration and goodwill give us tremendous joy, which we carry with us while running through Europe. Since our run this year is almost over, we will try to maintain the joy we got today for next year!

After meeting all those athletes, there was only one person left who we hadn’t yet presented our torch - an athlete who has won a place among the immortals in the running world: two time Olympic gold medallist Lord Sebastian Coe. For as we were already on our way back to the vans we passed the starting area where the fourth and last wave was about to start. Seb Coe just climbed the dais, where his little daughter sounded the starting signal. At that very moment we were standing right underneath, so we handed him the torch. Lord Seb looked very happy indeed, holding our World Harmony Torch! It must have reminded him of the Olympic torch, which will make its way to London in 2012 under his guidance. For Seb Coe is now the chairman of the London Organizing Committee for the 2012 Games. Good luck in your organizing journey, Seb!

What a great day! We all stretched our tired limbs and retired for lunch and restful hours. That evening half of our team moved to the Park Inn hotel, where we were offered free accommodation. We are very grateful to the staff and management of the Park Inn for their generous offer. Special thanks to Deborah, the general manager.

– Abhinabha

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Distance: 10km (race)

Team Members:
Ondrej Vesely (Czech Republic), Andrea Fidrmuc (Slovakia), Amelia Lloyd (England), Stephen Guy (England), Abichal Watkins (Wales), Davala Stott (Scotland), Bhauliya Moss (Scotland), Laurence Idrissi (France), Sonia Bailles (France), Daniel Bailles (France), Shane Magee (Ireland), Colm Magee (Ireland), Ambarish Keenan (Ireland), Abhinabha Tangerman (Holland), Marc Schrader (Germany), Natalia Lehonkova (Ukraine), Edi Brodtrager (Austria), Erika Pongracz (Hungary), Angela Muhls (Germany), Zuzana Tobolkova (Czech Republic), Bakul Keaney (Ireland).

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

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