Sam Hensen-Thompson of Perth, Australia, has by no means been a runner or a fan of “land sports activities,” however at some point after he couldn’t discover a pair of trainers for a trot alongside the seaside path, he determined to take issues into his personal fingers and run in model sporting his seaside thongs.
Now, after just a few runs in thongs, the 24-year-old surf coach is set to finish a marathon.
Thongs, to not be mistaken for ladies’s underwear, is the Australian time period for flip flops or sandals. The Aussie model contains a rubber sole held to the foot by two straps that meet between the primary and second toes.
For what began as a 10K jog, Hensen-Thompson labored his method as much as a good 1:51 “thong” half marathon final week. “The half was not simple, however it wasn’t as arduous as I believed,” says Hensen-Thompson. “It took 11 kilometres to settle in, then I put the hammer down for the final 10.”
You would possibly assume going for a jog in sneakers is tough, however former ironman, Sam Hensen-Thompson, is planning to run 42km in thongs! And all to lift cash for Perth Youngsters’s Hospital.#TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/Be73Fa0i3f
— The Undertaking (@theprojecttv) January 13, 2023
“I’m planning on doing the marathon in late February, however at the moment checking out logistics and the place to complete,” says Hensen-Thompson.
It’s at the moment the center of summer time in Perth, and most of the marathons in Western Australia are in the course of the winter season. “I need to accomplish this objective ASAP,” he says. If his marathon goes effectively, Hensen-Thompson is contemplating working 100 km in thongs.
Hensen-Thompson says the final time he ran was in highschool. “I contemplate myself extra of an ocean man,” he laughs. “I’ve been coaching for the marathon although—don’t fear.”
The objective of his run is to lift $5,000 for a selected trigger very near him: “I’m elevating cash for Perth Youngsters’s Hospital. As a surf coach, I take care of children daily—the considered making an affect on children pulls just a few of my heartstrings,” he says.
Hensen-Thompson will likely be sporting the Aussie thong model Pistol Menace for his marathon. “These beauties are designed for all-terrain,” he says. “They’re wider and thicker than your conventional thong, making them extra sturdy and comfortable for the lengthy haul.”
To donate and skim extra about Hensen-Thompson’s “mara-thong” trigger, go to his GoFundMe web page.
