Vitality West Run 10km in Parsons Green

I love the increase in sporting events in London, and this one's a great addition to the calendar. Very handy to capture an event when it starts literally outside your own house!

The Vitality West Run was a 10km run, starting along the New King's Road, winding around Fulham and Parsons Green, and then ending up on Eel Brook Common. There was also a 1 mile Family Fun Run for local families to join in. It started at 9am and fortunately the rain had disappeared, although it was still a little windy. The promised sunshine didn't really come, only occasionally peaking through the clouds.

I headed out with my camera to try to capture the atmosphere, some of the competitors as well as spectators. The competitors gathered on Eel Brook Common first, before being led down my street to the starting line, which ended up winding down the New King's Road into the distance.

At 8.55am we all stood in silence for a minute to show our respects to Paris. Then the race began, with the super-quick runners at the front, and a couple of thousand following behind.

Once the 10km race had started orange-dressed families lined up at the starting line for the 1 mile Family Fun Run. Lots of young kids raced off competitively, followed by slower family-members. I bumped into a couple of neighbours who'd heard the commotion.

Soon the family runners were finished and heading up the home straight to the finishing line.

I then dashed over to the finishing line just in time to see the first runner come in, at just under 30 minutes! A few others followed a couple of minutes later, before the crowds then poured across the finishing line.

I took lots of photos of the runners as they finished. There was an amazing array of emotions, from utter pain and exhaustion to relief and happiness.

Eventually my friend Mandy came in, so I felt I could put the camera away. Given she'd been out pretty late last night she did remarkably well!

Next year I'll join in; someone else can take the photos.