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A man from Southsea will be taking part in the Great South Run this year – but he will be doing something a bit different.

Jason West will be taking part in the Great South Run this year – but he will be barefoot.

He will be completing the entire 10 mile route across Southsea barefoot on Sunday (October 15) in a bid to raise money for

Jason said: “When Covid began and everyone was extremely bored, I decided to take up a hobby, even though it was winter time, going everywhere barefoot as much as possible.

Jason West will be running The Great South Run in bare feet

Pictured: Jason West with his dog, Horatio at his home in Southsea in September 2023

Picture: Habibur Rahman — Jason West will be running The Great South Run in bare feet Pictured: Jason West with his dog, Horatio at his home in Southsea in September 2023 Picture: Habibur Rahman

"I was in the park running with the dog – I thought I could run a ten mile race and I tested the theory and did a charity race.

"Towards eight or nine miles my quads, the top of my legs, completely seized up as if they were being squeezed by an Olympic wrestler and it was a feeling I never had before and hope to never revisit.”

Jason will be raising money for a Ukrainian charity by taking part in the run barefoot and he has been inspired to do this because he has taken in a Ukrainian refugee in to help.

For more information about Jason’s story, watch his video. Click here for more.

Great South Run 2023: Southsea man to take part in ten mile run across Portsmouth barefoot