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| That's Rosh in the background |
Thankfully, we both decided to do something about this and Rosh, who had ventured out running in the past, suggested that I join him. Not long after this we were signed up to our first Half Marathon. Most of the training for this half marathon we ran together and my running blog in this early stage may as well have been a shared one. We pounded so many pavements, put the world to rights and became fitter and fitter with each run.
Rosh is one of the greatest running buddies you could ask for, and I know he will become a returning feature on the training side of this blog....
1) Every story has a beginning, what first inspired you to start running?
I needed to lose some weight and my dad used to say running is the best way. He was a multiple marathon runner. When I was about 8 years old he used to wake me and my cousins up ridiculously early on a Saturday morning and make us go running with him. I hated it back then, but I learned a lot about running from those runs and now I go out on my own... who would of thought?
2) What do you find most rewarding about running?
I can eat more food and not feel guilty. I also love the way I can switch off from the world and be in my own space.
3) What tech/gear/apps do you use? Do you think it benefits you?
I have recently switched from Asics to Skechers running trainers. The jury is still out on them and I still miss the light weight Asics, I feel like I am cheating on the brand. I use a Garmin Forerunner 15 to track my runs and log them in the Strava universe. I used to be on MapMyRun, but a certain Mr Pondo made me change and I can honestly say I have never looked back.
4) What do you think about whilst you are out pounding the pavement?
I usually switch my brain off and not think. This is what I love the most. After a hard day it is great to get rid of the stress.
5) How do you balance family, work and training?
At the moment I am struggling with that balance and sadly running has taken a back seat. I was running at 5am to try and get the balance but my wife doesn’t like the alarm going off that early so it’s a little struggle to get a rhythm at the moment.
6) What is your training regime? How many times a week do you train?
I try to run about 3 times a week. If I can do 2 smaller runs and a long run on the weekends I feel like I have had a good week. I also try to blend a bit of core and weight training into too days I don’t run.
7) Do you have a favourite training route, why does this one stand out above the rest?
I have a couple of favourite routes. The first is a small 5K around my home town. It’s a good mix of inclines and declines without any overly steep inclines, it is all paved and has lots of street lights. This is perfect for the early morning runs.
My other favourite is a circuit that consist of running though local towns and a guided busway. It has some great views especially when you are on the bus route. The extra bonus is that once you are on the bus route there are no pavements and cars to worry about. As per every running route around my local area there are no flat bits, you are either running up or down a hill.
8) What are your fastest 5k, 10k, Half times?
My fastest 5k is 26.53, fastest 10k is 53.44 and I have only done 1 half so I’m not sure is counts. (Pondo Edit - it certainly does and you should be bloody proud mate - 2hrs 4mins 53seconds)
I am not a fan of collecting these things. I give my medals to my 2 year old nephew when he comes to support me, hopefully he will keep hold of them and one day I hope he is inspired to win his own. If the Tshirt is good I will wear it when I go running; otherwise my wife wears them for bed.
10) Any race or event which ones stand out above the rest and why?
I think the Trotters 5 mile trail run is the one I think about the most. I was running with another mate but he stopped running and I had the running bug so I decided I would enter a race. It was the first event I entered on my own, I wanted to see how my running compared to other people.
I remember arriving early and a lot of people seemed to know each other so I stood awkwardly on my own.
As the run started I dropped my car keys, there were about 400-500 people there that day and I had to wait for almost all of them to pass so I could pick up my keys. I was the last person to cross the start line and I set out running through Smithills Farm. In my naivety I didn’t realise a trail run was a grown up word for cross country running. The first bit was OK it was on tarmac, and then we went to a cobbled path then through a field, through to a dirt path then into the woods. I was picking off people a cluster at a time making my way through then in the woods was Smithills hill. If anyone has driven up there will understand how steep the road is, well the bit you can’t see from your car since you can only see sky, is just as steep and boggy. I got to that area and saw everyone walking but since I was a champion, a hero, a freaking legend! I decided to run up to the top. I made it up to the top overtaking at least 100-200 people and then fell forward I managed to catch a tree and held myself up chanting… “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.
The people I passed on the way up started to pass me. So I pulled myself together and carried on. Luckily the last bit was all down the steep tarmac’d hill. I manged to run to the finish and pick up the last Tshirt.
I now tell everyone only the top runners got a Tshirt since they didn’t give them to everyone.
11) Do you have any run superstitions, lucky clothing, routines that must be followed pre-race/run?
I didn’t have any running superstition until I started running with Pondo. He is a firm believer of the 3 grids superstition. I started to pick up injuries and little pains so I stopped running over 3 grids.
This is easy. I would run with Rocky through the streets of Philadelphia. I would want a Rosh and Rocky montage over Rocky music. I love a good montage “flying higher…”.
13) You are quite prone to injury whilst running, or in life in general, with leg, knee, back, neck and pretty much every other bone in your body causing you pain at some point. What is your advice for dealing with injury? Do you follow your own advice?
The warm up and cool down is just as important as the distance you are running. I am suffering with bad knees and lower back because I never did any stretching or foam rolling. I would also tell others to buy the correct footwear. I learnt that the hard way through blisters and bad knees.
I now do core work at the gym and lots of stretching and foam rolling. I do an active warm up before running to get blood flowing so that I don’t put too much strain on my muscles whilst they are cold.
14) Your dad was an avid runner, completing multiple distances including marathon events with no tech and a pair of plimsolls. Do you think the running gene “runs” in the family?
Absolutely not!! I think my dad ran because he wasn’t good at other sports and my uncle gave him company so it was something they did as brothers. The used running as a way to raise money for the Charity that helped my grandad after he lost his leg in an accident, but apart from them we don’t have any runners in the family. My reason for running was purely to lose weight.
Quick Fire Questions
1) Listen to music or alone with your thoughts? Music
2) Hills on purpose or stick to flats? Hills, don’t like them but they are the best thing for training.
3) If it is raining, do you brave it or wait till it stops? Brave it, I run better in the rain (probably so I can get out of it quicker)
4) Energy Gel, Banana or other? Yuk banana!!! I like the energy gels
5) Fill in the blank, "Running is relaxing "
6) What is next for you? I want to get back into a routine. Even though I said I would never do another half Marathon I want to get a sub 2hr time. Its been eating at me now for 2 years.
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