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RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK
IN THIS ISSUE JULY
2019

REGULARS WARM-UPS HUMAN RACE FEATURES COACH GEAR RACE

‘THIS DOESN’T
SEEM RIGHT…’
RW writer and ultrarunner
Damian Hall tackles the
61-mile, 47-peak Paddy
Buckley Round in Snowdonia
and becomes only slightly
lost in a valiant attempt to
complete it in under 24 hours

ON THE P11 Instant Calmer The easy way P44 ‘Running Is My Religion’ P68 Your Best Shape Ever The
to run off anger for good Snooker superstar Ronnie training plan that gets you
COVER O’Sullivan on his real fitter, faster and stronger
P13 Pimp Your Stride More spring sporting passion
Photographer
Sean Laurenz in three simple steps P78 6 Quick Form Fixes Simple
Model Dominique P50 Eat This For More Energy moves to loosen your shoulders
Scott-Efurd P34 Special Report: Can Running Vitamin B is a nutrient that’s and help you run faster
Clothing Adidas
Save The NHS? How we can often forgotten: bad idea
outrun…heart disease, cancer, P85 On Test: Shoes For Extra
diabetes and obesity, and help P60 40 Best Podcasts For Runners Speed Pull these on and feel
preserve our beloved institution Readers, time to listen up like you’re flying this year

004 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


CHECK
HOUND EFFECT
One man
and his

OUT OUR
many dogs

NEW
WEBSITE!
Training, gear, news,
health, nutrition,
races and more. Visit
POD WILLING runnersworld.com/uk
Run and get smart
at the same time

REGULARS FEATURES

P08 Rave Run Westbury White P54 Chasing The Dragon


Horse, Wiltshire RW’s Damian Hall takes on THE SOLE TRUTH
the monumental Paddy
P98 I’m A Runner Rugby League Buckley Round in Wales We get to the bottom
legend Kevin Sinfield of the latest running
shoes, where all the
COACH real action is.
WARM-UPS runnersworld.com/
P74 The Run-To-Lose Problem uk/shoesoles
P15 Nutrition Fast food: now more How to avoid those dieting traps
unhealthy than ever!
P75 Fast Food We bust five
P17 Mind+Health Find yourself a common nutrition myths
speedy friend and get faster
P76 Eat Nuts And Bolt Nut butters
P19 Injury Low-drop shoes may be can play a central role in a meal
Get a leg up, p13
bad news for good runners
GEAR
HUMAN RACE HAIR-TRAFFIC
P80 Top Trumps We review and CONTROL
P21 ‘I’m not ready to give up’ rate 20 new running tops
Debbie Moulton refuses to let 16 snazzy race-day
asthma curtail her running P86 On Test Optishokz Revvez: tips to keep your
P H OTO G R A P H S : DA N R O S S , M I TC H PAY N E , M AT T R A I N E Y, LU C K Y I F S H A R P

sunnies and headphones in one! hair out of the way.


P24 Murphy’s Lore Free from the runnersworld.com/
marathon, Sam runs for fun uk/runninghair
RACE
P25 The Secret Life Of…the dog
runner. Milo Royds loves his job P88 The Main Event The Bath
Running Festival
P26 Your World Your views
P91 Route Recce The Stonehaven
P29 Social Movement The Fly Girl Half Marathon
Collective has been a huge
success for BAME runners Do your nut P92 Race Numbers Race to the TIME TRAVEL
(butter), p76 Stones: the statistics
P30 By The Numbers Age is no Want to know what
barrier for Rudolph Ingram (7) P93 London’s Hidden Treasures race time your
and Gene Dykes (71) See the capital on the run current pace will give
you? Here you go.
P31 Tonky Talk Paul runs a slow P94 Start List Great runs to do runnersworld.com/
marathon and has a great time in July. Get out there! uk/paceconverter
Andy Dixon
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JUSTINE BOUCHER Head of
Subscriptions Marketing
VICKY CHANDLER Subscriptions
Marketing Manager
EDITOR’S
JOE MACKIE Deputy Editor
KERRY MCCARTHY
Commissioning Editor
RICK PEARSON Section Editor
SEEMA KUMARI Digital
Marketing Director LETTER
JOHN CARROLL Chief Sub Editor EFFIE KANYUA Head of PR &
Communications RONNIE O’SULLIVAN
What do you FAY JENNINGS Head of PR
is one of the high-profile
WAYNE HANNON Creative Director BEN BOLTON Deputy Head of
JACK TENNANT Art Editor like to listen PR & Communications runners we’ve wanted to
CLARE FENNY PR Manager feature in the magazine for
to on the PR ENQUIRIES media@hearst.co.uk
years and I’m glad to say we
BEN HOBSON Digital Editor
JANE MCGUIRE Deputy Digital Ed run? finally got him – check out
VICTORIA ARCHBOLD Director of the interview with him on
Events & Sponsorship, Hearst Live
‘Spotify’s Running
Hits playlist, or JENNI WHALE Events Executive,
page 44. I’ve always found it
JO PAVEY Contributing Editor
MARK BUCKINGHAM, the Running Hearst Live fascinating that one of the best snooker players
R&B/Hip-Hop MEGAN DUFF Event Marketing ever (the best, many would argue) is also a
LAUREN CLARK, STEPHEN playlist if I’m
GLENNON, DAMIAN HALL, and Campaign Manager talented and committed runner, with a very
switching to
ALLY HEAD, GEORGIE LANE- beast mode!’
GODFREY, LESLIE GOLDMAN,
impressive 10K PB of 34:54 and a race win on
– Philippa Turner
PETE MAGILL, JAMIE MILLAR, ROGER BILSLAND his running CV (fittingly, for a man nicknamed
ADRIAN MONTI, SAM MURPHY, Production Manager ‘The Rocket’). One of the things I’m always
‘I find music
KIM PEARSON, EMILY or podcasts PAUL LOCKETT
PRITCHARD, ISAAC WILLIAMS distracting when Senior Ad Production Controller trying to convince my non-running friends of is
I’m running. that the benefits of running spread into other
However, I
was testing
areas of your life. This is certainly true for
JAMES WILDMAN CEO
CLAIRE BLUNT Chief Operating
earphones one
TROY YOUNG President Ronnie, who credits running with keeping the
day and Louis
Officer Prima’s Buona SIMON HORNE SVP/Managing things that are important to him – family,
ROBERT FFITCH Chief Strategy Sera came Director Asia Pacific & Russia relationships and snooker – much more stable.
Officer on; I swear, I RICHARD BEAN Director of
ran faster for International Licensing and
‘Running just makes me feel so much better
ALUN WILLIAMS Managing
Director, Health & Fitness
several minutes. Business Development about myself,’ he says. Amen to that.
Perhaps there’s
SURINDER SIMMONS Chief something to this
KIM ST. CLAIR BODDEN SVP/ Elsewhere (page 34), we look at how more
People Officer Editorial & Brand Director
music thing.’
CHLOE O’BRIEN Deputy Brands
physical activity might take pressure off the
SOPHIE WILKINSON Head of – John Carroll
Editorial Operations Director NHS by preventing medical conditions such
CLARE GORMAN Chief ‘I run to get away
SHELLEY MEEKS Executive as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, whose
Operations Director Director, Content Services
from the tyranny treatment costs are projected to rise in future.
JUDITH SECOMBE Managing of technology.
Director, Hearst Brand Services No music, no And finally, we list the 40 best podcasts for
JANE SHACKLETON Brand wires, no watch.’ Call our subscription enquiry line on 0844 848 runners (page 60). The list includes The RW
– Rick ‘Caveman’ 5203 for annual rates for the UK, back issues,
Development Director,
Pearson enquiries, change of address and orders. Lines UK Podcast, the inclusion of which we stand by,
Health & Fitness
JESSICA HOWLEY Acting Senior
open Mon to Fri, 8am to 9:30pm; Saturday,
8am to 4pm. Subscription address: Runner’s
as we think it’s rather good. So much so that
Marketing Manager ‘On my long World subscriptions, Hearst Magazines UK Ltd, it’s now weekly – download it at acast.com and
Sunday runs I
PHILIPPA TURNER Senior listen to random
Tower House, Sovereign Park, Lathkill Street,
Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 9EF
let it tickle your eardrums on your next run.
Marketing Executive Spotify running RUNNER’S WORLD is published in the UK by
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of Travel rest of the run.’ RUNNER’S WORLD is a member of the
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Sales & Marketing Save The NHS? – on p34 in Plan B on p50

006 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


RAVE RUN

WESTBURY WHITE
HORSE, W ILTSHIR E

THE EXPERIENCE
Salisbury Plain is home
to some of the wildest
trails to be found in this
lovely part of Britain.
Perfect for exploring on
foot, this windswept
escarpment is scattered
with the remnants of
a long and varied human
history, from the replica
East German village at
Imber and the World
Heritage Site of
Stonehenge to Wiltshire’s
famous white horses.
The Imber Range
Perimeter Path runs for
33 miles around a live
firing range, taking in
some of the remotest
reaches of the plain.
With plenty of intriguing
sights and occasionally
cryptic waymarking, it’s
a real adventure of a run.

RUNNER
Jen Benson

PHOTOGRAPHER
Sim Benson

ABOUT
Jen & Sim Benson are
runners and guidebook
authors. RW readers can
buy the fully updated
2019 edition of their
book Wild Running, with
a 30 per cent discount
and free UK postage,
from wildrunning.net,
using the code RW19.
JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 009
FITNESS NUTRITION MIND+ INJURY
HEALTH

WARM-UPS
The TIPS YOU NEED to GET UP to SPEED
WO R D S : S T E P H E N G L E N N O N . I L L U S T R AT I O N : I K E R AY E S TA R A N 1. M E D I C I N E & S C I E N C E I N S P O R T S & E X E R C I S E

A NE W STUDY 1 has shown what your


loved ones probably already knew:
exercise helps dissipate anger.
However, it’s important to clarify the
difference between anger as a mood
and anger as an emotion: mood lasts
longer and is less associated with an
immediate trigger, while the emotion
is shorter and usually a reaction to an
event. Exercise was found to have no
effect on the emotion, but not only
did it reduce participants’ angry
mood, it also made them less likely
to be in that mood after the exercise.
So if you can’t shake that cranky

RAGE TURNER
feeling, leave the rage on the road.

Running helps you deal


with !!**@%!# anger

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 011


WARM-UPS FITNESS

SPRING
THEORY
If you want to
become a quicker
runner, get
some air

IF YOU THINK ELITE RUNNERS always look THE LEANING POWER


like they have more of a spring in The single-leg deadlift
will add bounce to
their step than the rest of us, new your running form
research1 has just proven you right.
The study compared recreational
and elite runners running at the same
speeds, and found elites have a more
‘bouncy’ running style. They spend 11
per cent more time with neither foot
touching the ground, which was in 3 EXERCISES FOR A BOUNCIER RUNNING STYLE
contrast to the flatter running style
– meaning more ground contact time
– of the recreational runners.
‘The elite are in the air more, and
1. Single-leg deadlift 2. Weighted 3. Single-leg
as soon as you’re in the air, it’s a free
squat jumps sprinter jumps
ride,’ says senior research fellow
Dr Steve Preece. However, he also Plant your left foot firmly.
warned that runners who attempt to Extend your right leg back Holding a weight in each With your right leg extended
go faster by increasing stride length as your torso tips forward hand, lower into a squat. behind you, left leg bent at
may risk reducing the bounce factor at the hip until your upper Without pausing, power the knee, power up through
and end up actually going slower. body is parallel to the up, extending through your the left leg, straightening it
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H : M I TC H M A N D E L ( E X E R C I S E ) G E T T Y I M AG E S

Try these three exercises (right), ground. Repeat for both hips, knees and ankles, and while bringing your right
recommended by Everyone Active, sides and do 10 in total. Add keeping your body straight knee up. Repeat on the other
to put some spring in your step. weight to increase difficulty. as you jump. Do 10. leg and do 10 in total.

SIX
running economy means
THE MARGIN WALL you run X per cent faster,
You know that mate who the study shows that for
portions out every meal slower runners, a one per
and cuts his own hair to cent increase in running
ensure he can buy state-of- economy actually makes
the-art shoes? A study2 has that runner 1.17 per cent
shown that, if he’s a slower faster. An elite runner,
runner (9min/mile), he’s however, would only be
probably gaining more 0.65 per cent faster. So
from these marginal gains if you’re starting out as
Percentage (on average) by than elite runners are. a runner, make sure you
While the assumption enjoy these gains. Because
which runners slow down always was that an X per the faster you get, the
during a marathon.3 cent improvement in harder it gets to get faster.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 013


NUTRITION
FAST
WARM-UPS

ABOUT A SOY FOOD’S DESPITE THE EFFORT S MADE BY SOME fast food chains to offer
grilled food and other healthier items, fast food is bigger,

GETTING
Women reach peak bone more calorific and saltier than ever. That’s according to
density in their twenties, new US research1 that looked at 10 fast food restaurants,
after which stress fractures including McDonald’s, KFC and Burger King. The study

WORSE
become more common. found that mains and desserts have grown significantly
Luckily, the key to future- in size and calorie content since the 1980s.
proofing your skeleton
could be in your fridge –
specifically in soy-rich
foods. That’s according to Takeaway food is bigger and
a study by the University of badder than it was 30 years ago
Missouri. ‘The findings
suggest all women might
see improved bone strength
by adding some soy-based
wholefoods, such as tofu
and soy milk, to their
diet,’ said Pamela Hinton,
professor of nutrition
and exercise physiology.
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : M AT T R A I N E Y, G E T T Y I M AG E S 1. J O U R N A L O F T H E ACA D E M Y O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S . 2 P E E R J

WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY
Don’t fret about downing
your protein shake the
moment you stop running.
The refuelling window may
be bigger than previously
thought, according to new
research.2 It suggests
getting 25 grams of protein
before a workout can
produce the same muscle
gains as a post-workout
dose of the same amount.
The study also found the
carb window is wider than
earlier studies have shown.
While it’s true that taking
in carbs immediately after
a workout speeds up how
quickly your muscles refill
with glycogen, this only
seems to matter if you’re
planning to exercise again
186 90 39
AVERAGE AVERAGE AV E R A G E W E I G H T
72
AV E R A G E W E I G H T
14 AVERAGE
42 AVERAGE
within the next eight INCREASE IN INCREASE IN INCREASE INCREASE (IN PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN
hours. The takeaway: once NUMBER O F N UMBER OF (IN GRAMS) OF GRAMS) OF INCREASE IN C ALORI E S I N
you’re getting enough of CALORIES F OR CALORI ES IN A MAIN MEAL D E S S E R TS SODIUM CONTENT FRENCH FRIES
the right protein and carbs, D E S S E R TS A MAIN MEAL IN A MAIN MEAL ( T H E Y A LS O H A D
don’t worry too much about 1 2 P E R CE N T
when you’re getting them. MORE SODIUM)

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 015


WARM-UPS MIND+HEALTH

FAST FRIENDS
SIT TING CLOSE to a go-getting colleague partner,’ says Dr Josephine Perry,
1
boosts your own output. A study sports psychologist at Performance
found employees sitting within 25 feet in Mind (performanceinmind.co.uk).
of a high performer improved speed ‘The right partnership can bring
Why you can be as quick or work quality by 15 per cent. And out the best in each other. The
the same can be true in sport. improvements can come from each
as the company you keep ‘For runners, a specific, but helpful, trying to match the other in effort
peer relationship is that of a training or outcome, wanting to impress
their partner or from simply being
inspired by them.’
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H : S V E T I K D/G E T T Y I M AG E S . 1. N O R T H W E S T E R N U N I V E R S I T Y, I L L I N O I S , U S . 2 . A M E R I CA N C O L L E G E O F CA R D I O LO GY. 3. J O U R N A L O F A P P L I E D P H YS I O LO GY

GOOD COMPANY
The right running
buddy can boost
your performance

Give your mental health a tiny, yellow helping hand – by playing Lego. A survey by
the Danish toy company found that 91 per cent of adults felt noticeably better after
TIME TO LEGO OF playing with the building blocks, while 86 per cent said it made them feel more relaxed.
YOUR ANXIETY Pastimes that require a high level of concentration, as Lego does, have therapeutic
effects because they limit anxious self-reflection. Another survey, by the University
Try building blocks of Otago, New Zealand, found that completing sudoku or jigsaw puzzles, or filling
in colouring books, encouraged a state of mindfulness. Practising mindful thinking
can, in turn, lower inflammation and levels of the stress hormone cortisol – meaning
you’ll recover quicker from your run, too.

4,000
SPORTY WINKS A MOMENT Try this
Napping can do more than reboot
our energy levels and boost our OF CALM
mood. New research2 suggests The Calm app
those who fit in a daytime snooze (free) is one of
are likely to have a noticeable drop the most popular
in blood pressure – cutting the risk meditation apps on
of cardiovascular disease. Midday the market. It offers 10-minute Daily
napping is not an option for most of Calm programmes and Sleep Stories
us, but there’s a practical alternative:
or fewer steps a day and sitting for long periods narrated by high-profile actors such
10 minutes of meditation. can cause metabolic issues, even with exercise.3 as Matthew McConaughey.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 017


WARM-UPS INJURY

Shoes with a low


heel-to-toe drop – 0-6mm

DROP WHAT
– are designed to offer a
more natural running style,
closer to barefoot running

YOU’RE DOING
It may be time to rethink heel-to-toe drop
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : LU C K Y I F S H A R P ( S H O E ), B E T H B I S C H O F F ( E X E R C I S E S ) . I M AG E M A N I P U L AT I O N C O L I N B E AG L E Y. 1. CA L I F O R N I A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y, U S

HEEL-TO -TOE DROP – the difference in height between the heel and six-month trial were that low-drop shoes presented an increased
forefoot of a running shoe – has long been a subject of debate injury risk for experienced, regular runners, while occasional
among runners. While a lower heel-to-toe drop, anything from runners were, by contrast, less likely to get injured when wearing
0-6mm, has been heavily favoured by fast, experienced runners, a low-drop shoe. Running in low-drop shoes, then, should not be
a study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine seen as a badge of honour among experienced runners; nor should
suggests it should be the other way round. The findings of the it be something to be feared by newcomers to our sport.
2 . S CA N D I N AV I A N J O U R N A L O F M E D I C I N E A N D S C I E N C E I N S P O R T * B A S E D O N A N O N L I N E R W P O L L W I T H 3 6 2 VOT E S

4.6
BALL OF FAME
A study2 has found the
two best Swiss ball
exercises for working
the core. See below: 1

1
Athletes with poor self-
regulation (eg self-monitoring)
were 4.6 times more likely to
suffer an overuse injury.1

2
2
YOU SAID IT
Most of my running injuries have
been the result of...*

37% Too many miles

19% Running too fast The roll-out The pike


1. Start on your knees, with forearms resting on the 1. Keeping your legs straight, hinge at the hips and
13% The wrong footwear ball. Slowly roll forward, straightening your arms. roll the ball forward with your feet.
2. When you’re as far as you can go without letting 2. Hold for three seconds, then slowly roll back
31% Not enough rest
your back collapse, use your abs to pull back in. until your belly is parallel with the floor.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 019


MEET THE DOG RUNNER p25 THE FLY GIRL COLLECTIVE p29

NEWS, VIEWS, TRENDS and ORDINARY RUNNERS doing EXTRAORDINARY THINGS

‘I’M NOT
READY TO
GIVE IN’
Severe asthma has not
stopped Debbie Moulton
from running marathons

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 021


retie it, as my hands were shaking so
much with nerves,’ says Debbie. ‘Yet
the rush from running was amazing
and my confidence soon soared.’
Running has also helped ease her
asthma. ‘At first, I was worried how
my lungs would cope with using new
muscles, but it actually helped them,’
she says. ‘Running made me physically
fitter and mentally stronger at coping
with my asthma.’
She pushed herself further, running
the Kent Marathon in 2017. ‘I was at
my peak then,’ she says. ‘It was as if I
didn’t have to worry about my asthma
and could just run.’
Before every run, Debbie checks her
peak flow (how fast her lungs can
breathe out) with a meter; if it’s too
low, she can’t go. When running, she
carries an inhaler and her phone, and
a nebuliser for longer runs.
While running has helped, Debbie
has had a series of chest infections
recently; she’s been admitted to
hospital 16 times in the past 12 months.
‘Every three weeks I’ve ended up in
hospital,’ she says. ‘Each time, I’m an
inpatient for five days, which takes a
week out of my life. It’s meant it’s hard
to keep jobs, enjoy family life and train.
‘When I was in hospital three
weeks before the London Marathon,
‘I WAS IN HOSPITAL YET AGAIN by allergens such as pollen, can lead TRUE GRIT my running friends would post on
Debbie refuses to
wearing an oxygen mask to help to a chest infection that usually does let her condition hold social media how their final long runs
me to breathe, when I applied to run not clear up without antibiotics and her back: she applied went. I was so frustrated and jealous.’
this year’s London Marathon,’ recalls steroid treatment in hospital. And for a place in the But Debbie was determined: she ran
London Marathon
Debbie Moulton. ‘That’s how strongly years of taking steroids have caused while in hospital the marathon, finishing in 5:41:37. ‘My
I felt about not letting asthma stop me side effects such as osteoporosis, consultant supported me but thought I
doing what I wanted to do.’ which has made her bones weak. wasn’t strong enough. When I’m in
It was September 2018 and Debbie But five years ago, after her life took hospital, I’m often on the respiratory
(49) had contacted Asthma UK to ask an unexpected turn, Debbie began ward with patients 40 years older than
about running in its fundraising team. running. ‘I’d always stayed fit through me. I look around and think: I’m not
At the time, standing on the marathon dancing and even owned my own ready to give in. I believe running can
start line seemed worlds away from dance school,’ says Debbie. After her help me better manage my asthma.’
being trapped in a hospital bed. first marriage ended and her dance Debbie hopes her own efforts will
Debbie, from Bramley, near school closed, she had to look for a inspire others and fund more asthma
Basingstoke, Hampshire, has had new way to exercise. research. ‘I don’t see asthma as a
asthma since she was two. She was ‘I started running because I didn’t barrier but more an inconvenience,
told she’d grow out of it, but still have much spare money and it was especially to my running,’ she says.
has a severe form of the condition. free,’ she recalls. Within months, she’d ‘I’ve never let asthma beat me.’
‘Whenever I catch a cold it goes to become a parkrun regular and joined
my chest, taking ages to shift.’ Hatch Warren Runners club.
Debbie uses inhalers four times a ‘On my first evening club run, when To run for Asthma UK, visit
day. Her asthma, which can be set off my lace came undone, I could barely asthma.org.uk/running
WO R D S : A D R I A N M O N T I . P H OTO G R A P H S : DA N R O S S

RUNNING 1 // Talk to your GP/asthma preventer (usually the brown one) heavy breathing differs from

WITH ASTHMA
nurse before beginning to run, is calming down your symptoms. struggling for breath, which is
which should be gentle at first, 3 // Carry your reliever (usually an asthma symptom. Look for
IF YOU HAVE ASTHMA AND WANT TO to see how your lungs react. the blue inhaler) on a run. It will symptoms such as coughing,
RUN, BE MINDFUL OF THESE TOP TIPS
FROM DR ANDY WHITTAMORE, THE
2 // Exercise can keep asthma open the airways in an attack. wheezing and chest tightening.
CLINICAL LEAD FOR ASTHMA UK controlled (symptoms less than 4 // Don’t worry about getting 5 // Knowing what triggers your
three times a week). This means breathless – that’s normal when asthma is key: it could be hay
ensuring your background running – but be aware of how fever, a virus or poor air quality.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 023


Murphy’s Lore
BY SAM MURPHY

NORMAL LIFE RESUMES AFTER


THE MARATHON. TIME TO RUN
about preparing for any race, but
the timescale and magnitude of the
commitment are bigger when it comes
to the marathon. For me, focusing all
my running on a specific goal turned
play into work.
There’s recently been some talk –
and research – about goal setting in
the sport-psychology world. It turns
out that making your goals SMART
(specific, measurable, achievable,
WHAT SAM... relevant, timebound) isn’t all it’s
cracked up to be. Framing everything
Learned… within such an all-or-nothing context
…That my means there are only two definable
Brighton outcomes – success or failure. And
Marathon time even where success is achieved, the
of 3:45 (ha, you question ‘At what cost?’ is rarely
thought I wasn’t asked, because everyone’s too busy
going to tell you!) asking ‘What’s next?’
gives me a strong There’s also a contention that being
BQ (Boston too focused on a specific outcome
Marathon hinders creativity (a willingness to

T
Qualifying experiment with different methods),
Standard). Not increases the likelihood of cutting
he footpath bordering the fields has finally dried out. Not that I’m ever corners, or even cheating, and,
yet baked, it yields just a little under my feet, for which I’m doing another ultimately, yields less satisfaction.
grateful, because my legs have not yet forgotten the 26.2 miles one. Just saying. The suggestion is to engage with the
they carried me around at the weekend. Amid the swaying journey rather than keep eyeing the
flax, singular poppies assert themselves – splotches of red in Ran… finish line. Not such a new idea when
a swathe of blue. Above, a swallow exuberantly loops the loop, you consider words written over 2,000
…My first race
announcing the impending arrival of summer. I, too, feel as years ago in the Hindu scripture
as a V50. Happy
free as a bird on the wing (albeit one with the DOMS that the Bhagavad Gita: ‘Those who are
new age group
would inevitably result from a 6,000-mile migration flight). motivated only by desire for the fruits
to me!
The reason I’m feeling so free is that the marathon – yes, the marathon I’ve of action are miserable, for they are
been harping on about for the last few columns – is behind me. Whatever my constantly anxious about the results of
feelings about the result (and that’s a complex set of feelings to unpick), I have
Hosted… what they do.’
another medal to add to my haul and I am free to turn my focus elsewhere. The …A new work- I plead not guilty to being chained
last time I felt so liberated was when I finished my degree. After months of shop – Train to the outcome in this last marathon.
slogging over my dissertation and stressing over exams, I was off the hook at last, Better, Race But I was chained to the process – and
with the summer stretching out in front of me. What could be more exhilarating? Better – about even being free of that has opened up a
I don’t mean to sound negative about the marathon. In fact, I relished the getting the most world of possibilities. Normal life can
training, the discipline and methodical focus that it required, and – just like out of your resume! My mind is crowded with
when I no longer had to be in the physiology lab all morning and the library training miles Things To Do, the same way someone
all afternoon – there’s a part of me that feels a little bit lost without it. But it’s with specific fresh off a diet is overwhelmed by a
telling how visceral this sense of emancipation is. race distances tantalising menu. What to indulge in
One reason, I think, is that marathon training holds us captive, curtailing first? A good old beasting at the track?
I L L U S T R AT I O N : P I E TA R I P O S T I

in mind.
spontaneity. And I don’t just mean impromptu big nights out or weekends away, A jaunt around the woods to catch the
but running spontaneity. I missed being able to go eyeballs-out in a speed session last of the bluebells? A bit of canicross
(not relevant for marathon pace and it takes too long to recover) or shoulder a or duathlon? All of the above, I reckon.
backpack and hike a rugged trail (Sundays are reserved for long runs or rest As soon as my wings have recovered.
days), or even rock up to a race off the cuff, just because.
In short, I missed not being able to miss what my programme told me to do in
favour of something I just fancied doing. The same could be said, to some degree, sam-murphy.co.uk

024 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


Milo Royds runs with
dogs every day. As far
as he is concerned, he
has the best job ever

‘ WHEN THEY’RE RUNNING WITH


YOU, THEY CHANGE. THEY’RE
MUCH CLOSER TO YOU AND
IT’S A TEAM. IT’S A PACK’
Africa. It was quite a of you or just behind
regimented seven months. you, or to the side. You’re
You wake up at 5am every surrounded by these
morning and you go amazing animals and it
running up in the hills in feels like you’re protected
Modjadjiskloof, which is in by these four dogs.’
the north of South Africa.
That’s when I realised I Even corgis can do it
really get euphoric from ‘I always meet the dogs
running. Starting the day beforehand and they
with a morning run do a trial day with me,
couldn’t be better.’ and then we take things
from there. Dogs are
Running with a pack dogs, so you’re always
is exhilarating going to have some
‘I’m often asked about the problems now and then.
challenges of the job. I’ve had problems with
The only bad thing about dogs who won’t run. Some
running with dogs is if the just have no interest in it.
dog runs off to sniff at But I ran with a corgi this
things or to chase other morning – it wasn’t the
dogs or people – but that’s fastest run but his stamina
THE SECRET LIFE OF… All dogs should run just dogs being dogs. The was incredible.’
‘It started just over three best thing is when I have

THE DOG
years ago, when I was three ridgebacks and a Route markings are
working in a dog daycare labrador by my side overrated (sort of)
centre. I could see how – which is most days. ‘I organised a charity event

RUNNER
little exercise the dogs It’s pretty awesome two weeks ago, which was
were getting at the running with them. It’s like a dog-running five miles in
centre. I also noticed in running with a pack of Wimbledon Common, and
parks that dog walkers wolves. You can see how 45 people came. It went
often just stand there happy they are and it’s pretty well, but because I
Meet Milo Royds, the man and while some dogs great just knowing that know the course very well,
who runs with the hounds naturally run around they’re getting the right I didn’t mark it well enough
WO R D S : S T E P H E N G L E N N O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : DA N R O S S

by themselves, quite amount of exercise. for other people. Some


a few just sit there. They get this pack runners got a little bit
So I decided to start mentality when they’re sidetracked and came
my own business.’ running. It’s so different to the finish line from
to walking. When they’re different points all over
It’s the greatest way walking, they’re sniffing Wimbledon Common!
to start the day around, playing with each Everyone had a good time
‘I have never been a other, using all their senses and we earned some
competitive runner or and having fun. But when money for charity, which
anything. I ran a bit of they’re running with you, was the main thing.’
cross-country at school they change. They’re much
and then I went away closer to you and it’s a
on an Outward Bound team. It’s a pack. They’re For more on Milo’s Dog Running,
adventure course in South either running just in front visit milosdogrunning.co.uk

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 025


SNAP CHAT
YO U R
LETTER OF THE MONTH WORLD
#HOMESTRAIGHT
THE RUNNING BENEFIT We asked for your greatest home-
straight images. You obliged, in style

OF THE BABY BUMP


Seeing Brigid Pickett and her running bump
on the cover of RW (June) put a huge smile
on my face. I immediately flicked to the
article and read her story. I continued
running through my pregnancy, and while
this was met by admiration from many,
I also felt judged by some people (rightly
or wrongly). I benefited enormously from
running with a bump – and as a mum – and ‘Finishing my first Brighton Marathon in
I hope that Brigid’s story and your cover will 2014. I’ve run it every year since.’
encourage other women to make whatever – Sue McAlinden
choice is right for them. No judgment.
Here’s a photo of me (left) with my sister
and my daughter, aged 11 months, just after
I completed my first marathon. Still my
proudest running moment to this day! IT RUNS IN
Emma Hazlewood, via email THE FAMILY
Emma (left) ran
Glad you like the cover, Emma. throughout her
pregnancy
We hope it encourages more
pregnant women to keep running.

‘Finishing the Richmond Marathon with a


bottle of champagne in my hand.’
– Justine Edward
A MARATHON JOURNEY when I do head out of the door to
I featured in your July 2018 issue run, I feel my brother, Michael, by
as one of the reader letters (Running my side holding my hand. Jennifer,
is Medicine). I had recently been from one runner to another, I'm
discharged from Plymouth Hospital, sending my love to you and am
following a road traffic accident. so very glad you have found your
Reading a copy of Runner’s World purpose. Your son will be proud
during my time there gave me the of you: you are still, and always
hope that I may run again. With this will be, his mum.
in mind, I applied for a London Karen Edwards, via email
Marathon ballot place soon after.
Then, in October, I found out I had
been successful. I will never forget A CUT ABOVE ‘Finishing the Great North Run and happy
April 28, 2019: it was magical. So cool to see your feature on to see my time.’
Thank you so very much. ethical running gear (Green Light, – Mark Griffiths
Amy Redden, via email RW, May). Another major way
runners can support climate
action is considering travel to
FOREVER RUNNING races. Lovely scenic trains to big
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : JAC K AT K I N S O N

I wrote to you last year about my European marathons. Car-sharing


brother, who had suffered a stroke Amy makes the apps to local races etc. Ask your
in 2017. I hoped he would recover, letters pages again! company to join climateperks.com
and that we would run together and even get extra leave to take a
through the woods, like we did train, not a plane.
when we were children, but it wasn't Patrik Ewe, Brixton
to be. My beautiful brother lost his
life in February this year. I read
‘Final two metres at the World Coal
Jennifer Russell’s letter, Running to PRICED OUT
Carrying Championship.’ (I’m on the right.)
Recover (RW, June). I was in tears £2,075 – that’s effectively the price
– Steve Ellam
reading about her losing her son and of a charity entry to the Virgin
how she had found her purpose in Money London Marathon. Am I alone
life again through running. I didn’t in feeling that this is not particularly
get the chance to run through the inclusive? Running should be for Next month: #runningtattoos
woods with my brother again, but everyone but, unless one is lucky Send us pics of your best inkwork

026 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


enough to gain a ballot entry or is a salted caramel and cocoa flavours.
gifted runner already, this is the only Hopefully, the salted caramel would
way to enter the event. This sort of work for Carol! Chia Charge also
money is out of the reach of nearly do a range of absolutely delicious
anyone but the (primarily white) THE POLL and very easily digested energy WE ASK, YOU ANSWER
wealthy classes who have a social bars – I’m a big fan and a regular
circle with the sort of cash to cover What’s more customer of theirs.
this. Running, as your magazine often
points out, benefits people hugely
important
to you as a
Emma Simmons, via email
WHAT’S YOUR
WORST MOMENT
(and cheaply), but it sometimes running goal…?*
seems to exclude those to whom it HANSON REWARD
could be of most help. I wanted to send on a huge thank
Steve Crowley, via email you for including the Hanson Method
training plan in the January 2019
edition of RW. It was in the very
DURING A RACE?
NEVER TOO OLD first RW magazine I bought and ‘Clipped a ‘Last August,
This month, while flicking through it is amazing that now, only a couple pothole half a being attacked
your Inspiration issue, I felt the need of months later, I am an annual mile into the by hornets at
to try to inspire others – by telling subscriber and a first-time marathon Milton Keynes mile 11 of a trail
them about my 70-year-old mum. For
the past 20 years, mum has struggled 49% finisher. I completed the beautifully
scenic and hilly Connemarathon
Marathon and
rolled my ankle.
half marathon.
Finished the run
with a knee injury. This year, though,
feeling inspired by a new knee and
GOING FURTHER last weekend, in a time of 3:18:06.
In the final few days before the race,
There wasn’t a
chance I was
but was in A&E
within an hour.’
newfound determination, my mum ‘It’s further for I had a chance to read your special going to quit, so – Heather Lee
and I have entered next year’s me. I wonder if marathon issue. This was great limped my way
London Marathon. So if you think that correlates timing. To say that picking up that round to a PB.’ ‘The London
you’re too old, you're not! See you with me being first magazine was life-changing is a – Steve Merritt Marathon, 2018.
at the start line. a non-sporty gross understatement. PS, I love the Hottest on
Gary Fry, via email person who podcast too. Keep up the good work! ‘Rome Marathon record – the
took up running Seán Óg Whelan, Wexford, Ireland 2015, falling a camera on the
in my 30s… few metres home straight
YOU’RE TO BLAME Glad the Hanson Method before the finish filmed me
God, am I upset with you. Fuming, worked for you. The RW line. Managed to crossing the line
even. For here I am, reading the podcast is now weekly, by get up, a nice five secs after
Marathon Special (May), finding the way, so tune in every Tuesday. Italian runner a guy dressed
myself thinking how amazing and fun took my hand as a toilet.’
that sounds. Like the most wonderful and we crossed – Brandon Taylo
achievement. I fully blame you for the finish line
planting that seed when I always hand in hand.’ ‘Legs cramped
said half marathons would be as far – Anita Svanes up 200 yards
as I’d go...literally. I just opened the before the
page to enter the London Marathon
ballot....to be continued. I knew this 51% ‘In agony and
crapping myself
finish of the
Milton Keynes
great mag would get me into trouble
one day.
GOING FASTER – literally –
on the way to
Marathon.
Outside the
Madeleine Prenner, via email No comments winning the stadium and I
– presumably Blackpool Half couldn’t move!
Sorry, Madeleine. Perhaps you’re too out of Marathon a few Took over 10
the magazine should come breath to type. years back.’ minutes to free
with a warning: ‘Reading – Paul Coon them up enough
this may result in marathons, ultras to hobble in.’
and other mad ideas.’ ‘Great North – Rodger Baker
*Based on a Twitter Run, mile 5,
poll with 590 votes tripped over a
FULLY CHARGED water bottle as I
In response to Carol Harris’s letter was gawping at
(RW, April) about protein bars OUR WORLD a man running in
without chocolate, I would like an awesome Mr
to recommend Chia Charge crispy RW put together a relay team and Bump costume.’
protein bars, which have 20g protein completed the 150-mile London – Claire
in each bar and they also come in Loop (more on that next month). Charlton

WHAT’S INSPIRED, IMPRESSED OR, PERHAPS, ANNOYED YOU LATELY ABOUT RUNNING OR RUNNERS? THE WRITER
OF THE WINNING EMAIL OR LETTER RECEIVES A PAIR OF SAUCONY TRIUMPH ISO 5S, WORTH £140
RUNNER’S WORLD, Unit 9, Apollo Business Centre, Trundleys Road, Deptford, London SE8 5JE
Email letters@runnersworld.co.uk Tweet @runnersworlduk Facebook runnersworlduk

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 027


SOCIAL
NT
MOVEME

‘ F LY G I R L C O L L E C T I V E H A S P R O V I D E D M E W I T H A N
AVENUE WHERE I CAN FORM A SISTERHOOD WITH WOMEN
T H AT K E E P M E A C C O U N TA B L E O N M Y F I T N E S S J O U R N E Y.
I ’M WE E KS AWAY F RO M M Y S E CO ND H A LF MA RATH O N. ’
BERNITA BOXILL, joined April 2018

never have been able to do encouraged to try a


by myself,’ she says. parkrun once a month,
Community is at the which Egere-Cooper calls a
heart of Fly Girl Collective’s ‘level-up session’. ‘People
runs. The group meets for go to their parkrun, just to
at least three runs a month, see that they can achieve it
and Egere-Cooper wants and to get into the habit of
to dispel the myth that monitoring their progress
competition is necessary in and, hopefully, improving
running. ‘Presentation of their PB every month,’ she
winners and losers is what says. Another monthly
tends to put people off,’ activity is Fly Girl On Tour,
she says, ‘and no one where the group tries a
wants to be a loser.’ different way of keeping
A noncompetitive fit, such as boxing or
approach has the benefit Ministry of Sound Fitness.

ON THE FLY
of being good for runners’ ‘As much as running is our
mental as well as physical core activity, I encourage
health – and this is key for people to check out other
the Fly Girl Collective. ‘We things,’ says Egere-Cooper.
Celebrating the fitness achievements of make sure that everyone Event organisers also
women of colour, the Fly Girl Collective leaves feeling better about have a role to play in
themselves and feeling fostering a more diverse
has been a soaring success better for having taken running field. This year,
part in the session,’ says London’s Vitality Big Half
Egere-Cooper. ‘If we’re offered £10 entry to
MATILDA EGERE- running. ‘The marketing Matilda Egere-Cooper
(second from left) communicating that the members of the local
COOPER likes to around [running] doesn’t
started the Fly Girl participation is the thing community, and such
imagine a world in which exactly show black women Collective to that matters most, I think ventures are useful. ‘Any
the Fly Girl Collective, the doing half marathons, or encourage more
BAME women to get people will be a lot more sort of fitness that is shown
running club she founded full marathons for that
physically active open to it.’ to be accessible and has
in 2015, isn’t needed any matter. If we see a wider
However, the option diversity at the heart of
more. While running in the scope of representation,
to try to grab a PB is also it, is going to appeal to
UK is taking steps towards then I think something like
available. Fly Girls are people,’ says Egere-Cooper.
embracing diversity, it Fly Girl Collective wouldn’t
remains a largely white have to exist,’ she explains.
and middle class activity. Egere-Cooper has been
That’s where the Fly Girl running long-distance for To find out more about the Fly Girl Collective, visit flygirlcollective.co
Collective comes in. ‘It’s eight years, and credits
a fitness community her involvement with
WO R D S : S T E P H E N G L E N N O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : O L L I E T R E N C H A R D

that I created to, firstly, running group Run Dem


encourage more black and Crew with helping her
BAME [Black, Asian and complete 10 half marathons,
Minority Ethnic] women to two marathons and an
be inspired and motivated ultramarathon. ‘Through
to pursue fitness lifestyles,’ being involved in a
says Egere-Cooper, ‘but community, I’ve been able
also to address the lack of to achieve things I would
diversity and representation
in the mainstream fitness
industry.’ ‘ I ' V E F O U N D A S PA C E W H E R E I C A N C O N N E C T
She is adamant that the
way runners are shown in
WITH OTHER BLACK WOMEN ON THE SAME
the media and in marketing WAVELENGTH AND FOCUS ON GIVING AND
campaigns has a large
influence on the types
REC EI V ING S U P P OR T ’
of people who end up KEMI MAFE, joined March 2019
BY THE NUMBERS

AGE IS NO BARRIER
RUDOLPH INGRAM, 7, FLORIDA, IS ONE OF THE QUICKEST KIDS ON THE PLANET
GENE DYKES, 71, PHILADELPHIA, IS ONE OF THE FASTEST MASTERS MARATHONERS EVER

THERE MAY BE 64 YEARS between race earlier this year. Dykes, on the other was denied the official world record. The
them, but Rudolph Ingram and Gene hand, set a M70-74 marathon world record unstoppable 71-year-old is also an avid
Dykes have one thing in common: speed. at the Jacksonville Marathon late last year, ultramarathon runner: in 2017, he was one
Seven-year-old Ingram, known as ‘Blaze’, is crossing the line in a superb time of 2:54:23, of only 13 people to complete the triple
being called the quickest kid on the planet having averaged 6:39min/miles. However, crown of 200-mile trail races – the Bigfoot
after clocking a dizzying 13.48 in a 100m the course was not sanctioned, so Dykes 200, the Tahoe 200 and the Moab 240.

Rudolph Gene
Ingram Dykes

MIN/MILE PACE OF INGRAM’S 100M SPRINT. ‘I HAVE SEEN HIM [LOSING] MIDRACE AND DYKES’ AVERAGE YEARLY MILEAGE. ‘I NEVER STRETCH, NEVER DO FLEXIBILITY
JUST TAKE OFF AND GET FASTER. HE WANTS TO WIN:’ INGRAM'S DAD, RUDOLPH SR EXERCISES. NO WEIGHTLIFTING, NO STRENGTH, NO CORE. I JUST RUN’

4
THE AGE RUDOLPH
WAS WHEN
512,000 4
As AND THREE Bs
ON HIS RECENT
SCHOOL REPORT
CARD
64
HIS WEIGHT, IN
KGS. ‘I TEND TO
EAT HEALTHY,
BUT I’LL EAT
JUNK FOOD’
1,360 13
WO R D S : I S A AC W I L L I A M S . P H OTO G R A P H S : @ B L A Z E _8 1 3 , R OT H M A N B R OA D B E N T
Race miles in 2019. ‘This year

TEN
HE STARTED Ingram’s impressive Instagram

218
I decided that after a year of PEOPLE
RUNNING following (@Blaze_813)
competition, I just want to COMPLETED THE

FOUR
concentrate on having fun,’ TRIPLE CROWN
says Dykes OF 200-MILE
TRAIL RACES –
THE BIGFOOT 200,

144
The distance,
in miles, of MARATHONS THE TAHOE 200
Touchdowns
his longest AND ULTRA- AND THE MOAB
Rudolph
race: Delirious MARATHONS 240 – IN 2018.
scored for
W.E.S.T, in DYKES HAS DYKES WAS
his youth
HIS HEIGHT, IN FEET 101 hours COMPLETED ONE OF THEM
American

20
2:54:23
football team

21
His last season Dykes’ unofficial
weight, M70 marathon
in kgs world record.
AMATEUR (3st 4lb). ‘I had said that
ATHLETIC UNION That will being the record
GOLD MEDALS TO change, holder wasn’t
HIS NAME fast important,’ he says

030 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


Tonky Talk
BY PAUL TONKINSON

IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES,


NOT A TEST OF TIME
about pace or splits. That’s not to say
we didn’t have a pace. Early on, we’d
settled in the 8:40 mark, which felt
comfy and chatty. And chat we did.
Without doubt, the podcast made
things easier, Deering next to me as
the miles clipped by. I had the familiar
sensation at about 16-17 miles of being
fully extended, but not yet exhausted.
Then, at 18-19, the usual feeling that I
was about to go under. I can get quite
Californian at this point, consumed by
a great affection for my fellow man.
This year was different. Maybe
YOU KNOW… because I wasn’t stressed about time,
perhaps because I just wasn’t fit
…hay fever enough to do it on my own steam, I
season has was forced to interact. Feelings of
arrived when benevolence towards my fellow
a midrun sneeze runners (and spectators) intensified
blasts you back the closer we got to the finish. I
about 10 metres became what is to some runners that
and your beloved most irritating of specimens – the

E
sunglasses are bubbly type. You know, the one who’s
nowhere to be encouraging everyone, high-fiving all
very marathon you do is different. This year’s London found. the kids. Don’t get me wrong, I was
Marathon, my eighth, was the slowest one I’ve done, by tired, but those last few miles were a
30 minutes, and yet it may have been the most enjoyable. …your indignity rave-up. Coming under Blackfriars
The contrast to the last one couldn’t have been more stark. is complete when Bridge with the sound system pulling
Two years ago I lined up utterly focused. My life had been you are running us all through and only two miles left,
geared to beating three hours. I had created a scenario where with your dog, he the elation nearly took my head off!
that was the only option. My training diary listed PBs at stops abruptly By this time I imagined the podcast
multiple distances, high mileage, three days of carb loading for a crap, you recording had degenerated into sheer
before the race and a perfect taper. pick it up with a noise: exclamations of good wishes to
This year, I’ve been struggling with a back problem, so my total distance most worryingly thin strangers punctuated by the odd groan,
weeks has been in the 20-22-mile range. Gig chaos meant the carb loading was bag and then and all cocooned by the wondrous
compressed to a day and a half. The taper involved a three-day tour in the Middle continue running, crowd support that London offers. All
East. The day before the race, I got in after an overnight flight from Dubai feeling the bag swinging separation between us and the rest of
tired and grouchy. Damage limitation was the order of the day: do the race while wildly. And so the field had dissolved. We were no
recording a podcast – and enjoy it. Time-wise – 4:00 to 4:15. warmly. longer individuals, just part of a river
Recording the podcast during the marathon was a strange prospect. Some of of humans doing this simple thing:
you will know that Rob Deering and I record one every week while running, running down a packed embankment.
usually up to an hour in length. Low pressure, fun times. We had high hopes that I crossed the line in 3:59:45 – an
with the unusual length of the marathon recording, our minds would riff jazz- hour slower than last time, but the
like into hitherto untravelled fields of thought and wit, with the marathon best of times. It made me want to run
somewhere in the background. It wasn’t like that. The main thing we learnt is more slower marathons just for the
that it is impossible to run the London Marathon and it not be the main focus. It experience of running with others. It
I L L U S T R AT I O N : P I E TA R I P O S T I

was a day of our very beings slowly dissolving into the event itself, this felt like the best of me.
irresistible tide of energy and goodwill that is the marathon.
For me, released from the burden of chasing a time goal, it was a process of
rediscovering the course. Every landmark brought up memories of the sub-three Check out Paul and fellow comedian Rob
quest. The feeling of determination I’d experienced at the halfway mark was this Deering's running podcast, Running
year replaced by a technical pause to check the kit. There was the usual joy at Commentary – available on iTunes and
having, for the first time, less left to run than you had done already, but no worry Acast. @RunComPod

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 031


A S T H E N H S S T R A I N S T O C O P E W I T H A N A G E I N G P O P U L A T I O N A N D 2 1 S T- C E N T U R Y

ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER COULD TA K E PR ESSUR E OFF THE BELOV ED

034 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


N AT I O N A L H E A LT H

T
he national
health service’s
70th birthday last
year was the
perfect opportunity
to reflect on this
unique institution.
From a commem-
orative service
at Westminster
Abbey to milestone parkruns across
the country, everyone seemed keen
to join the party. It was yet another
reminder of the special place it holds
in the nation’s heart, as poignant as
the NHS segment in the opening
ceremony of the London 2012
Olympics. Who can forget the
rollerskating nurses and child
‘patients’ bouncing on hospital beds?
While we rightly celebrate the past,
the future looks far from rosy. As the
UK’s population increases and we
live longer, we demand more from a
health service that already deals with
one million patients every 36 hours.
Factor in the health problems caused
by sedentary lifestyles fuelled by poor
diets and the result is no surprise: an
NHS under – ultimately – unbearable
strain as more and more is asked
of it. According to a report by the
Institute of Fiscal Studies and Health
Foundation, it now costs £149 billion
a year to operate our health service.
It is the fifth-biggest employer in the
world, behind the likes of the US
Department of Defense and China’s
People’s Liberation Army.
One way to reduce the mind-
boggling cost of running the NHS
is for each of us to take preventive
action. The healthier and fitter we
are, the less we will need to rely on
the safety net of the NHS. Lifestyle
changes can dramatically improve
many aspects of our health, and
getting more exercise is a key and
relatively simple change that nearly
everyone can make. Currently,
more than 20 million people in
the UK are classed as physically
inactive, meaning they don’t hit
the recommended weekly activity
target(s) of 150 minutes of moderate
aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of
more vigorous activity. Lowering
that figure that would make a huge
difference to the health of the nation
and the NHS balance sheet.
‘Regular physical activity, such
as running, can help reduce the
risk of key preventable illnesses
H E A LT H P ROBL E M S , T H E S I M P L E AC T OF P U T T I NG that are driving demand on NHS
services, such as type 2 diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, depression
I N S T I T U T I O N – A N D S AV E T H O U S A N D S O F L I V E S and some cancers,’ says Dr Mike

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 035


Brannan, national lead for physical the risk of some cancers: ‘For breast
activity at Public Health England. cancer, being active can alter the
‘Getting active can begin with a hormone levels, the chemical
simple 10-minute brisk daily walk, messages that are carried around
or starting our free Couch to 5K our body,’ she says. ‘Cancer starts
programme app.’ when cells divide and multiply
Over the following pages we’ll and it’s thought that oestrogen
explore how running, as one of the encourages cells to divide more
most accessible and effective forms of frequently. But running reduces
exercise, could play a crucial role in these oestrogen levels and helps
easing the burden on the NHS and prevent breast cancer.
reducing the number of premature ‘With bowel cancer, exercise
deaths in this country. encourages the quicker movement of
food through our bodies, reducing
the time harmful chemicals remain
ICANCERi in our bowel, cutting our cancer risk,’
says Wiley.
imagine watching the entire field Aside from its role in prevention,
of the London Marathon stream past running may also boost survival
you nine times over. That would be chances for those with the disease.
roughly 360,000 people, which is ‘Being active before, during and after
equal to the number cancer treatment can
diagnosed each year reduce the fatigue from

ONE
with cancer in the UK. cancer and strengthen
Roughly one in three of muscles, joints and
us will develop the bones. It can also help
disease at some stage, with anxiety and
with half of all cases
affecting the breast,
in six depression,’ says Wiley.
Dr Rebecca
prostate, bowel or lung. Hospital beds occupied by Robinson, a consultant
someone with diabetes in sports and exercise
Cancer Research UK
(CRUK) says cancer kills medicine, and an
almost 164,00 people in the oncologist at Sheffield’s Weston
UK every year. Park Hospital, agrees: ‘There’s
Cancer services also cost the some exciting work showing that
NHS £5bn a year and this enormous exercise may prevent cancer and
amount leads to much-publicised benefit recovery post-treatment,’
tough policy decisions about which says Robinson, who’s also a GB
forms of treatment can be made endurance runner. ‘In terms of
available to patients. prevention, exercise can reduce
The picture isn’t all bleak, however. inflammation in the body, which
People diagnosed with cancer today can be a driver for certain cancers.
have, on average, a 53 per cent chance We already have good evidence that
of surviving for five or more years. exercising – including running – can
Survival rates for prostate cancer, for help those with breast, colon, lung
example, have tripled in the past 40 and endometrial cancers. Some
years. But our odds of getting cancer research suggests exercise might
in the first place could be slashed stimulate the immune system in a
further if we took more responsibility very positive way.’
for our health. There is a huge body of research
CRUK believes 38 per cent out there to back the role of exercise
of all cancers can be in reducing cancer
prevented through risk and boosting

£11.9
lifestyle changes such survival rates. In
as stopping smoking, 2017, a Danish study
improving diet and, suggested exercise
crucially, exercising can prevent cancer
more. According to
CRUK estimates, this
billion spreading by slowing
down its progress,
could prevent 135,000 NHS England bill for mental making it easier to
health services last year
annual cancer deaths. treat. Adrenaline is
Georgina Wiley, a released during
specialist nurse adviser for intensive workouts such as running
Macmillan Cancer Support, and a and scientists believe this can cut the
keen runner, says there’s ample risk of developing breast cancer by
evidence that regular exercise cuts 25 per cent. Similarly, the World

036 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


N AT I O N A L H E A LT H

Cancer Research Fund found that Currently, 26.2 per cent of adults
exercise reduced breast cancer in England are classified as obese (a
risk in postmenopausal women by body mass index of 30-39.9) – with an
10 per cent. additional 35.2 per cent being over-
Such is the weight of scientific weight. According to the Organisation
research that last year the Clinical for Economic Cooperation and
Oncology Society of Australia called Development (OECD), which promotes
for exercise to be a fundamental part global health as part of its brief,
of cancer treatment this makes the UK the
following indisputable most obese nation in

26%
evidence that it can Western Europe.
help with recovery And, worryingly, this
from several cancers. slide towards obesity
It prescribed at least often begins with the
150 minutes of exercise Reduction in the risk young. Ten per cent
of developing type 2
a week, with a jog/run of children starting
diabetes with 150 minutes
being part of the of exercise a week primary school in
regime. While this England are obese, a
development was a figure that doubles by
first, the Australian example will the time they leave. According to
surely soon be followed by other Public Health England, nearly a third
countries in the world. of secondary school pupils are either
One way of getting those exercise overweight or obese.
minutes could be by taking part in 5K This paints a disturbing picture of
Your Way. The event was launched the future, as increasing obesity
in Nottingham last June by multiple levels are already straining stretched
Ironman winner Lucy Gossage – NHS services. The latest figures
who’s also an oncologist at the show an 18 per cent annual increase
City Hospital – and international in the number of patients admitted to
runner Gemma Hillier Moses. It’s NHS hospitals for obesity and related
a monthly event, hosted at more conditions. There were around
than 25 parkruns for those affected 617,000 such admissions in 2016-17,
by cancer. according to NHS Digital. Further
‘There’s strong evidence that evidence from Public Health England
we should get every single cancer shows that obesity is responsible for
patient talking about doing some around 30,000 deaths each year,
exercise, whatever their level,’ says depriving a person of, on average,
Dr Gossage. ‘Some of our runners say nine years of life.
it’s a way of connecting with others In 2014-15, the NHS spent an
dealing with cancer. For others, it’s estimated £6.1 billion on overweight
introducing exercise, which can be and obesity-related ill health, a figure
so helpful. We had a chap recently that’s projected to rise to £9.7 billion
who ran it for the first time since by 2050. However, the wider costs
undergoing chemo. After crossing to society from the knock-on effects
the line, he said “I feel so alive!”’ of obesity are thought to be more
than £27 billion, according to Public
Health England.
IOBESITYI This is a health and public policy
time bomb, but Dr Alison Innerd,
one february day back in 2012, senior lecturer in physical activity
Elaine Wyllie, head teacher at and exercise science at Teesside
St Ninian’s School in Stirling, University, already sees signs that
encouraged her pupils to go for a running is playing a part in easing
run around the school grounds. The the crisis. ‘Running’s not for
run – which became known as the everyone, but parkrun and social
Daily Mile – quickly became part of running groups are attracting what
the school’s regular timetable. we call “hard to reach” people,
Seven years later, over 8,000 including women and younger people
schools across the UK and around who wouldn’t normally be interested
the world have embraced the routine in exercise,’ she says. ‘By offering a
of a 15-minute daily outdoor run social side while getting fit, weight
at a comfortable pace. The aim was loss can naturally follow rather than
– and is – to get children running being the sole focus of why people
every day to help them become fitter decide to run.’
and healthier, and reduce rates of Of course exercise, and specifically
childhood obesity. running, is not the only factor at

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 037


‘Running has play here. Numerous recent studies
have identified both insufficient
processing their negative thoughts
than those who stretched.

changed who I activity and poor diet as the causes of


the obesity surge, with statistics from
NHS Digital showing that a fifth of
The 2017 study is one of many to
focus on physical activity as an aid
to our emotional well-being and
am and reversed men and a quarter of women are now
classed as inactive.
Professor Craig Mahoney, a sports
psychologist at the University of the
More evidence that we need West of Scotland, is a strong believer
my diabetes’ to move comes from a study at
Queen’s University
that what happens in our head can be
affected by what we do

Snita Sharma, 51,


Gerrards Cross, Bucks

‘I was a couch potato,


Belfast published in
March this year. It
concluded that sitting or
lying down for long
periods (more than six
hours a day) could cause
£6.1
£6.1
billion
billion
billion
with our body.
‘Running at an

doing very little exercise.


about 70,000 deaths in Cost
Costofofoverweight
overweight and
I was overweight, too. Cost
and
of overweight
obesity-related
obesity-related ill and
ill
the UK and cost the NHS
About 10 years ago, when I felt poorly, at least £700 million a
obesity-related
health, projectedill
health,projected tohealth,
to rise
rise
I saw my GP. She gave me a finger-prick year in treatment. projected
to £9.7bn to
by rise
the
to £9.7 billion by to
2050s £9.7
blood test, which showed instantly I had The value of exercise billion by 2050s
type 2 diabetes. I was shocked and was in reducing obesity and
immediately prescribed Metformin, the boosting health is emphasised by
main T2D drug. Despite being on the David Stensel, professor of exercise
maximum dosage, my blood glucose metabolism at Loughborough
levels continued to rise. So four years University: ‘There’s quite a lot of
ago, my GP talked to me about starting debate about exercise versus diet in
controlling weight,’ he says. ‘Even as
additional medication, which was
an advocate of exercise, I would say
depressing. I then decided to try to diet is possibly more important for
tackle my diabetes another way. weight – you can’t outrun a bad diet.
‘On a cold wintry morning I went on But you can clearly see the benefits of
my first run, which felt so hard. I didn’t combining this with even relatively
fall in love with running straight away modest amounts of exercise.
but enjoyed the social side and the ‘Using MRI scans, we’ve shown
regular running was bringing my blood that those who regularly exercise
sugar levels down. will reduce the visceral fat, which
‘I began entering races, doing builds up in the abdominal cavity
before wrapping around important
half marathons in Dublin, Liverpool
organs like the liver, pancreas
and London. As my 50th birthday and intestines; this can lead to
approached, my family challenged me type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
to reverse my diabetes. So I changed my As a keen runner, I believe running’s
diet and continued to run. Amazingly, an excellent way of cutting visceral
after eight weeks I’d reversed my and overall excess fat in people who
diabetes and came off my medications. are overweight.’
‘Since taking up running I’ve lost
about 3st and dropped from a size
16 to an eight. I feel like a completely IMENTAL HEALTHI
different person. It’s incredible that
when researchers from the
exercising and changing my diet psychology department at Harvard
made such a dramatic difference, University, US, examined the ways
meaning I no longer take pills every in which aerobic exercise affects
day. Discovering running has changed our emotional well-being, their
who I am and reversed my diabetes, conclusions would not have surprised
which is incredible.’ many seasoned runners.
The study involved 80 volunteers.
*Snita supports Diabetes UK, which is the Lab tests were used to stir up their
official charity partner of the Simplyhealth emotions, some of which increased
Great Run Series 2019 their anxiety or lowered their mood.
They were then randomly assigned
to either a stretching session or a
30-minute run. The researchers
found that after completing their
activity, the runners were better at

038 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


N AT I O N A L H E A LT H

appropriate level has been proven to As the stigma around mental health has lessened report showed that mental illness
release the hormone endorphin, somewhat, more people are now opening up about their costs approximately £94 billion
which produces a mood-enhancing emotional well-being. The charity Mind says that one in annually when treatment, social care
effect,’ says Mahoney. ‘It has also four of us will experience a mental health issue at some costs and loss to the economy are
been shown to provide relief from point. Often this can manifest as anxiety, depression or included. In January this year, the
anxiety and improvement in both. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, panic Government unveiled its 10-year
self-esteem. As well as exercise disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder are also plan for the NHS, pledging an extra
decreasing the stress hormones such becoming increasingly common. £2.3 billion in mental health by
as cortisol, it increases the release of While it’s undoubtedly a positive development, the fact 2024, thereby helping a further
adrenaline, serotonin, oxytocin and that more people are now seeking help has come at a cost, two million people.
dopamine, which are referred to as with the bill for mental health services in the last financial But to ease the NHS burden,
the body’s “happy chemicals”.’ year reaching £11.9 billion. Meanwhile, a 2108 OECD alternatives to prescribing drugs

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 039


040 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019
N AT I O N A L H E A LT H

have already been introduced. One of


those has been advocated by Allan
The charity Diabetes UK says
that in the past 20 years, cases of
‘Within weeks
Bednar, the therapies’ lead for
Turning Point, a national social
enterprise with more than 300 UK
type 2 diabetes (T2D) here have
almost doubled, from 1.9 million
to 3.7 million, and could reach
of starting chemo,
locations, who says some of its 77,000 5.5 million by 2030. One person is
clients have found running beneficial. diagnosed with T2D every three I went for a run’
‘Rumination is one of the problems minutes and it is estimated that one
that can lead to both in 10 people aged over Jackie Scully, 37,
depression and anxiety,’ 40 have it. With more Greenwich, London

26.2
says Bednar. ‘It’s when than one million
you go over and over a people thought to
problem in your head have undiagnosed
‘I was born with a hip
without resolving it. But T2D, and a further defect, which was
running outside means Percentage of adults in 12.3 million at risk finally fixed in my 20s,
England classified as obese using metal to hold it together. When
you become less of developing it,
introspective and the word ‘epidemic’ I reached my 30s, I hoped to finally
instead look around you more. This doesn’t sound like hyperbole. get on with life. But at 32, just after
can stop the cycle of brooding over T2D costs the NHS more than becoming engaged to Duncan, I was
negative thoughts.’ £9 billion a year. It’s believed that at diagnosed with breast cancer. In
England Athletics has also any time, one in six hospital beds is February 2014 I had my right breast
recognised the positive link between occupied by someone with diabetes
removed before starting chemotherapy.
running and good mental health, and diabetes medication alone costs
teaming up with Mind to launch the NHS £1 billion a year – there were
‘Within weeks of starting chemo, I
#RunAndTalk, a programme already 55 million prescriptions last year, up went for a run with my dad. I’d never run
involving 23,600 people (a third 70 per cent in the last 10 years. before and started almost as an act of
of whom had a mental illness). It Although not exclusively caused by defiance against my body, as it seemed
encourages those who have never run lifestyle choices, there’s a proven link to be throwing serious health issues at
before, or are returning to it, to join between T2D and rising obesity rates. me. I began running along a path around
one of its empathetic running groups. And lifestyle changes can often a park of exactly 209 steps; once I could
Psychotherapist William Pullen, prevent T2D in people with pre- cope with that, I did more laps of it.
author of Run for Your Life: Mindful diabetes (when blood sugar levels are ‘Despite losing all my hair, I did my
Running for a Happy Life (Penguin higher than normal but not high
first 10K race in July 2014 before
Life), encourages his clients to run, enough that diabetes develops). It’s
too. ‘There are many reasons why also possible to reverse the condition
completing my treatment. I did a half
running is good for mental health, the same way. Diet and exercise are marathon a year later, and then the
with some less obvious than you key and running is an ideal way to London Marathon. After that, I came up
might think,’ he says. ‘For example, a achieve this, say experts. with the idea of marrying Duncan on the
run through a forest will mean you ‘There are a number of risk factors same day as running London again, in
absorb phytoncides – chemicals that for type 2 diabetes, including age and 2017. We had our wedding ceremony on
plants and trees naturally produce to ethnicity, but being overweight is the the Cutty Sark before I headed to the
protect themselves – which have most significant,’ says Douglas start line in my running wedding dress.
been shown to decrease Twenefour, deputy It was a fantastic day. I know some
anxiety, depression, head of care
people have a very different experience

£1
anger and stress.’ at Diabetes UK, who
He believes the body advocates running as of surgery and chemotherapy, but I
is ‘primed for adventure, a way to deal with discovered running during that period.
exploration and hunting’, T2D. ‘People can ‘I’ve turned unfortunate health events
adding, ‘We’re built to
be free and [to have]
billion take steps to manage
or reduce this with
into a positive. I still often walk those
209 steps and think that was where
that sense of freedom Annual cost of diabetes diet and exercise. I first got my body to run. I’m now
medication to the NHS
every runner knows is Although nobody is celebrating five years of being clear
the perfect antidote to expecting you to of cancer with Breast Cancer Care
most forms of mental distress.’ become a marathon runner fundraising events, including my first
overnight, running regularly will
ultramarathon. Running’s now part of
help the body and either prevent or
IDIABETESI manage diabetes.’ who I am.’
Twenefour says running can help *For information and support on exercise
this is the 21st-century health people with T2D use what insulin after breast cancer, download Breast Cancer
epidemic that many believe is their body does produce more Care’s BECCA app
threatening to overwhelm the NHS. effectively. ‘Running can benefit your
The number of newly diagnosed glucose levels for 48-72 hours after
cases of type 2 diabetes – when the exercising by making your muscles
pancreas doesn’t produce enough more insulin sensitive,’ he says.
insulin or the cells don’t react to it, ‘Staying in range can prevent
raising blood sugar levels – is soaring. complications such as sight loss,

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 041


‘Running’s a big kidney disease and lower leg
amputations caused by nerve
average of 420 people die from
cardiovascular disease (CVD) – the

part of my life. I hope damage.’


Dr Paddy English, diabetes
consultant at Plymouth’s Derriford
collective name given to an array of
conditions that affect the heart and
blood vessels. That’s a quarter of all
it stops me having Hospital, agrees that running can
help address rising T2D levels. ‘When
deaths in the UK. This is often due to
coronary heart disease (when the
you’re active, you need less insulin to arteries narrow and may eventually
another stroke’ keep your blood glucose
level stable,’ he says.
block, owing to fatty
deposits or plaques),

ONE
‘In simple terms, leading to heart failure,
Christopher Hunter exercise takes the strain heart attacks and strokes.
33, Belfast off the pancreas and so Of the 170,000 annual
lowers the amount of deaths in the UK caused
‘I was in bed one night in meds you need. That’s person by heart and circulatory
August 2015 when a pain good for you and the disease, 42,000 are
is diagnosed with
NHS budget.’ type 2 diabetes every classed as premature
in my chest woke me up. I
Exercise can also three minutes because the person who
thought it was indigestion, but I couldn’t contribute to weight died was under 75. Add to
feel anything down my left side and my loss, making it easier to this those who survive a
wife, Maria, noticed the left side of my control the condition. heart attack or a stroke but need
face looked different and my speech ‘Relatively small shifts in weight emergency treatment and aftercare,
was slurred. She called an ambulance. and activity have a huge impact,’ and it’s clear NHS spending is only
‘In hospital, I was given a clot-busting adds English. ‘Reducing body weight heading one way. But experts believe
injection. I was still very confused the by 3.5 kilos by modifying the diet we can chip away at these grim
next morning at what had happened, and increasing activity can cut T2D statistics simply by being more active.
until a nurse said I’d suffered a stroke. development in those with impaired ‘If we could put exercise like
glucose tolerance by 58 per cent. running into a pill, it would be the
I was only 29, so was surprised someone
‘It means that a regular run or even most popular one on the shelf
my age could suffer one. a brisk walk could prevent T2D in because it provides a host of benefits,’
‘I stayed in hospital for 10 days, where many people who are on the cusp of says Dr Dan Augustine, consultant
I underwent rehab to get me walking developing it.’ cardiologist and sports cardiologist
again as the feeling to my left side This view was backed by a recent at the Royal United Hospital Bath.
returned. About four months after my University College London study ‘There’s good evidence to show that
stroke, I began running. I signed up for review, which looked at 26 existing an increase in your exercise capacity
a Couch to 5K programme run by the T2D studies before coming to a reduces your cardiovascular risk and
West Belfast Coolers running club. similar conclusion. It found that mortality. It also reduces the risk of
‘After doing a 5K, I became a parkrun doing the recommended 150 minutes coronary artery disease, lowers blood
of weekly exercise reduced the risk of pressure and helps maintain a normal
regular. I pushed on and did more races,
developing T2D by 26 weight. All of this helps
including three half marathons and my per cent, and that risk improve your lipid

42
first marathon, in May. fell further for those profile, reducing ‘bad’
‘I was worried I could suffer another who exercised more. cholesterol and
stroke, as the cause was a bit of a This approach is improving ‘good’
mystery. But my medical team told me
regular exercise would benefit me. I
shared by Southport
GP Simon Tobin, who thousand cholesterol. Having a
poor lipid profile is one
have lost 2st through running, which ‘prescribes’ running Number of premature deaths of the risk factors for
has made me feel great physically and to T2D and other related to cardiovascular heart attacks and
mentally. We now have two children patients he believes disease in the UK each year strokes. Exercise has
could benefit. Many multi-system benefits,
and I want to stay healthy to enjoy being
now prefer regular so increasing the
active with them. parkruns to a lifetime of pills and this amount we do will help us achieve
‘I might never have started running could play a huge part in keeping the these benefits.’
if it wasn’t for my stroke, but now NHS running, too. There are caveats. ‘We know that
WO R D S : A D R I A N M O N T I . P H OTO G R A P H S : G E T T Y

running’s a big part of my life and people in their 40s onwards who have
will hopefully stop me having another. exercised over a lifetime at higher
Luckily, I’ve recovered well from a very IHEART DISEASEI intensities are at increased risk of
frightening experience.’ developing an irregular heart rhythm
with around seven million people called atrial fibrillation,’ adds
*Christopher fundraises for the Stroke in the UK living with heart and Augustine, a keen runner. ‘There
Association. Visit stroke.org.uk circulatory disease, it’s easy to see have been studies showing that older
why this area of healthcare costs the endurance athletes have more heart-
NHS almost £9 billion a year. And, of muscle scarring – fibrosis – on heart
course, the costs go way beyond the MRI scans and further studies are
financial: according to the British needed to see what the significance of
Heart Foundation, every day an this is, if any. Studies have also shown

042 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


N AT I O N A L H E A LT H

that older endurance athletes had Department of Kinesiology found that runners had a Obviously, running in isolation
more furring of their heart arteries 24-40 per cent reduced risk of dying young. Interestingly, isn’t the cure-all for every modern
compared with age-matched controls. the study found that no other activity had the same health condition, but all of this
However, importantly, the plaque positive impact on health as running, with every hour of research and expert insight adds
seen in athletes is calcified, more running potentially increasing life expectancy by seven up to a compelling argument that
benign and thought to be less likely to hours. And it gets better. Runners could expect to live getting more people out there
rupture and cause cardiovascular three years longer than non-runners. Even those who pounding the UK’s pavements, trails
events than the softer mixed plaques already have coronary disease can benefit by running for and park paths could be a valuable
seen in the control groups. Overall, less than 80 minutes a week. prescription for an ailing health
the benefits of exercise far outweigh Lead author Professor Duck-Chul Lee said even those service. Can running really save the
the downsides. Anything done to who do a high mileages won’t cause any damage to their NHS? We believe that it can, if
reduce sedentary behaviour will cut heart. ‘We still didn’t find a significant harmful effect of enough people lace up their running
cardiovascular risk.’ running too much on mortality, including cardiovascular shoes. And, more importantly, if
A major US study involving 55,000 mortality,’ says Lee. ‘You might not get further benefits, you’re one of them, it can add many
people by Iowa State University’s but you will not harm yourself.’ healthy years to your life, too.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 043


‘RUNNING IS MY RELIGION,
MY BELIEF SYSTEM, MY
WAY OF KEEPING CALM’

t h e wor l d’s gr e at e s t sno ok e r pl ay e r ,


ron n i e o’s u l l i va n, ta l k s t o rw a b ou t
m e n ta l h e a lt h a n d ‘ prope r ru n n i ng’

R
O N N I E O ’ S U L L I VA N I S N O T I N T E R E S T E D ‘He used to force me to go out,’ says
in jogging. The man nick- O’Sullivan. ‘He said, “You can leave
named ‘The Rocket’ likes to school when you’re 15, but you have to
run the way he pots snooker keep fit. Healthy body, healthy mind.”
balls: quickly, relentlessly. I never used to enjoy it, but I noticed
‘There’s no feeling quite like ticking it made me play better snooker. And
along at 6:30-min/mile, in the forest, I wanted to be as good as I could at
up and down the hills,’ he says. ‘It’s snooker, so I kept it up.’
just a great way to start the day. That, But when his dad was imprisoned for
to me, is proper running.’ murder, O’Sullivan stopped running
To hear O’Sullivan speak about and by the time he was 20 years old,
running today, in almost religious he weighed 15 stone and his waistline
terms, it’s hard to imagine a time when had swelled to 37 inches. He returned
he considered it a chore. However, as to running initially as a way to lose
a kid, O’Sullivan was told by his dad, weight – but it soon became much
Ronnie Snr, that he had to run. more than that.

044 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


R O N N I E O ’ S U L L I VA N

O’Sullivan loves to
set himself up for the
day with a brisk run

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 045


‘Running has kept the things that healthy, he took that as his cue to eat to try and drop some pounds, but
are important to me – my family, 30 of them in one sitting. Another without realising that my brain needed
relationships and snooker – much time, when following a high-fat, good carbohydrates to function during
more stable. I’ve noticed I don’t get low-carb diet, he’d regularly eat two matches.’
so moody, there isn’t the same self- avocados in one sitting. ‘Don’t get me That’s when O’Sullivan started
loathing. Running just makes me feel wrong, I do like an avocado,’ he says, working with Lambert. Together, they
so much better about myself, which is ‘but you’re only really meant to have got a handle on his portion sizes, cut out
good for everyone around me, too.’ half an avocado a day.’ certain foods and added others. The
In many ways, running became In September 2017, O’Sullivan says results, he says, have been startling.
O’Sullivan’s new addiction. In his 2013 he’d ‘hit a wall’ with his physical and ‘I’ve shed two stone in the past two
autobiography, Running, he called it mental wellbeing. He was overweight years, purely through changing my
‘my religion, my belief system, my way again, despite the fact that he was diet, and I have never felt so energised.
of keeping calm’. It replaced the booze over-exercising, and everything was Nutrition really has made a massive
and drugs that had characterised suffering as a consequence – including difference to me. When I stopped
large parts of his life until then – and his snooker. running as competitively as I had
he was good at it too. Having joined ‘I was playing badly because I was so been, some bad habits crept back in.
his local running club, Woodford knackered all the time,’ he says. ‘I was I used to equate running with staying
Green, he began to train and race like following a carbohydrate-free diet slim and thought the eating wasn’t
a man possessed. Four years later,
in 2008, he was down to 11.5st and
running a 34:54 10K. ‘Proper running’
by anyone’s standards.
1. 3.

F U L L P L AT E
TEN YEARS AND several injuries on,
O’Sullivan is not running quite as
quickly. ‘I could probably only run
a 20-minute 5K at the minute,’ he
says, wistfully. He is, otherwise, in a
wonderful place – physically, mentally
and professionally.
Two days before we met, he had
just become world number one again 2. 4.
in his second-favourite sport: snooker.
At 44, he’s the oldest player to achieve
this – and he attributes his longevity
to regular running and a fresh
approach to nutrition.
His new book, Top of Your Game:
Eating for Mind and Body, which he
co-wrote with nutritionist Rhiannon
Lambert, is a collection of healthy
recipes and hard-won insights on
food, running and other aspects of life.
In many ways, O’Sullivan is an
unlikely poster boy for the healthy-
eating movement. Moderation, self-
care and wholesome living aren’t things
you might readily associate with a 1. At one point,
man whose all-night binges involved O’Sullivan was playing
him consuming 15 pints of Guinness badly because he was
tired all the time
(alongside other, stronger substances).
It’s fair to say he’s made some foodie 2. For now, O’Sullivan
faux pas along the way, too. ‘I’d always is firmly focused on
snooker, but running
eaten well because my mum was remains vital
Sicilian,’ says O’Sullivan, ‘so I’d been
3. His 10K PB is 34:54
used to eating fresh produce and good
food. My biggest problem has always 4. O’Sullivan running in
been that I’ve just eaten too much.’ his beloved Woodford
Green club vest
For instance, when someone said
to O’Sullivan that olives were really

046 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


R O N N I E O ’ S U L L I VA N

O’Sullivan now knows important. I’ve come to realise it’s


he does not have to run
as often if he eats well
actually the other way round: I don’t
have to run like I used to as long as I
eat right.’

O N LY H U M A N
WITH A SNOOKERcue in his hand, O’Sullivan
is a phenomenon. The trophies – five
World Championships, seven Masters
title, seven UK Championships – tell
only half the story. Because it is not
the number of trophies O’Sullivan
has won – 36 ranking titles and
counting – but the thrilling manner
in which he has done so, that sets
him apart. Watching ‘The Rocket’
in full, irresistible flow is a beautiful
sight. He is the Picasso of the baize
or, perhaps more appropriately, the
Kipchoge of the cloth.
With a pair of running shoes
on his feet, O’Sullivan is good, but
not great. He once finished in 189th
place at the Southern Cross-Country
Championships and made it into the
pages of Athletics Weekly following a
win at a small-scale 10K in Essex.
Yet swapping the bright lights of the
baize for the ankle-deep anonymity
of cross-country was part of the
appeal. With a club vest on, O’Sullivan
was no longer a once-in-a-generation
genius, with all the
expectation that comes
with it. Rather, he was
RONNIE’S RECIPES just another exhausted,
imperfect runner.
Breakfast bowl Serves
1 ‘I knew I was always
Don’t be put off by its vivid green going to have to be one
of these untalented
colour – this breakfast bowl tastes
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : G E T T Y, A L A M Y, A N D R E W H AY E S WAT K I N S

runners who has to work


incredible and is full of power foods hard to get whatever he
that will get you through the day can out of it,’ he says.
‘Don’t get me wrong, no
matter what I do, I like
INGREDIENTS METHOD
to be at the front. But
1 banana 1. Place all the
with running I knew I
2 handfuls of spinach ingredients in a
wasn’t expected to win.
½ ripe avocado blender and pulse
I’d look at the winners
200ml milk of your until the mixture
and think, “It would be
choice is smooth.
great to be them.” But I
100g oats 2. Serve topped with
knew I could never be
6 ice cubes the fresh berries,
that good, because I’d
coconut flakes and
never done it seriously
TOPPINGS mixed nuts.
as a kid.
80g berries
‘I used to equate it to
20g dried coconut
someone who was 30
flakes
years old and decided
30g mixed nuts
he wanted to become a
top snooker player. How
would he fare against

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 047


RONNIE’S RECIPES

Mango & prawn salad


This salad is wonderful by itself or as
part of a bigger meal. It requires very
little fuss, but packs in a lot of flavour

INGREDIENTS METHOD
200g cooked tiger 1. Place the prawns in
prawns a bowl with the mango
1 mango, chopped and avocado.
into cubes 2. Add the zest and
1 avocado, sliced juice of half the lime
1 lime to a bowl.
½ red chilli, deseeded 3. Mix chilli, honey
and finely chopped and oil for a dressing.
1 tbsp honey Cut the other half of
1 tbsp avocado oil the lime into wedges.
½ iceberg lettuce, Drizzle the dressing
shredded over the prawns,
avocado and mango.
4. Serve on a bed of Serves
iceberg lettuce with a 2
wedge of lime.

me? He’d never get anywhere near Championships might have come
me. Even if he played for the next 100 second to his desire to represent his
years and I didn’t pick up a cue, I’d home county, Essex, in cross-country.
wipe the floor with him.’ ‘Running did take over for a while,
While running victories may I’ll admit,’ he says. ‘But I didn’t mind,
have remained out of reach, moving because [running] is a good thing.
from maestro to mid-packer taught You don’t mind things like that taking
O’Sullivan some valuable lessons over. Anyway, what else are you going
about himself. ‘Running taught me to do with your life – sit around and
that I’ve got guts, determination and get fat?’
that I’m happy not to take shortcuts,’ Nowadays, O’Sullivan prioritises
he says. ‘If you want to get the most out his potting. However, he still packs
of yourself as a runner, you don’t have his running shoes when he heads off
to have masses of ability. I honestly to a snooker tournament, regularly
think if you run 50 or 60 miles a week, popping in on local running club
with a few track sessions thrown in, sessions, provided he feels fit enough.
anyone can run a sub-three marathon ‘When I’m fit, I always join up with
or a sub-35 10K. It’s all about effort.’ the local running club and go for a
Had you, in 2009, asked O’Sullivan five- or seven-mile run,’ he says. ‘The
to rank his top sporting priorities, last three or four years, my running
winning another snooker World has gone a bit downhill, so I don’t

Shoe Running 2004


Joins Woodford
2008
Runs a 34:54 10K
2008
189th in Southern
2019
Can still run ‘only’

v Cue Green running club (19th place) Cross-Country Champs a 20-min 5K

How Ronnie’s
achievements Snooker 1997 2001 2015 2019
on the green Fastest ever Wins World Overtakes Stephen Becomes oldest
baize and the maximum break Championships Hendry as player with person to become
run stack up (5 mins 20 secs) for first time the most centuries (776) world No 1 (aged 44)

048 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


R O N N I E O ’ S U L L I VA N

6 - M I N / M I L E , YO U
NA
‘ I F YO U C A N R U U N W I T H A N YO N E .
meet so many people now because I
don’t want to slow them down. I just

A N G O F O R A R U’RE
go out and do my own little four-miler
C . B U T I F Y O
AH
at 7:30 min/mile. That’s enough for me

E V E N M O FA R / M I L E S , M O ’ S N O T
at the moment.’

I N G 8 - M IN
R U N N
E R E S T E D . H E ’LL BE
T
G O I N G T O B E I N O T T I M E F O R T H I S ”’
I K E , “ I A I N ’ T G
L THE LONG GAME
A LT H O U G H S O M E O F O’Sullivan’s miles are
run on the road, he’s happiest on the
trails of his local Epping Forest. And
although snooker may have made him
a millionaire several times over, when
it comes to running he likes to keep
things simple and gadget-free.
‘I love running offroad, through the
forest,’ he says. ‘For me, it’s all about
getting away from people, cars, fumes.
I once wore headphones for about half
an hour, but I threw them away in the
forest, as it was killing it for me; the
beauty of being outside is that you’re
away from technology.’
Given his impressive times over
the shorter distances, it is perhaps
surprising to learn that O’Sullivan has
never run a marathon. At his running
peak, his clubmates told him he was
in sub-2:45 shape, but injuries and a
hectic schedule have always got in the
way. Is it something he’d like to do in
the future?
‘I would definitely do a marathon,’
he says. ‘While I’m still competing
playing snooker, it’s hard for me to
commit to doing the miles in training,
because that would become too much
of an obsession. I’ve only got another
three or four more years playing
snooker – I’ve got to prioritise that.
O’Sullivan is eyeing But if I get in decent shape, even at 50
up a marathon, but I like to think I could still possibly run
not until his snooker
a sub-3 marathon.’
days are behind him
Whether or not he decides to tackle
the full 26.2, O’Sullivan knows he
wants to continue to run for as long as
his legs allow him to. ‘I look at people
at the running club in their 60s and
70s, and they’re still doing it. I look at
them and they look so healthy – I want
to look like that when I’m their age.
I obviously want to run as much as a
I can, and if I can’t run, I’d probably
take up a coaching badge.’
Ronnie O’Sullivan, running coach?
Don’t expect any jogging in his
training schedules.

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s new book, Top of Your


Game: Eating for Mind and Body (£14.99,
Lagom), is out now.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 049


050 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019
A R E YO U B - F I C I E N T ?

Plan
Feeling low, a little…off? The symptoms may not seem
unusual but, finds Georgie Lane-Godfrey, they could be a
red flag for the nutritional deficiency you never expected

C
an we just… slow down?’ I pant to VERY BUSY B explains that B12 deficiency can lead
my husband. He looks confused. A quick google tells me B12 is essential to a type called ‘megaloblastic anaemia’,
We’re not pounding out an interval for your body to function. Naturally whereby your body doesn’t have
session, nor are we having the kind of occurring in animal products, it’s enough cells to carry oxygen around
athletic sex that requires an interval. released from food by stomach acids, the body – hence the breathlessness.
We’re strolling to Sainsbury’s. Very, before combining with the protein For most people with a deficiency,
very slowly. intrinsic factor and being absorbed in nutrition can get you back on track.
It wasn’t just the breathlessness. the small intestine. From there, it gets While you probably know to reach for
I used to feel so constantly tired that to work forming healthy blood cells, the orange juice when you need some
an hour of exercise demanded a generating DNA, extracting energy vitamin C, awareness of B12, and
recovery nap later that day and my from food and ensuring the proper where to get it, is low. ‘If you eat meat,
mood plummeted so drastically that working of the brain and nervous fish or dairy foods, you should be able
‘What’s wrong now?’ had become my system: in short, the fundamentals. to get all the B12 you need from your
long-suffering husband’s catchphrase. It’s no surprise, then, that when diet,’ says Harley Street nutritionist
By the time I found myself bent double you fail to get enough of it (the NHS Rhiannon Lambert. ‘It shouldn’t take
on the way to do the weekly food shop, recommends 1.5mcg a day), your body too many diet tweaks to hit that daily
I knew I couldn’t keep blaming my will notice – and fatigue is the tip of target – it’s just a case of knowing
hormones, work or poor sleeping the iceberg. The symptoms read like what foods to find it in.’ Eat scrambled
patterns. I knew my body, and I knew a teenager’s diary entry – low mood, eggs made with milk for breakfast, a
that something was wrong. Several irritability, clumsiness – but if you niçoise salad for lunch or a salmon fillet
exploratory blood tests later and I had fail to address a deficiency, the for dinner and you’ll get what you need.
my answer: I was deficient in vitamin consequences go way beyond a weary If you’re vegan, you’re at higher
B12. I’d never even heard of the stuff walk to the supermarket. ‘Unchecked, risk. It’s harder to come by, but it is
– and therein lies the problem. a B12 deficiency can lead to shrinkage possible to get enough B12 from a
Statistics suggest B12 deficiency of the brain, irreversible memory vegan diet. ‘Vegans can find B12 in a
mainly affects older people, with one loss and poor functioning of blood lot of plant-based foods, such as soya
in 10 aged over 75 affected, but a cells, resulting in anaemia,’ explains and nut milks, which are fortified
recent review of the data by the World David Smith, professor emeritus of with B12 to help them get their quota,’
Health Organization led it to conclude pharmacology at the University of says Lambert. The key is getting the
that the real numbers could be higher Oxford. Anaemia is a reduction in the quantities right. ‘Fortified nut milks
than previously thought among normal number of blood cells. Smith have around 0.38mcg of B12 per
younger people, too. This is primarily 100ml, while fortified soya milk has
P H OTO G R A P H S : G E T T Y I M AG E S

because symptoms that could be put


down to a standard bad day and an ‘A B12 deficiency around 1.25mcg per 100ml. It means
you’re better off drinking fortified
ad hoc approach to testing mean that soya milk if you need to up your B12
deficiencies are going undiagnosed can lead to intake.’ Some cereals are also fortified
for years, decades in some cases. B12, with B12, though it might require
like a C-list celebrity, has a PR problem shrinkage of some label combing to be sure. Also, in
and is in need of a publicist, so it might news that will cause you to salivate or
as well be me. the brain’ squirm, B12 is abundant in Marmite.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 051


While it’s useful to arm yourself
with knowledge, you can’t diagnose
yourself, and Smith tells me I was
right to go to the doctor when I did – a
trip that confirmed that my B12 levels
were 120pmol/L (picomoles per litre).
‘B12 levels are usually seen as normal
if they are above 148 pmol/L,’ he
explains. ‘But you can experience
symptoms of deficiency even if you’re
levels are around 400 pmol/L.’
Smith suggests getting your blood
tested after a month of experiencing
the stomach so that the B12 bound symptoms – keeping a diary to show
‘There’s no consensus as to food proteins isn’t released,’ says your GP – but warns that a blood test
Smith. Studies have shown people doesn’t always lead to a diagnosis.
to what constitutes a who take heartburn medications
called PPIs (proton pump inhibitors,
‘There’s no official consensus among
medical professionals as to what
B12 deficiency in the UK’ such as Rennie) for a prolonged period
end up reducing their stomach acid.
constitutes a B12 deficiency in the
UK,’ explains Martyn Hooper, chair of
No acid? No B12. And conditions the Pernicious Anaemia Society. This
But I’m not vegan. In fact, cheese and such as Crohn’s disease and coeliac means the diagnosis you get will differ
chocolate-induced dairy comas are my disease can have an impact, too.
downfall. I should be as high as a kite ‘Malabsorption diseases that cause
on the stuff – but when I turn detective gut injury will also create problems
in the hunt for my missing B12, it turns with absorption of B12, so people
out you can be deficient even when with these conditions need to be

S POT
you are getting enough from your on the alert for possible deficiencies,’
diet. A study published in the British says dietitian Nicole Rothband.
Medical Journal found that 12 per cent It could also be genetic.
of 19-39-year-olds were B12 deficient
even though they consumed the 1.5mcg
RDA. ‘The traditional view doctors are
taught in the UK – that a well-balanced
diet is all you need – is not true,’ says
Smith. ‘Some people require more B12
B CA R E F U L
B12 deficiency can lead to anaemia,
but, confusingly, a different kind of
anaemia could explain why you’re not
TH E
S I GN S
than others, particularly pregnant getting enough. ‘Pernicious anaemia is
women, among whom there is a high a genetic disease known to be a cause
prevalence of B12 insufficiency – which of vitamin deficiency, including B12,’
we don’t yet know the reason for.’ explains Smith. ‘It occurs when the
One explanation is malabsorption body produces antibodies that attack Any of these ring a bell?
– when you can’t physically extract intrinsic factor proteins in your It could be time to get checked out...
the B12 from food. ‘The most common stomach, which allow the gut to
cause is insufficient acid production in absorb B12.’

052 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


A R E YO U B - F I C I E N T ?

PR E G N A NT
PAU S E
Large doses of folic
acid (the vitamin all
pregnant women
should take to
in different parts of the country. ‘If So it was with me. I was prescribed
prevent neural tube
you live in Essex, you stand a chance a course of six intramuscular B12
defects in their
of being diagnosed if you have B12 injections over two weeks – with a
babies) can mask a
levels below 200 pmol/L, but over in view to topping up every three months
B12 deficiency. So
the Vale of Glamorgan you wouldn’t be for life. The results, however, are
your doctor might
classed as deficient with those levels. worth it – within a week, my mood
miss the signs of low
It’s still worth getting a blood test and energy levels were back to normal.
B12 until more
either way – it’s good to know how low But as for my missing B12, it’s still at
serious symptoms
your level actually is,’ says Hooper. large. I’m not vegan, I’m not coeliac,
pop up, says Dr
‘Unlike Vitamin A or folic acid, B12 nor do I suffer from heartburn. What’s
Zhaoping Li, director
is one of the few vitamins where there more, my test results came back saying
of the UCLA Center
is no upper limit decided upon by the I didn’t have issues with intrinsic
for Human Nutrition,
authorities, and a high level has not factor. It’s frustrating, but a timely
in the US. If you’re
been shown to cause any harm,’ says reminder that with B12 deficiency – as
expecting, ask your
Smith. If your B12 levels are low despite with so much of nutrition – we have a
obstetrician to check
the fact you are getting enough from lot to learn. ‘It’s a rather neglected
your vitamin levels
your diet, then it’s more likely to be area of study,’ confirms Smith. ‘But it’s
when other blood
an absorption problem, meaning oral an important one for public health,
tests are carried out.
supplements won’t help, either. In this given that millions of people around
case, B12 injections will be prescribed the world are deficient in B12.’ Looks
– especially if symptoms are severe and like this celebrity PR agent still has a
you need to raise your levels pronto. lot of work on her hands...

YO U ’ R E T I R E D YO U ’ R E M O O DY YO U ’ R E O F F YO U R M E M O RY ’ S YO U F E E L YO U R T O N G U E I S
ALL THE TIME A lack of B12 can BALANCE G O N E AWO L PRICKLES SMOOTH, THICK
Lacking the vitamin mess with your Without B12, That nerve damage Pins and needles AND SHINY
can sap strength mental health. the nerves in the can also affect your in your hands and Lack of B12 could
and energy, Why? Low levels spinal cord can brain, leaving you feet? That could cause you to lose
because it affects may affect the wither, leaving you feeling forgetful or be low B12 stocks papillae – tiny
the red blood cells production of dizzy and wobbly. confused. If this is affecting nerve bumps containing
that carry oxygen mood-regulating Report ongoing regularly the case cells. Ignore it taste buds. Your
to your vital neurotransmitters, instances of with you, see your and the tingling tongue may feel
organs. Low O2 such as serotonin feeling off-kilter doctor, to be on can become sore and your sense
means low energy. and dopamine. to your doctor. the safe side. permanent. of taste may fade.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 053


CHASING THE

DRAGON
The Lake District’s Bob
Graham Round and the
Highlands’ Charlie Ramsay
hog the limelight, but the
Paddy Buckley Round,
which completes the UK’s
fell-running trilogy, may be
the toughest of them all.
Damian Hall is humbled by
Snowdonia’s brutal beauty

The sapping climb


over Pen y Ole Wen,
with Tryfan in the
background

054 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


PA D DY B U C K L E Y

CARNEDD LLE WELYN

MYNYDD PEN YR HELGI DU


ELIDIR PERFEDD
FAWR CARNEDD DAF YDD PEN LLITHRIG Y
ELIDIR FACH FOEL PEN YR OLE WR ACH
GOCH WEN

Y GARN TRYFAN

GLYDER
MOEL EILIO
GLYDER FACH
FOEL GRON MOEL FAWR
CYNGHORION
FOEL GOCH CLOGW YN BWLCH-
CRIB Y DDYSGI Y-MAEN
MOEL SIABOD
SNOWDON
CRIBAU CARNEDD Y CRIBAU
Y GARN TREGAL AN
MYNYDD DRWS-Y- COED YR AR AN
TRUM Y DDYSGL
CERRIG COCHION
MYNYDD -Y-DDW Y-ELOR MOEL MEIRCH
CR AIG WEN
Y GYRN
YSGAFELL WEN
MOEL LEFN MYNYDD LLYNNAU’R CWN
MOEL DRUMAN
MOEL YR OGOF UNNAMED TOP
CNICHT ALLT-FAWR
MOEL HEBOG
DAMIAN’S FOEL
BRYN BANOG START/FINISH DDU
MOELW YN MOEL-YR-HYDD
MAWR
The 47 peaks of the
CR AIGYSGAFN Paddy Buckley and the
MOELW YN BACH route between them

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 055


‘ THIS DOESN’T
clearly,’ says Dodds. ‘Three of us set off from Capel, without pacers.
At Aberglaslyn, Paddy had arranged a hot bath in the cottage of a
local resident! He’d had problems on some attempts and thought the
bath (and drinking milk) would be helpful. I had to wait for over

SEEM RIGHT...’
30 minutes. Then we set off, with Paddy in a long-sleeve top and
long johns, even though it was very warm. After 15 minutes, he retired.
Bob and I continued, but he got the runs and eventually retired on
Snowdon. I continued alone.’
Some navigational problems in the dark around Llanberis –
says my mate Charlie Sproson. We grind to a halt, our momentum including having to climb a ‘moving slate mountain’ – rendered her
disappearing into the fog. Blinkered by exhaustion and sleep target of a sub-24-hour finish impossible, but Dodds continued
deprivation after 22 hours of running, we’re chasing the fumes of our regardless. ‘Paddy wanted me to give up, but I always think it’s better
ambitions to finish a Paddy Buckley Round in under 24 hours. We’re to complete, regardless of the time and then next time it’s just a
on our last leg, south from Capel Curig to Aberglaslyn, and on our last question of speeding up rather than wondering if you can get round,’
legs. In the damp, disorientating fog, the clock is ticking faster than says Dodds. She was the first to complete the Paddy, taking 25 hours
our feet are moving. The wet and cold are taking their toll on our and 38 minutes.
shivering psyches and, worse still, I’m all out of Tunnock’s bars. Ian Fox may have completed the first sub-24-hour Paddy in 1983,
We consult the map. He’s right. It’s not right. We trudge dejectedly but ‘Paddy doesn’t feel confident that Ian managed to complete the
up a steep bank to try to locate the correct line, a few more crucial route accurately, as he lost his map on the first summit!’ says fell-
minutes wasted. running legend Martin Stone. Sadly, Ian is no longer around to shed
Charlie is a professional mountain guide and, as evidenced by his more light on this, but three years later, Stone himself recorded the
ability to spot our error despite the challenging visibility, a navigation first verified sub-24-hour Paddy (23:26). ‘My feelings on finishing
wizard. Together we’ve completed Britain’s other two big 24-hour were total elation,’ he says. ‘I had never before subjected myself to
fell-running rounds, England’s Bob Graham Round (42 Lake District such pressures during a solo night run or worked as hard for the last
summits, 66 miles and 27,000ft of ascent) and Scotland’s Charlie few hours to make up time on a long-distance event. Experiences and
Ramsay Round (24 Highland summits, 60 miles and 28,000ft of ascent). memories from the round will remain with me for many years.’
Always the most high profile, the Bob Graham (BG) has had plenty Stone would return in December 1989 to record the first winter solo
of recent publicity, thanks to new records by Jasmin Paris (fastest and unsupported Paddy (23:40). Other Paddys worthy of mention
woman), Nicky Spinks (fastest double) and Kilian Jornet, who last year include Anne Stentifor’s, who brought the overall record down to 19:19
broke Billy Bland’s 36-year-old overall record. Despite its challenges, in 1991, Mark Hartell’s 18:10 a year later, which was, miraculously,
over 2,000 people have completed the BG, which is also beautifully matched to the minute by Chris Near in 2008 and, finally, beaten by
mythologised in Richard Askwith’s book Feet in the Clouds. Tim Higginbottom in 2009, whose 17:42 is still unbeaten. Then there
What next after a BG? A Ramsay, in Scotland, whisper those in the was Mike Hartley’s 1990 time of 33:30 which might not sound
know. It’s more spectacular and remote – and harder, too. And then impressive until you learn that it was the third part of a continuous
there is the third of the great 24-hour fell-running rounds. The Welsh hat-trick of the big three rounds, completed without rest, other than
instalment is the least celebrated, certainly the most idiosyncratic, and the drives in between.
possibly the hardest of them all.

ASCENTS OF HISTORY SUMMITS FOR THE WEEKEND


The Paddy Buckley Round is a circuit of 47 PBR v BGR v CRR: the UK’s three big fell-running rounds
summits in Snowdonia, roughly 61 miles long go head-to-head with their vital statistics (visit gofar.org.uk)
(though exact mileage on all rounds varies, as
slightly different routes may be chosen between
summits), with 28,000ft of ascent – the same PA DDY BUCK LE Y BOB GR A H A M CH A RL IE R A MS AY
as Ramsay and about 1,000ft less than climbing

61 66 60
Mt Everest from sea level.
Starting in 1977, Paddy Buckley spent over MILES

four years devising the round, with input from


members of the Rucksack Club, a venerable
mountain-pursuits organisation dating back

47 42 24
to 1902, and London Marathon co-founder
SUMMITS
Chris Brasher, who owned a cottage just
off-route. Fascinated by the BG and after a
failed attempt at it with Brasher, Buckley, in
his words ‘spent hours on the maps; measuring,

28,000 27,000 28,000


calculating, trying variations, seeking short
ASCENT
cuts…running over every section many times.
It was a labour of love. The round was a ft ft ft
celebration to mark the countless pleasures

17:42 12:52 16:59


experienced in wandering these lovely Welsh
hills over many years.’ MEN’S
RECORD
In 1980, Buckley, along with Ken Turner and
fell-running stalwart Wendy Dodds, made a Tim Higginbottom 2009 Kilian Jornet 2018 Jon Ascroft 2015

first attempt. The trio only made it halfway

18:33 15:24 16:13


before being forced to abandon after the two
men ran into problems. Two subsequent WOMEN’S
RECORD
attempts were postponed due to bad weather,
Jasmin Paris 2016 Jasmin Paris 2016 Jasmin Paris 2016
then Paddy tried again with Dodds and Bob
Roberts in May 1982. ‘I remember it very

056 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


PA D DY B U C K L E Y

‘ I SUFFERED
HARD GOING ‘The Paddy is probably the one that catches
More people have completed a Paddy (172) than a most people out,’ says Jim Mann, the winter
Ramsay (134), but the Scottish round is more record holder for all three rounds. ‘The micro-

ON THE
eulogised (see Jonny Muir’s The Mountains Are navigation is tricky. It’s a round you need to get
Calling). Spinks garnered attention for the to really know – you have to make friends with it.’
Ramsay in June 2018 when she became the first The Paddy is idiosyncratic. Unlike the BG and
person to do a double. ‘The Paddy doesn’t have the Ramsay, it has no official start point (though
the magnificence of the Ramsay, or get the
attention of the BG,’ says Spinks, also formerly PADDY IN some see it as Plas y Brenin/Capel Curig). Most
people try to get round in less than 24 hours, but
P H OTO G R A P H S : S T E P H E N -AS H WO R T H ( P R E V I O U S PAG E A N D 1 ) , DA M I A N H A L L ( 2 ) , S T E P H E N -A S H WO R T H (3 )

the women’s record holder on all three rounds. there’s also no official cut-off time. In an email

A WAY I
‘But as soon as I recced the Paddy I knew it was exchange with Paddy Buckley, now 90 and hard
way harder than the BG.’ of hearing, he would not say why this is. ‘Paddy
That opinion is shared by round record- didn’t focus on time,’ explains Stone. ‘It’s just not

DIDN’T ON
breakers – Wendy Dodds, Martin Stone, Jasmin a big deal to him.’ Unlike the other two rounds,
Paris, Jim Mann – who agree the Paddy is tougher there’s no dedicated website (gofar.org.uk is
than the BG. Stone estimates the actual mileage the nearest thing), though Paddy himself does

THE BG OR
on the Paddy is often longer (mine was 70+ miles), maintain a completion list.
with significantly more climb. ‘It probably The BG divides neatly into five logical legs, but
requires about an hour’s extra effort, which makes the Paddy isn’t so obliging. ‘And there is no “easy”
24 hours a more elusive target,’ says Stone. section,’ says Spinks. ‘Unlike the Helvellyn ridge
‘The Paddy Buckley was definitely the hardest
for me,’ says Jasmin Paris, the women’s record
holder of all three and overall record holder of
the Ramsay. ‘I suffered on the Paddy in a way
RAMSAY’ on the BG, there is no obvious leg to do at night,’
agrees Stone. ‘Tricky navigation and bad ground
are spread evenly throughout. There are also few
well-defined paths.’
I didn’t on the BG or Ramsay.’ This, along with the lack of an official start
While the BG record is 12:52 and Paris’s point, threw up a confusing array of possibilities
Ramsay record is 16:13, the fastest ever time for for Charlie and me. We weren’t sure where to
the Paddy is Higginbottom’s 17:42, which has start, our plans changing as the day approached,
stood for 10 years – though there were several the uncertainty feeding our unease. Though
attempts at it last year and we’ll see more this the weather forecast was promising, when we
year. ‘To break the record, you have to have arrived in Llanberis, driving up through some
recced the Paddy quite a lot,’ says Spinks. ‘For the of the daunting shadowy shapes we’d soon be
Paddy I had to do quality training, put myself out traversing, the sky hung heavy and threatening.
of my comfort zone and scare myself silly (the Anecdotally, it seems more Paddy attempts are
descent off Tryfan for example). The Paddy scuppered by inclement weather than on other
probably made me who I am.’ rounds: heavy rain makes terrain slower and

1 3
1 / The sky begins to 2 / Ascending Tryfan 3 / The weather changes
lighten on the third presents a very everything and on the
leg between Llanberis particular set of Paddy it can change
and Glandana challenges quickly and dramatically

UK 057
JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK
2

1 3

saps motivation, while fog makes navigation much more problematic. says Spinks. ‘I also think having Snowdon to yourself is a big bonus.’
The Met Office estimates that Snowdonia and the Lake District get After a 500m rocky climb it’s distinctly surreal to be entirely on our
comparable amounts of rain – bucket-loads being the precise own on the summit of what is known as ‘Britain’s busiest mountain’.
meteorological term in question. However, ‘Snowdonia is the first It’s 1.30am and we’ve slipped 10 minutes behind our 23:30 schedule,
high ground that gets hit by the weather from the Irish Sea,’ reasons but we’re too awestruck to worry.
Stone. ‘There are no hills to stop it. Whereas much of the BG is in the At Llanberis we’ve stashed a food bag. I eat a precision-engineered
eastern Lakes, which are further from sea. At night, in bad weather, endurance athlete’s meal of chocolate éclair and salty crisps. Next up
the Paddy can be extremely challenging.’ is, ‘the most technical leg’, says Spinks, ‘with the Elidirs, Glyders and
‘The weather on the Paddy has cursed me,’ says Mann. ‘I had a then a tricky ascent and descent of Tryfan.’ After a long, challenging
perfect forecast for my winter Paddy, but I ended up doing it in gales climb through Dinorwic slate quarry, we tick off a few more summits
and white-out blizzards – a proper fun day out!’ and then the creeping pink glow of dawn appears to the East. The
huge moon holds its ground above, the mist hangs in the valleys below
and the mountains rise in silent camaraderie all around us. I’m
UP AND AWAY exhausted but I can’t think of anywhere in the world I’d rather be.
Before Charlie and I begin our attempt, our fingers swish nervously After Glyder Fach – a spiky mohawk of huge boulders – we follow
across our map one final time over a pot of tea in Peat’s Eats. Then we an avalanche of small rocks down to one of the most handsome and
drive round to Nantmor for a 7.03pm start, going clockwise. It’s a relief daunting mountain sights in Britain: Tryfan, where Spinks was
to get going. ‘This short leg appears easy on the face of it, as there ‘scared silly’. We scramble up – Volvo-sized boulders balanced on
aren’t any huge climbs,’ says Spinks. ‘But there’s very little flat in it more Volvo-sized boulders – then down. Charlie admits to finding the
too! It’s either up or down the whole way. It also has a good selection steep descent ‘gruelling’. My throbbing knees creak their agreement.
of tussocky climbs as well as two heather-bashing ones.’ We swap some kit, grab more snacks and scoff a cold curry at Charlie’s
It’s dark and – nature laughing in the face of the forecast – drizzling van, parked in Ogwen. We’re feeling a bit beaten up and we’re leaking
and foggy. We’re constantly double-checking the route and taking sub- more minutes, but we’re hoping there’s some relative respite ahead.
optimal lines. It’s hands-on-thighs power-hiking, jogging through long ‘The Carnedds are generally regarded as the easiest leg, but with
wet grass, survival mode on unstable slabs of wet rock, scrambling the climb up Pen y Ole Wen being 800m and taking an hour over soggy,
over boulders, and the occasional exhilarating but precarious descent. then rocky, ground it’s not exactly a stroll in the park,’ says Spinks of
Whenever I let my guard down a feisty rock jumps up and attacks my the next section. It’s a slow, steep, dispiriting slog up. But at the top the
shin like a silent, vicious dog. ‘If you fall off the path (or what is views stretch out to sea. There are patches of snow, sunshine, good
construed as a path), you end up in horrid rocks,’ warns Spinks. running along long, gentle ridges. All’s right with the world.
Then, on the leg’s last summit, we rise above the clouds and an Talk shifts to what treats we’ll buy in the cafe in Capel Curig.
enormous moon lights up silhouettes of dragon’s-back ridges rising Charlie’s keen on a cola. I’ve fixed my fantasies on a bacon and cheese
from the mist of the valleys below. The distant lights of towns remind croissant. When we get there, however, the cafe has been replaced by
me of the joys of a warm bed, but also make me feel sorry for those an outdoor retailer. Though we manage a takeaway tea, it’s a severe
who never do this kind of thing. blow to morale. We only have one leg to go – Capel to Aberglaslyn –
The Snowdon massif is next. ‘It’s generally the leg people do in the but it’s the longest and, according to Spinks ‘fiddly to navigate’. We’ve
dark; navigation is more straightforward and the ground less technical,’ had some glorious sunshine, but a huge comb-over of cloud is settling

058 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


1 / Jasmin Paris tackles
the Paddy Buckley. She
4
says it was harder than
the Bob Graham and the
Charlie Ramsay

2 / The writer, when he


was enjoying himself. It
wasn’t always this much
fun. Or this easy

3 / Even navigation
guru Charlie Sproson
found the Paddy
topographically tricky
POWER SOURCE
4 / The Tryfan descent
is spectacular, though
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search for the right line, murky greyness turns


to ominous darkness.
With 40 minutes left we have just one more
summit to bag. But it’s a notorious one: Cnicht, or
the Matterhorn of Wales. Stone calls the steep
climb up it ‘particularly savage’. The half-decent
path suddenly disappears, replaced by slabs of
wet slippery rock. When we relocate the trail it’s
hard and rocky, and then comes a cruel 2km of
road. We’re sore, exhausted and thoroughly
grumpy when we finally reach my car in 25
on top of our next summit, Moel Siabod. After a hours and 40 minutes. The Paddy has proven
long climb, we’re repeatedly fooled by false harder for us than the other two rounds; it’s the
summits, each fresh lump of rock rearing out of only one we couldn’t complete in under 24 hours.
the murk as I reach another. The bog further It’s harder, too, to have affection for the round,
slows us down. initially, at least. But that feeling changes over
‘The Paddy’s underfoot conditions are tough,’ the following days as I recall the beautiful dawn
says Mann. ‘If it’s wet, it’s slippery and the bog and magical morning, the quiet of the night, the
monsters come out to play.’ I sink to my waist sight of mist rolling into valleys. ‘It’s dragon’s
several times and the damp climbs up my base breath,’ Charlie had said. Our time is far less
layer. While the bog monsters are impossible to important. It was a memorable adventure shared
avoid, some of the summits are elusive. Stone with a good friend, as Buckley had intended.
refers to ‘pimple peaks’ and ‘cheap summits’, ‘People underestimate it, then get despondent
P H OTO G R A P H S : P I CAS A , DA M I A N H A L L , S T E P H E N -AS H WO R T H , LU C K Y I F S H A R P ( P R O D U C T S )

others to ‘not sures’. Wikipedia offers: ‘Some of when they don’t succeed,’ says Spinks. ‘Maybe it’s

‘IF IT’S
these tops really are just bumps on the ridge and just me, but I’ve always loved the low-key feel
not really summits in their own right at all.’ and the idiosyncrasies of the Paddy. I would say
it’s on par with the Ramsay, and maybe even
surpasses it as my favourite.’
MUD AND THUNDER
We make detours to tag superfluous ‘summits’,
wasting crucial time. The terrain and weather
WET, IT’S Jasmin Paris is similarly taken with it. ‘I was
impressed by the beauty of the mountains,’ she
says, ‘the remote wild feel of much of the route.’

SLIPPERY
are making fools of us. I’m wet, cold, grumpy and The Bob Graham has the glamour, the Ramsay
playing a game of treasure hunt in remote Welsh has the drama, but the Paddy is quirky, tricky
mountains, without any actual treasure. It’s all and idiosyncratic. You have to spend time getting

AND THE BOG


so soggy, slow and demoralising. I had wanted to to know it, to win it over gradually. And I like and
prove that the ugly duckling of the big three was respect it all the more for that.
really a magnificent swan, but at this point I have The last word comes, appropriately, from
to admit that I’ve gone right off it. Paddy Buckley himself: ‘I haven’t read the
From the disused Cwmorthin quarry, we
have six summits left and about two hours to
get them. It’s wet grass and fog everywhere.
MONSTERS Wikipedia article [that complains some summits
are just bumps],’ he says. ‘Nor am I interested in
other people’s grumbles about the route. It was

COME OUT
I have run a bit of this section before and get never intended to be an easy day out.’
a little carried away in my ‘knowledge’ of the
route. That’s when Charlie, thankfully, interjects

TO PLAY’
and we correct our line, but it’s yet more crucial Mountain Run offer guided attempts and recces of all
minutes lost. We share the thought that a sub-24- three of Britain’s big 24-hour fell-running rounds.
hour finish may no longer be realistic. As we Visit mountainrun.co.uk

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 059


Podcasts are perfect for runners. We can’t catch up on a box set
or get stuck into a novel as we pound the pavement, but add a set
of headphones to the time we have already blocked out and an
entire world of knowledge, stimulation, self-improvement and
entertainment opens up to us. The problem is that with hundreds
of thousands to choose from, it isn’t easy to separate the golden
audio wheat from the background-noise chaff. So we’ve done
it for you. This carefully curated mix will help you up your game
(in running and life), give you food for thought or just bring a
smile to your face when the going gets tough

HEALTH NUTRITION FOOD FOR FITNESS RUNNING BALANCE MENTAL UNWIND


THOUGHT HEALTH

060 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


PODCASTS

01
Run, Selfie
Repeat
With episodes lasting around 15 minutes,
Kelly Roberts’ spin-off from her blog
(shecanandshedid.com) is an easy one
to fit into short-run days. And her journey
to body positivity is a motivational tonic.
Roberts claims she is ‘a terrible, terrible
athlete’ but she likes to think that
‘running is a lot like grief, neither ever
really gets easier. You just get stronger.’

02 04 07
10% Happier Food Psych My Dad Wrote
With Dan Harris Bad day got you reaching A Porno
Emmy award-winning greedily for the biscuit Imagine if your father did, in
journalist Harris was a tin? Nutritionist Christy fact, pen a filthy book. You’d
co-anchor on the American Harrison serves up straight- probably try to bury it at
TV institution Good Morning talking, feel-good, plate- the very back of the shelf,
America until he suffered a based psychology to but Jamie Morton decided
panic attack live on air in help you clarify your to read it to the world in
2004. It was a wake-up call thinking on nutrition. this comedy podcast. With
that led him to meditation. the help of mates James
The podcast – which shares Cooper and Alice Levine,
its title with his book – is Jamie reads a chapter a
a meeting of minds for
mindfulness devotees.
05 week, discovering far more
about his father than he
Harris’ guests muse upon
The Runner’s ever bargained for, and
happiness in its many
World UK creating what The Sunday
forms and ask whether it’s
Podcast Times has hailed as ‘a
Please excuse our self-
possible to strive for both cultural phenomenon’.
promotion here, but we’re
success and enlightenment.
rather proud of our audio
offering. What began as

03
a monthly podcast last year
is now weekly, with new 08
episodes dropping every Bryony Gordon’s
Guardian’s Tuesday. Hosted by Rick Mad World
Science Weekly
Brought to you by
Pearson and Ben Hobson,
with guest appearances 06 When your first guest is
royalty (Prince Harry),
The Guardian’s science from other team members TED Talks Health the bar is set high. But it
journalists, this asks the and a stellar line-up of Not a series of wellness isn’t simply the calibre of
big questions and then special guests, it’s packed monologues delivered by guests – including national
answers them in an with passion, insight and a foul-mouthed bear, but treasure Stephen Fry –
engaging and digestible inspiration to rock every a series of lectures by a that will keep you coming
way. Ever wondered, for runner’s world. Regulars global community of deep back, but the way in which
instance, why fertility include RW commissioning thinkers, curated under Gordon creates a space
worldwide seems to be editor Kerry McCarthy on the banner of Technology, that feels safe enough
falling? Or what it means the week’s developments in Entertainment and Design. for sharing. Movingly
to be human in the age the world of running; and Think of them as a chance candid, the stars’ personal
of artificial intelligence? recent guests included to listen to some of the mental health struggles
A series of half-hour tempo Anna McNuff, who’s cleverest people on the are touching, humanising
runs for your grey matter. running Britain barefoot. planet – with no tuition fee. and, as the conversation on
mental health continues to
evolve, greatly needed.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 061


PODCASTS

09
Feel Better,
Live More
With Dr Rangan
Chatterjee
Best known as the host
of the BBC’s Doctor in
the House, Dr Rangan
Chatterjee is an NHS
health powerhouse. Here
he blends his experience
with insight from industry
professionals, other
doctors and researchers
to attempt to uncover the
truth behind health myths
on subjects such as gut
health and microbes.

10
The Hilarious
World of
Depression
Listening to people talk
about depression might
13-14
not sound like fun, but
when those people are
comedians and other wits,
Radio Headspace
there are plenty of laughs.
‘Depression is everywhere
and it sucks,’ says American
& All In The Mind
public radio presenter John The team behind Headspace, the app
Moe. ‘But talking about it that helped meditation go mainstream,
doesn’t. Talking about it is a
really good idea.’ Agreed.
chat to athletes, adventurers and
scientists to examine what the mind is
truly capable of. And if you like what you
hear, try All in the Mind, Radio 4’s dive
11 into the capacity of the human mind –
The Rambling psychologist Claudia Hammond’s mini-
Runner
One both for and about series dissecting loneliness is superb.
dedicated amateur runners,
Matt Chittim’s excellent
show goes out to all of us
who try to balance our
passion for running with
our jobs, families, friends
and everything else life 15 16 17
throws at us. Yogaland When Orla Met Eat Sleep Work
We still have much to learn Broadcaster and former Repeat
when it comes to why your All-Ireland triple-jump Not as stressful as it sounds.
yoga class leaves you champion Orla Chennaoui The number-one business

12 feeling so fantastic. And


who better to learn from
meets top names from
the world of sport, such
podcast on iTunes looks at
productivity through the
The Week than Andrea Ferretti, as Jonnie Peacock, lens of workplace culture
Unwrapped the former editor of the Dina Asher-Smith and and happiness. It’s a side
For those of us whose academic publication Yoga Kelly Sotherton, to learn project for Twitter’s
hectic life and running Journal. Other subjects about the fortitude, European vice president,
schedules leave little time covered include emotional frailty, movitation and Bruce Daisley, so you’ll
for keeping up on current wellness and nutrition. This fears of those who push be hearing it from the
affairs, this is a 30-minute offers something for fans of themselves to the limit of (disarmingly chummy
update on everything you yoga as well as teachers. human ability. Brummie) horse’s mouth.
may have missed over the
previous seven days.

062 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


21
GMB Fitness Show
Devised by experts in martial arts, gymnastics
and physiotherapy, Gold Medal Bodies
is a body-weight training programme
for developing your skills and flexibility.
Co-founder Ryan Hurst holds court with the
help of fitness cognoscenti such as Animal
Flow creator Mike Fitch and Al Kavadlo of
Progressive Calisthenics.

22
Running
Commentary
Comedians Paul Tonkinson
and Rob Deering talk about
life and comedy – but
mainly running. While
they’re running. Quirky,
funny, insightful and
life-affirming. Check out
the recent quadruple-
show prog-pod odyssey
recorded while the pair
were running the London
Marathon (see p31).

23
WO R D S : E M I LY P R I TC H A R D, JA M I E M I L L A R, A L LY H E A D, J O E M AC K I E . I L L U S T R AT I O N S : LU C K Y I F S H A R P

30 for 30
Podcasts
American network ESPN
makes excellent sports
documentaries and they
work just as effectively
without the visuals. Here
you can discover stories of

18 19 20 Polar exploration, learn


about Olympic failure or
The Doctor’s Finding Mastery Running For Real dive into the murky world
Kitchen When Felix Baumgartner A weekly dose of top-class of scandal-hit yoga guru
Since publishing his book panicked as he trained to expertise as 2:36 marathon Bikram Choudhury.
of the same name, Dr Rupy leap from a hot-air balloon runner and mum Tina
Aujla has become one on the edge of space, it was Muir speaks to sports
of the frontrunners in psychologist Michael psychologists, doctors,
the ‘food as medicine’ Gervais who talked him dietitians, elite runners,
movement. Already an down, as it were. Whether strength-training coaches
NHS doctor, he’s now speaking to Microsoft CEO and running-form experts to
teaching a culinary medicine Satya Nadella or free climber help improve your running.
course to medical students Alex Honnold, Gervais Try Pete Magill on masters
at Bristol University, as if he explores the ‘common training, Alex Hutchinson
didn’t have enough on his thread’ connecting on building the right
plate. His podcast is remarkable individuals as running mindset or
packed with the same they ‘pursue the boundaries Chrissie Wellington on
passion as his recipes. of human potential’. achieving your goals.
27
24-25 Pursuing Health
Eat, Move and
Live Better &
With Julie
Sigma Nutrition
As well as serving up online
diet programmes, Precision
Foucher
Nutrition advises big-hitting The result of medical student Julie
companies such as Nike. Foucher discovering CrossFit – apart
The emphasis here is from her formidable athleticism – was
on food, with plenty of
nutritional facts to get the birth of her 60-90-minute podcast.
your teeth into; and Bridging the gap between medicine
because episodes can
be as short as 10 minutes, and fitness, her roster of medical
you can binge on several professionals focus on using fitness
in a sitting. Appetite as a defence against (rather than a
thoroughly whetted? To
follow try Sigma Nutrition cure for) sickness and disease. The
Radio: science prepared by episode archives, which go back to
nutritionist Danny Lennon
with an appetising 2011, cover subjects such as training
sprinkling of coaches, during pregnancy, creating a champion
athletes and researchers. and debunking nutrition myths. The list
goes on, and on…

26
Hidden Brain
Award-winning journalist
and Harvard fellow Shankar 28 29 30
Vedantam – also a former Happy Place Dear Sugars The Calmer You
science writer at The TV and radio presenter Writers and Cheryl Strayed Podcast with
Washington Post – expertly Fearne Cotton smoothly and Steve Almond may Chloe Brotheridge
combines science with extract insights and have stopped bringing Guidance and inspiration to
storytelling to reveal the self-care tips from guests out new episodes of their help you become a calmer,
unconscious patterns that such as Tom Daley and ruminations in response to happier and more confident
drive human behaviour. Dawn French. Running is a readers’ letters, but with you. Brotheridge – author
Topics include the history frequent touch point, with over 100 in the bank, their of The Anxiety Solution –
of fake news (spoiler: it Gary Barlow and Bryony sage advice will keep you curates a mix of expert
didn’t begin with Trump) Gordon (see no.12) both going for months. Guests interviews, encouragement
and the more baffling talking about how running include Oprah Winfrey and, crucially, reminders
question of why we lie. has helped them. and Hillary Clinton. that you are not alone.
PODCASTS
world-class performers’,

31 35 regularly tops the iTunes


business chart, as well 37
Desert Island The Tim Ferriss as Apple’s list of the best Waking Up with
Discs Show podcasts. His subjects range Sam Harris
The combination of expert The author of New York from start-ups to stand- If anyone can help
interviewing and the Times bestsellers The ups, and from athletes to you make sense of our
disarming power of music 4-Hour Work Week, Arnie. The interviews can be incomprehensible world,
delivers rare glimpses Body and Chef wrote the long – some stretching past it’s neuroscientist Sam
into the lives and souls book(s) on speedy self- the three-hour mark – but Harris, author of bestsellers
of actors, Nobel Prize- improvement. His podcast, they’re always a productive such as Free Will. His
winning scientists, athletes, in which he ‘deconstructs use of your time. podcast ranges from
dancers and singers. With a evolutionary psychology
catalogue dating back to and politics to the meaning
1942 and new episodes of life. Prepare for your
airing every week, you’ll mind to be truly blown.
never run dry.

32 38
On Being With
Work Play Krista Tippett
Love Buddhist monks, gay
Former pro priests, conservative
runner Lauren Christians...it may sound
Fleshman and like a set-up for a walking-
her triathlete into-a-bar joke, but this
other half Jesse exploration of spirituality
Thomas deliver from journalist and former
wisdom on running- diplomat Krista Tippetts is
related subjects such a treasure trove of thoughts
as identifying injury, mental and opinions. When the
toughness, motivation, commute has you truly
training, food, recovery, hating humanity, it’ll
running form and midrace restore your faith.
pooing. Come on, people,
it happens. Accept it.

36 39
33
She Explores
The The Joe Rogan
Experience
Each episode with US
One for and about women
who are inspired by time in Rich Roll comedian Rogan takes
the form of a long-form
the great outdoors. Author
and photographer Gale
Straub weaves interviews,
Podcast
Roll, a former hard-
conversation – all are funny,
but the health ones are not
to be missed. Think Robb
in-the-field recordings Wolf, author of the New
and listener submissions living LA lawyer, is York Times bestseller The
into episodes covering Paleo Solution, and Chris
themes such as solo now a vegan and Kelly Starett, Crossfit
hiking, ageing, diversity, world-class ultrarunner. trainer. Perfect for long
motherhood and feminism. Here he discusses all training runs.

things wellness with


some of the brightest
34 minds in health and 40
The Meditation fitness, including Sleep With Me
Podcast athletes, doctors, No, not like that. Host Drew
Crafted audio taking Ackerman wants to help
listeners gently through nutritionists and you nod off. No whale
a guided meditation. coaches, and all with music or white noise here,
Cynical? The absurdly but a bedtime story riveting
relaxing reiki treatment a rather lofty goal: ‘To enough to distract you
episode with ‘delta wave’ help empower you to from the task of trying to
noise techniques will become your best, sleep but not so gripping
wipe that snide look that it keeps you awake.
from your face. most authentic self.’ Sleep, hacked.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 065


How to run well all year.................p68
Avoiding common dietary traps....p74
Busting food myths.......................p75
The power of nut butter................p76
REACH your PERSONAL BEST
Shoulder: the responsibility.........p78
P H OTO G R A P H S : M I TC H PAY N E , TO M WAT K I N S

GOING NUTS
ABOUT BUTTER
Cashew butter, almond butter,
hazelnut butter and, of course,
peanut butter. We show you
how to turn the tiny super-snack
into a meal fit for a runner.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 067


RUN, REST, RACE, REPEAT
TRAINING

Want to do well in a variety of races this summer and autumn? Masters champion and running coach
Pete Magill explains how to stay in top form week after week

WHILE COMPETITIVE RUNNERS


participate in seasons
(encompassing road racing,
track and cross-country),
the majority of adult runners either
train for a single-event peak, such as a
half marathon or marathon, or jump
into occasional races without a goal or
plan. That’s too bad, because a planned
season is one of the best experiences
our sport has to offer.
A race season doesn’t have to be
officially sanctioned. It can be any
progression of races within a period
of a few weeks or months. The races
can comprise various distances, and
your goal should be twofold: maximum
preparation during a base-building
phase, then consistent and improved
performances in your series of targeted
races. Along the way, you’ll experience
the adrenaline rush of toeing a starting
line every few weeks, the challenge of
tackling multiple race distances and
the competitive energy of the rivalries
that develop among your peers as faces
become familiar and battle lines are
drawn. It’s a thrilling sensation.
Of course, a successful race season
demands a well-rounded training
approach. You can’t get by on distance
and tempo alone, or a single track
workout each week. Here’s how to train
to race well for a season.

YOU’LL EXPERIENCE THE


ADRENALINE RUSH OF
TOEING A STARTING LINE
EVERY FEW WEEKS

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 069


TARGETING As shown in the table (below left), all
races recruit 100 per cent of available
THE CORRECT slow-twitch muscle fibres, but the
shorter races also recruit a much
TRAINING higher percentage of faster fibres. All
races draw on the aerobic system for
FACTORS more than 90 per cent of energy
requirements, but the shorter races
Many people think training for demand an anaerobic contribution,
shorter races – even a series of too. In addition to recruiting more
shorter races – requires the same muscle fibres, a race season also
type of training as is needed for the requires fortified connective tissue
marathon, only less of it. This is not (the better to race and rebound to
the case. In reality, while you’ll need race another day) and a nervous
to build almost the same endurance system that can pivot from the
fitness required for the marathon frenetic demands of the 5K to the
(which may be a surprise), you’ll imperturbability of the half marathon.
also need to develop more muscle- Here’s the bottom line: preparing
fibre strength, more connective- for a season actually demands a
tissue resiliency and better wider range of training than prepping
nervous-system efficiency. for a single endurance event. The
trade-off is that a season provides
you with many more opportunities to
find your best race distance and to
log satisfying performances, not to
PERCENTAGE OF MUSCLE FIBRES mention the luxury of writing off
USED AT VARIOUS PACES* occasional bad races (we all have
them) without feeling that you’ve
wasted months of effort. Of course,
Intermediate
Race pace Slow-twitch fast-twitch Fast-twitch improving all these training factors
takes time. And that brings us nicely
5K 100% 90% 90% to base training.
10K 100% 80% 35%

Half marathon 100% 50% 5%

Marathon 100% 25% 0%

AEROBIC/ANAEROBIC ENERGY
REQUIREMENT

8% 4%
THE BASICS
Before you jump excitedly into a series of
races, you need to have built a substantial
BASE-BUILDING
ESSENTIALS
base of fitness, beginning two to three months
92% 96% before your first important competition.
Improved fitness occurs when you apply a 1 2
training stimulus (your workout) and then
allow time for adaptation (increased aerobic Volume Long hill repeats
5K 10K energy production, stronger muscles etc) (Distance)
before the next stimulus. This is an
2% .5% incremental process and can’t be rushed.
Training harder and more frequently won’t
result in better fitness; it will lead to the 3 4
opposite because you will, in effect, short-
circuit the improvement that occurs post- Intervals Tempo and
98% 99.5% workout, during periods of recovery. VO2-max work
During base building, you should focus on
the six types of training listed here (right).
Half marathon Marathon Those training elements will ready your body
for the rigours of race season and prepare you 5 6
to run your best at any race distance. If you
*Percentages are averages and will vary for different haven’t yet built up a strong base, you’d be wise Pre-speedwork Resistance work
runners. Also, a marathon will recruit a greater to postpone your race series until the autumn. or plyometrics
quantity of faster fibres during the latter stages
of the race than shown.

070 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


TRAINING

THE
Even after you’ve established your fitness foundation, you’re not
quite ready to jump into the first important race of the season, as
keen as you may be to test your mettle against other runners.
The transition from base training to racing doesn’t happen in a
day, or a week. Instead, you will need to add a transition period
lasting a few weeks, during which you can incorporate pace work,
speedwork and a tune-up race. Too many runners expect a quick

TRANSITION
pay-off for their pre-season work, but the cold reality is that good
whole-body fitness is not synonymous with race fitness. You’ll
need to train your body, nervous system and mind for the new
challenge of harder, 100 per cent race efforts. And you’ll need to
avoid sabotaging the season by racing too hard and too often during
this crucial phase, thereby overwhelming your body with a
workload it simply isn’t prepared to handle. In short, you need
to be patient, even as you put in the effort in your sessions. During
the transition period, you should include the following types of
workouts for maximum results:

Pace work Speedwork Dress rehearsals


Pace work replaces a weekly session For our purposes, speedwork refers Tune-up races prepare your body and
of tempo or VO2-max work that you to repetitions at greater than VO2 max – just as important – your mind for
were doing during your base-training (faster than 3km race pace). You do the rigours of racing. Unless you have
period. You can run on the track not want to be doing any extended included a time trial in your training
or use a GPS watch on the road or work at this level during base training. regime, your race will be your first
trail. The goal is to train your body Speedwork recruits your fastest fibres all-out effort, and it’s not to be taken
to run efficiently at various race and increases your tolerance for too lightly. It takes at least one – and
paces. A weekly progression of anaerobic energy production. But often two or three – of these to
workouts could be: because extensive speedwork can convince your brain that you’re ready
lead to the breakdown of aerobic to race. Your brain monitors your fuel
12-16 × 200m at 5K pace, with a enzymes, which are required to keep levels, temperature, hydration and
200m jog recovery your aerobic energy production high, other markers of fatigue and tissue
practise these three rules: damage, and it shuts down muscle
8-10 × 400m at 5K pace, with a fibre recruitment if it senses danger,
200m jog recovery Do the minimum speedwork ie your body is not as prepared as you
1
necessary. You won’t need thought it was.
3 × 1-mile at 10K pace, with a jog more than three or four sessions When you haven’t raced for a
recovery of 3-5 mins over four to six weeks to trigger while, your brain will act like an
the targeted adaptations. overprotective parent on the lookout
10-12 × 400m at 5K pace, with a for any sign of stress. Tune-up races
100m jog recovery Employ work-to-rest ratios of help you gain your brain's trust, as it
2
at least 1:2. For example, if were, to convince it that you won't
5-8 × 1,000m at 10K pace, with a you run 200m in 35 seconds, rest kill your body with a hard sustained
600m recovery for at least 70 seconds before your effort. Distances such as 5K and 8K
next repeat. make great tune-ups.
You can also invent workouts of your
own, breaking up your goal race into Limit speedwork in the two to
3
smaller pieces (with repetitions that three weeks before goal races.
are no longer than one third of race
length), separated by rest intervals During the transition period, add
lasting between 50 and 100 per cent a couple of sessions of speedwork
of each repetition’s duration. For such as those below, replacing your
example, if your 5K pace is six weekly hill reps or intervals:
minutes per mile, you might run
3 × 1-mile repeats with a jog recovery 8-10 × 200m at mile race pace,
of three to six minutes. You won't with a 200m jog recovery
need to prepare for every pace that
you intend to race, although most 5-8 × 300m at mile race pace,
P H OTO G R A P H S : G E T T Y I M AG E S

runners prefer at least some training with a 300-400m jog recovery


at their fastest expected pace.
When you are fatigued, substitute When you're racing regularly, you
easy tempo running at roughly half- can substitute less anaerobic training
marathon pace (or marathon pace, if (hill reps, strides, easy intervals, form
you are feeling really tired) for harder drills or tempo intervals) for most
pace work. speedwork sessions.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 071


THE RACE SEASON
Now that you have got some pace work, Recovery between races
speedwork and tune-up races under your
belt, you’re finally ready to start your race The toughest workout is a race. Runners sometimes forget this, scheduling hard
season. At this exciting point, the first thing workouts only two or three days afterward. But a race is equivalent to stringing
to do is identify your important goal races together race-pace repetitions with no recovery intervals. You’ll need more
– with the understanding that plans might recovery after an outing like that, not less – four to five days for a 5K, up to two
change because of feedback from your body. weeks for a half marathon. Assuming at least two weeks between races, here
Of course, your choices will be partially are some sensible midseason recovery strategies:
determined by the races that are available in
your area.
There’s no need to worry about doing your WEEK ONE SUBSEQUENT FATIGUE FIX
races in any particular order based on length, POSTRACE WEEKS If you find yourself
such as a 5K first, then a 10K, before tackling Start with three or Do a normal training overly fatigued,
a half marathon. However, always bear in four days of easy load of race-pace nothing brings back
mind that longer races will require longer distance runs, repetitions early in the the legs like two or
recovery. As obvious as that sounds, you’d be followed by week. If you are racing three days (or more) of
surprised how many runners ignore this fact, a single session of at the weekend, no long, slow distance,
and wind up injured or performing well below tempo intervals other challenging runs at least three
par the next time they line up for a race. (2 × 10 minutes) or workouts. If not, one minutes per mile
Finally, don’t expect to get a PB every time moderate hill repeats. session or moderate slower than 5K race
out. A season will undoubtedly produce a few Finish the week with speedwork, hill reps, pace, coupled with
good races, one or two great ones and a stinker a long run at an strides or drills, then rehydration and
now and then. Don’t put pressure on yourself easy-to- moderate a long run. healthy carbs.
by thinking you will always be on top form. pace.

Knowing when to quit


There's no magic number of races that make a season. Some runners race every weekend for months, while others settle for four or
five races before taking a break. If you reach a point where your performance declines and your motivation wanes, it might be time
to pack it in. A few weeks of downtime will give you a chance to reflect on the season, what worked and what didn't. After you're
rested and rejuvenated, start again, building for the next season, and the next, stretching ahead of you like hurdles on a track.
TRAINING

WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2 WORKOUT 3 WORKOUT 4

BASIC TRAINING

Easy run +
Tempo or VO2- Long run +
Sample week* resistance/ Hill repeats
max workout resistance/plyos
plyometrics

TRANSITION TRAINING

12-16 × 200m Easy run + 8 × 200m Long run +


WEEK 1 @ 5K pace resistance/plyos @ mile pace resistance/plyos

10 × 400m Easy run + 8-10 × 200m Long run +


WEEK 2 @ 5K pace resistance/plyos @ mile pace resistance/plyos

3 × 1 mile Easy run + Tune-up race


WEEK 3 @ 10K pace resistance/plyos
Hill repeats
(5K or 8K)

6 × 90-sec hill
Easy run + Long run +
WEEK 4 Easy distance run
resistance/plyos
repeats or 25 x
resistance/plyos
30-sec fast repeats

THE SEASON

10-12 × 400m Easy run + 5 × 300m @ mile Long run +


AFTER RACE @ 5K pace resistance/plyos pace or hill sprints resistance/plyos

5-8 × 1KM Easy run +


BEFORE NEXT RACE @ 10K pace resistance/plyos
Easy run + strides RACE

* Do these workouts for 8 to 12 weeks

SAMPLE
The chart shows four workouts for each
week; fill in other days with easy distance
runs (volume) or rest. If you want to add
a second easy run (recovery run) two or
three times a week, it’s good practice to
double up on hard days. During the
season, if your legs are feeling dead, limit

TRAINING
training to long, slow distance runs for
two or three days or more; if you’re still
dead-legged after a week, it might be
time to end your racing season rather
than risk overtraining syndrome.
For plyometrics, do the moves on a soft
surface such as grass, a running track or a

SCHEDULE
mat. Spend as little time on the ground as
possible between hops/bounds/jumps.
Do two sets of 10 repetitions (2 x 10)
with full recovery between sets. Single-
leg hops, double-leg bounds (from a
squat position, jump forward as far as
you can), alternate-leg bounds, squat
jumps and box jumps all work well.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 073


FUEL

THE RUN-TO-LOSE
Cutting too many calories

Let’s say your body needs 2,000kcals


to maintain your weight but demands

PROBLEM
2,500kcals when you’re logging
extra miles. If you’re eating less than
that and your weight drops below a
certain point, your metabolism will
slow down to compensate for the
Trying to shed a few pounds? You’ll want to avoid these lack of fuel, which means you enter
common dieting traps, so you can run healthy – and happy what is known as ‘starvation mode’.
Your body holds on to everything it
can, making it nearly impossible to
maintain weight loss. Instead of
slashing calories, aim for a smaller
WEIGHT, WHAT?
reduction of 250kcals a day, says
If your body thinks
you’re not getting nutrition consultant Leslie Bonci.
enough fuel, it will That should result in a loss of half
fight back to three-quarters of a pound (225-
340g) each week, which won’t flip
the starvation switch.

Losing the joy of running

‘Dieting is about deprivation. Telling


yourself, “I can’t eat this,” over and
over again sucks,’ says dietitian
Rebecca Scritchfield. It also doesn’t
work: everyone has a weight set point
– a range of 10-15lbs (4.5-7kg) that
your body settles into. Once you dip
below that range, your brain starts
to protect you against any further
weight loss by cranking out hunger-
inducing hormones. ‘In a war of brain
chemistry against willpower, your
brain will always win,’ says Scritchfield.
Instead, she urges runners to ditch
the thou-shall-not-eat lists and run
for other benefits, such as improved
sleep and boosted energy. Eating
and sleeping well and exercising can

WO R D S : L E S L I E G O L D M A N . P H OTO G R A P H : G E T T Y I M AG E S . 1. U N I V E R S I T Y O F W E S T E R N O N TA R I O, CA N A DA ,
contribute to weight loss on their
own, too. Finally, ‘It doesn’t matter
what size your are – you’re a runner
just by getting out there and running,’
says Scritchfield. ‘Your weight has
nothing to do with it.’

AMONG NEW RUNNERS , weight loss is second only to exercise as a motivator for
lacing up. But dieting doesn’t always make the best running buddy.
‘People think they need to restrict a large number of calories to lose
weight, but if you’re doing that while running, you’re burning the candle at both
ends,’ says sports dietitian Tavierney Rogan. Possible fallout includes injury, BOOST YOUR BURN
burnout and bingeing. Here’s how to sidestep the biggest fuelling mistakes and use
healthier strategies to run and lose weight.
STRENGTH-TRAIN DO SPRINTS
Lean muscle burns A study 1 found
about five calories that people who
Skipping refuelling replenish glycogen stores – that’s two
per pound while the added four to six
to four servings of fruit or complex
body is at rest. Fat 30-second sprints
When you cut carbs or skip meals in carbs such as porridge or brown rice.
tissue burns half of to their runs lost
an effort to drop pounds, you’re not The food isn’t going to your gut,
that. Add 20-30 twice as much
giving your body what it needs to either. ‘The carbs you eat after a
minutes of strength- body fat as those
avoid muscle breakdown. When you workout are used by your muscles,
training three times who only ran at a
run, you use the glycogen in your not stored as fat,’ says Rogan. You’ll
a week. slow, steady pace.
muscles. So, after a workout, you want to also supplement that with a
need 40-50g of carbohydrate to little protein for muscle recovery.

074 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


NUTRITION ADVICE FOR
HEALTHY, HUNGRY RUNNERS

BY KIM PEARSON

MYTH
YOU WILL LOSE
WEIGHT IF YOU RUN
Many people start running
to lose some weight, and
while it can be a great
part of a weight-loss
programme, regular
running can also make you
feel hungrier, leading to
extra calorie consumption.
If you come back sweaty
from your run, it can be
easy to think you have
burned more calories than
you actually have. Track
your calorie expenditure
and plan healthy meals
to best complement your
running regime. Make
sure the sources of these
crucial calories are mostly
FAKE CHEWS! whole, natural, minimally
A runner needs processed foods that
more than carbs will deliver a variety of
and protein essential nutrients, too.

MYTH

TAKING THE MYTH


CARBS AND PROTEIN
MAKE THE PERFECT
RUNNER’S MEAL
With all the talk of carb-
loading and muscle
The truth behind five nutrition myths relating to runners recovery, it can be easy to
be convinced that all you
need are carbs and protein,
but failing to include
MYTH online), or opt for a more in the likes of oily fish, olive enough vegetables and fruit
ENERGY GELS AND natural fuelling option such oil, nuts and avocados. in your diet can leave you
DRINKS ARE GOOD as Tailwind Stickpacks with low levels of important
FOR EVERY RUN (tailwindnutrition.co.uk). MYTH nutrients. Runners also
It’s easy to believe that COFFEE WILL need to ensure a good
energy gels and drinks with MYTH DEHYDRATE YOU intake of antioxidant
sophisticated ingredients LOW-FAT DIETS ARE Drinking coffee before your nutrients to counteract
are essential for runners. BETTER FOR RUNNERS race will dehydrate you, free radical damage.
However, if you plan your This myth persists, even right? Wrong! Studies show Free radicals are unstable
pre-run meals carefully, though it’s been debunked that up to 400mg of caffeine molecules that have the
you may well have enough by plenty of research. Fats (roughly four cups of potential to cause damage
energy to see you through are an essential part of our coffee) have no impact on to cells. As a by-product
your runs without powering diet. This is particularly the hydration potential, its of energy metabolism, their
up along the way. Gels and case for runners, because diuretic properties only production is increased
drinks can be useful for fats are a key energy source kicking in above those Kim Pearson along with your increased
longer runs (typically, if they as well as being essential levels. In fact, caffeine’s is a qualified energy expenditure when
last over 45 minutes) but for hormone production, potential benefits include nutritionist, with running. Counteract their
make sure you test them nervous-system function increased endurance and more than 10 years’ effects with antioxidant
before race day in case your and muscle recovery. But performance due to nutrients from brightly
P H OTO G R A P H : G E T T Y

experience. She
stomach disagrees with the types of fats you include reduced perception of loves running coloured fruit and veg
them. Or you can keep it in your diet is important. exertion and increased and pasta in such as berries, dark-green
simple with a homemade Steer clear of fats from fat burn, so if you enjoy equal measure. leafy veg and bright-orange
energy drink (there are processed and deep-fried a cup of joe before your kim-pearson.com; veg such as butternut
plenty of good recipes foods and opt for fats found run, go for it. @kimmypearson squash and sweet potato.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 075


EAT NUTS AND BOLT
Nuts are a great snack, but make nut butters part of a meal
NUTRIENT-
and you get all the nourishment and some delicious dishes
RICH

1. Cashew smoothie bowl


Cashew butter’s impressive nutrient profile –
including skin-loving vitamin K and immunity-
boosting zinc – means it’s worth getting to know

Kcals 334 Protein 5.5g


Fat 14g Carbs 52g 1. Place the smoothie
Serves 2 ingredients in a blender and
blitz until the mixture has
the consistency of sorbet.
For the smoothie: 2. Tip the mixture into
2 frozen bananas 2 tbsp a bowl and top with the
cashew butter 2 tbsp banana, blueberries and
yoghurt (soya, coconut bee pollen, then drizzle over
or dairy) 4 ice cubes the cashew butter.
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
For the toppings:
½ banana, sliced
100g frozen blueberries
10g bee pollen (£4.50
for 125g, ocado.com)
40g cashew butter

BONE-
2. Spiced tofu with brown rice BOOSTING
Almonds are rich in bone-boosting calcium. They are
also high in magnesium, which aids enzyme formation

Kcals 412 Protein 20g 2. Bring a saucepan of water


Fat 23g Carbs 35g to the boil, add the rice and
Serves 2 lower to a simmer for 45
minutes. 3. Remove the tofu
from the marinade and place
200g firm tofu, cubed 120g a frying pan over a medium
brown rice 4 heads pak choi, heat. Add the tofu and cook
torn Coriander, to garnish until crisp. 4. Remove the
For the marinade: tofu from the pan, then
2" piece of ginger, grated throw in the marinade,
3 garlic cloves, crushed along with 100ml water.
1 tbsp honey 3 tbsp tamari Bring to the boil, then add
1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp the pak choi and cook for
almond butter 1 tsp chilli 1-2 minutes until slightly
powder wilted. Once the rice is
cooked, drain it and spoon
it into bowls.
1. Mix marinade ingredients 5. Quickly stir the tofu into
in a bowl and add the tofu. the pak choi mixture. Serve
Leave while you prep the over the rice and garnish
rice to let the spices infuse. with coriander.

076 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


FUEL

3. Satay courgette
Peanuts are packed with folate (folic acid), which
is vital for cell development and metabolism

Kcals 545 Protein 22g


Fat 35g Carbs 42g 1. Place satay ingredients
Serves 2 in a bowl and whisk. Set
aside. 2. Heat the sesame
oil in a wok and add the
1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp ginger, sugar snap peas and
grated ginger 100g sugar spring onions. Cook for one
snap peas 2 spring onions, min, then add the pak choi
chopped 2 heads of pak and cook until the ends are
choi, cut in quarters slightly golden. 3. Add the
WO R D S : E M I LY P R I TC H A R D. P H OTO G R A P H S : M I TC H PAY N E . F O O D S T Y L I N G : I O N A B L AC KS H AW

3 courgettes, spiralised satay sauce and courgette


2 tsp sesame seeds 1 tbsp noodles, and mix. Cook
peanuts, roughly chopped for just a few minutes until
Fresh coriander, roughly the courgette has warmed
chopped, to garnish 1 red through. 4. Meanwhile,
chilli, finely sliced in a separate pan, dry-fry
For the satay sauce: the sesame seeds for a few
N U T R I T I O N I S T: G R AC E BA R N E S (G R AC E BA R N E S N U T R I T I O N .CO M )

4 tbsp peanut butter 3 tbsp minutes, stirring all the time.


PROTEIN- tamari 1 tbsp honey 100ml Serve the noodles sprinkled
coconut milk 1 tsp chilli with the toasted sesame
PACKED flakes ½ tsp chilli flakes seeds, coriander, chilli and
Juice and zest of 2 limes chopped peanuts.

HEART-
HEALTHY 4. Banana and almond bread
with hazelnut butter
A batch of this contains a dose of heart-protecting
healthy fats, as well as plenty of essential minerals

Kcals 346 Protein 10g bananas in a bowl, then add


Fat 20g Carbs 50g the honey. Add the coconut
Serves 6-8 oil and mash again. 2. Whisk
the eggs, then add to the
banana mixture and stir. Add
2 bananas 50g honey 1 tbsp flour cinnamon, almonds
almond butter 1 tbsp coconut and bicarb of soda; fold
oil, melted 2 eggs ½ tsp through. 3. Tip the mixture
cinnamon 120g plain flour into the lined tin. Bake for
50g ground almonds 20-25 mins until golden on
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda top. 4. Place the pecans and
For the topping: honey in a pan, bring to a
100g pecans 100g honey simmer, then tip onto baking
100g coconut yoghurt paper to cool, then chop.
150g hazelnut butter 5. Remove the bread from
the oven and leave to cool
in the tin for 5-10 mins, then
1. Heat the oven to 180C and tip out to cool completely.
line a 20cm baking tin with Serve with coconut yoghurt,
greaseproof paper. Mash the pecans and hazelnut butter

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 077


KEEP YOUR
THE KEY MECHANICS FOR
STRONGER RUNNING
SHOULDERS
BY MARK BUCKINGHAM
RELAXED

SHOULDER
THE
BURDEN
B

You might not think it, but tightness in


your shoulders can affect your running
efficiency. Here’s how to fix it

WHY DO COACHES shout ‘relax your shoulders’? What


happens to your running gait mechanically if
your shoulders are hunched around your ears?
The essence, beyond simply not being relaxed, 1. STRETCH YOUR CHEST, UPPER BACK
is that you reduce your trunk rotation, which, in turn, leads AND NECK MUSCLES

P H OTO G R A P H S : TO M WAT K I N S . M O D E L W E A R S S A LO M O N A N D A D I DAS


you to overwork the lower half of your body because of
overstriding and a lack of power through the hips. Tight pectoral (chest), B. Stretch the trapezius
Tight shoulders are increasingly common – a symptom of trapezius (upper back) and levator scapulae by
our poor work and life postures. Intensive desk, laptop and and levator scapulae sitting on a chair and
phone usage leads to increased stiffness in the thoracic (rear neck) muscles holding the edge of it.
spine, tightness in the chest muscles and weakness in the pull the shoulder girdle Lean away from that
back and neck muscles. When hunching over a computer, up and forward. hand until the shoulder
your head may lean forward, which can lead to poor posture. is pulled down. Hold
Using a mobile can cause similar problems, dubbed ‘text A. To stretch the pecs, and tip your head away
neck’. All of these cause us to be more comfortable when put your arm out to your from the shoulder. By
hunched and flexed forward in our habitual posture, which side against a wall at turning your head and
will make your running gait inefficient and put you at risk of shoulder height; turn altering the forward
injury. Here are some solutions to counteract these issues. your upper body away. and backward position,
Keep your shoulders you alter the muscle you
down to feel the pull in are stretching. Do not
Mark Buckingham is a consultant physiotherapist to UK Athletics the front of the chest. force any pull. Hold for
and runs the Witty, Pask and Buckingham practice in Northampton. Hold for 2 mins, 2-3 30 secs. Do 4 times at
wpbphysio.co.uk times a day on each arm. each area of tightness.

078 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


BODY + MIND

2. INCREASE YOUR UPPER BACK 3. CHIN DRAWS


EXTENSION RANGE
A forward position of this, lie face down on
Using a gym ball gym ball and slowly the chin draws the the floor, elbows
(preferable) or a tightly lower down so the ball shoulders up and holding your chest up
rolled towel to extend fits against your upper forward – this is part – a nice back extension.
and open your chest is back. Support your stiffness in the neck, Draw your chin in
a good way to increase neck with your hands, if and part weakness in towards your neck (to
the range of your you want. Repeat two to the deep neck muscles make a double chin).
thoracic spine. Begin by three times a day and that have to hold the Hold for 30 secs and
sitting in front of the hold for two minutes. neck up. To counteract repeat six times.

4. STRENGTHEN YOUR LOWER TRAPEZIUS 5. USE TAPE TO BREAK THE HABIT

To combat shoulder in and hold your The hunched-shoulders bottom of your shoulder
tightness, you need to shoulder blades down posture is a habit that blades to the centre of
strengthen the muscles by drawing them to your needs to be broken, your thoracic spine in a
that hold the shoulder waist. Lift your chest up even after you’ve ‘V’ shape. Be sure there
blade down. To start a little and then your worked on the muscles is a little tension in the
this, you should to be arms just off the floor. here. Use tape to act as tape. It should not feel
able to activate them Hold for five seconds, a reminder on the run. tight, but if you lift or
well. Lie face down with 12 times, being careful Start with shoulders roll your shoulders on
your arms in a press-up to not allow the down and get someone the run it should pull to
position. Draw your chin shoulders to hunch. to attach tape from the remind you.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 079


GEAR
GIVE YOURSELF the EDGE
MEN

TOP
TRUMP S 2

Time to thr
ow out thos
old trainin e stinky
g tees and a
zest to your dd a little
kit drawer

1 // Ronhill 2 // Soar Classic 3 // Castore Pilson 4 // BAM Panelled 5 // Inov-8 AT/C


Momentum S/S T-shirt 3.0 £62, £55, castore.com/uk Bamboo Vest Short Sleeve Half
Tee £28, ronhill.com soarrunning.com The polyamide and £32.00, Zip £47, inov-8.com
Some people prefer This is an elegant top elastane mix in the bambooclothing.co.uk Keeping a top to just
tops without all the that not only looks fabric means this is a BAM makes all its 69g (the weight of a
(metaphorical) bells great (well, we think springy, figure-hugging clothing from bamboo, couple of light bulbs,
and whistles. This so), but also offers top that dries in the a sustainable alternative since you asked)
T-shirt does the simple unbeatable wicking blink of an eye, and the to cotton that is also while managing to
things right and is all thanks to its premium laser-cut mesh on the breathable and offers incorporate a generous
the better for it. It’s Italian mesh fabric. The back ensures you get UV protection. This half-chest zip is no
nicely cut, dries antibacterial material that crucial ventilation. athletic-cut vest has mean feat, but Inov-8
quickly, offers effective ensures that on a long The bottom and sleeve a handy pocket in the has managed it. Seams
breathability and does run you won’t smell hems are elasticated, back neckline and have been kept to a
a good job of regulating nearly as bad as you which eliminates a reflective strip minimum to cut down
temperature. probably look. irritating flapping. just below it. on chafing on the trail.

080 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


5

10

8
WO R D S : S T E P H E N G L E N N O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : LU C K Y I F S H A R P

6 // Adidas Own 7 // Gore R7 8 // New Balance 9 // Mizuno Aero 10 // Brooks


The Run £24.95, £74.99, gorewear.com/uk Q Speed Breathe Tee £40, wiggle.co.uk Stealth Singlet
adidas.co.uk Pricey, but there’s so Tee £32, One of those reliable £27, brooksrunning.com
You can count on much bang for your newbalance. co.uk pieces of kit that turn This vest is snug around
Adidas to do the simple buck here: flat shoulder This T-shirt benefits out to be a staple item the body and loose-
things right, and this seams and shoulder from its jacquard mesh, in your running apparel fitting in the underarm
top is the epitome of grips for optimal a weave that is stronger drawer. It’s especially area, and the mesh
elegant simplicity. backpack efficiency; and stretchier than good for those late- side panels ensure
The breathable mesh reflective details on other types. It also evening or early- that overheating is
extends over the top the front, rear and side; features New Balance morning runs: the never an issue. It’s
of the shoulders and light material; and Ice technology, which reflective sides extend about as unfussy a
the recycled polyester superb breathability is designed to help around to the front and piece of kit as you’ll
(49 per cent) makes it and drying. All in all, keep you cool when to the meshed back, find and simply lets you
supremely soft, even this is ideal for long you sweat: perfect ensuring you’re always get on with the main
after a long run. runs in warm weather. for summer. visible, cool and airy. business of running.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 081


GEAR

WOMEN

1 // Tribesports 2 // Under Armour 3 // Columbia 4 // Smartwool Go 5 // Gore R3


Easy Glide Tank Qualifier Short Titan Ultra II £45, Far Feel Good Tee Women Sleeveless
£40, tribesports.com Sleeve £36, columbiasportswear.co.uk £53.95, alpinetrek.co.uk Shirt £59.99,
If you want to try a underarmour.co.uk Columbia’s Omni Every thread of this gorewear.com
sleeveless top but don’t This might look like Freeze Zero technology sleek T-shirt has a When the sun comes
like the idea of thin vest a standard top, but is designed to use your nylon core wrapped out, you’re going to
straps, tanks are an there’s a great deal of sweat to activate a in merino wool. The need something made
excellent option. As engineering involved. polymer that creates result, not surprisingly, specifically for high
with all Tribesports kit, By using a hex-shaped a prolonged cooling is a soft, versatile and temperatures. It has a
this features anatomical mesh pattern, Under sensation. ‘We see extremely light top sleek racerback design
engineering for a close Armour claims to have sweat as a renewable that is comfortable in on the rear and there’s
but unrestrictive fit, and solved the problem of resource,’ say the both warm and cool also a cleverly hidden
a luxurious soft touch being too cold when makers. There’s only temperatures, and pocket at the front hem
that a more expensive you start and too hot one way to test this it also has odour- for lightweight items.
top would be proud of. when you speed up. notion, so off you go. resisting properties. Handy for the gym.

082 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


9

5 7

8 10

6 // On Comfort-T 7 // Brooks 8 // Adidas 9 // Asics Crop Top 10 // Zaazee Azura


£40, on-running.com Distance Graphic Atteetude £24.95, £30, asics.com £37, zaazee.co.uk
This top dispenses with T-shirt £30, adidas.co.uk This top is (almost) as Established in 2014,
complicated seams brooksrunning.com There’s something a light as a feather and is British company Zaazee
(it comprises just two This casual T-shirt little bit Sporty Spice perfect for layering up. quickly garnered a
panels of material) and strikes an excellent about this retro crop Its airy fit and wicking reputation for quality
mesh sections, instead balance: it will keep top, that finishes above technology mean it’s casual sportswear and
opting for a V-shaped you dry and comfortable your belly button. The going to keep you dry, this top continues in
rear collar for extra on the run but you side slits at the hem and the soft French that line. The material is
ventilation. With a loose can also wear it when mean your range of terry fabric is almost fade-resistant and is a
fit, it’s built for comfort you’re out and about. movement isn’t impeded unrivalled when it stretchy fit, thanks to
and allows for a wide There’s a sustainability so you’re free to chase comes to comfort. its 10 per cent elastane
range of movement, bonus, too: it’s made that zig-a-zig-ah that It also features a content, which also
making it a good from 88 per cent you really, really want. lower hem at the rear helps it to quickly
choice for yoga, too. recycled polyester. (That’s enough of that: Ed) to cover your bum. wick away sweat.

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 083


GEAR

temple arms are placed against the cartilage


behind the ear (you can easily bend the
hinged arms to find a secure fit) and these
guide sound vibrations through the cartilage,
conducting audio directly to the cochlea. Your
ear canals are left open to take in ambient
noise – an excellent safety benefit.
Sound quality is not as good as it is with
bespoke headphones. If you like the volume
turned up loud, you’ll be disappointed with
what the maximum gives you here, but clarity
of mids and trebles is decent and the bass
offers enough boom to help power you
through any tough periods on the run.
Key features
There is some sound leakage – when we
Bone-conduction earphone technology
removed the glasses we could hear a faint
Polarised lenses to reduce glare
sound coming from them while held in the
Wide range of vision
hand – but unless you’re wearing these on
Six-hour continuous playback
public transport, nobody will notice.

NOW SEE
90-minute charge time on full power
Set-up is a doddle – turn them on, the
pre-charged Revvez pair instantly with
How they tested
your phone and you’re ready to go – and with
Call us a bunch of cynics here at RW, but

HEAR!
only three buttons needed to control track
when we see hybrid kit or tech creations, we
changing, volume and call management,
sometimes assume too many compromises
they’re simple to use, although if you have
will have affected quality. This was not the
large fingers you’ll have to slow down a little
case with these sunnies-and-headphones-in-
while you fumble with the buttons.
Sunglasses and headphones one: in fact, we were pleasantly surprised.
in one cunning package The glasses look bulky on your face and aren’t
going to win any style awards, but they’re RW verdict
light and comfortable, and the arms and nose If you’re looking for the best sunglasses and
clip did a splendid job of holding them firmly headphones (or the cheapest versions of
in place on a sweaty head, even on a long run. each), these will not suit you. But if you’re
There are five types of interchangeable the kind of runner who gets their arms
Optishokz Revvez
lenses to choose from when you buy. We went tangled in headphones wires or who can’t
£179-£199, optishokz.co.uk
for the photochromic ones (which cost £20 find earbuds to fit your lugs, these will solve
Available via amazon.co.uk
more) and they provided not only superb both those issues. For a first version, they
Sept/Oct 2019 (date tbc)
glare control but also excellent adaptability are impressive and with future iterations
to different light conditions; ideal you’re expected to be more refined and contain
running through woodland or in fading light. features such as built-in music storage, these
As for the earbuds: these don’t go into your sunnies are worth keeping an eye on.
ears. Instead, transducers on the end of the •••••••

084 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


SIX OF THE BEST

WATCH
THIS PACE
1

Shoes to put extra pep


in your race-day step

1. New Balance 4. Salomon S-Lab 2


Hanzo S (2) £120, Sense 7 £160,
newbalance.co.uk salomon.com/en-gb 3
The Hanzo has the This has a low-slung
most robust design of feel, a moulded
all the shoes here, and sockliner for comfort
a hefty upper, too. and a one-pull
To balance that, the quick-lacing system.
Revlite midsole foam The 4mm-deep
is 30 per cent lighter outsole lugs are
than New Balance’s widely spaced, so
standard offering. they’re suitable for dry
Features a high toe conditions on grass,
spring to help you rocks and hard-
push off quicker. packed trails.
4mm drop, 187g* 4mm heel drop, 200g 4

2. Saucony Type A8 5. Brooks Hyperion


£100, saucony.co.uk £90, brooksrunning.
The heel cup snugly com/en_gb
locks the rearfoot From the barely-there
in place without upper with sizeable
irritating the Achilles, perforations across
WO R D S : K E R RY M CCA R T H Y. P H OTO G R A P H S : L U C K Y I F S H A R P * W E I G H T S BAS E D O N A M E N ’ S S I Z E U K 8

the inflexible forefoot the toebox for


provides some snap ventilation, to the
and the upper has a BioMogo midsole
light film across the cushioning, which
5
midfoot (though this adapts in firmness to
offers little structural your stride, this is an
lateral support). Best out-and-out racer for
for biomechanically distances up to 10K.
efficient runners. 10mm drop, 181g
4mm drop, 167g
6. Reebok Floatride
3. Hoka Evo Rehi Run Fast Pro
£120, hokaoneone.eu £219.95, reebok.co.uk
A firm ride with We haven’t seen a shoe
minimal midsole this light since the
cushioning (it mostly Nike Mayfly, which
wraps around the was designed to be
outside of your foot used only a few times. 6
rather than sitting The outsole has no
under it). The shoe flex grooves, traction
also features a Kevlar- is superb, the upper
reinforced but light resembles reinforced
hydrophobic upper tracing paper, and the
and a very flexible midfoot and heel wraps
outsole configuration. are gossamer-light.
4mm drop, 190g 4mm drop, 100g

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 085


RACE LET YOUR RUNNING LOOSE

The marathon
route in the Bath
Running Festival had
its ups and downs, and,
when it was badly
needed, cooling
water. Great

HITTING THE HEIGHTS


views, too

Damian Hall takes on a hilly Bath Running Festival marathon route – and emerges victorious

‘FESTIVALS’ OF RUNNING are becoming a bit of a thing. gentle trails through the woodland surrounding the campus. After
You’ve only to spend a few minutes browsing the RW race less than a mile, however, we were bombing downhill on a fairly
listings and you’ll find several offerings. Held either over one hairy single-track. From there we burst briefly onto the wide streets
day, a weekend or several days, these events feature quite a number of the city centre before a third terrain change, onto the picturesque
of distance options to which equal organisational attention has been towpath of the Kennet & Avon canal.
paid and from which participants are invited to take their pick. After a pleasant mile and a half by the water we left the canal (we
My options here were a 500m sprint event, a 5K, 10K, a ‘long’ would be back, more than once), took in another road section, then
half marathon (16 miles) and a marathon, all on lumpy trail terrain, sauntered over the handsome Grade II-listed, 19th-century Bath
of which there is plenty surrounding the lovely city of Bath. Easton Toll Bridge. Via a small wooded loop, we ducked under it and
I chose the full eye-candy experience by signing up for the reached an aid station, where, eager to test the race’s claims of
marathon. When race day dawned and the thermometer said 25C, fuel-station greatness, I was overwhelmed by chocolate cornflakes,
my first thought was that tackling the 650m of climb in that heat cereal bars, jelly beans, malt loaf, crisps, oranges, bananas and
was going to be…interesting. But I still fancied a crack at this one. flapjacks. Delicious but quite unnecessary after a handful of miles.
The shorter events began first from the grounds of Bath Uni, but It was a decent slog up Banner Down, north of the city, and most
it was our turn soon enough and our task started easily, with some of us walked it, the temperatures seeming to rise as we did. And

088 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


BATH RUNNING FESTIVAL RACE

night; I saw no eagle and the only


experience I was having was one of
overheating – but as I looked about,
the sight of long, wiggly, green
valleys spreading into the distance
all around made me grin.
After a fun downhill on a gradient
that was just enough to let me fly
without braking, and then a country
lane, it was back through Bath Easton
to the canal. The marathon route is
two laps of the half marathon but
with one of the climbs left out. The
potential for mental torture was
considerable, but the testing course
was made much more tolerable by
the act of passing lots of runners –
doing both distances – who, almost
to a person, whooped each other on.
With most of the half-marathon
runners gone, the second half of the
race was quieter. Marshals did their
best to stay out of the sun, using
umbrellas and trees as cover. At aid
stations I poured more liquid over
my head than down my gullet, on
one occasion almost throwing a full
cup of cola in my own face.
Back over Solsbury Hill, back along
the canal and back through the Bath
suburbs, where one final, cruel
incline awaited my shattered legs.
With a short distance to go I spotted
that some wonderful local had placed
then, finally, lungs burning, sense of When I got to the top I caught, THE RUNDOWN a sprinkler beside the pavement. I
self-loathing peaking…we reached in between tall yellow flowers and
Bath Running Festival veered unsteadily through it and was
the 170m-high summit, where I fluttering butterflies, a glimpse of Avon (2018 stats) given the energy to stumble to the
stopped for a wide-ranging chat Bath in the vast valley ahead. The
Marathon distance: finish line, a sweaty but elated mess,
with myself. idyllic scene is still pastel-washed
First man: Damian Hall, where pasta, ice pops, a massage
It was soon back downhill through in my mind in hazy sunshine and 3:34:26
and a couple of hundred sunbathing
root-strewn woods and long-grassed wholesome happiness. First woman: Kait
Sheridan, 4:16:44 finishers awaited.
fields. At the end of a lane waited a A little further on, around mile Last finisher: 6:31:41 ‘That was, quite honestly tougher
second super-steep climb – this one eight, we climbed up the back of No. of starters and
finishers: 70 and 58 than climbing Kilimanjaro,’ said the
formed of loose stones and scree Solsbury Hill. Older readers will know (83% finished) bloke next to me, not unreasonably.
stretching up through a tunnel of the name from the 1977 Peter Gabriel 352 runners finished
across all distances For the moment, I could only nod in
trees. I tried to run it at first, but song of the same name. He wrote it
silent, knackered agreement.
was soon reduced to levering my after a spiritual experience on the hill
way up, sweaty hands pressed on soon after leaving Genesis. The lyrics The next Bath Running Festival takes place
grumpy, unwilling thighs. refer to an eagle flying out of the on July 28. relishrunningraces.com

Like this? Try...three more West Country crackers

OVER THE HILLS MENDIP MUDDLE SLAUGHTERFORD 9


This 12km multi-terrain race – which Held over 12 miles of the lumpiest Survive mud, mud, more mud
is started by the sharp sound of Mendip Hills, there are 420m of and some very cold water in this
. P H OTO G R A P H S : R O O F OW L E R

a firework – has a couple of tasty climb and some of the finest handsome corner of the Wiltshire
climbs, some fast canal-side scenery in the West Country. The Cotswolds on a hilly nine-mile
running, plenty of mud and a – route passes Roman lead mines, route. Be warned that there’s a
usually frigid – river crossing. But prehistoric burial mounds and the sting in the tail, and also note that
it’s all worth it for the legendary wonderfully named Velvet Bottom. the race usually sells out a couple
cakes at the finish. Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, of months in advance.
Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, Nov 3, October (date TBC) Wiltshire, January 2020 (date tbc),
avonvalleyrunners.org.uk westonac.co.uk/mendipmuddle chippenhamharriers.co.uk

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 089


ROUTE RECCE RACE

MILE 3
You’re now

STONEHAVEN
surrounded All runners are
by farmland. allowed a free dip
But listen

HALF MARATHON
in Stonehaven’s
START out for the Olympic-sized
Runners gather in Mineralwell sound of open-air pool,
Park, in the north of Stonehaven, a the bagpipes which is filled
Race director John harbour town about 18 miles south being played with heated
of Aberdeen. One of its claims by a lone seawater.
Ritchie guides you to fame is that a local chippy Scottish
on a hilly loop of the introduced the deep-fried Mars piper
bar to the world in the 1990s. at the
Aberdeenshire coast peak of MILE 5
the second For the next three miles you’ll
MILE 1 testing climb. be running through lovely
Fetteresso Forest, an expansive
Only half a mile into the race you
woodland of spruce trees.
begin one of the three tough
climbs on the course. Look out
for Dunnottar Castle, a ruined
medieval fort perched high on
5 a rock overlooking the sea.
7

6 NEW MAINS
OF URY

REDCLOAK
4 HOUSE
12
START
8 9
FINISH

10 11 STONEHAVEN

2 1
KIRKTOWN OF
TEWELL FETTERESSO

MILE 7
After a short-out-and-back section through the shady
forest, you begin the third – and toughest – hill on the
course, which is 99m. It will lead you away from this
‘THIS RACE WAS STARTED
woodland where, in the past, archaeologists discovered
in 1987 by the local authority,’
signs indicating that it was once a Roman camp.
says John. ‘It’s a hilly course
that attracts 350-400 runners
from local clubs, mostly, and
others who come here from MILE 9 FINISH
WO R D S : A D R I A N M O N T I . P H OTO G R A P H S : G E T T Y I M AG E S

across Scotland. Because the It’s a speedy descent for the last four-and-a-half miles. A short
race is held in the Scottish As you look towards Stonehaven, you will see its war downhill
summer, it can be blazing hot memorial, which stands on a hill overlooking the town. section of
or we can be caught in a It can be seen from most parts of the surrounding area. trail leads
deluge, so you never know you to the
what the weather will be like finish, where
on the day. A new course 250 you should
record was set last year by 200 head straight
Elevation (ft)

Greig Kyle – 1:15:29 – while 150 to the table


his wife, Debbie, was the first 100 of free cakes,
woman home, in 1:30:23.’ 50 available to
all finishers.
This year’s race is on July 7. Visit 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 3 .1 Dig in.
Distance (miles)
stonehavenhalfmarathon.co.uk

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 091


RACE NUMBERS YOU SAID IT

RACE TO THE STONES


Two-day ultra between Oxfordshire and Wiltshire: the stats

Windmill Half Marathon


A well-priced, beginner-
friendly race in Lancashire

RACE DISTANCE IN KILOMETRES A VERY GOOD SIGN

300 1986 50
‘The organisation was excellent,
especially the sign-posting – I have
never seen so many signs on a course
and the route was very clearly marked
and very well marshalled.’
– D AMBLER
The year Avebury’s neolithic stone circle PERCENTAGE OF MALE
VOLUNTEERS HELP THE (which marks the end of the race) became TO FEMALE RUNNERS
EVENT RUN SMOOTHLY a UNESCO World Heritage site LAST YEAR VALUE FOR MONEY

1,128
‘Really enjoyable event. You can’t ask

110 896
for much more for the money. Great
views, well-marshalled flat course,
loads of water, friendly atmosphere
and lots of snacks at the finish!’
Number of entrants
– LYTHAM LT
Height in metres of who completed
the outline of the METRES OF CLIMB ON THE COURSE the route nonstop
White Horse on the AS RUNNERS FOLLOW THE ROUTE OF (627 did it over ALL THIS AND LOOKS, TOO

WO R D S : I S A AC W I L L I A M S , A D R I A N M O N T I . P H OTO G R A P H S : G E T T Y I M AG E S , R U N F O R A L L , N I C K W E B S T E R , M AT T C E C I L L
hillside at Uffington THE ANCIENT RIDGEWAY two days)
‘Lovely setting as well, with the lake

ONE
27 1,489
and the coastal run, also running past
Number of the windmill. Overall, a bargain at £20,
nationalities that considering most other halves are
took part last over £30. Would definitely do it again.’
year, including
entrants from as – RUNNERGAZ

NUMBER OF MARRIAGE far away as Nepal,


PROPOSALS ON THE Singapore and GLOW STICKS WERE GET READY TO GO
FINISHING LINE LAST Australia USED BY THE NIGHT- ‘Flat and fast so plan your PB charge
YEAR. SHE SAID YES! TIME RUNNERS here! A half marathon that is made
for both club runners looking to run
This year’s race is on July 13 & 14. Visit racetothestones.com
quickly and novices looking for a
bargain event to take those first
steps at longer distances.’
– SEVENDAUGHTERS

NO ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
‘The general feeling was of friendly
runners chatting to each other and
out to enjoy the event. I didn’t feel
any of the club runner atmosphere
that I have become accustomed to
at some races.‘
– RACEHOUND

*Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, July 21,


fyldecoastrunners.com

092 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK
RUNNERSWORLD.C . JULY 2019
RACE

How much does it cost?


‘For the group tours, it’s between £15
and £25. With the gin and the craft
beer tours, you get some samples
en route, plus a finish-line drink, so
they’re a little more. We also offer
private tours for individuals (£65 for
one person) and groups (£245 for a
private guide for up to 15 people).’

What sort of thing can runners


expect to learn?
‘Well, the sex tour has some pretty
good soundbites: we start it on Cock
Lane, which was an official red-light

LONDON’S HIDDEN TREASURES district when it was opened in 1240.


Runners can also expect to learn
about Alice LeClatterbollock, which
RW chats with Vanessa Cain-Tait, founder of is even more interesting once you
running tour company Secret London Runs know people used to be named after
their specialities.’

What is Secret London Runs? have more than 15 attending (we’ve What makes London such a good
‘We give guided running tours of had 100 before) and then we break secret running location?
London and in each we try to show into smaller groups based on pace. ‘Each area has a unique, ever-
people a side of the city that you We also give private sightseeing changing story. The East End, for
might not normally see on the tourist tours for tourists – they’re often for instance, was just a collection of
trail. We divide London into themes just one or two people.’ villages 200 years ago, but the
– from gin, to sex, to craft beer – and Industrial Revolution brought in
tell a story based on those topics. How far do you run? swarms of people, and suddenly
‘Most of them are around 10K, but these tiny villages had to grow and
What inspired you to set it up? for some – like the street art tour – adapt to thousands of new residents,
‘I set it up about three years ago. we offer a 5K too. There are usually all of whom needed jobs, housing and
I went on holiday to Budapest and a 10-15 stops of two to three minutes so on. There are so many more tours
running tour was one of the top things on each tour, enough time to catch we can – and will – put on.’
to do on Trip Advisor. I’d not heard our breath, uncover something
of this before but that planted the we weren’t expecting and then move Do you have any plans to expand
seed in my head.’ on before getting too cold.’ to other cities?
‘While I think it’s an idea that could
How do they work? Do you have to have an interest work in many locations, I’m planning
‘You’ll follow a history-loving running in history to enjoy it? to stick to London, because there’s
guide between different locations; ‘No, not at all, and there’s never any still so much history that we haven’t
at each you’ll get to hear more about assumed knowledge.’ explored. What gives Secret London
that place and how it links into the Runs the edge is our knowledge and
theme of the tour.’ What’s the most popular one? passion about the city, and moving
‘Our gin run is what put us on the further afield might dilute that. Plus
How many people, on average, map! We’ve had about 6,000 people we believe we’ve only scratched the
attend each tour? on that one in our three years of surface of the history we can reveal
‘It varies massively. We give public business. We have also just launched and the people that we can show it to.’
group tours, which are popular with a Jack the Ripper-themed running Vanessa Cain-Tait
leads a tour (above);
locals: numbers range from two to tour and that is proving even more street art becomes For more information and bookings,
15 people per guide. But some dates popular than gin so far this year.’ living sculpture (inset) visit secretlondonruns.com

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 093


THE START LIST
Our selection of the best, fastest,
toughest, quirkiest and most
enjoyable UK races this month

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

POLL
Dorstone Dawdle 10K
The rolling Herefordshire hills and How far have you
self-deprecating name might make travelled for a race?*
the Dorstone Dawdle sound like a
doddle. Don’t be fooled: it’s anything
but. There are a couple of energy-
sapping climbs and a mixture of road,
trail and grass on this 10K circuit, but
a barbecue awaits finishers and
20%
To a different
continent
supporters when it’s all over.

38%
Dorstone, Herefordshire, July 7,
dorstone.org.uk

To a different country

40%
The Toss O’Coin
On a hilly six-miler, would you rather I HEARD IT THROUGH THE TURBINE
get the climbs out of the way early on,
or save them until closer to the end? To a different town
Or would you prefer to leave your fate Run the Blades
to the toss of a coin? That’s exactly
what happens on this clockwise or
anticlockwise loop around The Toss
O’Coin pub – so the good news is that
2%
I don’t travel to races
Ah, the wind. When it’s on your side, PBs lie in pieces at your all-conquering feet
and all is right with the world. But when it’s against you…that’s when you know
what true suffering is. Perhaps we all need to learn how to live with the wind
and its vagaries, and there’s surely no better place to practise than on the UK’s
after the randomness of the coin toss, largest onshore wind farm. Run beneath the majestic wind turbines for 10K,

WO R D S : S T E P H E N G L E N N O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : C H A R L E S W H I T TO N P H OTO G R A P H Y.CO M , L E O F R A N C I S , DA R O N D E V E N I S H


you will definitely end up at a pub. a half marathon or a 50km ultra, and if the wind turns against you, at least the
Near New Mill, Yorkshire, July 14, beautiful East Renfrewshire scenery will distract you from the pain.
trailandroadseries.co.uk Near Eaglesham, East Renfrewshire, July 19-20, breakingstrain.co.uk

Run Before the Sun Goes Down Mourne Mountains. There’s still
Channel your inner motorbike (sound around 150m of ascent to deal with,
effects optional) in this race against though, and a mixture of road and
the sun on Darley Moor Racetrack. trail along the way. Of course, if you
Start at 4pm by yourself or in a team have plenty of energy left, you can
of 10, and keep running laps of the always have a go at Slieve Donard.
2.5km course until the sun goes down It’s only 850m high, after all.
at 10.02pm. You have just one goal: Newcastle, Co. Down, July 19,
run as far as you can before it gets born2runevents.com
dark. Once it does, you can make a
night of it by enjoying a barbecue.
Ashbourne, Derbyshire, July 6,
The Fan Dance
* BA S E D O N A N O N L I N E R W P O L L W I T H 6 46 VOT E S

duffo.co.uk
MULTIPLES OF FIVE Summer Edition
Have you ever thought that you have
what it takes to make it in the SAS?
Ultra: 5K Then try the Fan Dance: British Special
Pffft, a 5K is easy, you might say. Well then, do it five MOUNTAIN VIEW Forces candidates train on this fierce
times. In five hours. The faster you run on this multi-terrain 24km route over Pen-y-Fan, the
course, the more recovery time you get for the next round: The Sea 2 Sky Series 2 highest point in the Brecon Beacons.
you have an hour per 5K, so finish in 20 minutes and you When you see Slieve Donard, Options include Clean Fatigue (basic
have 40 minutes to relax/panic (or take advantage of the Northern Ireland’s highest point, pack) and a Load-bearing race (35lb
massages on offer) before the next one begins. Take on the towering over Newcastle, you’ll be for men, 25lb for women).
challenge with a team of five if the solo effort isn’t for you. glad this 5K or 10K race only goes into Near Libanus, Powys, July 6, 7 & 13,
Kempston, Bedfordshire, July 14, ultra5k.co.uk the forested foothills of the beautiful thefandancerace.com

094 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019


START LIST RACE

Timberhonger 10K Team Theo’s Obstacle 5K 877 steps over 35 floors, and if that
The Timberhonger 10K returns for its If you’re looking to introduce your sounds too easy, you can always do it
17th year as part of the Bromsgrove kids to the joys of running, this may three times to complete the ¼ Vertical
Carnival weekend. Local charities are well be the place to start. The Mile, or 12 times for the full Vertical
the main beneficiaries of a weekend obstacle course is designed for all Mile. We are told that a team of
of fun that includes a parade. The run levels of running ability, is untimed WE ASKED YOU: firefighters do the run in full kit, which
takes place away from the crowds on and is all about having fun – which weighs up to 30kg, and they do it
Timberhonger Lane and those who means plenty of mud, foam, water Has your level of more than once, which seems both
survive its infamous hill are rewarded and bouncy inflatable torments competitiveness deeply admirable and quite insane.
with a medal and a bottle of beer. to negotiate. Proceeds go to The changed over time London, July 20, totalmotionevents.co.uk
Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, July 13, Children’s Hospital Charity and
timberhonger10k.co.uk kids aged five and over are welcome
‘I’ve never been a
to take part. Remember to bring a
competitive runner,
change of clothes because you are
I just enjoy the run,
going to get dirty. Just accept it.
fresh air, scenery,
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, July 13,
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN the physical and
tchc.org.uk
mental health
benefits and just
The Twilight Marathon feeling alive.’
Running lap after lap of the 2.1km
– Angela Bailey
Redbridge Cycle Centre to complete
a half marathon, marathon or 50km HIGH RISE
ultra might not sound so enticing, ‘When I first started,
but the consensus among those who The Broadgate Tower Run Up and was always at
have taken part is that this is a great We have all at some point resolved the back, I was never
introduction to ultras: it has a low-key, to take the stairs rather than always competitive. When
friendly atmosphere, small running getting the lift…but somehow we I started improving JOIN THE PACE RACE
field and a generous time allowance still end up in the lift. The Broadgate and had even one
(ultrarunners start at 10am and can Tower Run Up is just the sort of person behind me
keep going until 9pm). challenge you need to ensure you it made me more Immortal 10K
Ilford, London, July 27, nice-work.org.uk take the right step. The tower has determined to keep No one could accuse the organisers
them there.’ of the Immortal 10K of not being
– Janis Smith ambitious: they claim that this race
is ‘possibly the fastest 10K in the
universe’. You should take advantage
‘Yes it’s increased
of the flat course around Farmoor
– I started slow,
Reservoir to shoot for the stars and
so there was only
grab yourself a PB. Failing that, keep
one way to go. A
an eye out, as this is a birdwatching
lot of training and
hotspot. The Egyptian goose, rock
patience and I see
pipit, little stint and little ringed
improvement
plovers have all been known to
every year.’
make an appearance.
– Becky Selvey
Farmoor, Oxfordshire, July 20,
immortalfarmoor.com

Waddesdon Manor
Summer 5K
If you do your best running in the
RW ONLINE pristine gardens of a sumptuous
French Renaissance chateau, you’d
RACE LISTINGS best find your way to Waddesdon.
Thirsty It was built in the late 19th century
for more? for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild
Simply go to as a weekend residence for grand
runnersworld. entertaining – and while he served
MAKE THE MOST OF THE COAST com/uk/events, his guest the finest of culinary
the UK’s most delights, the man himself apparently
comprehensive dined on cold toast and water.
Rat Race Man vs Coast race database, There’s a bit of a hill near the
Ever been out on a coastal run and thought it would be handy if you could just where you can beginning of the course but that
cut across a bay? This race offers just that chance. The route winds for 23 miles search over hasn’t stopped it being blisteringly
along the stunning Cornwall coast from St Michael’s Mount in Marazion to 4,500 races quick in recent years, and a mug
Land’s End, and you’ll run along beaches, atop cliffs, across moorlands and by location, instead of a medal for finishing is a
over rocks. This is not, we assure you, a swimming event, but the organisers terrain, nicely eccentric touch.
promise that you will still definitely get wet. distance Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire, July 17,
Marazion, Cornwall, July 6, ratracemanvscoast.co.uk and more. voaac.org.uk

JULY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 095


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I’M A RUNNER

KEVIN SINFIELD
THE RUGBY LEAGUE LEGEND, 38, ON RACE BLING AND CHEEKY POSTRUN TREATS

I HAD BEEN AN AMBASSADOR for


Prostate Cancer UK and so it was the
natural charity for me to support. I’ve
‘My raised more than £8,500 so far.
plan is to I LIVE NEAR SADDLEWORTH so I use
do a couple of the moors there as my place to run
marathons a year. which can be brutal in bad weather.
I fancy the big I don’t listen to any music, I just head
city ones ’ out first thing in the morning.

I WAS INCREDIBLY STRICT with my


diet when I was playing, but now I’m
much more relaxed. My treat is dark
chocolate after a tough run.

PREPARING FOR THE MARATHON


brought me back to what it’s like the
night before a big match. Before my
marathons, I stay in a hotel room,
sorting out my kit and checking
everything, like when I was playing.
Before a race I also feel nervous and
excited about the next day.

THE CROWDS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN


awesome and really spur me on. I’ve
done both London and the Yorkshire
Marathon twice, and Liverpool once.
The noise is like at a big rugby match,
but it’s normally the lone voice
shouting some encouragement that I
catch, which really sticks with me.

WHEN I RAN LONDON IN 2018 , it was


baking hot, which sapped my energy.
I cramped after 20 miles and every
time I planted my foot down, it hurt.
The scene on the streets looked like a
battlefield, with runners everywhere
collapsing or in trouble.

MY PLAN IS TO DO A COUPLE of
marathons a year. I fancy the big city I N T E R V I E W: A D R I A N M O N T I . P H OTO G R A P H : DAV I D TOW N H I L L

ones like New York, Boston and


Berlin. But I’m open-minded about
trying some more in the coming years.
DURING MY RUGBY CAREER , doing THE WEEK I RETIRED, a good mate Kevin is backing
long runs was alien to me. Instead, said why don’t I do the London Prostate Cancer UK as I’M PRETTY BORING with my runs
it was lots of interval training, with Marathon with him. I said ‘yes’ the charity launches and rely on a series of looped routes
short bursts of anaerobic exercise. straight away, as I couldn’t think the campaign ‘Men, I do over and over. It’s so I can get
Running miles was never something of a good reason not to do it. we are with you’, to home quickly if there’s an emergency.
I was encouraged to do. celebrate men and By ‘emergency’, I mean I need the
TRAINING FOR A MARATHON was highlight the fact toilet or I’m too worn out to carry on.
WHEN I WAS PLAYING , there were going into the unknown, but it was that a man dies from
lots of activities I couldn’t do, such as exactly what I needed after I stopped prostate cancer every IN OUR HOUSE , I don’t have any of my
running a marathon. I always said I playing. It gave me a focus as well as 45 minutes. Visit mementoes from my rugby career on
would like to run one after I’d retired, challenging me, which my career prostatecanceruk.org display, apart from one photo. But all
having been inspired by watching the playing for Leeds Rhinos and with my marathon medals are on display,
London Marathon on TV. the GB team had been in the past. which shows you how I regard them.

098 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK JULY 2019

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