In a sentence, tell us about yourself
Cuts own hair, can you tell?
What gets you up in the morning? What’s the first thing you do?
The surging dread that, once again, the train to work will be cancelled. Also the promise of tea and a large breakfast after I’ve run.
I try really hard to avoid my phone until I’ve done some kind of task - usually until after I’ve run and showered so mornings look mostly like this: Out of bed -> toilet -> foam roll for dodgy knee tendons -> mini-band warmups for dodgy hips -> toilet -> shoes on -> running (preferably on some dry countryside dirt paths).
"I love being in store and helping new runners figure out parts of their running journey together with them"
How about what gets you out the door to run?
I could tell you that it’s that it’s my next race or a bigger goal for a season, which is definitely true, but I think deep down I have something baked into my psyche which makes me want to get outside. Running for the sake of running, mashing up the pavement, track and trail just to keep the dream alive. Is that too earnest? I don’t know, and don’t really care.
What excites you about the running community in London?
The UK has this crazy Athletics Club scene which is so unique - especially for cross country. Most races are put on by volunteers, athletes of all abilities and ages are there to race, not win prizes and cash. But the main thing is we all care deeply about the sport and train as such. For the most part, there are no egos and no gatekeeping. ACs are often framed as the reserve of the ultra serious competitors who’d laugh if you didn’t have the latest gear, but really it’s the opposite: “you want to run? Great, let’s go!”
Specifically in London, the growing run-club side of the sport has added points of entry for even more people to enjoy running and find it where they’re at. I love being in store and helping new runners figure out parts of their running journey together with them. Coming from a competitive background, I was often blind to the fact that running had barriers to access, but the growth in community-level running is steadily breaking them down, hopefully for good.
Favourite shoe of all time?
Hoka Speedgoat 4. Probably lasted me over 1500 miles. Funny thing is, I initially hated them. Oh and the ASICS EvoRide Speed 2, somehow never got released here in the UK but got some in the US and they carried me through pretty much anything. For race day it has to be the Vaporfly 3 for the road and Dragonfly on the track - game changers.
Give us some London recs, what should we be checking out? (Food, Drink, Running, otherwise)
Forno Bakery for Focaccia, which was so good I nearly cried
Viraswamy for a posh curry and Indian wines
Jolene on Newington Green for Small Plates
Discount Suit Company if you like cocktails
Runlimited for a Jonty-special coffee and a session on the Normatec
Photos by: Joe Hale; Ed Cotton; Pierce Townsend; Mo Fetouh; Graham Smith; Ben Farber