Five experts share what makes running beautiful for them
From across the UK we hear from those who run their way all the good it brings to them...
From across the UK we hear from those who run their way all the good it brings to them...
After last weekend's TCS London Marathon, we’ve been getting to know a lot about running, particularly the marathon. The 26.2 mile long event, invented in 1896 by a French organiser of the newly-returned Olympics, was a hat tip to an ancient Greek myth wherein a snappy young soldier by the name of Philippides ran a noble distance to warn his officers of an impending Persian invasion. The urgency to reach the finish line so speedily has subsided over time - plenty of people will discuss their personal bests and will aim to better them on the big day - but there’s not exactly warships at the gate. The point of a marathon - an event rather than a race - isn’t in the winning, something only one person can do, it’s in the doing, something people from all walks of life and abilities can do.
These days, marathon events are a way that all sorts of people can prove immense dedication, commitment and strength. Yes, over 800 marathons a year (including desert marathons, ultra-marathons, dress-y-up-y marathons and so on) see hundreds of thousands of people putting themselves through the gruelling efforts of slogging out an average of 4 hours’ trot on the trot (up to 24 hours for the ultras!). But not everyone has to compete to feel part of the brilliant culture of running. Beginners can get involved, too.
That’s why, for woo x New Balance’s partnership leading into the TCS London Marathon, we’ve caught up with five New Balance runners to find out from them what their key tips on running may be. And to give you that last big push to get into running. In turn, they’ve taken five creatives between them for runs round their ends to discover the sights out there.
Adele, from women-focussed running club We Run Edinburgh “It didn’t take long for me to feel and see the positive effects of running on my mind and body, and that alone was motivation to keep moving. I couldn’t live without it now.”
She took BeBe, a fashion stylist and content creator, for a run, and you can check out the results here
Jag, from London’s Sikhs in the City running club “Running on your own is just good self-therapy, you get to unwind, listen to your favourite music or your surroundings. But when you’re running in a club, you get to meet like-minded people, and meet a running buddy – people you can train with”
He took illustrator and designer Jasmin Sehra for a run and you can see what they got up to here
Zac, from Liverpool’s diverse 2-Step Collective run club “I feel everyday I just have more energy and a lot more to give back to the world through something as simple as running.”
He took DJ papu. raf for a run, and you can check them out running here. papu. raf also made us - and you - a playlist for you to listen to on your runs!
Sydney, from Birmingham Swifts, an LGBTQIA+ run club
“I find that I’ve grown my social network a lot since starting which has made me feel a lot less lonely, especially being part of an LGBTQIA+ running group. I’ve met so many people I otherwise wouldn’t have and I’m really grateful to have been able to be welcomed into the running community.”
He ran with singer-songwriter Madi Saskia, and you can see the run here
Olivia, who runs with Manchester’s Snappy Runners
“I think there are good things that we can take from running in urban landscapes. If you’re new to a city, it’s a great way to see it from a new perspective that not everyone gets to see”.
She ran with musician [ K S R ] and you can see them hurtle through the city’s canals and green spaces here.
We also built a scientifically-approved playlist to help you run better as well as heard from people who told us deeply personal stories about what running - and in one case, hiking - means to them and how it perks them up.
Now if you’re equipped with all of the feel-good encouragement to run but looking low on the supplies (you’ve got great ideas but none of the gear), you’re in luck. We’ve also provided you with guides on what to wear when running in hot weather, what to pack for a long run and also how to push through the mental wall of a marathon (and all the best stuff to wear while doing so).
Happy trails!
_This article has been brought to you in partnership with New Balance, which is working to get people on the move with its 2023 TCS London Marathon range. _
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