The Run Bug

As this year’s London Marathon approaches, and the summer sun begins to show its face once more, it seems impossible to go anywhere without passing runners wherever you go – everyone is doing it. In recent years, running has grown in popularity, to the point that if you haven’t completed a marathon in your 20s, you apparently haven’t done it right. With it’s boost in popularity, the ‘run bug’ has spread through the population of young adults and with it countless influencers, brands and generational lifestyle changes have emerged. It is told that our generation are going out and drinking significantly less than the previous generations and this focus on health and fuelling our bodies cannot be ignored as a primary motivator in this lifestyle swap.

For our third female leader, Alexandra Brown is also top of this list. Her full time job as a lawyer differentiates her from the others mentioned, showing how to achieve a balance between fitness and a social life without sacrificing academic ambitions. Like Martha, she shows that running doesn’t always have to be part of an intense training programme, and has spoken about the joy of untracked running – can’t relate, Strava is my personal motivation – and that runners don’t constantly have to be in the depths of marathon training to make it a worthwhile pursuit! She also has spoken on falling in and out of love with running, now getting back into running by running however far she feels and at whatever pace – at its heart, running should be done for the love of it!

Moving onto what can be called a runners starter pack, comprised of my favourite brands and running gear that beginners to marathon runners should know about!

First: brands. My favourites include Lululemon, of course; Weasie for their marathon tops which come with pockets for gels to negate the use of a running belt or vest which I personally am not the biggest fan of; Tala; Alo; and Oner Active all make the shortlist.

For the feet and avoiding blisters, I swear by the Asics Novo Blasts. From experience, changing your running shoes regularly – every 6 months or so depending on how often / far you run – is crucial to avoiding injury. Perhaps controversially, I would heavily advise against Hokas as for any distance beyond 5k they have been the cause of many blisters for myself and others. However, to know what shoe is really best for you, a trusty GAIT analysis – which can be done here in Durham – is all you need. Just as important as shoes are socks. Marathon socks, with ventilation and support in key areas are crucial to avoid sweating which will cause friction and lead to those nasty blisters runners must battle against! But with all gear, your personal running goals will alter what will suit your needs.

For other gear I would definitely say getting a running watch – whether that’s an Apple Watch, Whoop, Coros PACE, or Garmin Watch – improves your running in terms of accurate tracking and keeping to pacing goals. Using gels is great for keeping you fuelled and fast for longer distances. My favourite brand SAP Good Energy is great – particularly for those who have found other gels may upset their stomachs – as it only uses two ingredients of organic maple syrup and Himalayan salt. The maple syrup provides natural, easy-to-digest carbs for energy, whilst the salt supplies natural electrolytes to assist with hydration and prevent muscle cramp. SAP works with the three aforementioned influencers and is a growing leader in its niche. Runna is also a great tool for running, creating a running plan to help you achieve your running aims, including strength training and different types of runs, such as tempo runs and long conversational runs, to prevent injury and maximise results.

Finally moving onto one of the most crucial areas to running: FUELLING! Incredibly important for preventing injury and helping you push your body to its limits, fuelling correctly is a non-negotiable. The most important thing – CARBS. Before, after, during, carbs are essential to a runners diet. Unlike gym girls whose focus on protein overrides all else, runners need to focus more heavily on their carbs. Pre-run, Anna Archer swears by a couple pieces of sourdough with salted butter and honey or peanut butter and banana, for a fusion of slow and fast-releasing carbs an hour or so before a run. After a run, protein is of course crucial for muscle repair and growth, but carbs cannot be forgotten either and should consistently be the largest food group in a runners diet. It’s good to get to know what works for your body in terms of pre-run fuelling, and starting small with just half a banana and working your way up is totally normal as I, like many others, have been victim to believing a fasted workout is king. One of the great things about running is that you really can eat! And with a café culture jammed pack full of treats as delicious as those in flat white and chapters, isn’t that a blessing!

So, if you’re craving that dopamine boost a Bondi lifestyle could give you but are stuck in Durham, romanticise your life a little and use running to clear your head, listen to some music and have a nice catch up with your friends in between Billy B shifts.