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Darren Last
211 Plays4 months ago
In this podcast episode Michelle chats with Darren Last.
Darren is a long time community member and aspiring writer with a rather wonderfully named blog you can all take a look at called www.lastintherace.com
Listen to hear Michelle and Darren chat about:
- Darren's lifelong love of running
- his motivation to run every day
- his favourite race distance
- Darrens training methods and tips
You can follow Darren on Instagram
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Transcript
Introduction and Darren's Running Journey
00:00:00
Speaker
Hi Darren, thank you so much for joining us on today's episode of the UK Run Chat podcast. Would you just like to give a brief introduction to yourself for all our listeners out there? Yeah thanks a lot, pleasure, pleasure to join. and be part of this. So I'm Darren Last. I'm from Kington. I'm a king runner. Running is my main passion, but I like the majority of sports. I do a little bit of cycling, triathlon, swimming. But yeah, when it comes to it, you can't be just putting your others on and getting you out the door. So brilliant. It's great to be here. Yeah, indeed. So how did you get into running, Darren? Where did it all start for you?
00:00:42
Speaker
Yeah, so I, as I say, I've always always kind of been into sports and at school like the cross country, I was always sort of football that did like the running side of things. And and then one once I stopped paying football, I got into my running. I sort of did a 10K by chance back in 2004. i think okay right So yeah yeah, the London 10K, just with a few guys from work and one of them was a ah keen runner and said, let's do this. And it's kind of like, yeah, right. And I sort of did that then. And, you know, whereas hadn't played football for a bit, sort of enjoying the, the nicer signs of life, if you like, and the not so healthy things.
00:01:27
Speaker
So did that 10K and just finishing and crossing the line, it gave that buzz of wow, I really wasn't expecting it. so so from that moment. I started running more frequently sort of each day and and yeah just started to get the buzz. The feeling you get after a run is just incredible. Sort of mentally, physically, yeah you just get that time, it's it's that time to yourself.
00:02:01
Speaker
And from that point, it just sort of went on. I was running, not really entering races from that point.
Half Marathons and Running Community
00:02:07
Speaker
and Probably went about sort of seven, eight years and then entered a half marathon. And then from that point, I was like, wow, you know, because I thought running's fine. I don't need to do races and did the race. Obviously that you're in and amongst the community of everyone and everything. And again, that sort of, that finish line feeling And then from that, it's just gone, you know, crazy. It's, I'm doing sort of tons of races a year, you know, probably six, seven, half marathons, half runs, couple of marathons. Yeah, it's just gone, you know, through the roof really. Yeah. So we just say you do more racing nowadays than running or how does it all?
Daily Routine and Cross-Training
00:02:52
Speaker
Well, I run every day.
00:02:53
Speaker
So, i do yeah yeah, not every day. Sometimes I won't run. That's if my body needs the rest. and But yeah, when I say it'll be like a sort of half hour, very easy clod, like, and it's always first thing in the morning. Yeah, it just sort of sets me up for the day with what change your mind and and you just get those endorphins that Yeah, you can't beat it. And yeah whether it's a walk, round, and sometimes the plot is a little bit of a walk, but...
00:03:31
Speaker
So talk to me about running every day because I've tried this before um and I'll be honest, it didn't really work for me because my body likes a little bit of a rest from running. So how do you how do you kind of manage that and make sure that you're not getting too tired? What do your runs look like? Do you have kind of, I know some people have like a minimum distance that they like to run, to call it a run. I know some people don't allow walking on these runs. How does it work for you? Um, it tends to be a minimum of 20, 20 minutes, 30 minutes really. Yeah. And I, I, I tightly run to the field. So if the body feels tired, um, then, you know, it could be, you know, it would be one of the more slower runs I have.
00:04:12
Speaker
But what I find is, and part of the reason why I do it, is if the body's tired, it's that kind of recovery. It helps my body, yeah active recovery. yeah yeah there There are days you where like I don't run, and it could be a few weeks of a day where I don't run, yeah purely because I think the body needs to rest. yeah But where I guess over the time, what it gets used to running like that. So, so yeah, when, when I'm in sort of marathon training, et cetera, I will force the rest day. I'll probably have a rest day every 10 days because the intensity of the length and distance of what I'm doing, you know, the body needs that really.
00:05:06
Speaker
If I'm not training for everything, that sort of casual using run each day is not too much of a strain in the body. Yeah, so I'm guessing with all that running, you you don't tend to suffer many aches and pains when you're kind of up the distance a bit. Your body is used to it, is it? Yeah, no, it's used to it. And I'd say that's all run each day. When I wake up in the morning, I'm a tin man. They go down the stairs and their ankles are all sort of Yeah, having to stretch out and and get out, stretch the legs. um So reborn, if you like. it's you You do loosen up, don't you, Joe? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I was I was creaking this morning because I did a race on Sunday. and I forced myself out on Monday because I normally run on a Monday. But yesterday my legs were just a bit creaky. yeah So I probably should have tried to run, shouldn't I? Probably would have loosened. Yeah.
00:06:02
Speaker
it it does be trickly we look different but it certainly does for me. Yeah, so tell us about your, so what's your typical training week look like then? So you're obviously running every day, how's that kind of divided up into different types of sessions? Yeah, so I sort of run each morning. I'm a member of a triathlon club, Midway Tri. To be honest, they only really do the run sessions, they do a run session on a monday night and which sometimes it's on the track so you can do some sessions there sometimes out on the streets where you know you're doing hills or set and certain drills so that's a Monday night that's kind of like my speed session of the week consistently and then yeah I sort of tend to try and then each day after that every other day probably do sort of 12k hour run and then on the weekend
00:07:03
Speaker
tend to do a little bit longer so sometimes sort of 16k 10 miles sometimes further just with a couple of friends so you know early Saturday morning go out with a friend or two have a chat and a natter and yeah it's a bit of a therapy session come so we'll get ready for the weekend so yeah that's the week and then on Sunday squeezing a little run and yeah, that's typical, that's the typical run wink. Yeah, is it just running you do Darren or do you do whether you do strength training or anything else? Yeah, I do strength training, and I've been more consistent with that in the last year.
00:07:44
Speaker
and Yeah, it's filling it in. Obviously you need to fill it in amongst work and that. yeah Work from home, but I've got a few dumbbells and whatnot here and you only need 10 minutes, 15 minutes of doing something. But over the last year I had done more strength stuff in June more consistently with a I also swim ah once, twice a week. I think swimming, that really helps with stretching out. you know its all Yeah, I've heard a few people have told me that, that it's a good really good cross training activity. Yeah, it just feels like that hole, it's not heavy on your body at all. Stretching, it just sort of helps
00:08:35
Speaker
hit yourself Yeah. So how do you fit it all? And do you have to get up early and run? I know you said, yeah, I do. I mean, I, yeah um'm I'm an early riser. So I tend to wake up about half five generally. each day, which I quite enjoy. If sometimes I do sleep here until sort of five, six, seven, it's a bit frustrating because then I've got to do the run and everything sort of put back a bit. Whereas if I'm up at half five, do the run, then I'm sort of sitting there having breakfast, let me toast, having my coffee, everything's done and I'm not sort of rushing to get sort of online and working.
00:09:16
Speaker
So, yeah, definitely a morning person. Yeah. And any tips, I wish I could be up that early. I am not a morning person. Any tips for getting it done first thing. I'd probably go to bed about nine o'clock and fit a teddy on another sleeping half hour. So, I'm probably getting me six, seven hours for or even longer. But yeah, I'm asleep early, which is probably the main reason. Yeah, that helps, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Maybe I just need to go to bed earlier. yeah have i do enough mornings and you just can't beat being out everything everything's quiet
00:09:48
Speaker
streets are quiet sun's coming up or, you know, even in winter when it's darkness, it's a real nice time. Yeah, that's nice. It must be nice to be kind of just that on your own, not dodging any other pedestrians and and the foxes. So what are you training for at the moment?
Marathon Success and Future Plans
00:10:11
Speaker
Well, I've just done Manchester, that's four or five weeks ago, Manchester Marathon. Yeah, how did that go? it went it went better than i could ever dream of really
00:10:21
Speaker
and yeah so I got PB by about 15 seconds. yeah But the most important thing for me was I kept a consistent run. I've probably done 15 plus marathons and I've never been able to hold that pace in the last six miles. or so yeah As much as you sort try and tweak your strategy
00:10:47
Speaker
had never been able to keep that six miles and they always inevitably dropped. But this run, you know, it just kept going. In fact, the last six miles, the pace was slightly faster than the rest of it. And you're trying to work out why. but What would you have done differently to to make that big? But I just think a lot of things is luck on the day. Do you think, yeah, you're not you're not crediting it to anything in particular that you've changed in your training? I mean, that's the thing, we never really know. I mean, I could say, well, I've had more consistent strength sessions added to you know could be over the the year.
00:11:30
Speaker
and Didn't have any illness or or injuries for the block, but I've had training blocks where, you know, I've not had injury at the old cold, but so, you know, maybe it was that. You're rather trying to tweak your nutrition. and yeah how how does What does that look like for you on marathon day? It's all marathon day. I take five or six gels. I take a gel every seven kilometres. I take on water at every station, even if it's a few sips or whatnot. I take the salt tablets. I do one after the first hour and then one
00:12:14
Speaker
half hour after And then suddenly it's, you're trying, you're trying, bloody hell, it's another half hour gone. Where did that go? Yeah, that's it on race day, but in the build-up, I try and get as much water and sort of carb drinks, whether it's sort of your food, your pastas and that sort of stuff. So yeah, definitely in the last few, you had more carb drinks, like the Tailwind, I use that. and so So yeah, I mean I've always done the gels but I don't particularly like them, I'm not sure anyone does. No, I think i think they're just convenient really during a marathon. Yeah, yes now but no they are and again sometimes they they and go down okay and other times they don't really agree too much. do they
00:13:03
Speaker
it's it doesn't make sense but on this day everything went great but then the weather was spot on it was perfect wasn't it on marathon day yeah yeah weather it was good the route obviously it's it's flat mainly it's a couple of bumps with bridges over over railway lines but uh so yeah and then it kept it going you know you're always wasting tea over that mile or kilometer I'm still on your pace. You think, run within yourself. If you run within yourself, you're going to keep it going. Another mile goes and you're like, wow, I'm still here. And then suddenly you've got two or three miles to go and you're like, I'm going to do it. I'm going to hold your pace. And then you think, hang on, I could get a TV here.
00:13:57
Speaker
sort of last mile 400 meters you're having to put a little bit into it to get the PV you want. When you're there you can't not do it can you? No you can't you've got to put your heart and soul into it haven't you? Yeah yeah you'd be yeah forever kicking yourself wouldn't you all day long sitting just that little spring in and Yeah, that's when your race photo is showing off a bit. Yeah. So how do you kind of pace a marathon then? Do you tend to kind of aim to run completely even splits every mile, or do you start off a bit more gently and gradually increase? What works for you? The strategy's changed over the years, but I tend to try and start off easy. Obviously, I'm a little pace in mind.
00:14:47
Speaker
and It was probably around the sort of seven, seven and a half minute, sort of mile or four minute, 40 on the kilometer. And then, yeah, try and keep it above that for the first five, 10K. Really, I need to be running within myself a bit at the beginning, rather than sort of trying to push and hold a pace. I've had runs where, you know, you start off like that you feel great and you think, hold it here, get quicker now, hold it here. But there's been other runs where you know you're struggling to hold on to that easy pace, you're trying to.
00:15:26
Speaker
so So now I most definitely try and help the pace of of where I want it to be, keeping it easy. but yeah and then And then I sort of get 10K in and start to think, all right, let's sit in here and then break it down a bit once I'm halfway. I'm like, right, this is good. Feeling all right. Because I've got halfway in marathon and the legs have gone. yeah Not through pacing it too fast, just through the day. that's not a very nice feeling to know you've got another half for marathon to go. So yeah, i kind of try try and run run within yourself a bit to then sort of hold that pace. If anything, try and do a negative split, but I don't really know whether that's possible for some. Until Manchester I didn't it was, or to hold that.
00:16:24
Speaker
Yeah. oh Well, whatever you've done has worked well there, Darren. Well done. Yeah, it did. Thank you. I think I should probably stop running now. No, don't do that. Go on. What have what have you got next? if you What's your next marathon then? Yeah, I've got Chicago next. Okay. So that is that October time? Yeah, I think it's October, mid October, October 15th. So yeah, I've got a good for age time at London in 2022, which meant that Well, I got good for age by three seconds, right? So then I got into Chicago. I did try for Boston, but and by the time they bring the threshold down, there was no chance my no chance my three seconds were going to make that. But it did for Chicago, so I'm going out there, going with a friend.
00:17:14
Speaker
and and there's a couple of other guys that are doing it as well. So that will be, that will be an amazing experience. Yeah, fantastic. So will you be going for another PB there or will you be kind of and just enjoying it? Appreciate it. I hope to. I'll be going, you know, PB is always nice. so for china I'll be certainly training towards it. I think, as I say, it's getting that consistent run. I've had marathons where you just sort of, hit a wall early and you don't recover and that's you know it's always trying to get that consistent run and if the day's going good then yeah I'll be going for it. Yeah so what's what's the Chicago course like? I don't know much about it. It's fine yeah's one of the one of the easiest ones of the majors. Berlin's the easiest and then Chicago so it is dead flat. So that should be good. I guess it's called the Windy City so
00:18:12
Speaker
Yeah, you never know, do you? Yeah, you really know. So that'd be exciting, that'd be exciting. So I've got that. I should probably have a build-up half marathon. There's one in Dartford in September, so I should do that. I always think they're quite useful to put into the training because you get, you know, you're running at a pace for the distance, for the half. You see where you are a little bit. Yeah, it's a good test, isn't it? Just to see, can you hold that speed endurance that you really want? Yeah, yeah, no, it is. For example, with Ventress, they had two half marathons, they had one in February.
00:18:50
Speaker
headco in cancer you youre so starting to build up there had a consistent one, it was hurting a bit towards the end. And then sort of three weeks later, there was another one and it would again, and that felt stronger. I was a bit quicker and had plenty left at the end, so to speak. And it's amazing how you, you know, that two, three weeks in between, how the training builds you up. It's fascinating. So it's the data and the training works, right? Yeah, it does. Yeah.
00:19:21
Speaker
And the rest though, the rest works too, doesn't it? The rest, again and yeah. know, maybe that's another thing with Manchester and the time. So I did, you know, I was forcing the rest because none of us, we never liked to rest. or we We don't know. how How does taper work for you, particularly with you enjoying running every day? How do you manage that? Um, I still, yeah, so I'll, I'll still kind of run most days. We have one or two. more rest days in that week
00:19:53
Speaker
you know, 20 minutes and it will be a real slow real slow pace. I guess because the body is used to it. Yeah. Because I have done tape as well, properly sort of like running the Monday, not running for two days, running on Thursday. And yeah, I've just felt, I mean, we always feel clunky. Yeah, we do. I think so long as that intensity is really low and the mileage don then
00:20:25
Speaker
seems to work correct did this time have to copy the exact plan for Chicago. and but we Any favourite sessions for marathons specifically that you enjoy doing or you'd recommend to others? any Any races? Kind of running sessions to help your marathon performance. Yeah so I always have a speed session so there'll be one speed session and in there and that'll be you can three k break not three k break or it could be
00:20:59
Speaker
of eight hundred six hundred four hundreds two hundreds that sort of stuff. So one of those sessions a week and then one tempo session for sort of six miles or 10k and then a long run and the long run will I would be I'll include some speed in there so it could be the middle middle part of the run will be done at sort of marathon pace or half marathon pace or the last few miles, last four miles, five miles will be done at marathon pace. So I think, yeah, they're the sessions I have, and then the rest of them are are sort of easy recovery runs. that's correct Yeah. So what kind of mileage are you typically covering a week when you're marathon training? Probably about
00:21:48
Speaker
90k to 100k a week so what's that that's probably about uh sort of 450 miles yeah yeah i'll probably probably cover sort of 70k in a general week anyway so then i guess yeah you're adding your long runs on it that's where the extra comes yeah it all adds up doesn't it yeah uh yeah the the big miles or or big boy towns maybe pay confidence Yeah. And obviously you've had to build up to that over your time running. Yeah. We would not recommend people. No, absolutely. And I mean, like now I could never go and run sort of 18 miles, five weeks after yeah running an hour max at the moment. Um, but yeah, like Chicago, I should probably, probably start to build it up. End of June, just one, you know, one get the long build it up a few K each time and then, or you know, in the heat of summer I'll be sweltering. Yeah, do you find you slow down over summer? Because I find summer running tough actually. yeah yeah yeah Yeah, it's probably my least favourite season. Is it? Yeah, I think i think it's mine as well actually. Yeah, I think if you get out you get out early it's still hot, but get out in the
00:23:18
Speaker
in the heat of the day. I mean obviously you're acclimatised over the period but yeah it's not not the ideal one. I did get hot and you also dehydrate very quickly. I went out for a run last Wednesday I think on Thursday. The temperature really picked up within 35 minutes. I was suddenly really zapped you know because the heat had got me, I don't tend to take a drink with me on on then sort of rounds for an hour or so but When it's hot, you need to. You need it.
00:23:54
Speaker
Yeah, so what's been your favourite race that you've taken part in, would you say? Have you got a particularly memorable one?
Favorite Races and Lifetime Goals
00:24:00
Speaker
Yeah, London's my favourite. Yeah, OK. It's just fantastic, I mean. It's one of the best cities in the world. One of the biggest marathons in the world, one of the majors. and It's just the most amazing experience. The people, the crowds. We've always, always grown up with the marathon. The parents used to watch it and and I never imagined I would ever, ever do one. and It was always a big thing to marathon.
00:24:31
Speaker
music and then so when I came to, I tried putting it in a few times before I got in, first time I did it was 2015 and everyone says oh the crowd, the crowd and really it just blew me away. I knew it was going to be good with the crowd but not to that level, it just It's absolutely amazing. You've got to have your name on your bed, everyone's calling you, you're thinking, don't want to know that person. and And the passion they do it with is is remarkable and they cheer everybody. I mean, what an experience. and
00:25:12
Speaker
It's just such a positive feeling. London is my favourite race. I've done it six times. I don't think anything ever beat the first time. We can talk about PBs and whatnot. Obviously, that's probably one of the first marathons. They were one of my slower ones. But the best one, because it was just new. And as soon as you finish, obviously you're thinking, want to do another one but then you know wow have to do that guy
00:25:43
Speaker
and and The whole build up for London is is just incredible. You've got the community of it. You from the training and the cold weather and people don't want to get out and you see you talk to other people that are doing it and everyone's thinking the same. And then you do the hard work and the taper starts and hard work is done and on race week. the expo and that's where it really sinks in. And it's amazing now, I haven't done it a few times, just being around everyone that's excited and adrenaline and nerves and all of that. I think marathon is not just the day, it's the experience, it's the package.
00:26:32
Speaker
what you go into it and then through the training what you go through. But I don't think that the same person might actually finish. I think you're a stronger person, you feel you're capable of far more. Yeah it's brilliant. Yeah it's funny there's that old quote keeps popping up that if you want to change your life or in a marathon And it is true, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that was the first marathon I did in 2015 and it suddenly propelled me from, you know, a runner to keep healthy, to keep in shape, to keep sane. But then suddenly I was, I was this athlete. Suddenly I was now, I was now marathon runner and I wanted to do it every year, two a year. You know, it took over, um, but in a good way.
00:27:22
Speaker
Yeah, it's quite addictive, isn't it? Yeah, and I think, you know, you like watching London Marathon last week, luckily I'd done Manchester in the week before, so I wasn't, still a bit jealous and envious, but, you know, everyone's, everyone loves it, and and everyone wants to get involved, you know, more and more people doing the ballet, and that's why they can see the experience and the people love it. It gets more and more popular. Yeah, so will you keep running London then? Yes, yeah I think I've only got in the ballot once and I ran for a run for a charity called Bad Kids, they're a bit of a smaller charity if you like, they help.
00:28:04
Speaker
sort of children and adults that have disabilities and to have better lives. So being a sort of small charity is really personable. So I run for values and I raise the money by, we do a local quiz, standard quiz, we get sort of 150 odd people and people bring their own sort of alcohol and drinks and nibbles. The quiz is pretty like It's just a bit of entertainment. People have a cheap night, raffles, that sort of stuff. And everyone ends up drunk at the end and having a great time. We do that every year and when we've done it a few times, it's...
00:28:48
Speaker
Yeah, for the money we raise, it's not too much effort, you know what I mean? Yeah, that sounds a really good idea. Best part of £1,500, so obviously I'm reliant on my family to help, sort of doing the running around, getting the questions and whatnot. But yeah, do that, do the charity place. Helps the charity, helps me to run. think People think that it's easy, but it isn't. No marathon is ever easy. Yeah, fantastic. So you've got Chicago coming up next. if you Have you got plans to do all the majors? Is that a goal of yours? Yes, it is a goal, a lifetime goal. I did Berlin.
00:29:36
Speaker
in 2017 and that's it. So I've got London and Berlin. I think it's tough because obviously three are in America and then you've got Tokyo on top of that so it quite it's quite a lot to do and a lot of traveling so it is a lifetime of goal. Whether I achieve it or not, who knows, where I've got the good for age really it forced post my hand that I was like right yeah I've got this it's an opportunity to do it Obviously, it costs a bit to get to America for a flying visit. It does. But yeah, here's my goal. But they probably had on a load more by the time I finished. They're already adding Sydney, aren't they? Yeah. Oh, is there another one being added, is there? Yeah. So yeah, it's going to be 20 years at least. Oh, well, you'll have fun trying, won't you? Yeah, no, absolutely.
00:30:35
Speaker
yeah well should we move on to our quick fire round then yes before we finish off so preferred running surface road trailer truck um road i do like the trail but road yeah yeah ah morning or evening runs you've obviously yeah you've already haven't you if you're a morning runner aren't you ah favorite post run snack uh yeah nothing beats a morning run and then um uh paged eggs on toast with some likecon oh love it yeah so you'll go out before breakfast obviously have that when you'll go breakfast come back have that and so all sm smoke for the day. So music or no music? I'm probably 50-50 with that. Sometimes I have music, others not. ah But yeah, 50-50. Yeah, what's on your playlist usually? Nothing new. It's all sort of 70s, 80s, 90s stuff. Could be ELO, Queen, Manic Street Preachers, that sort of stuff. more more so
00:31:43
Speaker
rocky yes and so dons anything like that
Running Preferences and Challenges
00:31:50
Speaker
I'm going to hype you up. Uh, preferred race distance. Uh, marathon. Yeah. Yeah. That's your, that's your distance now, is it? Yeah. I just think you never really beat the marathon. Have you tried longer distance? Uh, no, not yet. I've done a few trials that are, uh, that are sort of marathon distance, but no, I would probably go up to a 50K. I don't think I'm there for the sort of bigger distances. Yeah, I think you've got to work your way up to them, haven't you? and Right, next one. Running pet peeve. Is there something about running or races that annoys you or makes you cringe? I don't think there's a lot. a think I think if there's one thing, sort of you're out running, you sort of run past people, could be another a runner, cyclist or dog walker or whatever, morning.
00:32:49
Speaker
and people ignore you. Most people say hi back and again that gives you a good vibe for the day that some people don't but yeah they're all annoying but I guess everyone's going through their own thing. Yeah yeah true yeah but yeah it's always nice to say hi isn't it? When people say hi back it gives you that vibe. Yeah it's a boost it's nice nice to be you know to not be ignored isn't it? ah Most unusual or memorable running encounter?
00:33:25
Speaker
Yeah, it's probably this one. I've got a few country lanes where we are out in Kent. I was running through this country lane once and I was going up this little hill and there's a guy at the top and he was waving his arms. He's going, over stop, stop. What's going on? So I got where he was and and and looked just down the road. there's probably about 100 beetles, little puppy beetles, and they were obviously being trained, breeders or whatnot, and they're hunting dogs, aren't they? yeah So was about 100 of these dogs in the road following there there their master or whatnot. They're just like those yappy dog toys from the 80s and 90s. There were so many of them, they just obviously blocked the road. And yeah, I've never seen anything like it. and
00:34:19
Speaker
sort of you know round them up and then there are one comes to run to you and then yeah loads more do and just just quite not something you really expect to see and but sort of tiptoe through them they're lovely. but That's really unusual I wasn't expecting that.
00:34:40
Speaker
I wish that I'd taken a photo afterwards. You're like, wow, I really wish I'd got that on video because it was the most surreal thing. I've never seen so many dogs. Yeah, no, that's bizarre.
Dream Runs and Superpowers
00:34:53
Speaker
If you could run anywhere in the world, where would it be?
00:34:59
Speaker
I'm going to go with London, I think. yeah I could go, as I say, they're adding the Sydney Marathon and you think, wow, imagine running over Sydney Bridge or or New York and you've got all the suburbs and bridges. But I work in London sometimes, so I go there running and and I've run past Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, James's Park, Big Ben, Westminster. And I never ever bore just looking at it and thinking how amazing it is. you Really spoiled to have that on your doorstep. So yeah, I mean, for years and years I've run past all of that Hyde Park and all people doing stuff. And yeah, it's definitely London. Yeah, cool.
00:35:48
Speaker
and If you could have one superpower to enhance your running what would it be? and
00:35:56
Speaker
Probably the strength in the quads in the last six months
00:36:03
Speaker
yeah definitely that the legs of go isn't it and yeah there's no its like feeling worse than that really so if I had the power it'd be suddenly flick a switch and you've got fresh legs again. Oh amazing that would be incredible. Yeah because you always think like I've got 10k left it's like a normal 10k but it's not because your legs are completely ruined but yeah maybe flick that switch to get your fresh legs back. Yeah a
Advice for New Runners and Social Media
00:36:32
Speaker
fantastic. And last of all, what advice do you have for individuals who are considering taking up running for the first time? The advice is is is do it really. It's <unk>s the biggest secret to to happiness and health that you're not doing if you're not doing it. And just to get out there and and and run or walk, you know, it doesn't have to be a run, it can be a walk. And if you want to start running,
00:37:00
Speaker
raish yeah runs in the nearest land pose and walk the next one. Just just run, walk and and gradually build up. Don't try and go at any particular pace. Go as slow as you can. I think half half complete the reason people stop is they have an expectation that they should be going this out at speed. you know, that's not the case. You're, you know, it's right now I i can run 20 miles an hour or whatever to pace because I've not built up there. It's the same if you're running fresh, just get out there, do it, you know, hit the streets, say hi to people. Yeah. And say hi back. Yeah. then i doing this say how i backend in And you'll be back. Oh, fantastic. Thank you so much, Darren, for coming and chatting to us today.
00:37:50
Speaker
Would you um like to let our listeners know where they can find you on social media and they can follow your marathon training? Yeah, sure. um So yeah, on on Instagram, under Darren Last. Same with Twitter as as Darren Last. I'm a bit of a budding aspiring writer. So I've got a blog that I sort of write up sort of my races and a few sort of tips and whatnot. That's called www.lastinthereace.com.
00:38:25
Speaker
yeah I have a name that I can play a few puns on. That's a good name, I like it. Yeah, I am memorable. So yeah, yeah, please reach out, Ling. I love the whole that sort of community aspect. Yeah, it's it's lovely to share stories. yeah it shows what yeah Yeah, well, thank you for sharing yours today and do yeah do keep us posted, keep tagging us on social media and let us know how you're getting on. Yeah, thanks very much. Thanks for having me. Yeah, we hope everybody out there listening has enjoyed today's episode and do get in touch if you've got your own story that you'd like to share.