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Dejon Noel-Williams: Running, Mental Health & the London Marathon
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Dejon Noel-Williams: Running, Mental Health & the London Marathon
In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, we chat to Dejon Noel-Williams—personal trainer, reality TV personality, and founder of London run club Vibe Tribe—as he prepares to take on his first marathon.
Dejon shares how running went from being a “punishment” during his football career to becoming a powerful tool for coping with grief and loneliness while living abroad. That experience ultimately inspired him to create Vibe Tribe, a welcoming and inclusive run community built on connection, support, and “0% ego, 100% vibes.”
We also dive into his marathon training journey, including adapting to barefoot-style running, balancing a busy schedule, and why he’s choosing to run for experience over time. Plus, he opens up about mental health, handling public scrutiny, and why movement is such a powerful force for change.
We chat about
- Dejon’s journey from football to running
- How grief and isolation in Spain led him to running
- The power of community and connection through Vibe Tribe
- Building an inclusive run club (“no ego, just vibes”)
- Training for the London Marathon in barefoot shoes
- Fuel strategy: Precision Fuel & electrolytes
- Marathon mindset: choosing joy over pressure
- Supporting Sports in Mind
- Running and mental health
- Advice for first-time marathon runners
Follow Dejon on Instagram & TikTok & Vibe Tribe Run Club
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Dajon Noel-Williams and his journey to running
00:00:00
UKRunChat
Welcome back to the UK Run Chat Podcast. Today's guest is somebody bringing a fresh energy to the running scene, Dajon Noel-Williams. You might know Dajon best from the world of football and reality TV, but he's also a personal trainer. And more recently, he's been making a big impact in the running world as founder of the London-based run club, Vibe Tribe. Right now though, he's in taper for the London Marathon.
00:00:25
UKRunChat
supporting sports in mind which is a charity doing incredible work using sport to improve mental well-being so Dejan welcome to the podcast thank you for joining us how are you today
00:00:36
Dejon Noel-Williams
Thank you so much for having me. I'm really great, thank you. How are you?
00:00:39
UKRunChat
so how how are you feeling in the countdown to London marathon though because as we record this we are what are we we are four days out aren't we
00:00:48
Dejon Noel-Williams
yeah four days out, so... um Today is going to be the first day of me carb loading quite heavy up to to the marathon, but um'm I'm really looking forward to the day. I've always seen London Marathon as just a spectator and I've always loved the day. I think it's just so beautiful seeing so many people come together with sports, running and bringing the community. It's like the... um the highest point of basically bringing people together for for running. So yeah, it's ah it's a beautiful day. So to be able to take part in it and run it myself, I'm really looking forward to
00:01:21
UKRunChat
Yeah, it's such a great event,
Transition from football to running due to injuries
00:01:23
UKRunChat
isn't it? So being based like in London, if have you been spectating much over the years to the marathon?
00:01:28
Dejon Noel-Williams
it. Yeah, I've seen the London Marathon before and yeah, it's just it's amazing. It's something that I never thought that I would actually do. but I always admired it and now I'm actually doing it. It's a bit of a pinch me moment. So yeah, i'm really looking forward to it.
00:01:43
UKRunChat
So what's your background in running? Because you you started out like in in football, really, didn't you? So when did you first get into running?
00:01:48
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah. So my background, like yeah like you said, was football. I played football. I had a lot of injuries. I suffered mainly with my Achilles tendonitis. um I was sent like all over trying to like kind of cure the Achilles tendonitis and it just something that lingered with me throughout my football career and I had a lot of injuries so that brought me into personal training and my relationship with running while I was playing football interestingly wasn't it was always seen kind of as like a punishment in football so like if we lost the game you guys are going to be running today or something like that so it wasn't ever like running was a good thing but it was when I was in Spain during lockdown um I moved over to play for a team in in Spain and in that time
00:02:36
Dejon Noel-Williams
my Nan passed away while I was over in Spain and I was like just by myself. I couldn't come back to the UK because of the the guidelines. Like if I had come back to the UK, I wouldn't be able to go back to Spain. So I had to big basically stay in Spain for that time. And a lot of my teammates, they didn't speak English and I didn't speak Spanish very well either. So it was probably the most lonely, you it not probably, it was the most lonely time of my life, like the the most sad I've ever been. and It started with just, I just needed to try and go sleep. I couldn't sleep. So I thought, you know what, like running will like tire me out. i just I'm just going to go for a run and then hopefully I'll be like really tired and I can go to sleep. That's what my mindset was. And then I was doing that for a while. and But every time I would go for the run, would feel so much better. I'd feel so much lighter. It would kind of clear my head. And then I would go to sleep and then
00:03:30
Dejon Noel-Williams
one of the players found out that what I was doing, i was just going for runs and he didn't speak much English, I didn't speak much Spanish and he started joining me on the runs and like just him just joining me on the runs and running with someone, it just felt so...
00:03:45
Dejon Noel-Williams
so much better. It felt so nice. We connected in a way where even though we were speaking briefly and stuff, but just running with him, it just, I can't really describe the the feeling.
Founding of Vibe Tribe and its community impact
00:03:54
Dejon Noel-Williams
And then that's what my passion for running came from. And then why I also wanted to start a run club. That's where, that's where that come from.
00:04:01
UKRunChat
Yeah, oh that's so nice. And we we do all get into running for different reasons, don't we? And that's so nice that you could connect with somebody who doesn't even speak the same language as you. That's amazing.
00:04:11
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah.
00:04:12
UKRunChat
Yeah. and
00:04:13
Dejon Noel-Williams
And like that, go like, um, um He helped me more than he would ever probably know. like Just him just joining me on them runs helped me so much. like Yeah, it was really it was really nice.
00:04:24
UKRunChat
Yeah, so is is that where the kind of, it was like the catalyst for starting Vibe Tribe, the running club then, because that's that's been going eight months now, hasn't it?
00:04:32
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah, it was definitely the catalyst to starting it. It was something that... I would say, had a big impact for myself. And then going on reality TV and then coming off reality TV and just dealing with all of that, I kind of went back into just that running mode just to try and clear my head. And I really got into my running again. And I thought, I've got such like a big platform now.
00:04:55
Dejon Noel-Williams
where this could help somebody else. Like how running and running with people helped me. If I could set something up, a run club up, and if it just helps one person like it helped me, I know that's going to change that person's life kind of thing. So that was definitely the catalyst to setting up Vibe Tribe Run Club. And I've had so many people come down, the run club's doing really well. And in the space of six months, eight months, we've had like 35 people run their first ever five k I've had people say like this Run Club has like changed my life. i've
00:05:27
Dejon Noel-Williams
I really look forward to it at the end of the week to come to the Run Club. I've met so many nice new people and stuff. So yeah, it's ah it's a really great feeling and and a nice community that we're building.
00:05:36
UKRunChat
Oh, that's so nice. i love I love the mantra of it, which is no percent ego, 100% vibes. I love that because it can be it can be a bit scary going to join a new group of runners sometimes, can't it?
00:05:42
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah.
00:05:47
UKRunChat
What can people expect from Vibe Tribe if they're nearby?
00:05:50
Dejon Noel-Williams
um What they can expect from Vibe Tribe is literally there's 100% vibes and no egos. like Everybody's coming as one. If you've ran 105Ks, marathons, if you've never run before, you're no less or no better than anybody else.
00:06:07
Dejon Noel-Williams
And there's a space for you. So even if you you want to run, you you you're worried about going to run clubs or you want to meet new people, whatever Your reason for wanting to come is there's a space for you. And I've got coaches down there. I've got pacers down there. So if you are a slower runner, there will be someone who's running with you. Also, if you are a faster runner, there will be people running with you. So it's the main thing is that it's all inclusive and it's very community driven.
00:06:35
UKRunChat
Yeah, no, that's that's really good. I mean, community is so important in keeping people consistent with running. I was talking about this on a run with my friend this morning. i mean, just talk to us a bit a little bit about that, about how running groups can help people in that way.
00:06:50
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah, feel like especially in London, it's quite a hard place to meet new people. Even though there's a lot of people, i feel like it's quite hard for people to make new connections and it could be a lonely place at times. So I feel like having that run club and running with people, you just connect with people in a, in a, just a nice and a friendly way. You speak, we have a coffee after we've like done a collaboration with yeast bakery. So at yeast bakery, we'll come to after and everyone has like a little coffee. If you need to shoot off, you shoot off. If like, there's just no pressure, you know, and it's, it's just really nice. And for me, when I run, I'm quite a good runner, but when I run that 5k, when I run with people, it, It's just so great. It's so nice. You don't actually think about that. You're running. You're tight. light You just feel amazing. So running with people just helps you running in anyway.
00:07:39
UKRunChat
Yeah, I think it it makes it feel a bit easier in a way, doesn't it? Because you forget you forget about how far you're running.
00:07:42
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah. you Yeah, no, 100%. agree.
00:07:47
UKRunChat
Yeah, is are there any of your group doing London Marathon as well?
00:07:50
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah, I've got a few from my group doing in London Marathon. A lot of them have done their training blocks. I'm so proud of them. And yeah,
Running's impact on mental health and Dajon's marathon motivation
00:07:56
Dejon Noel-Williams
they're going to smash it. i can't wait for the day.
00:07:58
UKRunChat
Yeah, so why did you decide to take it on then? It's it's your first marathon, isn't it? Is that right?
00:08:03
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah. um Funny enough, the London Marathon actually just reached out to me and my management team had said that they want me to kind of run the London Marathon.
00:08:13
Dejon Noel-Williams
And I was just like, wow, it's quite soon. i haven't really, I'm not really prepared, but I will do it. and like um I'll say about six months.
00:08:22
UKRunChat
And so how long have you had to train?
00:08:25
Dejon Noel-Williams
So it's it's probably been long enough. And then also, i was I'm an ambassador for Sporting Mind now, so i thought I felt like that was another big point where I decided, yeah, I'll definitely do this because I'm not focused on, it's similar to my run club where it's not focused on the speed. I'm not focused on, I need to finish the marathon in sub three hours, sub four hours. I just want to finish the marathon. I want to enjoy the day.
00:08:49
Dejon Noel-Williams
i want to enjoy the fact that my body is can allow me to move that many miles, speak fellow runners who are running it, and speak to the crowd, and ultimately also raise awareness for Sporting Mind is the most important thing for me also for the day.
00:09:07
UKRunChat
Yeah, well, tell us a little bit about the charity. That seems a good a good time to talk about that, actually. So what what drew you to that cause then? Tell us what they do and what their goals are.
00:09:16
Dejon Noel-Williams
they' They're honestly amazing. So I had ah another meeting with them the other day because I want to set up something alongside of them, like kids camps for the summers. That's something that's also another passion of mine, what I want to set up.
00:09:29
Dejon Noel-Williams
But in that meeting that I was having with them, they told me that they've helped over 66, I believe, thousand people. And that's just such a great number. It's an amazing number. They help people through the power of sports.
00:09:42
Dejon Noel-Williams
And for me, sports has had like such an impact on my mental health, so I know how much sport has helped me. So it was yeah it was a no-brainer when I wanted to really help the sport of mine as a charity.
00:09:54
UKRunChat
Yeah, just talk to us a little bit about your your kind of how it's helped you with mental health. I'm just interested to dig into that i know a lot of people do take up running to help with that. And you mentioned it earlier in Spain. i mean, it must it must be tough for you as well, kind of having been in the whole reality TV kind of limelight and coming down after that. Did did that have a massive impact on your mental health?
00:10:18
Dejon Noel-Williams
yeah no definitely it was it was really a strange time to be in it was a lot it was very overwhelming like there was just so much noise so much things being said um yeah haven't really actually spoken about like much of it how it actually did impact impact me at the time and still sometimes now just the whole just ever think around it, but running in definitely did help me.
00:10:47
Dejon Noel-Williams
Running, speaking to people, speaking to people close to me, all everything around that, just, it it really did help me.
00:10:54
UKRunChat
Yeah, it must be tough just with just with the way social media is now. I mean, everybody's always got an opinion, haven't they? And they're not afraid to to put it out there. And it must be hard to just <unk> ignore that.
00:11:05
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah, I think that The hardest part is more so when there's a lot of untruths or things that aren't true that people are saying about you maybe they think that they know you as a person and they they don't know you as a person and they're saying maybe horrible things. It's harder not to just kind of clear up everything but if I've sat and cleared up everything, i'll be that's not what I want to put my energy into. I want to rather focus putting my energy and my platform into making real change and helping people. so
00:11:36
UKRunChat
Yeah, yeah, it's really good. I mean, why do you think running is such a powerful tool for mental health? And what what is it about it, do you think? And sports in general, I mean, why do they help?
00:11:48
Dejon Noel-Williams
I think that just movement, moving your body, getting out the house, it helps so much. Like, just moving your body. Every time like I've kind of been in a low place, I kind of want to just lock myself in my room or just maybe not speak to anybody. But when I get out there, get fresh air, move, you just feel so much better. there The feeling after you finish a run, you feel so proud of yourself, you feel so happy. There's so much good things that come from it. And also tying into when I did play football,
00:12:18
Dejon Noel-Williams
sometimes i had to learn how to walk again. Like when I've torn all of the ligaments in my ankle and I'm in a boot, I can't walk and I'm having to do the rear. So that had such an impact on me when I couldn't move my body because I couldn't do normal things. So i think sometimes we may we might take things for granted and health is literally wealth. to The fact that we can go for a run or go for a walk, whatever it is, is such a ah precious and great thing that that we're we're able to do.
00:12:48
UKRunChat
yeah's Yeah, you're right. It's a real privilege, isn't it, to be able to move our bodies like that. and so So what are you most looking forward to at London Marathon then?
00:12:53
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah.
00:12:59
Dejon Noel-Williams
Crossing the finish line.
00:13:03
UKRunChat
Don't wish it away. but but but but I know what you mean.
00:13:07
Dejon Noel-Williams
who Yeah, I feel like it's going be very emotional to cross the finish line because... um Yeah, from not being able to run much and with my Achilles and all of the thing I had with my whole football journey. If, um well, I hope so, that I finish the marathon and then that will just be an um unbelievable feeling. So, yeah, I'm really looking forward to just seeing the end of the marathon and getting across there and seeing my family and friends and just yeah letting out all of that that joy.
Training approach and marathon preparation
00:13:36
Dejon Noel-Williams
It's been a long, long time coming off training and then sacrifice things.
00:13:40
UKRunChat
Yeah, so what what's your training look like? So you're you're a personal trainer, so you've obviously got a good foundational knowledge there, haven't you, of what your body needs, and and you're obviously already quite fit and strong.
00:13:50
Dejon Noel-Williams
yeah
00:13:54
UKRunChat
So what did training look like for you when you said yes to the London Marathon?
00:13:58
Dejon Noel-Williams
Training and was actually quite interesting because I've been wearing Vivo barefoot shoes. So with Vivo barefoot shoes, they um they're flat.
00:14:04
UKRunChat
yeah.
00:14:07
Dejon Noel-Williams
So they're not like normal running shoes. They're they're flat shoes. But the whole ethos is that it's much better for your body than wearing running shoes and the cadence of your running will improve and things like this.
00:14:19
Dejon Noel-Williams
so With training with the Vivo Barefoot, even though, like said, I've got the background with football personal training, et cetera, it literally brought me back to the beginning because I couldn't even run 3km at first.
00:14:31
Dejon Noel-Williams
I had to build up to run 3km, then 5km, then 10km, 15km. So using them was a completely different training block that I would have done if I was wearing different running shoes.
00:14:45
Dejon Noel-Williams
So yeah, the training's been interesting. It's been tough, but... My body feels great and I'm ready to go now. So it's really more successful.
00:14:49
UKRunChat
Yeah, so you've had to start from scratch again almost. Yeah, that's interesting.
00:14:52
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah. Yeah.
00:14:54
UKRunChat
So have you done kind of all your runs in the Vivo Barefoot then?
00:14:58
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah, the majority of my runs I've done in in vivo barefoot shoes. So yeah, is is it was a tough journey, but it's it's great now because my body feels great and I definitely feel ready.
00:15:06
UKRunChat
Yeah, i mean I'm interested. we've We've actually got a podcast um on kind of foot strengthening coming up soon, and which we've already recorded. it'll be It'll be published after we've got yours out.
00:15:18
UKRunChat
And and
00:15:18
Dejon Noel-Williams
No.
00:15:20
UKRunChat
talking to the expert on there and she was saying that it's it's really important to wear proper functional shoes to help our foot strength have you noticed a difference with wearing the kind of barefoot shoes in because you mentioned you've suffered from things like achilles tendonitis in the past has that made a difference
00:15:38
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah. It's 100% made a difference. Like, my feet feel so much stronger. They feel so much more relieved. With my life, I go to different things. So every day kind of looks different. One day I might have to go to like a premiere where in the premiere I have to wear like a suit. And so maybe I'm wearing smart shoes um or I go to like maybe a fashion show and have to wear something else. I'm being styled. But the difference between when I wear them shoes and then when I put back on the Vivo barefoot shoes is like,
00:16:08
Dejon Noel-Williams
So it's crazy. Like my feet, at the end of the day, wearing other shoes, I can't wait to get my feet, my my shoes out my feet and take my shoes off. But with the Viva Barefoot shoes, you can leave them on all day, literally. And you don't, you don't have that feeling like, I need to get these, these off my feet. I can't wait to get home and take my shoes off.
00:16:26
Dejon Noel-Williams
um And I think that's the biggest sign where, because that so that was so normal to me for years, that's not a normal feeling. and You shouldn't be feeling like, I can't wait to get my shoes off. But that's actually your feet.
00:16:37
Dejon Noel-Williams
They're in an uncomfortable position where the Viva Barefoot shoes, because they're flat, actually gives your feet the the room that they need to have.
00:16:45
UKRunChat
Yeah, feet need room, don't they, to do what they're designed to do, to like help us balance and and move properly.
00:16:48
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah.
00:16:51
UKRunChat
So yeah, I'm pleased you've had a good experience with them. I'm really tempted to try them, but i've not kind of made that I've not made that step yet. Have you got any tips if you're starting barefoot running?
00:16:58
Dejon Noel-Williams
Okay.
00:17:00
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah, you should definitely try them. My first tip would be just to start wearing them in like everyday life, just to get used to them first. And then once you get used to them a bit, then I will start to integrate some runs.
00:17:10
UKRunChat
Yeah. So what's been the biggest challenge in your marathon build-up so far, would you say?
00:17:16
Dejon Noel-Williams
The biggest challenge in my marathon build-up would probably have to be my schedule. Because, yeah, a lot of days look different. Some days I'm i'm very busy, so to try and put aside maybe two hours of my day to go for a longer run or three hours of my day to go for a longer run or sometimes if I'm if I would be giving advice to my clients I would tell them go maybe do run for an hour then go to the gym after that hour run and do some plyometric stuff so do some single leg stuff do some jumps so that is ideally what I would want to be doing also but sometimes I just don't have the time to do it
00:17:54
UKRunChat
It's hard, isn't it, when you're busy? Yeah. So what what's been your priority then to fit in during marathon training?
00:17:56
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah.
00:18:00
Dejon Noel-Williams
My priority is to just enjoy it. Enjoy the running. Yeah, so I haven't been too stressed about, like, I need i need to do this this this, this, this, because on the day, I want to get this time. So if I had a time in mind, i would need to, like, prepare, like, this run, this run, this run. But mainly, I want to keep my relationship with running a happy relationship. Like, I want to do it and enjoy my runs, enjoy the training, et cetera.
00:18:25
UKRunChat
Do you think marathon training has enabled you to do that? Because sometimes it can feel like hard work, can't it?
00:18:30
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah, definitely. I feel like it can definitely feel like hard work and it can also feel like a lot of pressure. And I've had conversations with people from my run club, um a few of my clients also, and they're they're nervous for the day.
00:18:43
Dejon Noel-Williams
They're worried for the day. Some of them, it's their first marathon. Some of them, they've done some before and they're going to do a second marathon or third and they're trying to beat their previous time. And I just try and remind them that The fact that you can run a marathon is amazing in it in itself. like The amount of people in this world who can run a marathon, the percentage is very small. So the fact that you can just finish it is amazing. like Take the pressure off yourself.
00:19:07
Dejon Noel-Williams
You've already done all of the hard work. You've already done all of the training. and You've followed your training and plan. Now it's race day. Enjoy race day. Enjoy the atmosphere. Enjoy the crowd. Enjoy moving your body.
00:19:18
Dejon Noel-Williams
So yeah, just try and still encourage them to enjoy the day. Especially if you're running for charity as well, to
00:19:23
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:19:24
Dejon Noel-Williams
So really enjoy that.
00:19:25
UKRunChat
Yeah. You just got to remember that it's all for a good cause as well. Haven't you? And yeah, yeah.
00:19:29
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah.
00:19:29
UKRunChat
I love that. Um, so, so as a personal trainer, what are some common mistakes you see and runners make, especially if it's the first like long distance race, like a marathon?
00:19:39
Dejon Noel-Williams
think the most common mistake that I see, so like I've had clients before and and I've gone down to the day and I'm watching and I'm like, you're going way quicker than you should be going like in the first 10K. And it's just that excitement of the day, the excitement of the crowd. I've seen the map for this year. There's like a big like downhill. So like you're just you're just going, you're just going. But you have to remember you need to pace yourself.
00:20:03
Dejon Noel-Williams
It's probably better to start off slower so then you have the the mileage in your leg when the race gets a bit later. So yeah, I think the most common mistake I see is people starting off too quickly and getting into the the hype and excitement of the day.
00:20:17
UKRunChat
Yeah, it's it's easily done though, isn't it? Like the the crowd really draws you along and the other runners, of course.
Marathon strategy and handling race day nerves
00:20:22
UKRunChat
Yeah, why it's it's very tempting.
00:20:22
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah.
00:20:24
UKRunChat
So what fuel have you been practicing with during training? What are you planning to use on the day?
00:20:29
Dejon Noel-Williams
um So I've been using Precision Fuel. They've been really good. I've been using Repower also, electrolytes. So yeah, on the day, I'm probably going to go with Precision Fuel and Repower.
00:20:41
UKRunChat
Yeah, yeah, that sounds good. um And what's what's your pre-race breakfast going to be? Because you you talked about carb loading, of course. How's that working out this week then? What's your plan there?
00:20:49
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah, so the plan for this week is is going to be carb loading to the point where probably I probably don't want to eat any more carbs for the next couple weeks. um And then on the day, probably have something just light, something light, because all of the work, again, would have been done in the week where I would already have everything stored in my body.
00:21:07
UKRunChat
Yeah, yeah. so So breakfast on the morning, what will that be?
00:21:11
Dejon Noel-Williams
Breakfast in the morning, probably like a porridge, a banana, and um I'm probably good to go.
00:21:17
UKRunChat
Yeah, good. So will you be like, will you be feeling nervous on the start line?
00:21:22
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah, I think I'll be feeling and nervous. But when I feel nervous, it's more as as an athlete and a professional footballer, the nerves is excitement. So umm I'm good at a challenging challenging that feeling.
00:21:35
Dejon Noel-Williams
You know when you get the butterfly feeling in your stomach, sometimes people can get that feeling and go within themselves and be like, oh, no.
00:21:37
UKRunChat
Yeah, yeah.
00:21:42
Dejon Noel-Williams
But like when I get that feeling, it gives me energy. energy I'm like, yeah, I'm i'm ready to go. um um I'm here.
00:21:48
UKRunChat
Yeah, it's a good way of looking at it, that isn't it?
00:21:48
Dejon Noel-Williams
think that just means you care.
00:21:50
UKRunChat
Yeah, because I think you you can you can reframe that those nerves and think, no, actually, i'm I'm having a great time. I can channel it. That's a really good way to look at it Yeah.
00:21:57
Dejon Noel-Williams
A
00:21:59
UKRunChat
Yeah. So will you be kind of soaking up the crowd noise on the day or will you be having music as well to distract you?
00:22:07
Dejon Noel-Williams
um a bit of both. I feel like I'm going to soak up the crowd noise as well and also have music in the times that going to need the music. But I definitely want to soak in the crowd noise and just really be present for the run.
00:22:19
UKRunChat
Yeah, yeah, I think that's so important. what's What's on your race day playlist then, if you need it?
00:22:25
Dejon Noel-Williams
What's on my race day playlist?
00:22:26
UKRunChat
What's top of the list?
00:22:28
Dejon Noel-Williams
That's actually a very good question. I'm not too sure because usually I run, it's funny enough, I usually run without music because I like to run to clear my head and to to think.
00:22:34
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:22:38
Dejon Noel-Williams
So when I run, I like to just have just me and my my thoughts. So when I run with music, it's not me and my thoughts anymore. like I'm just sp like, I'm distracting myself. So yeah, I actually usually run without music.
00:22:51
UKRunChat
Yeah, yeah. So will it be like a pumping tune to get you going if you need it
00:22:54
Dejon Noel-Williams
Definitely, yeah. Yeah, definitely.
00:22:55
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:22:56
Dejon Noel-Williams
And also another thing that I probably will do is um get voice notes from like my family and friends. So yeah, I'll get my family and friends to to send me some voice notes and stuff, just like encouraging voice notes, whatever whatever they want to say. And I'll listen to them like during the race. That will be really nice.
00:23:12
UKRunChat
That's such a good idea, actually. I know I've done it before. I've kind of written a name for every mile kind of on my hands. So if I'm struggling, I can look at and think of that person and think, yeah, I'll get through that mile for you.
00:23:21
Dejon Noel-Williams
Oh, that's nice.
00:23:23
UKRunChat
But that's a really good idea. Yeah. Yeah. Have you got lots of spectators coming to support you on the route then?
00:23:28
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah, I've got a lot of spectators coming down and Sporting Minder also coming down. That's also going to be a big driving force for me. Just knowing that I'm doing this for something way bigger than myself is going to definitely add that extra fuel that I'll need.
00:23:42
UKRunChat
Yeah. So have have you got a goal in your mind? i know you don't have to share it if you don't want, but have you got a goal in mind or are you just aiming to have fun?
00:23:49
Dejon Noel-Williams
Literally just aiming to have fun. um I feel like if I'd done it again, i probably would probably go for like a time and train for a time. But because it's my first time, I just really want to just be present. Like I want to be running. And if somebody sees me i'm running, they want to have a conversation. I want to speak to them. Or if somebody I feel like is struggling, in maybe they want a little bit of encouragement. I want to encourage them or just get to know people on the run, maybe find out about other people's stories.
00:24:18
Dejon Noel-Williams
engage with the the crowd at times if I see like my family and friends or say Sporting Mind like stop have conversations with them and yeah like if I'm going for a time too much I feel like I'll just get into that performance mode where um I'm going so someone's like oh hi Dejon I'm just like oh sorry I gotta go I gotta get my time and I don't want it to be like that I want to be like if someone says hi Dejon I want to be able to go and speak to them you know
00:24:32
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:24:44
UKRunChat
Yeah, that's such a nice approach. And I guess as like ah a professional sports person, then that must be hard to not have that competitive aspect. Is that tough for you?
00:24:51
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah. Yeah, 100%. But um I feel like it just comes down to the fact that I'm doing it for Sporting Mind and doing it for charity, where that...
Final thoughts and advice for marathon participants
00:25:04
Dejon Noel-Williams
And it just amazes... day just amazes me. Like, just on the sideline, just seeing all of the amazing runners and thinking, wow, that you guys are really great to to be able to run amongst them and just to speak to them and things like that find out people's stories.
00:25:17
Dejon Noel-Williams
Maybe they might be going for a time and want to speak to me. But it was weird.
00:25:20
UKRunChat
Yeah, true. Yeah. But you only get one chance to run a marathon for the first time, don't you? So I think that is a great approach. Just enjoy it.
00:25:26
Dejon Noel-Williams
Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, I definitely just want to enjoy it.
00:25:29
UKRunChat
Yeah. Oh, brilliant. So yeah. Well, it's been lovely chatting to you today. Thank you so much for coming on and talking to us. Have you got any tips for people if it's their first marathon on the day as well?
00:25:35
Dejon Noel-Williams
and No, no worries. I love it.
00:25:40
Dejon Noel-Williams
I would say my main tip for the people who are running the marathon for the first time is to please please, please, please, please enjoy it. Especially like this is London Marathon. It's your first marathon. feel like London is probably the one of the best marathons in the world.
00:25:56
Dejon Noel-Williams
um It's going to be a great day. You're going to enjoy it. And if you have a time that you want, if you don't get that time and you still finish, be proud of yourself. If you get your time, excellent. But just take that kind of pressure away from yourself and just enjoy the day.
00:26:11
UKRunChat
Oh, that's amazing advice. Thank you so much, Dajon. And if you do see Dajon on the day, if you're running London Marathon or spectating, then do give him a wave and a cheer along as well. and Where can people find you on socials?
00:26:20
Dejon Noel-Williams
I appreciate that. um My Instagram name is Dejon Williams, same for TikTok. And then my Instagram name for my Run Club is Vibe Tribe Run Club, same on Instagram and TikTok.
00:26:33
UKRunChat
We will put those in the show notes, so be sure to give them both a follow. And if you're if you're in London, then do go and check out Vibe Tribe. and You've been listening to the UK Run Chat podcast. As as always, don't forget to subscribe and tag a friend. And we'll be back soon with another story from the running community.