He’s more used to plugging up-and-coming bands than pounding the pavements. But away from the day job, Radio 1’s Greg James is quietly falling in love with running. Having run the Virgin Money London Marathon in April, he then set himself the challenge of a sub-2hr finish at the Great North Run, a task that required him to shave off 15 minutes from his current PB. He did it in style, clocking an impressive 1hr 54mins. He talks to MR about why he loves running.
What does running mean to you?
Freedom.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Cheese.
What was your best ever run?
The Great South Run.
What is the most important lesson running has taught you?
That I can achieve more than I thought I could.
Who, if anyone, is your running hero?
Er…Gordon Ramsay.
If you could enter one race before you die, what would it be?
The New York Marathon – that’s next on my list.
What’s your favourite running book?
Haruki Marukami’s What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. My girlfriend bought it for me and it’s brilliant.
What’s people’s greatest misconception about running?
That it’s boring. If you find running boring, I suspect it’s because you’re a boring person.
What’s your most cherished running possession?
The Greg James podcast, obviously!
What medal are you most proud of?
My London Marathon finisher’s medal, although it looks dangerously close to a Jim’ll Fix It medal!
City streets or country lanes?
Country lanes – although most of my runs tend to be in quite urban environments.
Music or the sound of silence?
Music to train with; silence for races.
What’s your most embarrassing running moment?
Twenty miles into the London Marathon when both legs seized up. I had an emergency MP3 player with me and, at that exact point, Take That’s ‘Greatest Day’ came on. The irony wasn’t lost on me.
Are there any parallels between radio DJ-ing and running?
Well, you’re very alone in both! They also both require self-confidence – you have to believe you can do a good job.
Describe yourself as a runner in one word.
Distracted.
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