What does running mean to you?
Freedom. Cycling and swimming require a little more effort and preparation, whereas you can run anywhere, anytime. All you need is a pair of trainers, which you can take with you anywhere. I like that.
If you could go for a run with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
Zola Budd. She famously always ran barefooted. My mum always used to call me her little Zola Budd when I ran around the African bush chasing after guinea fowl with a stick. I never did catch the buggers but I gave it a good go and inevitably would come back with at least seven thorns in my toes.
You once ran the length of Britain. What was the most memorable part of that trip?
The West Highland Way – the best 97 miles I’ve ever run. Tough, dramatic, cold and wet. It was also snowing on the Devil’s Staircase and I tore my lower calf, which I then had to tape up with gaffer tape as that’s all I had. It took me a day longer than I was hoping but added to the sense of achievement when I finally reached Fort William.
What is it exactly that fuels your desire for adventure?
Fear of just existing. Right up until my 30th birthday I just existed on this planet, fuelled by materialism and distorted views on ‘success’. This made me miserable. I then sold my business for £1 and vowed from that day on never to make decisions based on my financial gain, but rather life experience. It was the best decision I ever made.
How do you drive yourself forward during the low moments of a run?
Fear of failure drives me far more than rewards of success. I never think about what I might get if I achieve a goal, but rather what I will lose if I give up. The physical pain always goes away.
By your own admission, you’re not a natural runner. What advice would you give to any other Average Joes planning an extraordinary challenge?
Before you get too technical, just get the miles in. Mileage makes champions. If you want to do a big run, start just running some amazing trails for fun. Fall in love with it. The human body is an amazing thing and it will get better. Once you have that base fitness and are enjoying it, you can start to hone your skills, nutrition and technique.
What is non-runners’ greatest misconception about running?
For me, it was just how hard it was on the body. Coming from cycling, I was used to riding from 5am until midnight with only a few short fuel stops. With running, you just can’t do that straight out the blocks. You’ll get injured. It was quite frustrating as I’d be full of energy and not fatigued at all but my knees and hamstrings were killing me. Also, stretch, stretch and stretch again!
Finally, describe yourself as a runner in one word:
Naïve.
Sean Conway is a serial adventurer and endurance athlete who has swum, cycled and run the length of Britain: seanconway.com
