Episode Title: "Changing My Ways"

Episode Number: 004

In today's episode, I sit down and have the pleasure of speaking to Adrian Snood, AKA run.with.adrian. Adrian was a military musician who found running to start his weight loss transformation. He decided to document his journey over on TikTok for like-minded people in our community!

Key Moments:

01:43 - Strava and how it builds community

02:36 - Adrian's journey and weight Loss

06:51- Adrian's thoughts on what parkrun is doing for our community

08:30 - Understanding Backyard Ultras and Rasslebock Running

13:07 - Discovering great places to run in the West Midlands

15:50 - How Adrian built his following on TikTok and what that community means to him

24:04 - Wolverhampton 10K Controversy

27:40 - Adrian's feelings on being a Part Time PT and how he feels he helps the community

30:40 - How important is Strength Training to runners?

37:35 - What races has Adrian got coming up?

39:37 - Adrian's dream running partner

Connect With Me!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willfinlay3/

Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/55757571:

Listen to More Episodes: https://run-together-run-forever.captivate.fm

Watch this Episode on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEMDi0voxEE

Subscribe on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/@RunTogetherRunForever

Connect With Adrian!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/run.with.adrian/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@asnood?lang=en-GB

Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/45771971?oq=adria

Hello everybody. Welcome to episode number two of Run Together, Run Forever. Well, today we're joined by Adrian, who is a keen part runner, but Adrian is also building a great community through TikTok. Hello, Adrian.

Hi, how are doing? Great to meet you.

Yeah, lovely to meet you. It's awesome to have you on. I know we've followed each other on Strava for quite a while, haven't we?

Yeah, your name's always in there and it just keeps seeing crossing channels and when we're out there doing our bits and pieces of runs and gyms and everything else that we do.

Yeah,

but that's where it's ace, isn't it? It's like that platform, it might be a good place to start a straw, but the platform of where even though some people think it might be, it can be a bit negative because people are always, you know, people are better than each other. It does build a great community at the core of it, doesn't it?

It really does. I think it just keeps you accountable. I generally keep it, me personally, as a diary so I can go back and see what I've done and I rack up and I know it's gone sort of AI powered. So it gives you its own internal motivation. But the community where you see other people and bump into people and you know they're running your local routes, I'm not ultra competitive. I know people are. I probably am deep down, but you know, I'm not.

But I just think it's fabulous just to see what people are up to. you think, wow, someone's gone out and done 15 miles today. And think, it's horrible weather out there. I just admire people. So it's a great platform.

Absolutely, absolutely. And you were saying you're not ultra competitive. I think it's important to start to speak about your running journey and just let you take the reins. What is your running journey, Adrian?

⁓ now I come from a military background. I was a military musician and you'd think I'd be fit and I think I failed every army fitness test because I was always a big bloke. And yeah, it was never on my radar. I hated it. I hated fitness at school. I hated fitness in the army. And it was when I left, I'm now 56. So now from observation there.

And it was a few years ago, I think it was actually COVID that was the sort of catalyst. And I know I've spoken to a lot of people and my clients, I'm a PT, but you'll probably get to that later. It sort of got a bit housebound and started, you know, eating a bit too much and, you know, being pending and drinking too much. And I put on a lot of weight. And to be honest, I was probably verging on being an alcoholic. Yeah, I was really unhealthy.

But I was almost outdory and about three years ago I went on a holiday to the Lake District and I found myself getting out of breath going up the hills and actually felt sort of deeply unwell, you know, I just wasn't happy in myself and I was was way overweight. I mean UK weight wise I was over 21 on stone. It was absolutely ridiculous. I just actually felt ill. So I thought right something's got to change because I'm

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hmm.

I'm gonna die early if I don't do anything. So literally relied on a watch. I bought a cheap, Garmin-y thing or whatever. can't even remember what brand it was. It may have been just a Fitbit, just a basic fitness watch. I said, right, I'm going to do 10,000 steps a day. And went out and started doing that and thought about cutting back on the alcohol and thought about cutting back on the food. And whilst I was out walking, I sort of got a bit bored. So when I got to the downhill bits, I started

Yeah. Yeah.

Really.

jog in and just picking up the pace just to get it over and done with but I think it got in my head a little bit and I thought hang on I quite like this and I could see the weight coming off and just starting to feel happier you you're coming in here energised for the day ahead and I just continued that journey and something obviously clicked because I'm now eight and a half stone down from where I was I literally I'd walk up a flight stairs and I was out of breath and now

willingly entering half marathons and endurance events and I hate it when I'm working on a Saturday and I miss parkrun and I've trained as a personal trainer. So it's, all my friends can't believe what I've done. They've just said I'm just a changed person from where I came from.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And like, it's just incredible because I knew your journey from looking at your page and it's like, there's be many people like that, but the way you've gone from saying you were out of breath going up the stairs to now running, you know, you're running, what are running 22 minutes for 5k? I know you're saying you're not competitive, but

Yeah,

just over that, yeah.

The difference in the jump is quite remarkable really and you say you know you feel different as a person and your habits now completely tailored around fitness all the time.

Oh absolutely, it's about balance and I've said this to lot of my clients where they come in for advice. I think people, can't do everything. You can't be, I want to lose weight, I want to run quicker, I want to cut this, I want to stop this. There's going to be no joy in your life. think if you've got to have little bits and pieces. But yeah, definitely it's fitness focused. If I don't go for a run or do any sort of exercise in about two days, yeah, I'll start getting a little bit twitchy.

But yeah, definitely my diet's healthier. I try and steer away from processed foods. It's just, it's one of those things. And obviously I cook everything fresh at home, but I still enjoy a glass of wine with a dinner and things about, it's just all about balance. But yeah, it's definitely a focus now because I just feel a whole lot better.

Yeah.

Brilliant. That's just, that is really brilliant to hear. ⁓ So moving on to Parkrun, because this, whole, you know, ⁓ sort of theme of this podcast is to sort of look at communities and how people build communities like yourself. I don't think there's a better place than Parkrun to build communities personally. What is the best takeaway you could think from Parkrun? And if you could describe to us what you think Parkrun actually is.

⁓

It was, I think that was the catalyst for me as well, was I went along to Parkrun because I've had a few friends who were basically jog walkers, they were very slow runners, which is brilliant, just anyone who does Parkrun, it doesn't matter, I think that's the thing, it's so inclusive and you're never going to be last.

And the fact that you go around really slowly at the beginning of your journey, my very first park run, I literally had to stop about four five times and walk. Yet you come over the line and think, hang on, there's people behind me. There's still people out walking and walking the dogs and because it's such an inclusive atmosphere. And everyone cheers you as you come over the line. And everyone goes, have a great day. And everyone's really cheery and happy. And it is just so motivational to be.

running, walking, jogging amongst other people and that was the catalyst for me. I I quite like this. I'm not going to be last. It's fun, there's nice people and I may as well make it a start to my weekend. It's absolutely brilliant.

Awesome, awesome. And then moving on from that is I've had a look at your Instagram page and stuff and you're an ambassador for RasselBock running, is that right?

I am. Rattlebot running are a, they do ultra running and backyard ultras. Shall I explain what a backyard ultra is just briefly?

Nice.

Yeah,

you could explain what Rasselbock running actually is, what a backyard ultra is, and then sort of where you feel, what you feel your role as an ambassador to sort of is for that.

Okay, and as briefly as possible, a backyard ultra is out on the trails, out in the woods. This happens globally. It came from like the big Berkeley Marathons. People can look that up. It came from an American side of things. But basically it's about 4.2 miles lap. And then you run that lap, you start at something like eight o'clock in the morning, you run a 4.2 mile lap, and then you stop and then you go back out at nine o'clock.

and then 10 o'clock on the hour every hour. And it's basically just last man standing. So you can imagine, know, there's people out there, they'll do 24 hours and they've run a hundred miles. in America, people are running 200, 300 miles. This can go on for days and days. So that's briefly what Backyard Ultra is. However, they do smaller events. They do half marathons and marathons and they just do like six hour races where you can come back to a little aid station and...

change your socks and change your shoes, have a little snack, have a drink and then go back out. It's just see how far you can run. And it's out on the trails and again it's so inclusive, the atmosphere is brilliant, it's a family-run company. There's great cake, basically you can just eat as much cake. You fuel yourself on cake, that's one of the best parts about it. But everyone you meet are just, they're just the greatest, runners are the greatest people, little trail runners.

Yeah.

action.

Well that's what I wanted to get onto, was what do you feel is the difference between the culture of trail running versus road running? obviously you do both. What would you say is the big difference?

You know, there's going to be people in the back. I can see people arguing about roadrunners and trail runners. I think they're better than roadrunners. It just goes over my head. It's what you prefer. I personally do prefer the trails. I do like being out in open spaces in that fresh air. And I'm not having traffic around and things like that. That's really nice. Some people hate running off-road and the stability. But yeah, I do enjoy the trail running. I think...

Yeah, yeah,

Yeah. Yeah, it's it. Yeah. Absolutely.

On the road I can get bored very easily when you're crossing roads waiting for traffic and sometimes it can feel a chore. Whereas when you're out on the trails there's birds singing, you suddenly go over hill and there's another landscape and there's almost less pressure on I don't know what it is, there's less pressure on the trails to go as quick. It's more about enjoying the run, it's enjoying the journey of it rather than just going, you've got an arbitrary finish time.

Yeah.

So it's just enjoying the journey of being out on the trails and it's just that being outside. And I think that's why I prefer the trails.

Yeah, because I wasn't going to, I was going to mention that where like I'm predominantly a road runner and haven't done much trail races. The only trail I've done, I think I saw you there actually, was that Canock Chase. ⁓ It was a couple of years ago now and like I just, so my journey was like, I was an 800 metre runner ⁓ years and years ago, played football and then ⁓ I've like started doing marathons and that was probably my first run back.

Yeah, yeah.

was that Canick Chase one, that was beautiful and I can see where you're saying now that like it is absolutely stunning, especially some of the scenery that's on the doorstep. So what would you say is like some of the scenery ⁓ for you around you, you Telford area, is that where you are?

I'm in Telford so of course you've got all the Shropshire Hills and the Reek Inn ⁓ and out on Longmond which is out, yeah part of the Shropshire Hills. So around here it's fabulous and around Telford and Ironbridge there's just so much off-road and trails. Yet you're still in town, you can actually run to the trails and still be in town so it is nice, you're not just completely out in the countryside. But if go a bit further I love the Peat District and you know it's all across the Midlands.

You're never far from a trail around here, basically.

No, absolutely. So what are your sort of favourite events that you've done? So you mentioned Rasselbach, what are other good ones that you've done sort of these backyard ultras?

The Rassebocht, think simply because of the atmosphere and the environment, it's always great fun. And as I said before, it doesn't matter what your finish time, you're just out there and have a laugh. It's great fun. But I do like the run through events do their trail series. Like you said, the Canock, they do one that's in Tuttusworth Water, which is Hen Cloud and the Roachers in Staffordshire in the Peak District. I think that's definitely one of my favorite ones.

Hmm.

and then I'm looking to do, they do one called Sea to Sky. I'm looking to do that which is Barmouth on the Welsh coast. It runs from literally from sea level and then out into the Snowdonia hills and back down which is, that's going to be a toughie but yeah I'm going to looking at doing that one this year.

That's ace, that's ace. So you're obviously pushing yourself at the same time, but are you looking for more that sense of like, are you a man who sort of looks, right, I want to complete a certain distance rather than, or is it all about just, I just want to get that fulfillment from my running completely.

I think so. I think it's the road tires, think the part runs which isn't a race to anyone else but it's always nice to have that sort of you've got that in the bag where everyone does push it a bit on a part run so you can say I can run a 5k in this time and I'd use that for my own and 10k racers but beyond that I'm just out there to enjoy it and it's just a case of I'm happy just to go over the finish line and just enjoy the experience.

Definitely out on the trails. Time's irrelevant. As you know, especially on some of the steeper trails, you're going to be walking. Let's admit it, you can't run up steep hills. You have to walk. So yeah, it's about getting across the finish line.

Absolutely, it is completely and you mentioned earlier about the aid stations and I think I was speaking to somebody about this who is a, know, because I didn't, well I do know what backyard altar is but I didn't really know the culture behind it and she was speaking to me about it saying there's so much camaraderie at the aid stations which is also willing you to get there so you're like looking forward to getting to the aid stations, having a bit of food and you're not thinking I've got a soldier on all the way through this I think that's where it's ace also.

I mean it really is because I think the last one I did it was a couple of friends that I've got off TikTok strangely enough and I've had them in you know I've sort of gotten them in to do it and they've signed up and you've met them for the first time and every time like you say they're on you end up on different laps by the time you're four or five hours in you're on different laps but you know you can come past them on the trails and then you come in and they're going back out and

just

They're there with a handful of jelly babies and you're just having a laugh. It's really good fun.

Awesome, Touching on your TikTok, what sort of made you think to start your page? What was it that made you think that?

I know, maybe I was thinking, who's going to follow a middle-aged man? I was overweight at the time, still on that. And I thought, let's just start TikTok for a laugh, for my own... just, you know. And that was it, I didn't think it'd be any more. I if I'd get 10, 15 people who similar to me, it might be quite nice. And I'm up at about 9,000 follower mark now. I just didn't expect it to kick off how it did.

Yeah, no.

Brilliant.

But again, it's the community. You've found your audience and this is brilliant. ⁓ And there's just so many people on there who, I mean, you've got the entire running community, but you can imagine how the algorithms of Instagram and TikTok work. You know, it's going to find your audience. So it is a lot of people my age and middle-aged people who all came into running later in life. And every time you're turning up at races, you're meeting up with people like yourself when I first met you in Canock.

through social media, you just get a tap on your shoulder and you'll just go, hi, it's like you've been best mates forever. When in reality you've been friends on TikTok for like 18 months. It's just brilliant.

Yeah,

it's strange. I had some guys, I don't know if you know them, because they're from Bromsgrove and it's running the red line is their podcast and I had them on and they were saying they find it difficult sometimes because they completely forget that people will see them in these parasocial relationships where it's like, you know, people watch their podcasts religiously and like they sort of forget it, but they're so sort of thankful of it. That's where it's sort of tough for people like you really where, you know,

You've got all these people who know your story through TikTok. Yeah.

The weirdest thing for me is when I've gone on runs with my partner, because she... It may sound slightly selfish, but I do keep it just to me, to my journey. And obviously we've gone out running together, we run together, she's quicker than me. That's another sign. But when we go on running events, I've turned up, just done Wolverhampton 10k.

there.

And, you know, we're just going to the backdrop. There's always people coming up to you and go and someone says, you're that guy on TikTok. And I'm like, okay. And it's a really odd thing, but it is joyous to think. yeah. One of the best stories recently was I was on a break at work last week and literally I just wondered, so I'm in my normal clothes, work clothes.

Yeah

and I'm wondering if you tell for town center and there's a lady on a bench and we just sort of glance to each other and just both sprung up and gave each other a big hug and it was like, what's your name again? And it was just suddenly click when it was someone on TikTok who we'd been following for so long and it was just like, well, what you doing? You know, she was on a conference from somewhere down in Devon just happened to be in Telfer and you just, and this is where runners come together through various platforms.

So it's so good. I think there isn't a sport like it really, because it's so easy to do at the base of it. And it's so, I know it's not, it's not cheap because people have eight pairs of shoes and things like that nowadays, but it, at its basic level, it is so cheap, isn't it? And anybody can do it. And yeah, go on.

It

really is. The fundamentals are, and I've said this to people who are beginner runners, if you've got a comfortable pair of shoes and nice sensible clothing that's not cotton, that's obviously sport specific, yeah, that's all you need to start. That is it. Yeah, of course it's going to get expensive by the time people buy garments and super shoes and you can imagine it's just endless.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

And that's probably the joy of it as well, is it's like, I'm gonna, you know, I'll get this time and I'll get myself a new pair of shoes or et cetera, et cetera. But I wanted to ask as well, what, so what is your sort of, do you have a structured week in terms of your filming? Is it like, the start of the week, I'm gonna film this on certain day or is it literally just, I'm gonna grab the camera and I'm gonna speak about how I felt on my run today.

That's basically what I've done. In the past I actually worked as a social media manager and you'd think I'd be planning things ahead. But yeah, it's often when I'm actually out on the run I'll think about something and today, I didn't do it today strangely enough because I'd done the 10k and then I'd done a 5k and then 4k and then my tomorrow's a rest day. To be honest I was quite tired today but I thought I'm not gonna make it a being tired not negative.

So I just thought, let's talk about races. Today's one was like, enter a race, give yourself some accountability and have something to aim for. And I try and just think of something to motivate potentially beginner runners to think about. But yeah, I have done that on days where I've gone round and just literally just turned the camera around on myself at the end and gone, this is hard. This is really hard, just cause I'm joyous most of the time.

It's not easy. I have days that are really hard. We all do. So you've got to balance it between being ultra motivational and just the truth first sometimes. So you've got to... But I do make it up on the fly, to be honest.

So you just like sort plan your week of running by yourself, you've not really got any input from anybody else, it's just you.

No, I can see the benefits people use in ⁓ running plans, the people you have Apple plans and runner and all these different platforms that can give you a structure. I think it's the personal trainer in me as well. So I'm quite capable of structure in my own runs. And I know what races I've got coming up and what I have to do to do that. But basically, I don't overcomplicate it. I have a minimum mileage target that I do a week. I keep

Literally 80 % of my runs just slow and steady, just calm. then I throw in some, one run a week is a trail run. And then I do bitware, one speedy. Like I say often, sometimes it's a part run, it's my only quick run of the week. having that structure, that basic structure in is basically what a lot of plans do. I'll go out and do a slow three mile trail and then I can do an eight mile run. Then you'll do a fast part run.

than us.

then I'll just do a couple of 10Ks, casual back... So it is quite unstructured and maybe that's a bit controversial for some people. It's like, no, I don't have a running plan. But I'm well aware of my diary of what I've got coming up in three, four weeks. So then aim for these events.

They're brilliant. There's some sort of controversy around runner where they're over training people, aren't they? So, you know, that's great for you where you say, I'm a personal trainer, which we'll get onto, and you're always keeping yourself away from injury or keeping you, and I think that's the problem with runners sometimes is because it's so obsessive, and I've been bad for it sometimes.

you just want to get out and you want to go and do 10 miles because somebody else has done 10 miles and that's sometimes where the culture can be a bit, you know, not great really, isn't it?

I think it depends on your mindset as well. You can religiously stick to plans. I mean, I have training suggestions on my Garmin and I wake up in the morning and it just goes, right, I want you to do sprints today. I'm like, not a chance. It's trying to kill me. But it is a case of listening to your body and especially, you know.

or chance.

Yes.

I'm over 50, I've got to look after myself. I don't bounce like I used to when I was younger. So yeah, you've got to have some sort of sense behind what you're doing. But yeah, I just listen to my body. If something aches, then I'll just dease back. If I've had a race and my hamstrings ache bit, then yeah, I'm not going to go sprinting up hills for three or four days. It's common sense, I think.

Yeah, absolutely. How was the Wolves 10k by the way, was that good?

Yeah, it was really good. It's nice route. That was technically my PB. That was the argument between Strava and Chiptime and things. I've checked it. So technically that was my PB. There was a bit of controversy over WarRant. Yeah, it's a run through a great company. I do lot of their runs and the bibs come through, the numbers come through in the post and they hadn't this time. And it's like, fine, we'll just go and turn up and queue for the numbers.

Very good.

Right. Yeah.

I'll store that.

But I don't think anyone had got a number. So the queues ended up going back and the end of the race was delayed and because people didn't have numbers there was nothing to attach to. Bag drops, the whole race was delayed. It was a bit chaotic. I mean, it happens to us all, know, maybe they're going to have a bad day, but ⁓ I'm sure they'll sort it out. But I think a few people were... I think if that was your first ever running event it would have left a bit of a sour taste.

Yes.

Yes.

Yeah, I saw

that from a guy on TikTok. It wasn't like sort of somebody with a big following, but was sort of somebody's first video. And they were saying, look, if this is what run throughs like, I don't want to come back. I sort of, didn't, obviously I'm not going to say anything, but you sort of want to echo, that's not what run through are like. They are very, very organized. They've done this multiple times. It's just a little blip in a small, in a big system, isn't it?

No.

I discussed it with my partner on the way back in the car and thought I should send him an email and just say I was quite disappointed how chaotic it was and I thought you know what, they'll know. And then I think everyone who entered, there was a mass email went round to everyone and there was an apology and I thought yeah they know they messed up. And it's a one-off, everyone has a bad day so you know, it is police. But yeah, but otherwise, yeah was great event, of course it is, they always are.

Yeah, that's right.

Does it start inside the Molyneux

It does, yeah, which is

quite cool. And it's quite a flat course as well. It's quite nice. I'll do it again next year. It was really nice.

Awesome.

Yeah, was going to do it. There's some guys who have a YouTube channel that I watched and they did it. I'm planning on doing it next year.

It is a PB course, it's not got much elevation on it, it's good. That was definitely my fastest mile as well, going out the... Yeah, because it's like, it's literally just constantly downhill for the first mile. Yeah.

Is it?

If you don't tell for 10k,

that's another one that's like that, isn't it? Yeah.

It is.

I didn't do it. I think I was working, but I did it the first two years ago. did it, yeah. ⁓

That's

a good one. So moving on to you as a, you've mentioned it, fitness and PT instructor. Can you sort of explain what your job is? So you do it within like a commercial gym, is that where you do it?

I do. What I did was I actually did my, I did my personal training qualification, not to necessarily become a personal trainer in a commercial gym. It was more something that I wanted to do and thought it may come in handy. It was just, if I could do this course and I was just interested in having that qualification. And I actually worked for Pure Gym for about four months. So I went through their process, obviously part-time hours.

and did all the instruction classes, the HIIT classes, spin classes and went through all that and went through the process. ⁓ But because it was a part-time job, I was offered another part-time job somewhere else and sort of went to a side. And I just have personal clients that I can take out to other gyms. So I don't necessarily operate as a gym. To be honest, I work in a bookmakers is my full-time job. And just personal training clients are just...

You're okay. Nice.

just either online or I take them out running in bits and pieces. So these are my clients now. So I only have a few.

Fair enough. How does that make you feel when you can sort of have a hands-on role with their journey and bring the community together and sort of say, you know, this is what want you to do and we're going to work towards this together? How does that make you feel?

It is really encouraging to see people put in the effort. I'm amazed sometimes. And I think, I pushing people too hard? And they'll just offset them a plan. And they just crack on. thinking, my, it's like they're just working so well. And you can see how dedicated someone wishes to be better. And going back to, like you say, when I was overweight, it's worked well for me because predominantly my sort of clients are

middle-aged men or middle-aged women are my clients who are slightly overweight and unfit and just want to be a little bit better and happier. essentially that's what I did. And they say to me, they went, yeah, but you're running, you're fit and you can, and then I just turned around with my phone and go, yeah, but I wasn't, look. And they go, ⁓ so I can empathize. I can actually empathize with people like myself. So it's nice to come from that bank.

Bye.

Yeah, for sure. So you do gym stuff and running stuff as well. So it's not specifically just gyms. I think that's where I sort of got it wrong. you a personal trainer where you'll set people runs as well as gym stuff?

It depends on the clients. I was never keen on being... When people say, I want to be a bodybuilder, I want to build muscle, that's not something even I enjoy. I do gym work for myself, so of course I do strength work as all runners should, but it's not to be muscly or things. That's not my thing. And so I sort of steered away from that. It was more sort of the wellbeing side of things to improve people's cardio and the wellbeing and the mental wellness of being fitter and healthier.

⁓ is more that appeals to me and there's definitely a lot of that where people are frightened of gyms. You'll get new people come in the gym and they're just like, my God, there's all these weights and free weights and people are scared of it. They get this gym phobia and gym anxiety. It's really a thing. And I'll just have to explain that it's like, no one cares. No one cares what you're doing because they're more worried what they look like themselves. So I think once you can get that...

Once you get people to cross that barrier, you can set them a target and then try and get them happy with doing that. So that's more what I try and get people doing, get them in the gym and let them be free and let them be happy and make it more than they can.

Absolutely.

I do completely agree with you because that's where running is a bit different where you can go out and it's probably not as, you know, sort of a scary environment as the gym. So I completely agree what you're saying there. So you echoed there and I think it's important to mention because there's been a lot of stuff around stress fractures recently in running with overuse injuries. Just how important is strength and conditioning training to runners? You mentioned that it is important. What is it?

about it that's important to us runners.

Absolutely. It's so easy to... I'm touching the table now because I've never been injured. Not majorly. But I think it's because I do look after it. It's just the process of warming up. think there's a lot of people, like you say, the stress factors, I think lot of people just stick running stuff on and get out the door and then run the same speed every day or run too quickly every day. And it's having that sort of bit of mindfulness about what you're doing.

Yeah, thanks.

A great example to say is probably... I'll go into elite athletes in a minute, you can see what they do. But something like park run. Now, if you run a park run, if someone does an acceptable, nice, healthy 30-minute park run, which is a good time for anyone, 15 minutes before that, you should be warming up. You should be doing at least 15 minutes warm-up and stretches and leg swings and other things. Warming up all your muscles to get out there.

Yeah, and I can understand where you see elite athletes, your Keelys and your Georgias, things like that. They may be only running 800 metres or a thousand metres on the track. They're warming up for an hour. You know, they're stretching and they're just to run those things. But it's all about the warm up. So when I get up in the morning, I'm in the kitchen, I'm doing leg swings, I'm doing calf raises and doing inner leg swings, I'm stretchers. And then when I come back...

I don't instantly come in, I stop and when I'm doing my TikTok videos afterwards I'll walk out and I'll spend another 10-15 minutes walking and stretching and then you just sort of cool down afterwards. So I think there's a lot to be said for proper warm-ups and cool-downs. They just can't be overlooked. And then I've distracted away from the thing. But yeah, gym work definitely. Like the pylometrics, not the huge big box jumps. You can do lots of, you know, just simple calf raises, just holding weights.

split squats and basic squats and things like that. Not necessary to build muscle, but just for like sort of conditioning, just to prevent injury. So yeah, absolutely.

Yeah, for sure. then touching on that as well is fueling as well. How do you feel the fueling is so important straight after a workout?

I tend to keep it very, very simple. If I go out anymore, because obviously I think a lot of people use garments and stravas or whatever and it'll come and say, you've used so and so many calories or whatever, you can work it out. I think once you reach that stage and you're interested in running, you'll work out what your calorie intake and outtake is. There's always apps that tell you, you've burnt four, 500 calories on this run. Yeah, you do have to replace that. Of course, if you're on a diet or

slimming plan then yeah you can base that in but you still have to replace those salts and sugars and electrolytes and your carbohydrates to recover and protein to keep your muscle and that's that's that's another podcast obviously you could go down a rabbit hole and be on for ⁓ but yeah i keep it simple i'll i'll just come in and i'll just use something like oat milk a scoop of protein powder and some blueberries or whatever and i'll have that so post run

think a lot of people, you'll find the Kenyans on the marathon will just drink chocolate milkshake. It's just something to one, replace some fluids and you get some carbohydrates back in. So that's post run. Pre run, generally I'll go out fasted early in the morning. I don't eat. I'll just go straight out of the door. I know some people don't like that, but that works for me. But otherwise I'll have a bowl of porridge, something easily, something oats. Porridge is my go to.

and then something like, you know, hour and a half, hours later, I'm out running. And then on the go, I stick to gels and simple things like that.

Yeah, nice. And then so I've got I've only got two more things to mention. We've been going, what, 34 minutes now. So that will take nicely to the 40 minute mark. And so I want to know, like, what is it firstly about the West Midlands running scene that you love? the sort of West Midlands can extend it all the way out to out to Telford and around there. Because you've been to the likes of Beacon Park, which are near me at Telford. You didn't chase water. That's a nice one.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

When you combine all of these communities, what is it that you take away from this and about the West Midlands? Because that is a lot of what this podcast is about, is about highlighting good areas in the West Midlands, because I think it can get a bad rap sometimes.

Ah, they're just the greatest people. Like I was saying, coming to Wolverhampton yesterday, was literally the West Midlands running scene converged on Wolverhampton. So everyone was everyone.

The guys from, let's say, Beacon, which is Lichfield. There were a couple of guys I bumped into there who were there and just everyone. Of course, as you probably tell, I'm not from the West Midlands by my accent. But yeah, you can just hear the accent from the whole of the West Midlands just converge and it's just joyous. I know every other area has got their own community, but everyone is just so friendly and you just made so many friends. I never expected that, you know, this sort of new sector in my life.

and new friends would be all runners and all guys from the West Midlands. And it is just simply joyous.

Yeah,

it is and it's and that I think that's what your ⁓ channel when I have a look at it for me is you just spread joy to people and that's and that's all you can it's very true it's like you look at your page and you know I know you say that you know there's no you don't want ⁓ people to get the wrong impression where you're not finding it hard every time but people will come on your page and think right I need a bit of a pick me up before my run.

Cheers.

watch Adrian's video, there you go. I think, but I think your channel properly encapsulates what the West Midlands running scene is about. And I think that's great.

I think it's just we just all encourage everyone else. It's... And then the worst thing for me is sometimes just to forget from where you've come... It's very easy to forget where you've come from. Because I can go out sometimes and I've turned the video around by myself and then the other was just a 10k this month... It's not just a 10k and I just have to dial it back and think, no, think of where I came from. But I admire anyone who just gets out...

Yes.

and just covers it, it covers 5k, it covers 10k, just goes out for 20 minutes for a run. Anyone that just goes out and then gets moving, I admire anyone. Even people just going for a walk, get out there in the air, make a difference, be fitter and healthier. I think that's what it's all about.

For sure, for sure. And then finally, before we go on to a couple of just quick questions, what is in the pipeline for you? What races have you got coming up that you're really looking forward to?

I've got Birmingham half marathon, 3rd of May, that's my third year now. It was a toss-up between that Manchester but yeah it's gotta be Birmingham again, I quite like that route. There'll be another Rassebuck event, they'll be there half marathon or marathon, I'll probably do the half. I'm not a fan of the marathon distance, I get bored too easily.

Nice.

That's fair. ⁓ I did London last year and I'm doing Paris in two weeks. ⁓ I don't know why I'm doing it be honest, but I am looking forward to it. It's a long old way. ⁓

brilliant.

But

yeah, we discussed the other day. Yeah, there'll definitely be, we're just looking at the diary now for Tancos. We've done our spring ones. Richard, Nantwich, Wolverhampton. Nats case are just ticking the box again. Right, where can we fill in one a month? And then a couple of other half marathons. I think the Great South is, I think a 10 mile, and like I say, the sea to the sky at the back end of the year. So the law plop in, I've just got to look at my work schedule. But I'll always find something.

Yeah.

What would you say is your favourite distance?

half marathon. That sort of, yeah, that sort of...

off.

The steady where it meets, you can run a bit quicker if you want to. No. Yeah, doesn't. You can run away from it all right.

It doesn't ruin your day, It's

several hours of your day. Most people are going to run that two hour mark or two and a half or whatever. Whatever you're at. But it's not going to ruin your day. You can run a half marathon and go, right, and then can have lunch and go home and relax. I understand a marathon is just like, it's going to break you.

Yeah. Yeah.

There's

just so many logistics behind it where it's like, you know, you've probably got to get a hotel overnight because you ain't going to be able to travel home. it's, yeah, I agree. Half marathon is very much, it's...

Yeah.

and I enjoy the endurance events which is just go as far as you can until you come into the aid station at the end and go, nah, I ring the bell, I've had enough. It's all about the fun. And that could be 15 miles, that could be 25 miles, it's just whatever you make it.

for sure.

⁓ I've got one question that I ask the guest at the end of every podcast and it is if you had one dream person who you could share a five kilometer run with in the running like an elite who would it be?

⁓ now that's great question.

That's a really difficult question. think actually in the running community at the moment, I'm a huge fan of the Dutch team and Femke Ball over 4,800. She's just my absolute hero. But I think in the UK, yeah, Georgia Hunter-Bell, I just think the background where she's come from and she's, ⁓ I admire her so much. think, wow, she's got a really weird training schedule because she does a lot of her zone two training on a bike.

to be.

Wow.

because

she started as a ⁓ duathlon and triathlete and then has obviously gone into the running. So yeah, Georgia Hunter-Bell for me. She's just...

That would be a great chat,

especially after the gold medal at the indoors. Adrian, it's been 40 minutes and it's been great to chat. It's been great and I looked at this however many months ago and you were one of the five that I wanted to speak to, so it's been awesome to speak to you.

⁓ absolutely, yeah.

That was brilliant. Thank you very much for having me on.

That's brilliant, but yeah, thank you very much for the time.

Yeah, thank you. Well, thanks for watching, guys. I'm sure we'll see you on the road somewhere. All the best. See you in the next one. Bye.