Coronation Street star Faye Brooks on singing on the treadmill
THE CORONATION STREET ACTOR, 29, ON TREADMILL SINGING AND DANCING INJURIES
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MY LOVE OF RUNNING stems from my school days. My parents really encouraged my passions, which included sport until drama took over.
WHEN I WAS DANCING EVERY NIGHT in live shows, I kept extremely fit. But now I’m doing TV more [she plays Kate Connor in Coronationstreet], I run to keep up my fitness. WHEN I LANDED A ROLE in the touring version of Legallyblonde, I was
warned I had to be ‘show-fit’. I was told I had to be able to sing every song in the show while running on a treadmill. So that’s how I practised.
I REALLY MISSED THE rush when no longer doing live shows, so I decided to run this year’s London Marathon, but I picked up an injury so had to pull out. I hope to do it next year. MY BROTHER JACK WAS DIAGNOSED with leukaemia when he was nine
Faye is part of Team Macmillan and is doing Run Regent’s Park on June 11. Visit macmillan. org. uk/ runningevents to find out more about this and other events.
and it hit our family hard. But he was told six years ago, when he was 18, that it was in remission. Running for Macmillan at events is my way of thanking them, while also raising awareness that there’s hope even following a bleak diagnosis.
THE FURTHEST I HAVE RACED so far is the Great Manchester 10K in 2015. It was tough for me, but I just got my head down and did it.
I GET LOTS OF TIPS on my training from others working on Corrie. Ben Price [who plays Nick Tilsley] is an excellent runner; he told me to run races at my own pace – that way I’ll get round and not finish at the back. MY BOYFRIEND [SINGER GARETH GATES] says he’ll run with me. But I like to go at my own pace – I’m competitive and would probably end up racing him if we ran together.
AS I INCREASE MY MILES, an old hamstring injury niggles away. I first pulled it a few years ago, when I was in Grease in the West End. It happened when I was doing the jive – I was in agony at the time.
I LOVE KEEPING TRACK of how far I have run and whether I’m working hard. I have an app on my phone to measure how many steps I do a day and my heart rate. I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed; I just have a healthy interest in my fitness. FOR ME, RUNNING IS A TYPE OF THERAPY. That’s why I like to be selfish and go on my own. I know if I went running with anyone else I would just start chatting and not have that time to switch off or go over my lines in my head.
ONE DAY, GARETH and I would like to run the New York Marathon. It would be an epic thing to achieve. When we were last there, we went on a fantastic run in Central Park. I ENJOY LISTENING TO MUSICALTHEATRE soundtracks; I find them very inspirational for my runs. I also use tracks by Beyoncé and Bruno Mars to keep me going.