I’m A Runner
THE REALITY-TV STAR, 31, ON RUNNING BETWEEN MEETINGS AND LOVING MARATHONS
Made in Chelsea celebrity Spencer Matthews
MUSIC’S NOT A HUGE PART OF MY LIFE, BUT WHEN I RUN to the right track, I feel like I’m sprinting for the try line in a Rugby World Cup final. I love epic 80s banging tunes like Don’t Stop Believin’. It’s cheesy as hell, but it’s great because it gets me amped up. I also love Eminem. I’m a big fan of rap and I think he’s a brilliant lyricist. It’s not just noise – he tells amazing stories. I can easily get lost in an Eminem album when I’m running.
I get taken along with him.
KEYHOLE SURGERY HASN’T STOPPED ME RUNNING. I had a problem with my meniscus, caused by years of running and being too lazy to warm up or cool down properly. I’m terrible with that and it’s probably the main reason I’ve had issues with my knee. It was only a little operation and I was running again within three weeks.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED RUNNING, I WAS OBSESSIVE. I was working in a hotel bar in St Barts and every day
I ran 20-30 laps of the running track. I always timed it and I played with things like slicing three seconds off my 1500m time. Now I’m married with a child, how fast I can run a kilometre isn’t that high on my list. I’d love to feel that I can still glide 10K in 38 minutes, but I probably can’t and it doesn’t matter any more.
I’VE ALWAYS GOT AN HOUR FOR A RUN. I’ve got two businesses and I film TV shows, but I find time because running makes me more switched on. It’s a lovely escape from focusing on work and I feel reset at the end of it. Ideally, I’ll run in the morning after a double espresso, even if it’s just a couple of laps of Battersea Park. Giving up alcohol has helped me make better choices. Before, I’d organise a meeting and use that as a reason not to run. Now I’ll wear a tracksuit and run between meetings.
I LOVE TO RUN IN HEAT – I’D RATHER IT WAS BOILING HOT THAN COLD.
I grew up in St Barts, so I’m a Caribbean boy and I enjoy running in the hills there. I associate training properly with sweating – so I’d rather run with my top off in 35-degree heat than in an air-conditioned gym, because
I want to pour with sweat. I don’t have too many toxins coursing through me any more, but I like to feel like I’m flushing my system.
I’M TRYING TO ENCOURAGE MY WIFE TO DO A MARATHON. I got her into running a year ago and she didn’t like it to begin with. She was extremely slow and it took her a while to build into it. Now she loves running but she doesn’t want to tackle a marathon. For me, a marathon is a fun environment – it’s totally different to running on your own, especially in the US. If you write your name across your chest, the level of support you get is insane.
A HARDER SOLE MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I’M GLIDING. My favourite running shoes are the ones you can also swim in, because they’re sturdy and light. I don’t like a squidgy sole. It’s there to protect your knees, but if you run properly, you don’t need it. Once you have done a lot of running, I think that a harder sole is much nicer.