Off to a running start
Radio host and podcaster Jenni Falconer admits she’s scared of trying new things – but that didn’t stop her writing a book about her favourite pastime
Jenni Falconer does not believe we should ever put ourselves in a box.
“If you have an opportunity, then go for it,” said the Glasgow-born star. “Because you never know how many you’re going to have.”
Being pigeon-holed is something she’s quite familiar with from years of working in TV. Jenni, now 48, began working as a TV presenter after appearing as a contestant on Blind Date as an 18-year-old student, eventually working on shows including GMTV and This Morning before shifting to radio.
She said: “When I started, I was doing an action-adrenaline sports show on BBC Scotland and it was brilliant but people were like, ‘You’re the contestant from Blind Date, not interested.’
“Eventually, I earned the reputation of being a presenter – but I was then only known for the programme I’d just done. I went on to do documentaries and consumer shows for ITV, then tried to move into travel and light-hearted things, and they went, ‘Oh, you’re a bit serious for this.’ Eventually they gave me a shot and then I got known for doing travel.
“That happened for years and years,” added Jenni, who has a daughter, Ella, 12, with her husband, former Coronation Street actor James Midgley. “I have no problem being known for doing something but everyone is capable of doing so much more.”
It’s something she’s discovered first-hand in recent years. In 2019, Jenni launched her running podcast, RunPod, in which she chats with guests who share her love of running (she’s been a keen runner since her late teens). And the following year she launched collagen supplement brand Kollo Health. Both have been a success – but that’s not to say she doesn’t find trying new things scary.
“My husband encourages me to try new things. I’m quite terrified of change,” she admitted. “I’m like, ‘Ohhh, I don’t know, what if it doesn’t work? What if I make this change and it’s a massive disaster?’ I launched the supplement brand with my husband, actually [they’re co-founders of the company]. We did that four years ago and it’s now a huge part of our lives.
“But if you’d asked me 10 years ago if I’d be running a business, I would never have believed you. And if you’d told me I’d have a podcast and I’d have a book, I would never have believed you. So I think you just have to try things.”
The book – Runner’s High – brings together everything she’s learned from her own experiences as a lifelong devotee and from speaking with various podcast guests over the years. Recent famous names on the series have included sports presenter Gabby Logan and TV personality and DJ Gok Wan, who just recently started jogging.
Part guide, part running memoir, it weaves in stories from other runners. It covers training, kit essentials, the devastation and learning curves of injuries and everything in between, and ultimately the reward that comes from pulling on your trainers and getting out there, whether it’s a gentle pavement plod once a week or chasing personal bests in a marathon.
“The minute I tell anyone I’ve done a book, they’re like, ‘Is it about running?’ I’m like, ‘Oh, how did you know?’,” laughed Jenni, who has just run her ninth London Marathon.
“A lot of people go to the gym and they feel good or go for a swim, and some people go for a walk. Some people write journals, some people meditate,” says Jenni.“My meditation is running.”
Runner’s High: How To Squeeze The Joy From Every Step by Jenni Falconer (Orion Spring, £16.99) is out now