I’m A Runner

THE ULTRARUNNING CHEF, 45, ON CHI RUNNING AND TRICKING HIS WIFE INTO RACES

Chef Steve Drake on the joy of ultras and why his wife thinks he may be mad

Steve Drake is the Michelin- starred chef patron of Sorrel restaurant in Dorking, AA Restaurant of the Year, England.

MY FIRST MARATHON WAS A CAR

CRASH. It was the 2005 London Marathon. I thought I’d trained enough, but I hadn’t. I was also dehydrated and the last six miles were the most torturous of my life. I’ve done it twice since and it’s second nature to me now.

MY FAVOURITE PLACE TO RUN IS IN

SURREY, WHERE I LIVE. I’ve done marathons in Paris, Dublin and Berlin, but my favourite is the now-defunct Greensand, which started in Dorking and went through the Surrey Hills. It was brutally hilly, but had stunning scenery and great camaraderie; I love races that are an antidote to big- city marathons.

I’M NOT INTO ALL THE LATEST KIT. When I train, I like to wear T-shirts I’ve been given when I’ve finished a race. If I have to buy stuff, I go for Adidas or Nike for kit, and Salomon and Brooks for footwear. It’s expensive, but the benefits are incredible, and it’ll last for years if you look after it.

WATCHING YOUTUBE VIDEOS REVOLUTIONISED THE WAY I RUN. I used to get knee pain and shin splints. My physio told me not to change my running style, in case I made my injuries worse. I ignored him and did loads of research online. I discovered Chi running – you lean forward, raise the knee and land on your midfoot and forefoot. Over a few months, I tweaked the way I run. That was six years ago. I haven’t had an injury since.

I KEEP MY KIT IN THE CAR SO I CAN

RUN AT ANY OPPORTUNITY. I might drop my daughter at school, then go for a run to avoid the rush-hour traffic on the way back. When I’m working in the restaurant, I’ll finish service at lunchtime, then I’ll run before I’m back to work in the evening. I’d run every day if I could.

ULTRAS ARE AMAZING FOR YOU,

MENTALLY. I used to listen to music or play podcasts like Marathon Talk. Lately I tend not to – I just like to clear my head. It’s like therapy. In the first couple of hours of an ultra, you’ve got a lot of stuff running through your mind, but you get it all out and you feel so much better.

MY FRIENDS AND I RUN INSTEAD

OF GOING TO THE PUB. It’s less glamorous, but a long run is a great way to catch up. I like to run with people who are better than me, so I have to try and keep up with them. But, overall, I think running is about being sociable rather than competitive.

MY WIFE THINKS I’M MAD WITH THE

RUNNING. We got married this year and I plan to get her involved more with travelling abroad for races. My tactic for the future is to say, ‘ Would you like to come to Paris? By the way I’m doing a race while I’m there!’

NOW I’M IN MY MID- FORTIES, I’m less competitive. If I haven’t had time for the long runs, I’ll still do the race, but try to be realistic. Sometimes the self- control isn’t there; I’ll intend to go slow, but start chasing someone and by mile 15, I’m regretting it!

‘I think running is about being sociable rather than competitive’