Richard Waldron, the 29 year old Englishman will be arriving in Paphos, Cyprus on the date of his birthday (4th March), hoping to break the Course Record and get the 1st place at the Logicom Cyprus Marathon (5th March)! The talented and hopeful runner from Southampton, England, has already a lot of achievements under his belt. He is currently training hard and is focused to beat his Personal Best at the Logicom Cyprus Marathon and make history as the first English runner to win the Logicom Cyprus Marathon, which is organised since 1999!
Richard is married to Michaela Waldron who also likes to run races. We decided to discuss with Richard Waldron to listen to his views and tips about running as well as his running achievements.
When did you start running?
Richard: I started running when I was very young, racing my brothers and sisters and I also participated in local fun runs. When I was about 18 I stopped running for several years and started again about 4 years ago (at 25).
Do you belong to a team or a running club?
Richard: I currently run for Southampton Athletic Club. We have a great group of athletes and the local running community is also really good.
What’s the best way to motivate yourself to run regularly?
Richard: My motivation comes from knowing if I train hard, I will achieve more of my goals and be happier when celebrating.
More info: Marathon – Half Marathon – 10km Road Race – 5km Fun Run
What are some of your habits before an important race?
Richard: The day before the race I normally eat lots of carbohydrates pizza, pasta, potatoes etc. I get all my stuff ready for the race and get an early night of sleep! On the morning of the race day I like to have a small bowl of cereal, a coffee, a light warmup and a few strides.
What are some of your best running achievements?
Richard: Last year I ran 11 half marathons 4 of these under 70 minutes. These Half-Marathons include Vitality Oxford Half Marathon, Brighton Half Marathon, Bath Half Marathon, Cardiff Half Marathon and others! After finishing the Virgin London Marathon in 2015 in 2 hours 34 minutes and 9 seconds I took a step towards a foreign currently and signed up for the the Palma de Mallorca Marathon; which I won in 2 hours 38 minutes and 31 seconds.
What are your objectives participating in the Logicom Cyprus Marathon in March, at the European Capital of Culture 2017?
At the Logicom Cyprus Marathon, in Paphos, I want to run a fast time. My target will be 2 hours 25 minutes and I am confident of running a time under 2 hours 30 minutes on race day. I want to take in the scenery on the course and enjoy the atmosphere of the race, which I heard is magnificent!
What would you advice someone who has just started running?
I would advise new runners to make running fun. When running in training listen to music or find a training partner or group to chat with. Be consistent with your training. Listen to your body if it hurts have a rest day or an easy day or do some cross training swimming, cycling etc… and just to enjoy it!
