Polly Farrington: Runner, because walking takes too long

My name is Polly and in the daytime hours I work as a Management Consultant in the city, most other hours I am running, cycling and generally baffling anyone who can’t understand why someone would get up at 5am to go on a pre-work run.

1. I started running 18 months ago and never looked back

2. I run because walking takes too long? I don’t really have a particular reason for running around, I quite like Scott Jurek’s mantra ‘sometimes you just do things’, that’s probably why I started. Shoe-wise I have moved through Brooks and Asics and now wear a rather snappy pair of black/pink/lime Mizuno Wave Rider 16s

3. The last run I did was around 6 miles on Sunday. I had set out with my mum and sister on an 11 miler but after about 30 minutes the weather got a bit apocalyptic and I had dressed very over-optimistically. I turned back to avoid catching pneumonia but the others soldiered on.

4. My favourite bit of kit that I wear both running and cycling is my Rapha wind jacket. Its crazy light, keeps out the wind and looks great. It’s not cheap but on a cost per wear basis I’ve got it down to fractions of pennies.

5. I'm currently training for the Ealing Half, and have just completed the London Duathlon

6. I always try to listen to the Marathon Talk podcast on my long run, and then I tend to just save music for races or particularly painful speed sessions. I like knowing I don’t have to rely on music to get through the distance and being able to pay attention to your breathing makes pacing decisions much easier.

7. I run with the Ealing Eagles and try to always make it down to their interval sessions on a Thursday.

8. I'm currently obsessed with all things Duathlon. I love cycling (I was cycling before I was running) and training for the London Duathlon allowed me to combine my two great loves.

9. I'm bringing mountain running to this blog, and throwing it down on the table. I recently read Moire O'Sullivan’s ‘Mud Sweat and Tears’, and there is nothing more hardcore than being able to run up and down mountains.

10. I'm currently having issues trying to fit everything I want to do into the week. Bernard’s watch anyone?

11. I’m not a big inspirational quote kinda gal, but Jens Voigt’s ‘Shut Up Legs’ (see photo below) seemed to do the job pretty well during the last couple of bike laps and the final 5k of the London Duathlon.

Polly is on twitter and writes a blog about all things cycling and duathloning.  Go forth and be inspired.