Thursday, Mar 3, 2022 • 42min
I run to be creative with triathlete Courtney Atkinson and writer Helen Mort
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Writer Helen Mort and triathlete Courtney Atkinson talk with hosts Erin Azar and Ayo Akinwolere about what running means to them. Helen Mort is a renowned poet and novelist – she discusses how running can scratch the creative itch. Professional Australian triathlete Courtney Atkinson dives in to share his thoughts on running. Could running be the creative outlet everyone should discover?
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Talking about
Speakers
(4)
Erin Azar
Ayo Akinwolere
Courtney Atkinson
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Transcript
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Erin Azar
00:04
We are rolling. Rolling, rolling.
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Ayo Akinwolere
00:07
Why I Run?
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Erin Azar
00:09
Why I Run?
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Ayo Akinwolere
00:10
Well, how long have you got?
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00:12
The Why I Run podcast
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Courtney Atkinson
00:15
You get to these places that your mind wouldn't go without it.
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Helen Mort
00:18
The rhythm of your breathing.
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Courtney Atkinson
00:20
You find your flow with running.
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Helen Mort
00:21
The rhythm of your heartbeat.
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Courtney Atkinson
00:22
You're starting to dream while you're awake.
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Helen Mort
00:25
And the rhythm of your steps, allows all the kind of stuff that you normally push to the back of your mind to filter through.
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Erin Azar
00:32
Why I Run.
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Ayo Akinwolere
00:34
Why I Run.
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Erin Azar
00:37
Hi everyone, this is the Why I Run podcast from
Red Bull
. It's all about running and really finding out why people run and that's it kind of simple. Right? So there's some reasons I think everyone runs but there are also loads of different things that draw certain people to it and each episode we're actually gonna pull out those different things, talking with many different guests from all over the world and just generally talk about why so many people get out and put one foot in front of the other and run.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
01:11
Yeah, you're absolutely spot on and I'm so excited at the prospect of I guess speaking to all these people and what makes this podcast a bit special is that it's not just for elite runners, runners at the top of their game, breaking world records and redefining their sports. It's about all runners in my eyes, including people like you and me,
Erin
, who kind of got into running, enjoy running or just want to give it a go really.Share
Erin Azar
01:36
Yes, and we should probably introduce ourselves at this point. So I'm
Erin Azar
, I actually started running a couple of years ago and this was after I had my third baby, I was just mentally and physically feeling in the dumps, I guess, you could say. And so one day I just, I put on my shoes, they were not fancy, in fact they had holes in them that you could stick your finger through, and I just ran, and the feeling that I got from that was unforgettable, I knew I had to keep going, but the problem was I felt isolated, so I was trying to search on social media for people that maybe like ran as slow as me or something and I found nobody. So I just did it myself, I started posting my run videos eventually, somehow they went viral and now I take hundreds of thousands of people on my runs virtually with me.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
02:33
I mean, you're amazing man, you've actually got like a tribe of runners behind you, I don't have that, but I am Ayo Akinwolere, I'm a broadcaster and also I'm a world record swimmer. And my relationship with running is that at one point right I got really serious, I got really into it and I got I started doing like half marathons and then like a lot of people, I lost love for it, every run for me was really arduous was really hard, and then I kind of thought you're going to need to build up your cardio a little bit some more and I kind of got back into running. So now I'm a bit more of a casual runner who sometimes struggles to find my socks, my shoes, my running watch my kid, I mean this will all become apparent as the series goes on that I'm super forgetful and I lose a lot of things I can totally relate to that.
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Erin Azar
03:23
I get so frustrated at myself if I don't get my stuff ready the night before, sometimes I can't even get out the door. It's the most frustrating thing. Once I do eventually get out the door then I could have like an amazing run and it makes all that frustration like totally worth it. Do you have like a favorite running memory that that puts it all into perspective for you?
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Ayo Akinwolere
03:49
You know what? It's been ages, has been years since I ran a half marathon, but there was one in particular, it's called the
Great South Run
here in in England
. It's part of the Great Run series we have every summer. It's in place called Portsmouth
. It's a coastal place, but it's the last maybe mile or two that you're running into the wind, anyone who's done this one will know it's so so painful because the wind is literally batting you in the face like gale force winds and it was a sunny day, I tell you what, it was a really sunny day and I was like, why is everything just changed as I'm getting to the end and I think that's the challenge. That's where they want to get you, that's where the mental strength needs to come into play. But I remember the atmosphere just being amazing. The people of Portsmouth
turned up that day. It was amazing. I love that. I love that when there's energy from the crowd like that, I ran the entire New York City Marathon
, like full party mode. I was like cheering for the crowd, cheering for the crowd. I was like, I love you. Yeah, you go, that's the best sign.Share
04:53
You're the ultimate high person, you know, like those hip hop artists have that person who is like yeah, yeah, oh yeah. And you're like literally constantly that personality.
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Erin Azar
05:03
I don't know if I'm that level of cool, but I mean I am that enthusiastic for sure, like hands down for me though, running is a lot about community. So even if you're an elite runner or just, you know, a pastime runner, we all have those experiences that can kind of unite us. Like we've all had, I call them bad runs. Some people don't like to say bad runs, but we've all had them and we all get through them and it's also like that feeling of the first mile of any run that is always so tough. I feel like we can all relate to that. Like why is it so hard? It's the first mile.
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Ayo Akinwolere
05:41
No, I'm exactly with you. You know, like my process is very similar. Like, you know, the first 10 minutes feels like hell. Like every time, no matter how fit I am, no matter how many runs I've been on that first 10 minutes, it just takes a bit of time to get used to what you're doing and then once you hit that flow it's like, okay, I can do this, my body's moving and my legs are moving and then you start looking around and you're a bit more relaxed and you're like, oh look at the city, they say, oh I never saw that building before or maybe like if you're in the countryside, like I've never been to this part before and you start taking stuff in because you're in that moment of flow and I love it for that. And for me the ideal weather would be beautiful crisp, sunny day, not too hot and I just love running in the sun because I was born in
Nigeria
. So I'm a child of the sun, but I now live in England
, so unfortunately less sun, more rain.Share
Erin Azar
06:30
Oh no, and here I wanted to visit
England
so bad and now you're saying it's raining all the time. I don't know anymore, but actually thinking about you being in England
and I'm in Pennsylvania
in the US
that's reminding me how global this podcast is like over the course of the series, we're actually going to be speaking to people from all over the world, which is wild to me. And that's perfect because the whole podcast is leading up to the Wings for Life World Run
and that takes place in May this year.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
07:04
Yeah, this is big man. This is exciting times all around and for anyone who doesn't know what the
World Run
is. Well, I guess it's as simple as this really. It's a running event with a massive difference. So the Wings for Life World Run
takes place at the same time, all over the world. So people across the globe are running with each other, some are running in the dark and some are running through daytime. It just depends on what your time zone is. But the important thing is we're all running at the same moment and it's an aid of research into a spinal cord injury and that's what this event is for really where all the money you raise goes and there's an app you can actually use to run virtually or if you're in a place where there's a real life face to face event happening, you get to run with people. And actually that's part of the fun if anything, I personally prefer running with people because it gives you that extra boost, doesn't it?Share
Erin Azar
07:56
But here's the part I really love about it. It's a super inclusive race because there isn't like a set distance. So you start, you run your own pace and you only stop when the catcher car like yes, a car. It's either virtual or real depending on your, your case. You only stop when the catcher car catches up with you So you can have your own goals and everyone finishes. So in May this year it will be the 9th
Wings for Life World Run
, which is super exciting. And in fact we're gonna be running it and creating our own team.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
08:35
I mean you're my ultimate hype person. So like we are going big, come on!
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Erin Azar
08:40
I'm going to have like an I heart Ayo sign and everything. I'm gonna, I'm gonna run with it.
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Ayo Akinwolere
08:46
Yes. And I love the fact that there's a catcher car in for whether it be virtually through the app, or actually physically a car chasing people as they're running. And I guess, you know that the beauty of the team in the
World Run
is that people in different places in different countries can all join together. So the team is also, if you think about it, it's like a community in a way and together the team works toward a common goal and I think that's really nice.Share
Erin Azar
09:14
I love that. I haven't run it before, but I can't wait to experience this. And I feel like we need like massive mega goals, right? I don't know if it needs to be like we get the most members on our team or we run the most miles or something, but I want to go big and I feel like Ayo and I, we can go big with this.
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Ayo Akinwolere
09:36
Go big or go home. Yes, that's what I like to hear. Let us do this. So let's actually get talking to some guests because me and you have been blabbing on for quite a while. Let's talk to them about running and why they run. And in particular in this episode we're thinking about running and creativity, Does running help people to be creative or come up with ideas and how might it play a part in that creative process? And I spoke to someone who is pretty creative with words and also because of that saying, loves running as well.
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10:11
Welcome to the Why I Run Podcast, so good to have you with us. So I guess I better introduce you really: Helen Mort, a poet, a writer, a creative, I mean there are so many facets to who you are, it's very hard to sort of pinpoint it. But would you take poet as the force that drives you right now?
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Helen Mort
10:31
I suppose I'd say writer more than anything because partly because I do write across different forms, that's because I like a new challenge. So as soon as I feel like I'm getting not exactly confident but comfortable maybe in a particular form, I get the urge to try something else. It's a bit like trying new distances in running. Like what happens if I try the steeplechase now, maybe I'd say writer and word enthusiast. Enthusiast of words, spoken and written.
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Ayo Akinwolere
10:57
Oh my goodness, word enthusiast is a wonderful way to describe oneself. I'm a word enthusiast, I like that. All right, well let's delve into running then. I think I read somewhere from your perspective that you love being outdoors and it really helps with the way you think creatively.
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Helen Mort
11:17
Massively, it does. I get pretty much without exception all my best ideas when I'm away from a desk and I don't know if that's something that you find as well. I'm sure this is not something specific to poetry for instance or that there must be a science behind why that kind of happens. But if I'm stuck with something, if I'm trying to create something new, I like to go out for a walk or run and take that idea with me and nine times out of ten, that's the best way of working on it and processing it. And so quite literally, sometimes I will, especially if I'm working with rhyme or a particular rhythm or a form, I might have a first line or an idea or a seed of something.
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12:02
And if I sit down at my desk where I am now and get my pen out and stare at the blank page and sort of think about all the ways I could mess it up and get this poem wrong, nothing will happen. But if I get my running shoes on and I go out for it for a jog and repeat that line of that idea over and over in my head. It's amazing how the poem can start to cohere. And then you get that nice rhythm because you've got the rhythm of your breathing, the rhythm of your heart beat and the rhythm of your steps. And I think especially for poetry because I write mainly stuff that people are going to see on the page. But even so, I think all poetry has got a real element of speech and voice and rhythm that it's nice to preserve no matter how the reader's going to experience it. So I actually think it's really nice to kind of write in that way.
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12:53
And I deliberately don't take a notebook with me obviously, because it would be a bit impractical. I don't even stop and write notes on my phone sometimes because I like the idea that whatever is memorable will still be there by the end of the run. And maybe those lines that are a bit they're okay, but they're not that special, this sort of a bit, those are the ones that I won't be able to remember when I get back and maybe that's a good thing. So I do that quite a lot. And if I have an idea when I'm out and about, I very often just try and keep it there and to see if it's worth kind of persisting with or connecting to something else as well.
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Ayo Akinwolere
13:32
I really like that and I wonder what it is from your perspective about being outdoors, being on the move that does generate great ideas.
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Helen Mort
13:39
Well, I should probably say that some of mine are not always great. Sometimes they're mediocre. You think they're great in the moment though, don't you? When you got those endorphins going, this is genius, no one's ever thought of this before. But I think we'll probably something quite literally to do with the blood flowing around your brain is part of your body.
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13:59
I think it's kind of for me it's about distraction as well because if I'm focusing on running and I'm very clumsy. So sometimes for me putting one foot in front of another and not managing to fall over a trip over something is a little bit of a challenge. So I will be focusing on that. I'll be focusing on where I'm going, on my surroundings and all these kind of things and something about that, I think for creative thought especially allows all the kind of stuff that you normally push to the back of your mind to filter through and maybe I don't know if you've experienced this, but I've definitely had in, when I'm doing races and stuff and especially marathon, there's a point during the marathon where you just go a bit weird and all kinds of unexpected things just seem to filter through into your mind and it's to do with the exertion, I think, and you start to think of songs and colors and music and words and ideas. You get to the point of slight delirium.
Share
15:00
So there's probably something about you need to trick your conscious mind, all the bits of you that are self-conscious, and I think this isn't good enough or how does this look or what, you know, what will someone think of this if you can switch them off by giving yourself a kind of a physical process, a task. It gives you a bit more freedom, I think to range freely. I think your subconscious does an awful lot of work in life, but definitely in those kind of scenarios.
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Erin Azar
15:35
I love this energy. I found myself agreeing in so many different parts of this interview. There's so much in here. So, first of all, I totally get that thing about marathons and even just not necessarily a marathon, but just a long run in general, but I love the idea of taking an idea for a run. I think there's there's something about, you know, being away from your desk or like wherever you work, being away from all the distractions that we tend to have in life these days and you're just allowing your brain to work away like at something in the background, you're not even trying, it's kind of just flowing.
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Ayo Akinwolere
16:15
Now, I'm with you and I guess a lot of the work sort of happens in the subconscious and try not to force the idea necessarily, you know, it's like, you know when you've slept on an idea or maybe there's a problem and then you just sort of rest and then you wake up and you're like, oh now I've got it and I think the subconscious has a huge part to play there and just letting it be. But also when she talked about being clumsy, hands up, clumsy too. Can't walk out of the front door without tripping on something.
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Erin Azar
16:43
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean I am in the clumsy club so yeah, join the club with us here, because that is me. You know, I'm always having to like check where my feet are going and that's why I can't even run on a treadmill because I swear like if I don't check where my feet are, I will step on the side and we all know how that's gonna end so, unfortunately. But I do feel like you know actually what Helen was describing really connects with the person I spoke to about creativity. So I had a great conversation with
Courtney Atkinson
. He's been Australian Triathlete of the Year many times, was on Australia's
2008 and 2012 Olympic Triathlon team and now, there's more, he's moved into Ironman
events and endurance racing.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
17:38
Casually throwing in those accolades there. Who is this human? Right?
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Erin Azar
17:42
They keep going.
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Ayo Akinwolere
17:43
Yeah, exactly. I mean, what else is he going to do? But I guess he's not the kind of person you'd probably think about when you think about, I guess creativity or a creative, but maybe actually that's the wrong way of looking at this because as human beings, I guess we're all in some way in our own little way creative. So, I'm really interested to hear what he actually had to say on the subject.
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Erin Azar
18:10
Thank you so much Courtney. This is such an exciting interview for me.
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Courtney Atkinson
18:14
How are you?
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Erin Azar
18:14
Good, how are you? I'm sounding and looking a little rough this morning, but I think the excitement will carry me through. It will be all good.
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18:25
This podcast is called Why I Run. So, I want to ask you, why do you run? And what do you get out of running?
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Courtney Atkinson
18:32
Well, how long have you got? Because that's a long answer. I think I run for a lot of the same reasons that everyone runs for. Number one is, it makes you feel good and that's the basis of why I get up every morning and still run. I think I spent 20 years of my life was all about competition and when you're racing for a living and that is actually your income you're not really thinking about why I run in the sense of does it give me enjoyment, does it tick these boxes. However, where I've ended up, you know, I suppose post Olympic games career is I had the freedom now to go out and run for all the other reasons why. When I was a kid, I enjoyed running. You know, when I was a kid running across countries, I get those same feelings now as a 40 year old guy running around in the forest, in the mud, in the rain forest, under waterfalls. Like tomorrow morning, I think that's what we plan to do is go on a run and we'll stop multiple times just to have a swim and that's what running means to me at the moment.
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Erin Azar
19:37
Yeah, that's amazing that you can still go back to that why you started running and remember that feeling. So for this podcast episode we're thinking about creativity and running and I always think that running gets my blood flowing and it almost seems like, I don't know if it's like more oxygen to my brain or what it is, but that seems to spark things. Is that the same for you? Do you find that to happen more often while you're running?
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Courtney Atkinson
20:04
Yeah, for sure there's obviously blood rushing to your head. Yeah, and there's all those good feelings, but I also think you find your flow with running. Your subconscious kind of starts to just take over and the more you stop thinking about running and that feeling you get of running, suddenly I find that's when my mind starts to wonder.
Share
20:22
I also think location and environment are just such a catalyst for that to happen to. Obviously if you think about running as being the physical element of it and then if you think of your environment and depending on what creativity or what you actually want to think about, that environment could be a big bustling city if that's your area or you know, for me it's being really out and hearing the bird noises, hearing the forest noises, it can be the wind, it can be waterfalls, so running and then hearing that off in the distance and knowing where you're going.
Share
20:58
I mean just talking about it, you can understand how suddenly you start to feel relaxed, you know, you could look at it in one way as nearly like you're starting to dream while you're running through the forest or you're awake and that's when you know those great ideas that come to you when you're dreaming, that starts to happen in real life while you're running and for me that double whammy of you getting running feelings, but you're also getting the nature feelings and that's when the ideas start coming to me. And I suppose, for an example, when I think about creativity, it's often now around what I'm going to do around athlete projects for
Red Bull
and what I'm really focused on now is in the running space at least is also bringing creativity to events because, you know, running is becoming such a trend for everyone and it's very simple, right? You go out and run, you grab the various shoes, you do a 10K race, a 5K race. It's a bit of a badge of honor these days, you do a marathon or in the trail world, it's the longer, that's the better. But I figure the reason I love running is that it's my time to play. So I'm trying to find ideas that if I think I'm going to enjoy it, I'd hope and I'm pretty sure that other people are going to love it.Share
22:09
So we just literally down here in
Australia
, Red Bull
ran one of my ideas I came up with, which was to take Mountain Bike Enduro
Racing. We went to mountain bike tracks and literally did a running race on the mountain bike tracks in mountain bike format and it was a short race, it was only about 5K, but literally the feedback from everyone from Olympic runners to professional football players to your everyday runner, everyone had the same experience of number one, it was bloody tough, but number two is because of the style of obviously running on a mountain bike tracks where you're going downhill, it was a lot of fun and that was the single goal of that race is I wanted to try and bring everyone together on the one course at the one time, but for everyone to share that same experience and that literally came to me running around in the forest and running gets you in that flow moment and that then brings ideas.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
23:08
You know, I love this idea of flow and this, this dream state, that moment where you're so into what you're doing, that you actually forget everything and you're sort of laser focused, you know, that focus for me is really powerful because it comes from totally in a weird way, just just letting go and just being in the moment.
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Erin Azar
23:29
Yeah, and it really connects to what
Helen
was saying also. I I feel like it does have something to do with maybe the environment that you're running into. So I know that was a really key thing for Courtney
and where he runs in Australia
sounds incredible.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
23:47
Yeah. Well, look where Helen runs is a place called the Peak District, I've been there because I used to live around that area many, many years ago and it's just so beautiful. It's a national park in the north of
England
with some pretty decent hills as well. Google it, just take a look at it, it is stunning. And I think for both Helen
and Courtney
running is sort of interwoven into their lives and their work, but obviously because they do different things, it's interwoven in very different ways.Share
24:15
Do tell me about running. How often do you go running and where do you go running?
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Helen Mort
24:19
At the moment, I run nearly every day. Some distances are sometimes long, sometimes very, very short. I actually, at this point in my life I've got a young child who's only three and I sort of juggle that with work. So I tend to use running as my way of getting around in
Sheffield
, where I live. Sheffield
has got this sort of green frame around it, around the whole of the outside of the city. And also in the city, there's loads of parks and loads of tree-line dimmed places. From where I live, you can run out into the Peak District just straight along tracks that get increasingly narrow and windy and muddy - how lucky to be able to do that - and also the stimulation of being out and seeing things. I think all writers, like there's this myth, isn't it, that the writers sit in their towers and the garretts or whatever and they starve and they drink absinthe, whatever is, that they create in a very solitary way. But actually, I mean everyone's different, but certainly for me, writing and life are intertwined and that's why I don't worry sometimes if I have a period of time where I'm not actually writing very much on paper. I'm living and I'm observing and I'm being curious about the world and that is part of my writing too. So the stuff you see when you're out running or the places that you might visit or the landscapes you observe, the things you overhear, the things you learn about your body as you run, they're all fuel for writing as well.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
25:58
In your opinion, does running have to be hard or is that hardness part of the process? And I guess if they are hard, does that in essence help with creativity as well because you're being challenged in various different ways?
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Helen Mort
26:10
That's such a good question. And it's a complicated one I think, and I think it's going to be so different from person to person is I mean basically I think there is no right or wrong way to run and I think it's important to think of it like that in a lot of ways. I really believe that nothing good really comes easily and that it's really worth trying your best at everything and kind of giving all you got. So on the one hand, I believe in that element of effort and hard work and all of that. On the other hand, I find that the runs where I've had those kind of good ideas and those creative ideas have tended to be easy runs. If I'm running really hard, I'm probably not thinking about, I sort of, my brain doesn't allow me the luxury of wandering. It's all very much okay, just get to the next mile or my feet really hurt or I'm thirsty or when does this stop. All those kinds of in the moment sort of sensations and thoughts.
Share
27:20
I think beyond a certain level of, so for instance, the hardest running that I do at the moment is, I sometimes do my local park run 5K and I try and try and just run it as hard as I can because it's that sort of distance where you can run in an intense way and by the time I finish it I feel sick, I just feel really sick. So, that level, that kind of pace, that level of running is the enemy of creative thought.
Share
27:50
One of my most vivid race memories is, and one of the hardest races I've ever done was the
Red Bull
steeplechase
event in the Peak District quite a few years ago where the stages, I think it's like 26, no 23 miles and you do a stage and then some of the field stop at that point and then you carry on. And I've just got this vivid memory of being in loads of discomfort and pain with a bit of a hip injury. And I got to the last checkpoint that people were dropping out and I was thinking at least I can stop now and I don't have to do the last bit. And unfortunately for me, I think it was like the 1st 12 women were going to be allowed to go through to the last stage. And I was like, number 12 and they said, oh, well done, well done, you're still in the race, you can you can keep going. And I looked up and over the last section over Mam Tor
into Castleton
, I looked up at it and I thought, no, no, no, no, can I just stop now? But then I felt I couldn't. So I'll always remember that race as a mixture of hard and like, just being really hard, but being hugely exciting and rewarding as well.Share
Erin Azar
29:03
You know what, that's so true. There are different types of runs and races aren't there? So they're not all creative. Like, I'm sure, you know, some people can't be creative, you know, in that dream state when they're really, really, really pushing themselves, like at the fastest pace they can go for a long time. I personally can't relate to that because I don't really get to that level. I feel like even my hard runs are a little, you know, easy. But, I could totally see how, you know, if it's a really hard run, there isn't really any space for your brain to really focus on anything else. You just have to get through it.
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Ayo Akinwolere
29:41
Yeah, I think it's about that mode, autopilot mode where I just keep going and the running almost takes care of itself and that in itself is what allows me to think of other things and focus on exactly what I need to focus on because I'm not thinking I'm actually running at that moment in time.
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Erin Azar
29:59
Yeah, definitely. And I think that's what Courtney was describing when he talks about flow actually and that comfortable pace is what really allows for those type of thoughts to come about.
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30:15
There's some runs where I set out and I'm like, okay on this run, I'm gonna figure out an idea for this video and before I know it, my brain is already off like creating some idea. I never even was set out to think of. Is there like a certain amount of time that you have to run for that type of process to happen, or is it like the rhythm of your running to get in that dream state almost that you described?
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Courtney Atkinson
30:41
Yeah, like that dream states, like when you get into that running flow and obviously running well or feeling like you're really within yourself. Running helps that you want to find that real middle ground between. You're not running too easy and everywhere you're aware of everything, you want to find that where your body switches into that kind of next gear, you're not redlining because you don't - when you're redlining, all you're thinking about is how to control everything: your breathing, managing your pain, trying to use all the mind tricks. But I find it's in that real aerobic pace, that really nice aerobic pace, where everything's feeling good, your system's awake, and that's the beauty of it I think. And that's when you talk about true creativity. Your mind will actually go wherever it wants to go. You get to these places that, if I was sitting in front of a computer, if I was sitting at home on the couch, I'd never find.
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Erin Azar
31:35
So, does it matter where you run? It seems like you really are more into the forest or by the coast. Do you really value that specific landscape?
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Courtney Atkinson
31:47
Yeah, I mean more so than ever now. Another question people ask is what makes you truly happy and you're like, God, like that's... Here we go. Like, when do you truly actually smile within yourself and think I feel that now and for me that is I hit this certain hill in the morning and it would be at a time when the sun is still coming up and there's a big dam out next to it, and it's guaranteed every time if you find that, you want to keep reproducing it, right? I mean, it's a little bit that notion of I can't explain it in words sometimes and that's why we said at the beginning, running's a feeling right? I really can't tell you why. All I know is I run, I enjoy it. It's hard at times, but even when it's a really hard session, when you're running, red lining, and feeling your heart rate, really getting up there and you've really cooked yourself a few hours later. They're often the days you feel best. Not only because you have achieved something, but your body actually, you know, you've really woken everything up.
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Erin Azar
32:56
Yeah, that really does sound like it's key. So this will be my first time running
Wings for Life World Run
. So, can you share any tips from your own experience running it? And how is it different to run than other races that you've done in the past?Share
Courtney Atkinson
33:13
Yeah, I mean, off the gun, it's a really unique format and a fun format because obviously everyone in the race gets to start together and it really appeals to such a wide range of different communities, different people who want to come and support a great cause obviously. But then also there's this unique event where you're running with all the different people from around the globe. I don't think I've missed the
Wings for Life World Run
right from the beginning and I mean here in Australia
at least that's changed over time.Share
33:44
So, my first
Wings for Life World Run
experience, we were over in Western Australia
, which is quite remote and we started in a town of maybe 1000 people. And it's night time down here, so we run with headlamps. We ran off into the dark and I was told literally we want to keep Australia
on the tv telecast at least for the first half of the race. So, we need Australians on there. It's your job to make sure you're in the top 10, at least a 30K I think it was. Anyway, we run off, we've got the tv camera with us and it's pitch black and except for their spotlight on me, I would not have known where we were. Anyway, fast forward 30K later I'm in the middle of nowhere. It's as dark as you can imagine. I had to stop to go to the toilet and the thing was, we're live, we're live and they needed to keep this constant feed going to headquarters and I'm like, how the hell am I going to get to the side of the road to go to the toilet when they won't take the spotlight off andShare
Erin Azar
34:43
This is making me nervous just thinking about it. Did you get to go to the bathroom?
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Courtney Atkinson
34:50
Yeah, I did get to the bathroom. I just turned my head lamp off so they no longer could see me, went in the bush and yeah, I found my way.
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Erin Azar
35:00
I had to know. That was going to bother me.
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Ayo Akinwolere
35:03
Okay, let's stop this there. Your man is running and had to go to the toilet. Erin, as a now marathon veteran, has that ever happened to you on one of your long runs?
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Erin Azar
35:14
I'll tell you what, you don't need it to be a long run. I'm just, I'm all about honesty here. I could be a mile from my house and I have hit that cornfield, so it doesn't need to be a marathon.
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Ayo Akinwolere
35:26
So scratchy, so scratchy the cornfield. Why would you do that?
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Erin Azar
35:30
You know, moments of desperation. I'm sorry for the farmers. I don't think, you know, they've seen me.
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Ayo Akinwolere
35:37
But for me, for me, you're just aiding growth is how I see the world, its nutrients back into the soil, it's a vibe.
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Erin Azar
35:46
So how do you, is there, is there a certain way to prepare for a race like this? Because it is different in a way? Or do you kind of use your same routine and preparation that you normally would for a race?
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Courtney Atkinson
35:58
Really. It's like any other endurance event that you run, but what makes it different from any other races when you see the car coming for you, you always find that little bit extra because you know it's coming and then you've got that little bit of a sprint left in you and that's what makes it I suppose different from any other races that, from what I've seen people, if they've got a goal of say, let's say it's 7K or 15K or 30K, they find that little bit extra than they thought they'd be able to do because of the nature of how the event's set up.
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Erin Azar
36:28
Yeah, I love it. I'm so excited. It just seems like the concept of it is so different and it almost the car just the idea of, you know, even if you can't see the car yet, just knowing it's coming, I feel like adds so much anticipation and like a sense of adventure to that. So, I'm so excited to do my first one and see their costumes and outfits. I'm personally very excited to choose mine. I'm not going to give any clues, but that's like an added uh, we will see. Maybe I'll slowly drop hints as we go along.
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Courtney Atkinson
37:05
You'll have to send us a picture now. You can't leave us hanging for how long is it? Another four months?
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Erin Azar
37:11
I, I think uh, yeah, we'll see. We'll see. Maybe I'll like persuade to do like a, like a group costume or something.
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Ayo Akinwolere
37:20
Erin, we need to have a chat man, how can I put this? I'm not a costume guy. I'm not that guy. I'm really sorry. No.
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Erin Azar
37:28
Oh, come on! I can't wait to get some ideas for my costume or costumes, plural. Many costumes. I am so excited!
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Ayo Akinwolere
37:40
That fills me with some sort of dread. Is it a team costume or can I just run in what I want to live in as costume? Be like a pink sock for instance?
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Erin Azar
37:51
All right. All right, I'll let you off the hook with this one. It's a personal thing then. So I, I will be in my costumes and I will be carrying signs. I'm going to do the whole get up and you know, you just gotta do what your heart tells you. Do what the, you know, if the spirit moves you, you wear a costume and my spirit is usually screaming, let's have a cool costume, whatever I really do in life. So mine says, get creative, maybe neon bright colors, fun sunglasses, there could be wings. I don't know, I'm just saying.
Share
38:28
So finally, I feel like this is the most important question. So, do you already have a
Wings for Life World Run Team
? And if not, can I persuade you to join the Why I Run team?Share
Courtney Atkinson
38:41
I mean, there you go. I don't have a team, I can jump over.
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Erin Azar
38:44
Yeees!
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Courtney Atkinson
38:45
Why not? Why not? No. Yeah, lets do it. Sign me up.
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Erin Azar
38:50
It's official. That's like a virtual contract or something. It's in spoken words.
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Courtney Atkinson
38:56
Yeah, enough people should hear.
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Erin Azar
38:59
Yeah, thank you so much, Courtney. This was such a fun discussion and I'm so excited for the race.
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Courtney Atkinson
39:05
Yeah, well, I look forward to keeping in touch Erin and seeing how you progress towards it and seeing that costume.
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Ayo Akinwolere
39:13
Yo this is what I like to hear. Now, we are cooking on gas. First team member signed up.
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Erin Azar
39:18
Well, thank you. And what about Helen though? Come on, Ayo, we need to get those numbers up.
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Ayo Akinwolere
39:25
Erin, you don't know what you're messing with here. Just just wait and learn. Take a listen to this.
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39:33
My final question really for you is that obviously we have a Why I Run podcast team, running team for the Wings For Life World Run. Would you be up for joining the team?
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Helen Mort
39:48
Absolutely. No, I'd love to do, I'll always do run and I'm going to have to try and rope in my running partner at the moment, my friend Trey who keeps talking me into doing increasingly mad things, "Let's sign up for this half marathon, let's do this Ultra". And yeah, she's been getting me to do all this stuff. So, so I'll have to say I've got an idea this time. We've got to do another run.
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Ayo Akinwolere
40:12
I could hear myself asking that question really coyly, I was like, let's ask her if she wants to run. So, we have the Why I Run podcast run team, do you want to be in the run? You're like, yeah! I didn't even have to soften it up. She was up for it. Anyway, thank you so much. This has been a joy.
Helen Mort
. Honestly. Word what? How did you put it: a word enthusiast? I like that. Let's leave it at that. The word enthusiast that is Helen Mort
runner and all around creative. Thanks so much for your time.Share
40:47
I mean look at this: two inspirational humans doing very different things, but I love the idea that running can foster creativity in very different ways. And I also like the fact that both of them in their own way up are thinking outside of the box, especially when it comes to running.
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Erin Azar
41:05
Oh my gosh, totally.
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41:09
Now, in my own runs, I'm gonna be channeling the creativity around ideas for my costumes and also how to get the most amount of people on our team, of course. I will literally guilt anyone into joining this team. I want to have the biggest team that there is and I'm so excited. I know you're right there with me, Ayo, and on that note, it would be amazing if anyone listening wants to join our team virtually wherever you are on May 8th, just go to www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam. That link is also in the episode description, if that's easier, so come and sign up and join the team.
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Ayo Akinwolere
41:51
And you could also say hi or chat about anything podcast related there in the feed section on the team's page.
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42:01
Right, let's build this running community. Let's build this Why I Run community, people come on.
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Erin Azar
42:06
Absolutely. And we have new episodes out each Thursday, so make sure you subscribe or follow Why I Run on Apple, Spotify, or really wherever you get your podcasts from, and you can always leave us a review on those platforms, too.
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Ayo Akinwolere
42:21
Let's get it going, let's do this because it's been an absolute joy, This is the Why I Run podcast from
Red Bull
.Share
Erin Azar
42:29
Thanks for listening.
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Ayo Akinwolere
42:33
I think I might go for a run. Is that, is that really weird to say? Yeah. You know what I might do?
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Erin Azar
Ayo Akinwolere
Courtney Atkinson
Helen Mort