Running can be difficult to get into. Yes, there are no membership fees or expensive gym contract required, but it does take a lot of motivation and self-discipline to get out there, especially when it’s freezing cold and wet outside.
But all that hard work can really pay off, and for Gemma Bardsley running quickly became a passion.
Gemma, who lives in London and works in social media, first started running as a hobby, but over time this grew into something much bigger. She started going on longer runs more regularly and steadily increased her speed, and before she knew it she was running the 2011 London Marathon. Since then she’s ran a marathon every single year - in 2014 she achieved her target of running the London Marathon in three hours and 30 minutes - and has managed to raise thousands of pounds for charity in the process.
Gemma tells me where this all began: “I used to do loads of cross country and track running when I was growing up, but as I got older and parties and university beckoned my regular training started to slip. Once I moved to London I set myself the goal of running the London Marathon one day.
“After a particularly rough four months I got an opportunity to run the Marathon from the charity Rett UK. As soon as I started my regular training programme running became more than just a hobby but a necessity, and marathons became addictive.” She mentions a phenomenon called ‘runner’s guilt’, which she suffers from after not running for a few days - “It definitely drives you out of bed in the morning!”
Music as a motivator
Another way Gemma manages to stay motivated is through music; so much so that it’s become an essential part of her running routine. She’s a firm believer that listening to your favourite bands and artists can really affect the way you run, and encourages anyone who hasn’t already to give it a go.
“Music has had a huge impact on my running, especially when I first started and it was a very solitary experience. In race environments certain tracks definitely spur me on and other songs remind me of certain people, which always makes me smile.”
But she explains that it isn’t simply a case of just plugging in her earphones and setting off. She carefully curates her playlists depending on the length and difficulty of each run - a quick 3km jog will have a completely different soundtrack to a gruelling marathon.
“On short morning runs I’ll pick faster, more upbeat music to get me through as quickly as possible, whereas before my long runs I’ll craft my playlists meticulously, ensuring it will take me through two or three hours.
“The gym is much more intensive so the songs you choose reflect that, but when running - especially with long runs - you want music that builds with you as you go.”
Beats Per Mile
While training for her first London Marathon in 2011, Gemma struck upon an innovative idea for a website that combined her love of music and running. Designed by her friend Howard de Smet and developed by Marc Hibbins, Beats Per Mile allowed anyone in the world to track Gemma’s progress around London, and you could even follow the music that Gemma was listening to in real-time.
Gemma was overwhelmed by the response that she received thanks to Beats Per Mile. “We pulled in Instagram photos from people nearby as I passed landmarks and streamed my playlist via Mixcloud so people could listen along as I ran. It was so amazing to see all the tweets of support after the race and people tweeting me about song choices, donating to Rett UK and telling me where they were along the course.”
Her unflappable obsession with running was none more obvious than in October of last year, when she took part in a race in the Amsterdam Half Marathon on barely any sleep.
“I ran the Half Marathon over the same weekend as the Amsterdam Dance Festival. I danced at Trouw nightclub until 5am and ran my race the next day!”
Gemma is confident that anyone can get into running, and she provided some great tips for anyone looking to blow the dust off their running shoes. “Sign up to a race; perhaps a ParkRun as they are free, really accessible and start at 5k. Maybe find a friend to help get you out of the door, or get up early before everyone else wakes up and start slowly.
“Anyone can pick up running. You can do it from anywhere at any time and without any fancy inductions. You put on your soundtrack of choice, lace up your trainers and see where you end up.”
