Rich Bookless

What's your favourite race of the year?

That is a tough one, a few of the cross country spring to mind, notably Bracknell or Tadley but I have to say the Wargrave 10k is also a favourite of mine with the banter and seeing some familiar faces as you run around (and water fights with the scouts who resource the water stations)

What's your favourite race distance?

5km

How many miles on average do you run per week?

25-30 currently

Favourite shoe brand?

Saucony

What sports watch do you wear?

Polar (Vantage)

Why did you start running?

I started running again about 10 years ago after probably a 15 year absence. During the absence, I was more interested in playing football but when my legs and body stopped being able to respond to the shorter sharper movements, I decided i needed another target. I knew of Wargrave Runners from when I was younger and a quick internet search showed me that there was a regular 5km summer league which seemed the ideal route back into running.

What do you love most about running?

There are a number of things I enjoy about running but I think if I had to choose one, it is the time of reflection I get when I am out for a run on my own (or with one or both of the dogs). Don't get me wrong, I do love to run with friends but I always run without music which means when running solo I have some time for some self-reflection, both from a professional and personal perspective.

Do you have any pre-race rituals?

Not really, for a morning or lunchtime race, I will probably eat porridge for breakfast but for evening races I'm probably just rushing to get there from work 😄.