Running Punks: The running group combining music, self-improvement and unity
Interview by Conan Marshall
This story was originally published in Volume 2 of Dure Magazine
The Running Punks - not restrained by location - stand bold with their tie-dye shirts and unwavering positivity.
Through social media and weekly meet-ups, this running community is spreading a fresh wave of togetherness and self-expression.
Co-founder Rhodri explains how Running Punks came about - and defines the running punk attitude.
How did the Running Punks start?
Running Punks was born out of a question - are there more people out there like us? People who love to run but do not fit into the traditional running scene.
I had discovered running after my boss at work (a keen runner) had nagged and nagged me to sign up for a 10km event with him. I gave in and gave it a go and immediately became hooked. I loved everything about it, I wasn’t a great runner, a solid middle of the pack guy at most but I loved the physical and more importantly mental benefits that came with running. I needed more of that in my life.
After a few months of running on my own and entering some more 10km races, I felt I needed some guidance and support to improve and move forward, so I tried a few of my local running clubs. I hated it! As a new runner and someone who ran for fun, there was too much seriousness and too much talk of technical stuff which I didn’t understand. It wasn’t at all-inclusive and welcoming, just a bunch of guys peacocking around showing off their £200 trainers and talking about splits and fartleks!
There was no room for me and my Metallica T-shirt in these clubs. So, I reverted to advice online and approached it with a DIY attitude. I signed up for a marathon and began training.
It was during this training block that I saw an old friend and bandmate posting online about getting back into running. Jimmy Watkins (the other Running Punk) is a former GB athlete who once competed at the World Championships final at 800m and as he was reaching his athletic prime, he decided to give it all up to play guitar in a rock band.
During his time in a band and life on the road, he had become very unhealthy and got to the point where he didn’t like the person he had become. In a moment of realisation, he decided to lace up and try and regain control of his life that was spiralling out of control by running again. A few months later, Jimmy had posted a picture online of him standing on the start line of a race he was running.
The men around him in the picture were all in club vests, looking dead serious and wearing those same £200+ trainers that I had witnessed at the running clubs I had tried, and there was Jimmy in the middle of them all, in an old cotton t-shirt and shorts looking very relaxed and more importantly happy.
I think he went on to win the race and caused a bit of a stir amongst the club community. I instantly connected with this and got in touch with Jimmy. Then the question was asked - are there more people out there who feel like us?
Jimmy
Rhodri
Can you summarise the punk attitude to running - and how it may be different from the standard culture of running?
Running Punks is about approaching running and life with a punk attitude. It’s a middle finger to all of those who take it all too seriously and make it exclusive instead of welcoming everyone to the party. It is about being yourself and bringing your individuality and creativity to running rather than conforming to the stuffiness of traditional run clubs and running scene.
It is about giving those who would never be welcomed into a running scene a place to go and giving them the tools and confidence to become incredible runners and even better human beings.
Many people are starting to find how running can benefit their mental, emotional, and social well-being as well as just physical health - and the Running Punks personify this. How has running helped both of you?
Running has helped us both immensely, both physically and mentally. For me, running has become a chance to be alone with my thoughts and a chance to sort through, what feels like a 100 different browser tabs open in my mind. I can go through and decide which tabs to close and which ones to leave open. It allows me to regain control and stay in control.
It’s just a great way to de-stress.
My wife always says that I am a different person when I come back after a run and that is true. I feel energised and can always think clearly after it.
It doesn’t matter which part of the day I run; I always get the benefits. I sometimes run at 5 am before work and that allows me to think and prepare for the day ahead and I can go into the working day with energy and a positive attitude.
Alternatively, if I run in the evening, it is a sort of cleansing of the mind and all the stresses of the day are washed away and I can go to bed feeling a lot calmer. I guess it is a sort of meditation for me.
Running Punks has a running club with weekly group meetings in Cardiff, how did this club come about and gain traction?
The Running Punks Run Club is incredible! Initially, Running Punks was going to be an online community until a friend of ours in Cardiff who runs a music recording and rehearsal studio suggested we do a physical run club. At first, I had my doubts because the people who were a part of our community were spread out all around the U.K, America and the World and I did not think people would show up.
But we gave it a go and it was the best thing we’ve done. It started with a few of us but has really grown into something special. We meet early on a Sunday morning at different locations around the city and just run.
Different Running Punks take it in turns to pan these incredible routes around Cardiff. We run slow. The pace is dictated by the slowest person there and everyone is cool with that. There is no room for egos or PB chasers at our run club. The focus is on laughing, enjoying, and chatting about music, films, good beer or anything else.
We have all sorts of people who attend from musicians, filmmakers, office workers, business owners, retail workers, doctors, designers, teachers and so much more. We have all become this weird family of people who don’t fit into other run clubs. It’s awesome!
“Go out there
and be transported
back to the school
playground or a time
when running was fun.
Just take your first
step once, after that,
you’re a runner or
even better...
A Running Punk”
It seems like punk music and running can work well together, can you recommend some punk bands/and songs that you are currently listening to while on runs?
As for recommendations, Punky bands like The Wildhearts, The Distillers, Savages, IDLES and The Bronx are fun to run to, but I also like bands like the groove of bands like Helmet, Run the Jewels or Alice in Chains. If I am on an easy run late at night and the streets are dark and quiet, I love it put on ‘In Rainbows’ by Radiohead, I feel like I’m dreaming and floating down the road when I listen to it.
Ironically, Running Punks isn’t really about punk music, it’s more of a punk mentality or attitude. However, music is at the core of everything Running Punks.
Both Jimmy and I are musicians and music lovers as are so many of our community. I like to run with music that has a groove as I find it helps me find my running rhythm. Being a drummer, I like to lock in with the pulse of a song and the music almost become a metronome for my stride.
What gear are you guys using at the moment?
We like to keep it simple. We do not fall into the marketing trap and we try and encourage people to do the same. Running is the simplest thing to do in the world. All you need is a pair of trainers! They do not have to be the most expensive, just something which you feel comfortable in. A Saucony Ride is the perfect shoe for us. It’s a good all-round solid shoe that can be picked up at a reasonable price.
As you progress in running, there are other things which you can add. I guess waterproof headphones such as Aftershokz are good so you can listen to your favourite music while you run and maybe a watch (if you like to geek out on data), but do not be put off by thinking you need to spend a lot to be a runner.
We started in old trainers and cotton t-shirts. Jimmy always says that a cotton t-shirt is the best thing to run in because you can quite literally see the effort that you are putting in by the amount of sweat present on the t-shirt. We sell some incredible Running Punks tie-dye cotton t-shirts on our online store! You should check them out, they are amazing.