60 seconds with a Run England group leader

Russell Evans is a Run England group leader for Crediton Running Network. CRN meet at Lord's Meadow Leisure Centre in the market town of Crediton in Devon every day except for Tuesdays and Sundays. The running group, which caters for beginners, intermediate and established runners, has a website which you can check out at www.creditonrunningnetwork.co.uk. But before you do, take a look at Russell's answers below which he gave us in our 60 second interview!

Run England: Why do you run?
Russell: It's a wonderful sense of freedom, from work or other pressures. It's a totally different activity, where you just have to concentrate on your movements - and the (usually) great scenery we've got in Devon.

RE: What is your favourite place to run?
Russell: I like going out for 12-13 miles on my own around the local villages, on and off road.

RE: What has been your most memorable running moment.
Russell: Running a half marathon in Torbay and finding a full Elvis-style band plugged in and loud, egging on the runners.

RE: What has been your funniest experience running?
Russell: Taking my runners on new routes which I've plotted on Google Earth, forgetting that everything looks flat on screen! Back to traditional contour maps now...

RE: Biggest bug bear with running?
Russell: All those stats! I think you should just listen to your body and run. Avoid listing numbers and judging it all by targets and times.

Quick Fire Four

RE: Favourite food to fuel your run?
Russell: Bananas, porridge, granola, and more bananas.

RE: Running Hero?
Russell: Ian Webber, a local experienced marathon runner. Ian leads the Shilhay Striders, a running group for homeless people at a shelter in Exeter. See them and donate at www.shilhay.org.uk

RE: Best advice for new runners?
Russell: Forget about time and stats. Enjoy the time away from jobs and/or kids and get some 'you time'!

RE: Running Ambitions?
Russell: Keep up with my regular half marathon runs, moving up to 18-20 miles – more villages and fields...