10 questions with daniel steptoe-thompson

10 Questions With Daniel Steptoe-Thompson

Dan is a internet marketing strategist and keen runner in the picturesque village of Boxted in Essex. 

1 - When Did You Start Running?

I started running at 11 years old after my Mum & Dad took me to the local athletics track in Colchester. After having a go at most events, including everything from sprints to jumps and cross country, I eventually settled in the 100m to 400m events, representing my county and going to the National champs. I never progressed past further than the first round, but I did get to race Mark Lewis-Francis who annihilated me!

I kept going until my early twenties before injuries stopped it and became a personal trainer, making me more gym-based. I did a few triathlons over the years but only found my love for running again when I moved to Boxted and joined the local village running club in my mid-thirties.

2 - What Is Your Favourite Race Distance?

Coming from a sprint background, anything over 400m is a marathon for me, so I would have to say the 5K distance suits me the best.

I enjoy the intervals and threshold training associated with the shorter distances as I find easy runs a little bit boring unless I am running with others and they can distract me.

3 - What Motivates You To Run?

Back in 2018, just before I moved to Boxted, I was told I had type 2 Diabetes, so I got back into running purely to drop the weight. So far, I have reversed the Diabetes, but I need to keep running to keep my blood sugars low enough to not go back to having Diabetes or to be pre-diabetic. 

Joining my local village running club also made me realise how much I missed being part of a club and being part of a team in events like cross country. 

4 - What Is Your Favourite Go To Session?

I have recently started training on the track with my old club and fell back in love with running on the track to find some speed in these old legs.

My favourite session is the partner relays when you partner up with someone of a similar speed for 30 to 40 minutes and take it in turns to run 400m.

It becomes a bit of stitch up though if you get partnered with someone quicker than you!

5 - Are You Currently Working Towards A Race Or Have A Goal In Mind?

Next year I hit the big 40, and I would love to run a sub twenty 5K. I have got down to 22:30, so I need to find another two and half minutes before March 2023.

My club also took part in the Essex Cross Country League for the first time, and I absolutely loved it, so I have a few small goals for when it restarts in October, like making it in the top 100 and not getting lapped by YouTuber Ben Felton!

6 - What Is Your Favourite Race That You Look Forward To Every Year?

My club Boxted Runners puts on the Boxted 10K every year to raise money for the village school. 

It is a cracking little event around the village with a mixture of road, trail, tasty hills, and picturesque views around the course.

You will either find me out on the course marshalling, cheering you on or taking part.

7 - If You Could Only Choose One Pair Of Trainers To Train In, What Is Your Weapon Of Choice?

I like a cushioned shoe as being a more oversized runner with a temperamental Achilles, I prefer a training shoe that will absorb some of the impact.

I went through a stage of using Hoka's, but this year I switched to the Nike ZoomX Invincible's, and I absolutely love them, and so far, I have not had any problems with my Achilles either.

There perfect for those easy miles or long runs. 

8 - Are You A Fan Of Super Shoes For Racing?

Being a bigger runner and only just getting back into running a few years ago, I had read different reviews online about whether they would make a difference, so I dipped my toes into the water with the 1st version of Hoka Carbon X and loved them. 

Since then, I have upgraded to the Nike Vaporfly and Alphafly, but I can't decide which I prefer as I keep rotating them but breaking PB's in both. If I had to choose I think the Vaporfly just because I find them a little more aggressive but this does inflame my achilles on occasion. 

Either way, don't let your size or ability put you off using a super shoe. They are great fun!

9 - One Tip Every Runner Should Know About?

When I did the 400m, my old running coach always said that a good cross country season would pay dividends on the track the following year. 

I am currently running the best I have run for nearly 20 years and the fittest I have ever been, and I put that partly down to the cross country season. 

The team camaraderie is all part of the fun, the different courses, and don't be put off by the super quick club runners. Find yourself a local running club that takes part in a league.

10 - One Product Every Runner Should Know About?

I saw Lucy Charles-Barclay talking about AMP Human's PR Lotion on her YouTube channel and have used it for years now. It is a game-changer for me!

I use it on my legs before all hard sessions and race days, and it allows you to push that little bit harder in training and racing and helps you recover quicker.

PR Lotion seems significant in the cycling community and hasn't caught on as much with runners yet. I would imagine it would work well with marathon runners, helping them recover quicker from the long weekend run.

Find Out More About Dan

You can follow Dan's training on Strava

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