Monday, March 30, 2015

Emmie Collinge: Snow Runner!

I have a fellow liquorice appreciator for you this morning.  You can thank me later (in liquorice!)
Meet lovely Emmie!  Originally from Nottingham, this 26-year-old freelance translator of German, Dutch and Swedish loves cycling, stroopwafels and the Dutch - so it's pretty fitting that she currently lives in Switzerland. When I originally spoke to her about coming on the blog over a year ago she was planning her move over there so it's really awesome to hear that running most definitely went with her! Over to you pal:

1.  I started running 20 years ago (not long after I started walking) and it has been a love-hate relationship for two decades.
2.  I run because it’s quicker than walking, taking me to places I’d never see otherwise and I wear multiple pairs of VJ sport shoes, a Finnish orienteering specialist, who make the meanest and grippiest trail shoes.


3.  The last run I did was yesterday’s lunchtime meandering and I ran my favourite local route with some of the steepest, sharpest hills. It was exciting and energising because spring has finally sprung and the Swiss flowers seem so much brighter than in the UK.
4.  My current fave bit of kit is my new Ashmei top – although admittedly I haven’t ran in it yet. It’s far too nice to sweat up.
5.  I'm training for a 128km race across Norway’s Hardangervidda Plateau – however, ‘plateau’ is definitely not the word I’d choose to describe this landscape. 


6.  Running made me feel alive when I first realised (accepted?) how much I love being outside, recognising that the times I run on the road and track aren’t so important and how entire days spent running with my boyfriend and a picnic are unbeatable.
7.  I'm currently listening to bird song and sporadic bursts of conversation when I run.  It sets me free to be away from constant noise, screens, technology.
8.  I participate in all kinds of races, donning my local club vest on a weekly basis, be it road, trail, mountain or track. It has helped me keep the momentum and improve my Italian!
9.  I started choosing liquorice and homemade crispbread as fuel for running while we were in Norway last year and these have proven far more worthwhile and efficient than anything else for entire days spent on the trail. I would recommend it.  
10.  I'm currently obsessed with progress – particularly when it comes to downhills – and the Strava proof of this keeps my running addiction fresh and new.
11.  I'm bringing Italian snow mountain running and retro Italian tracksuits to this blog, and throwing them down on the table.  I've just done my first snow race and found it better than any other terrain.
12.  I'm currently having issues with choosing races, far too many out there and prices seem to be on the rise - can anyone offer any tips? 
13.  Finally, here's my inspirational quote, embarrassingly taken from Emma Watson’s UN speech last September and watched the day before I ran a storming 10km PB. Hearing it go over and over as I watched the kilometres tick by, I repeated “If not me, who? If not now, when?” It gets me going.  


You can find emmie on twitter.  Now go, run

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