In the Pen with Emma Reid

In the latest edition of ‘In the Pen’, our series of interviews with the runners that inspire the Lonely Goat Running Club community, we welcome Tribe Sports’, Emma Reid.

Introducing Emma

Emma Reid is the managing director and co-founder of Tribe Sports – one of Lonely Goat’s favourite running brands (check out Goat Codes for a Lonely Goat Running Club members’ discount).

Tribe Sports are committed to crafting sustainable, high performance running kit that endures every step – without costing the earth. They use fabrics made from waste plastic, including Repreve, which is also used in the Lonely Goat club kit. They use ethical manufacturing practices, offer a recycling scheme for old clothing, and plant a tree for every order.

Emma very kindly took time out of her day to answer our interview questions for ‘In the Pen’.

Why do you run?

I find running relaxing and it gives me the headspace to sort my thoughts out. I also like how running makes me feel strong and healthy, and that buzz you get after a great run.

What motivates you?

I’m motivated by knowing that it’s going to make me feel great when it’s done and make me feel healthy. I’m also lucky that I’m quite self-motivated and pretty disciplined at sticking to a plan of when I’m going to run. 

If you’re new to running, keep at it – even though it feels so tough to start with. It does get easier as your stamina and strength increase.

Also, enjoy the time you spend running without too many expectations on yourself. Sometimes I think about my pace, but sometimes it’s great to just run without any pressures.

I love running in London, especially along the river and marvelling at all the towering buildings around me.

On the flip side, I also love to run along the trails near where I live. The woods are so beautiful, although very muddy at the moment.

I would like to run along the coast more. I once did the Brighton Half marathon and I loved staring out to sea.

Running the New York City Marathon had been a big ambition of mine and luckily I was fortunate enough to be able to run it in 2008. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a disaster as I got a tummy bug and felt awful the whole way around. I ended up being sick for quite a few days later – It was the worst!

I used to run with my husband a lot – before one of us had to stay home to watch the kids! –  but his style of running is very different to mine. I like to know my route, have it planned out and know the distance beforehand. He, on the other hand, likes to wing it and doesn’t have a set route or distance.

One weekend we were going to go for a quick 5-7 km run (or at least that’s what I thought we were doing) in the new neighbourhood we had just moved to. I didn’t know the area very well yet and we had been running for about an hour before I started to realise that we were nowhere near home. I asked my husband how far it was to get home and he said about 6 miles!

We ended up doing a half marathon, although I made him walk the last few kilometres as I was exhausted and very irritated, to say the least.

I can laugh about it now, just about!

I was very inspired by the ultramarathon runner, Dean Karnazes’s book, Confessions of an All-Night Runner. It is just amazing what he is capable of.

I used to run home from work 2 to 3 days a week. Some routes were amazing, some weren’t as glamorous, but I loved it.

It usually only took 10 minutes more than commuting and there’s no better motivation to go faster than getting home quicker!

I am most proud of doing the London Marathon as I finished that race feeling really strong. I also did a half marathon in 1:45′, which I was proud of. 

I don’t really have a specific person, as I’m inspired by lots of different people for lots of different reasons.

Music or silence when running?

I prefer silence, as it gives me an opportunity to think more and notice nature around me. 

What do you like about running on your own?

I like to just relax and let my mind wander. I also like to go at my own pace, although running with someone can make the distance whiz by.

What is your next challenge?

I’m consistently doing 10km at the moment. I would like to get back to half marathon distances – as that was my favourite – but it depends if my body will let me.

Having kids has changed what I can and can’t do, so I have to be careful and listen to my body.

Thank you Emma!

Don’t forget, Lonely Goat Running Club members can get a 15% discount on Tribe Sports products using Goat Codes.

Keep your eyes peeled for the next edition of ‘In the Pen‘, coming soon…