March Runner of the Month: Steve Tranter
Steve joined NBR in late 2013. He used to play football (soccer to Americans!) on weekends so he was looking for people to run with during the week to keep fit. Steve’s first run was Tuesday Night Tempo, which was on the track that night. “I started the workout with NBR and somehow got mixed up with the Williamsburg Track Club and finished their workout, and wandered off at the end thinking ‘I’m not sure those were the people I started with’.”
Steve’s involvement with NBR mainly includes turning up for runs and registering for races, but he’s also been a race coordinator for the last few years.
What he does when he’s not running: “I work in Corporate Strategy for a big bank, which keeps me busy during the week. At the weekends I try to follow with the (mis)fortunes of Wycombe Wanderers, my football team back at home that no one over here has ever heard of. I’m also getting more into cooking, Indian food in particular.”
How he initially got into running: “I entered the London Marathon back in 2010 just as one of those things to tick off in life. For a couple of years afterwards I had this occasional nagging voice in my head telling me that I could have done it faster, so I ran it again and I did. Then that voice came back telling me I could have gone faster still, so I went and ran Berlin, and then this voice got more regular and started egging me on even more, so I went and did Chicago… then Boston… and it just spiraled out of control from there. I guess that’s how people get addicted to things.”
Favorite race distance: “The half marathon. It’s just about my sweet spot for speed and endurance. Plus, I can still walk up and down the stairs the next day.”
Best running memory: “A balmy August evening in 2012 for the final day of the Athletics at the London Olympics. (Not me obviously) but I was in the crowd for the 10,000m final.
Firstly, I had never seen a race in the flesh before, so it was fascinating to watch all their strategies and tactics play out, and then to feel the tension rise as the leading pack jostled for position in the last couple of laps. The wave of noise that swept ‘round the stadium as Mo Farah majestically timed his final burst was incredible. It was topped off at the end by the 4x100m where Usain Bolt brought home the gold, followed by the pair of them dancing on the track in front of us. Heady days.”
Favorite running route in NYC: “I don’t mind a trip out to Red Hook via Brooklyn Bridge Park. That or whatever the Saturday morning Local Competitive route is.”
Running-related superstitions: “I’m not sure if this is a superstition or me trying to avoid a bit of hubris, but I generally try not to tell people what my specific goals are because it will definitely jinx them.”
What running has taught him: I find that everything works better when I run regularly. Digestion, mood, sleep, energy…
Favorite post-race food: “Everything bagel, toasted, with butter, marmite and a sharp cheddar please.”
Favorite song to run to make you want to run: “Can I choose a podcast instead? Well I’m going to anyway – DJ History by Bill Brewster.”
Favorite running social media account: “GNP Photos. I think his ability to capture the spirit of the times is second to none.”
Worst part about being a runner: “It costs an arm and a leg. The New York Road Runners and that Running Warehouse website might as well take my wages every month and just send me what’s left.”
Best advice to running newbies: “Don’t get bogged down in too much advice, least of all mine. Just get out and enjoy it.”
Current running goal: “Despite what I previously said about superstitions I have just finished a book called The Rise of the Ultra Runners (it’s very good by the way) and I’m getting this little voice in my head telling me I should do an ultra, you know, just to tick it off. So I’m tinkering with that idea at the moment.”
Any other fun running facts: “The fastest I have ever run was when I chased a kid who was stealing my bike. I got the bike back, but sadly didn’t record it for Strava.”