Runner’s World+ Member: Oliver Haslegrave
Oliver is a Runner’s World+ member. Join him and thousands of others chasing their goals with day-by-day training plans, expert advice from editors and coaches, and unlimited digital access. We regularly feature members online and in print!
I was having a tough time with depression in my twenties, and I found that running was one of the best ways to keep a buoyant, productive frame of mind. I started running consistently 11 years ago, and now it’s part of my life.
The stories! I check most days and almost always find a moment of inspiration.
I run for the same reason I meditate—after both, my day to day life is improved. And, I love the feeling of movement through the outdoors. I almost always run in the morning. Usually seven miles, four days a week and a long run on Saturday morning. The long run is my favorite—between 14-20 miles. If I’m lucky, after an hour I’ll find the flow and lose myself in the run. If I’m unlucky...well it’s good practice for the last six miles of a marathon.
I run in Prospect Park most days and love it there, but my favorite route is the Saturday long run over the Brooklyn Bridge and up the West Side. There’s always a lot of runners on the West Side which is great energy and I love running along the water. There’s also a sense of adventure going from Carroll Gardens to Harlem and back—I always feel very connected to the city after these runs.
I still have the first pair of Asics fleece gloves I bought a decade ago. They have holes in them now but still work pretty well. They’ve gotten me through 10 New York winters—I always run outside—so going to keep them as long as I can.
To run at least two marathons a year and one group adventure run a year. It’s a day of such positive energy; I really look forward to them. It’s a great way to see the world and meet other runners. Three friends and I did a ragnar the last few years, and this summer we’re doing the TransRockies Run 3.
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