Just before the end of her tenure, the newsletter team caught up with Emma Sutherland, our beloved outgoing president.
While we all know you as the runner, who are you when you're not running?
I am a mum to two kids and I'm a 3D designer working in events. For the past few years I've been working with the TCS Marathon exhibition and the hospitality at the end of the marathon. So if you saw Sam waving at you coming into the Expo this year, that was me.
How long have you viewed yourself as a runner?
I started running in 2009 just doing a 10K here and there and got about as far as half marathons but I probably wouldn't have considered myself a runner then (although looking back, I ran - so I was definitely a runner!). After I met Sam we signed up for our first marathon, which led to me getting involved in the club. That's when I started training more consistently, especially as I was seeing the results from coming to the track regularly and getting into the QPH community.
If you had to pick Tuesdays or Thursdays, which would you go for?
I'd say Tuesdays just because when I started they were the only option. So Tuesday Track seems natural to me. But I balance training with childcare, so currently I get Tuesdays and Sam gets Thursdays.
How have you found balancing a training routine with two young ones at home?
It's been really hard but also really good. As lovely as they both are, running’s a great escape. Just being able to go out do something that's just in your head and your body and not having to worry about them is amazing. I’m really enjoying having something to work toward that is just for me. But it is a fine art of balancing, Sam and I sit down every Sunday night cross-referencing our training schedules like a war plan.
What has been the thing you've enjoyed most about your time in the club?
Probably the opportunity to be part of a community of like-minded people. It’s been great to have people that you can run with that are at your pace, or that might be a bit faster than you to give that kick to be like, “right, I want to be able to run with that person”. And I think having other people there helps to keep me accountable. I'm not very confident in talking to people I don't know, so it's nice to have that icebreaker of sharing time together running.
Of course you've done a lot to give back to that community and help develop it. Notably you’re just coming to the end of your year as club president. What's been the highlight of your time as president Sutherland?
I think it would be presenting the very first women's Liddiard trophy. While it’s unbelievable that it took that long to get one, being part of a team that really pushed to get that trophy, and that I was able to hand it out for the first time felt really special.
Of course this year's Liddiard is just around the corner, but what else are you working towards at the moment?
I have signed up for the Florence Marathon at the end of November so that’s my main focus at the moment. But the long game is to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I had a place in the canceled 2020 event, and since then I've had two kids, so my big Target is just to chip away at my marathon time to get back there.
With eight weeks to go, how’s the training for it going?
So far it’s been going really well. Every week I try to do a track session and a tempo session, with the tempo session building up in distance. Now we're hitting the winter season, every few weeks I can now add a cross-country race. I’ll be taking them a little bit easier this year as I don’t want to risk any injury. But that’s the beauty of cross-country. It's different from your usual running, you can make it easier or harder, but I think it’s a great thing to add on to the training that I'm already doing. And, we always need more people, and especially more women to get involved!
What would be your advice to people who are considering giving cross country a go?
Definitely get involved, I'm probably one of the most unlikely lovers of cross country. It’s so much fun running around in the mud and I keep going back for more. We've got races almost every other weekend so there’s always opportunities to get involved. I’ve got to know a lot more QPH people from going. Being in a league means that you can see if you're keeping up with people from previous races, or if you're a bit ahead or a bit behind. But I wouldn't be put off by thinking “it's just for fast people” because it's absolutely not. I've come near last before, Sam's mum does it and she has come last! She's just so happy that she's able to do it (and there’s more people to cheer her in).
Beyond getting involved in cross-country, what piece of advice would you give to people that are new to running or new to the club?
The advice I'd give to new runners is have fun. That's a really broad thing to say, but just throw yourself into it and get involved with as much as you want to. That could be track or cross-country, do some races if that’s what you enjoy. And I'd say get involved with the community, make friends that share your outlook on running. I find my runs go by so much quicker when you're chatting with a friend. Equally, I think it helps to keep you grounded and not get carried away trying to do too much too soon. With Strava you get to see other people doing marathons and ultras, I think it’s important to do something and enjoy it because you want to finish and then do it again rather than chasing someone else.
I think that’s great advice, and obviously something you follow well. On enjoying your races, how many marathons is it now?
Florence will be number 15. (Sam is two ahead due to pregnancies, so I need to catch up!)
So if you could only run one marathon for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
It has to be the London Marathon. But mainly because of the incredible crowds! The energy and the noise is just really special.