Bonus: From Zero to Hero with Stephen D'Souza

Dee: 0:09

Welcome to the Startline, a podcast about running, eating, life and everything in between. Hi it's Jules, Hi it's Dee. And the Startline podcast is back after a long and unplanned hiatus, but we're not going to get into that for now.

Jules: 0:34

The main thing is that we're back and, as usual at this time of year, we are bringing you some of what you missed from the National Running Show which took place over the weekend of the 20th and 21st of January at the

Dee: 0:47

Yep, yep. It was an amazing weekend, and this year we did things a little bit differently, as, instead of grabbing guests as and when we could at the Emancipator of Rangaroo's Stand, I was blessed and honoured to be able to curate a very special series of conversations for ERC focusing on empowerment, representation and community. Did you get that, ERC in the h ouse?

Jules: 1:15

You did a brilliant job at putting together some really, really powerful and informative talks on a range of topics, and we talked about how you go from couch to marathon within the first few years of becoming a runner we did. We talked about going beyond marathons to conquering the ultra distance, and we also talked about our ladies, about running through the menopause, and we had a really amazing men's session on running and black male mental health. It was just incredible. Thanks so much to Trojan for leading on that one. We actually stepped out and let the men have space.

Dee: 1:51

Creating safe spaces for guys to just be together and just talk. It was amazing. So, yeah, thanks Jay for all of that. It was incredible, an incredible weekend, an incredible feat and, you know, being on the England Athletics Run Club Hub stand was also really great and we have to thank England Athletics for their support and for enabling us to take up that space, and also a massive, massive thanks to our incredible guests from the ERC community who shared so much. They shared great advice, great experiences and, particularly and specifically, great conversations. Ste phen, Taz and Trojan were kind enough to grace us and bless us with their presence on The Start Line for a second time on our NRS national run show special. Don't forget, you can still listen back to the episodes we recorded with them at the national runner show last year. My gosh, it's amazing that years past since that, and it was also great to be joined by Dina, Rachel Zandi, John, Michelle, Greg and Lionel for the first time. We also I need to also say a special thanks to Raccoon events who enabled us and helped us to put together this talk, and just you know we're really great in the advertising. But no, thank you very much for your support and help in enabling us to do that. We look forward and we hope and pray that we'll be able to do the same thing next year with different topics and speakers.

Jules: 3:23

You know what? Either way, The Start Line will be recording from The National Run Show.

Dee: 3:27

It's a thing.

Jules: 3:28

So that is going to happen. So, as for these episodes, we will be rolling out one episode each week on a Thursday over the next six weeks, so make sure you follow us on your usual podcast platform, as that way you will not miss an episode when it drops.

Dee: 3:46

Nice. And so, for the first episode in our six episode series, we bring you Mr Park running himself, Stephen D'Souza talking about how he went from running zero miles literally couch potato to becoming a marathon running hero. It's an amazing story, it sure is Okay guys. Enjoy, we are here.

Jules: 4:18

We're emancipated run crew. We're doing a series of talks today at the National Run Show around empowerment representation community, which is what we do. First of all, we've got to say a big thank you to the England Athletics and Raccoon Media for allowing us to take over their run club hub at the National Running Shows doing a series of talks with our ERC community and family. And the first person that we're speaking to we actually spoke to this illustrious athlete at last year's Running Show where he was only one year into his running journey, and that is the person we like to call Mr Superhero Park Runner, . Hello, Stephen.

Stephen: 5:07

Hello everyone.

Jules: 5:09

How have you found the Running Show so far?

Stephen: 5:12

first of all, it's good to be back for another year. The first time I was actually quite overwhelmed how many people come here and so many, so many stands, and it's just good to be back, I guess.

Jules: 5:24

Well, it's good to have you back. And actually yeah, it's been, it's been. So we we spoke to Stephen last year at the National Running Show and from then until now, his running journey has been absolutely incredible, and really it was incredible already to be that inspirational. So I'm going to start off by asking Stephen to tell us a little bit about himself. So we know Stephen from the running community, but what's Stephen all about? Who are you and how did you start running?

Stephen: 5:54

I used to not do any movement. So I basically used to go out drinking every weekend and basically Friday, saturday I would go out drinking, partying all weekend, coming home early hours of the morning and then just basically eating rubbish, absolutely rubbish. I had no diet or anything like I'd see it, eat it and not think about anything. Just before we went into lockdown I went to the doctors and they said I was borderline diabetes. So I was like I looked at this and thought I need to change something. And then lockdown happened and that year went by, didn't do anything, was basically in the house and then when they said start, need to start going back to work, I'd put on so much more weight I'd put on. I was actually 96 kg and when I went back for work for six hours I was basically struggling to do the job I had done before. And then my brother got me a bike so I started cycling. I was cycling for two, three months and then I found out about parkrun. One of the volunteers in south norwood parkrun was kind of have to tell me about parkrun and I signed up that day when I got home from my cycle ride and my brother came with me for the following week and I thought there'll just be a handful of people like 40 people there was over a hundred people there. I was so overwhelmed and I was like what have I got myself into? But I did my first run. Not impressive, it was 41 minutes. I really struggled. I thought because of the cycling it would be a straight transition, but it wasn't. I was using different parts of the body that probably never seen the light of day of any sort of exercise or any movement and normally I would sort of quit. If I find things hard, I'll sort of quit and do something easier. But I decided to keep going and every Saturday that was me parkrun and I sort of. I was still struggling, I didn't enjoy the running but I thought let me keep going. And then something clicked. I think I found ERC.

Jules: 8:20

I think I think, I think we found you, stephen yes, I think we we jumped on you and I think it was Trojan, and Yuri who brought you into the WhatsApp group and once we got you in, I was you tried to escape a few times, didn't you, Stephen? they wouldn't let me leave. Tell us about, tell us about your very first run with ERC, your 10k, the Ekiden 10k. I came with a puffa jacket. I can you tell us how big this puffa jacket? What color was it? It was a red he still has it.

Stephen: 8:50

He still has it, I still have it. I bring it out. I tried to run with it now and I came with the wrong running attire as I didn't know, like this is what you wear. But I ran the 10k. I was huffing and puffing, but I did it.

Jules: 9:05

I think halfway through that race you said where is the exit?

Stephen: 9:08

yeah, yeah, yeah, how do I leave this group? But from the group everyone was posting every day their daily runs and I was like I need to do this now and it gave me the motivation. Who I would normally sit in bed and watch TV all day and and I'll be happy with that. But then I said so everyone's posts. Like Yuri would run at five o'clock in the morning post day he's gonna run and that would inspire me to get out on my bed and go and do a 5k and I would never have thought that would ever, ever happen.

Jules: 9:46

So do you? Do you think that having a community is important in supporting your running journey?

Stephen: 9:53

it has helped me so much. ERC has made me think about my life and I've made lifestyle changes. I was I was happy to do the 5k run, but then I thought, let me see how I can do this, and I had to break the run down. And so what do I need to cut out from my life? What do I need? I had to change my diet. I stopped drinking, stopped going out on Friday night so I could do the part run on Saturday morning.

Jules: 10:24

Your wife Afrene must have been really happy. She was actually confused.

Stephen: 10:28

What happened to me as in this guy has gone from one extreme to two I don't know running machine, running, yeah, a running machine. And I set goals. So basically I changed my diet and then during the part run, I'll I'll finish with the same people every week and I was like, let me see if I can take this person, if I can beat him. And then I used to see Yuri and Trojan at the start and they say, hello, we'll catch you at the end, and then run off and leave me and I was like, right, I need to keep up with these guys, need to change my diet. So I started changing my diet, losing weight, and then I caught up with them and then you passed them, and then I passed them. I've got down from 41 minutes down to 2 5 / 25: 23.

Jules: 11:31

That deserves an awesome round of applause. So the title of this today's talk is from zero to hero to parkfront hero. But I would want to explore how you went from being a sofa surfer and a Friday night party go up exactly to doing a marathon in a year.

Stephen: 11:55

I think you guys have challenged me so much and encouraged me that All the dreams I had in the past when I was younger I wanted to do the math and I'd watch on TV and go. I Want to do this. And I think, as my lifestyle changed, that just went in the past. And then when I started running again with you guys, that dream, that dream was there again and it was like I want to do it and the opportunity came around. I only had six weeks to train for it, but I thought I'm gonna do this.

Jules: 12:30

I mean, we spoke to you the last national running show and you had done, you've done the First marathon and you had told us that the furthest point you ran in your training for the marathon was 13 miles, was a half marathon, the two weeks before at the big half. And I mean I could not believe that you could find another 13 miles In yourself, because I've I've never done a marathon. I've been running for 20 plus years. This year is going to be the first year I do it, but when I finish a half marathon I cannot see where I'd find 13.1 miles to do it again in the same race. How did you do that?

Stephen: 13:11

So the day after the big half I couldn't actually walk and Carol got me out and Made me run and I was struggling so bad. She was laughing and it was payback for me leaving her. I'm running off at the big half and I ran with Trojan all the way. I think I Did. I broke down the race Like 1k at a time or one mile at a time and I didn't think about the whole race. I broke it down into manageable sessions and I found that so much easier and even with the runs I do now I Don't look at the big picture. I break it down to manageable bits and it makes it so much easier.

Jules: 13:58

I Think that's really good advice, because then you're just literally, you just got to complete the next mile or the next 5k.

Stephen: 14:06

And I saw you're right at myself from the back. Oh, you've done that bit. Now on to the next bit.

Jules: 14:12

And I just keep going. And your next bit is the third. Your third marathon this year, that's correct. Third?

Stephen: 14:18

marathon at the London Marathon in three years, and I will be pacing the event.

Jules: 14:29

I was just gonna ask just about the marathon, sorry. Yeah, go on how has your approach to training for the marathon changed between your first marathon and this one that you're gonna do, if at all?

Stephen: 14:41

so the second marathon of the first marathon I did with six weeks training and I didn't train properly. I would admit that and there were people concerned in the group that I had done.

Jules: 14:55

I admit I was. I was very worried About you and your ability to do this race.

Stephen: 15:03

But the second one. I trained properly and I had a time in mind. I was going for four hours 30 and I trained properly and I managed to do 436, which was close to what I wanted.

Jules: 15:19

What was, what was the time that you did for your first marathon? Five hours and 18, wow, wow. So you've shaved of us an hour with proper training and proper eating, etc. Amazing, amazing, okay, so we part of our reason for what it's taught to you as well is. I wanted to explore your park run Journey. Tell us about what you're doing with park run. First of all, I should say that Steven's handle on Instagram is At park running UK. Yes, so he is passionate about, is living up to his name yes, so tell us about your park run journey. What? What are you doing with park runs?

Stephen: 15:56

At the moment we're doing the London challenge and at the moment we are doing it with Trojan, the ERC tour. We're traveling around all London.

Jules: 16:08

How many park runs are there in London 62 and how many have you done?

Stephen: 16:12

at the moment We've done 34 of them.

Jules: 16:16

Yeah.

Stephen: 16:19

We're trying to see how diverse Part run is with black and brown runners. What have you found? It's not diverse at all. Um, so we love to speak to part run, have a conversation and see what we can do to improve Through the diversity in what you're doing with the park run tour.

Jules: 16:38

Do you think it has made a difference? Will make a difference. Are you trying to make a difference with it?

Stephen: 16:44

I believe it will make a difference from what I've seen and They've they've had a picture of us part run UK when we were At one of the park runs and we spoke with, had conversation with directors, part-run directors. We're coming to come to Harrow here Simon here, one of the part-run directors there and we just want to have a conversation with people. What can we do to improve?

Jules: 17:16

But what do you think? What do you think is stopping black and brown people from attending park run?

Stephen: 17:22

I think that not many people know that part run exists. I found it by accident and I'm glad I did find it because it has changed my life. I think more needs to be done to promote it, maybe promoting different places where black and brown Runners are.

Jules: 17:41

yeah, do you think also Seeing people, seeing more black and brown people actually doing park run and participating, will encourage other people to Recognize it's a space that welcomes them?

Stephen: 17:54

I do and I think that's why I like about ERC they promote people to volunteer at park runs. So you have that balance as well you have runners, as well as volunteers and people taking active parts in all.

Jules: 18:08

Roles. Now, part of your transformation as well, stephen, has been the fact that you've been pacing at races, and that's another element to it, isn't it? Because if you can see other people that look like you pacing these races, it makes a huge difference.

Stephen: 18:21

So I've paced three races now. I've paced the Hattie half, which had two hours 20, I've paced the big half, which I did two hours 15, and then the Royal Parks, which I did two hours 20 again, fantastic, and how did you find that pacing experience and why was it important for you to do it? I found it quite a challenge actually, and I feel now part of my progression. I feel more confident to do things before I wouldn't do, I wouldn't be encouraged to do anything. Someone else would do it and I would support, maybe donate or something like that. But now I want to be that person who challenges things and Puts himself forward for things as well.

Jules: 19:07

So do you think it's increased your confidence?

Stephen: 19:10

My confidence has just gone. Like this to do for me to do this talk today. I Would never have happened. I would never have done it in a million years.

Jules: 19:21

Can I just ask a question? It's quite a personal one, but I think it's important because of the context of ERC and who we are. But and I'd like to have you answered this as honestly as possible but running in the Asian community, the Indian community, what is it like for you guys culturally, in this, in your circles, so in your family, how many people run and and how is it viewed and how do your family view you? Now that's a bit of a loaded question, but culturally, how is running seen? Let's break it down like that.

Stephen: 19:52

So we don't have any runners in our. We never had any runners in our family until I turned up. Now, when I finished the marathon, my family said to me this is the greatest achievement that Just happened, really, and I was. I was so choked, I was in tears that day, and For them to say that was just I couldn't believe it, oh wow.

Jules: 20:19

I mean, you are an inspiration, stephen, to a lot of people. You are Round of applause and I think because we've spoken about how your friends at work have been inspired by your journey as well. So how do you feel, being like an ambassador for running, in a way?

Stephen: 20:40

So now I think people were shocked when I came back, when they saw me, and was like what's this person, these come, he's gone and he's come back and something else. And there's only half of him and then yeah, and now they come to me. They're asking about advice how I started off running, what I did to change my diet. And I'm just it's really nice I get to talk to them, even give advice to people yeah, that's you and and, and, and and.

Jules: 21:11

finally, how do you balance Because I know that there's a lot of running widows and what's the male version called Widowers, widowers, Thank you. So how do you balance, balance running and your passion for running with your family with the time that you give to Afrin? How do you balance it?

Stephen: 21:32

There is no balance.

Jules: 21:35

Afrin's here. I don't know if she heard that Afrin. Did you hear that? Did you? You didn't hear that? He said there is no balance. There is no balance. I think divorce papers have been drawn up tonight.

Stephen: 21:46

Afrin is agreeing.

Jules: 21:48

Although Afrin is a faithful running wife, because she's allowed Stephen to drag her to the national running show on more than one occasion. And and Afrin joined us to run the Vitality 10K in September and was amazing, Amazing. Afrin did it her own way. We were so happy when you crossed that finish line. We were so proud of you and as a couple, you guys are inspiring totally inspiring. As a running couple, as a running and walking duo, running and walking. So I think it's time to take questions from the audience. We're going to have to talk a bit loudly and you're going to have to come across here. No, no, we can. We can step, we can step. Does anyone? Does anyone have a question for Stephen? First of all, here we go. If you could say your name, hi.

Stephen: 22:43

I'm Simon and my question is which of the 34 you've done in London so far was your favourite? I really enjoyed Victoria Docks. We didn't get to go on the cable cars. Unfortunately, we were late that day. We were late by 10 minutes. We missed the start, but we are planning to go back again. I got a really good time and next time I want to go for a PB there.

Jules: 23:10

What time did you get there?

Stephen: 23:11

Oh, so it was 30, I think it was 34 minutes. But if I had deducted the 10 minutes, yeah, it would have been good.

Jules: 23:24

Can I ask just in terms of why it was your favourite?

Stephen: 23:27

So the location was really nice because it was by the docks and I think everyone had said it was really fast part run, and when I was there it was, it was fast. Yeah, it was flat, it was perfect, ideal conditions, nice and cool, perfect for running. You're going back? Yeah, we're going back definitely.

Jules: 23:46

That's until they go to Harrow, and then Harrow will be the favourite. Anybody else got any questions? Do you find you're getting competitive now? That's from Jade. Yes and no.

Stephen: 23:58

Yes and no. I think some days yes, but I think sometimes it depends on the terrain. So like sometimes when we went to some parks where it's really muddy, South Norwood. Sometimes I just want to get the run done, go home, have a shower.

Dee: 24:13

But about the mud.

Stephen: 24:14

But like somewhere like Bromley, where I went last time and I kicked myself because I didn't do it. I started at the back where I should have started at the front and I was so close to my PB that I wish I'd done it. Any other questions? My name is Tony. When you're preparing for a marathon, do you do any strength training or anything like that? So for the last two years, no, but I've started strength training this year because I know how important it is and I know it will help me improve my times and I just need to get that balance because I just was focused on the running so much I forgot about the strength training and all of that.

Jules: 24:54

And do you still cycle?

Stephen: 24:55

No, I haven't been on the bike in months because of the running.

Jules: 24:59

Steven, no, no, no, you need to mix it up. You need to mix it up.

Stephen: 25:02

I need to get into a routine where I do some cross-training.

Dee: 25:07

Yes, it's Taz, so have you ever run abroad?

Jules: 25:13

And if you haven't, where would you like to run abroad? Great question.

Stephen: 25:18

So I've not run abroad yet, but I'm hoping for a space at the Paris Marathon this year, which will be during the Olympics as well. Oh, wow. So I'm just waiting for confirmation that I've got the space. When is it? It's in August.

Jules: 25:35

Oh, fantastic, that might be an ERC trip to come and support you. We might have to do a little Paris park run. Yes, definitely. Anybody else got any more questions. Your second wife, Carol. Don't say that in front of Afrin, Hi it's me.

Dee: 25:52

How do you oh Carol, he knows me well how do you think you're going to cope with training to run six hours?

Stephen: 26:03

for me I haven't thought about this yet because I have to run slower, at a slower pace, yes, and I'm going to be out for a longer period. But I want to do the math, I want to do the training with everyone else. So at the moment I'm just doing the training with everyone else, following the plan, and then I will start doing my own training differently, to run slower and maybe be out for a longer period of time. But this will help me with the training for the Race for the Stones as well.

Jules: 26:29

Yes, just for those that don't know, erc are taking part in.

Dee: 26:33

Race to the Stones and Race to the Kings this year, which is an amazing trail run happening in June.

Jules: 26:40

Two amazing trail runs.

Dee: 26:41

Two amazing trails.

Jules: 26:42

Race to the King is in May. Race to the Stones is in June. Right, wonderful, any other questions? Anybody else got any more questions? No, no, so I think we can go there and I think that's a wrap, that's a wrap. Yeah, thank you so much, stephen. Thank you to our audience for coming and supporting Stephen. It's been an amazing, amazing day.

Stephen: 27:09

Run Hero to Park Run Hero One man story we need to take a photograph before you go, so don't move anywhere.

Jules: 27:15

But for the purposes of wrapping up this discussion, we'd like to thank Stephen for his time of, for sharing his journey. It's been absolutely amazing to hear it even the second time, and learning some more things about you that we didn't know before. So thank you, and thank you for coming down to Birmingham up to Birmingham, sorry from London to take part. So thank you very much. Thanks, stephen, thanks for having me Pleasure. Pleasure.