Runner's World

098 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK JUNE 2018

SPORTS-WISE running is the only

thing I’ve ever been half-decent at.

I’ve got pretty good 5K and 10K

times (18:30 and 39:30). Recently

I’ve been doing loads of parkruns

which I love so much.

DECIDING NOT TO WEAR HEADPHONES

and also to run alone changed

everything for me. I write a list

on my hand of five things I want

to think about before I go running.

I think up a lot of my stand-up

routines on a run as there are no

distractions. By the end of the

session I feel that I have really

cleared my head of all the clutter.

I RAN THE LONDON MARATHON this

year. It’s always felt like the ultimate

run to me ever since I bought a

London Marathon medal at a car

boot sale as a kid. I had it on my

bedside table for years and always

said one day I’d run London so

this year felt like a coming of age.

I RUN THREE MILES EVERY DAY during

the week (it’s a mile and a half to

the gym) and then do a long run

every weekend. I recently went to

Japan Peru Tahiti and India for

my TV series and I loved training

while I was out there because I

got to go out and see all these

incredible places. Running is the

best way to see a city.

MY TOUGHEST RACE was an ultra

I did in Mexico a few years ago.

It was 32 miles of crazy hills and

mountains. At 25 miles I couldn’t

stop crying. Running makes me

emotional anyway; I don’t know

why. People in the village ofered

us little bits of food to keep us

going but I was being overtaken

by these 60-year-old guys in jeans

and Iron Maiden T-shirts; it was

surreal. I crossed the line in 5:15

and just burst into tears again.

I’d run the first eight miles in

sandals because I tried to run it

authentically like the local tribes

do but my ankles and toes were

bleeding so I had to put on trainers.

I wore their natural dress too

which was actually really handy as

it was a loose-fitting red top and

white skirt so it was chafe-free.

THERE’S NOTHING QUITE LIKE that

post-long-run hunger – it’s so much

more intense than anything else.

A Sunday roast is usually my go-to.

Mind you a new poké [raw fish and

salad] bowl place has opened where

I live so at the moment I’m just

living on poké bowls and protein

shakes which I’m also addicted to.

I PLAN MY RUNNING OUTFIT carefully

based on what the weather’s going

to be like – there’s nothing worse

than getting cold extremities on a

run. And I’ve just started running

in the New Balance 1080v8 which

I love. They’re so comfortable.

THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE I’d really

love to run with but I reckon Jesus

would be the best as he’d have

some great stories for a long run

and when you got thirsty he could

turn your water into wine. He looks

pretty lean too so I think he’d be a

good pace-setter.

F o l l o w J o e l

on social media:

@joeldommett on

both Twitter and

Instagram

I’M A RUNNER

INTERVIEW: MICHAEL JENNINGS. PH

OTOGRAPH: IAN HARRISON

JOEL DOMMET T

THE COMIC AND REALITYTV STAR ON MIDRUN CRYING AND KEEPING UP WITH JESUS

‘There’s nothing

like that post-

long-run hunger

• it’s much more
  intense than
  anything else’