You are a keen runner, so please can you tell us a bit about your running journey and how and when it all began?
Jenni Falconer with Arnicare products
I've always liked running, but more just little distances- not that far, even when I when I was younger and I was at school, I liked cross country, but anything further than necessary I didn't really enjoy.
When I got to about 21, I was working in TV and I was enjoying being student at Leeds University and working in television in Scotland. I was out quite a lot and drinking cider with my friends at university and eating sweets and I put on quite a lot of weight. So I realised I had to do something as I was doing no exercise whatsoever and I had always done something so I started running.
I used to hope I could run for half an hour straight without stopping- that was my big aim. Eventually that happened and I progressed from there and I started running further and further and I convinced myself to run for a marathon. I have now done 5 marathons- I have trained for seven but I had to pull out due to injury or pregnancy.
You have done a few London Marathons now- so can you tell us a bit about your process on the lead up to such an event?
You have to allow yourself plenty of months and time to train, so if I was to do a marathon next year I would start training the minute Christmas is over- New Year's Day- first run.
I try and do my first run after Christmas and if I can do it before Christmas-great. As rule I say to enjoy Christmas and then take it seriously from then on. So if someone has never run a marathon before I would say start running as a hobby from now and do it now and again and don't take it too seriously- just get your legs used to running. And then take it a little more seriously running up to Christmas then January 1st that's it you're off.
What advice do you have for people who want to take up running for the first time in their lives?
My initial goal was just to run for half an hour you don't have to win that marathon- there is only a small group of people who have a chance of winning the marathon. So don't approach it like you're going to win, just run at a pace that's best for you and your body. So if you haven't run before set yourself little goals- you have trained for four and a half months- 18 weeks or so- you have to try and take time to build up.
Don't be too deflated if you can't run 26 miles on day one- chances are you won't be able to run five miles at the start but that's what the whole trading process is.
Even if you have to introduce a running-walking combination until you can run without walking. Just after I had had my little girl, I did a marathon about 5 months after she was born and the training was difficult. Not because I didn't want to run but because I found it really hard on my body. I trained doing a run-walk combination for the first couple of months and hit helped massively.
You have lots of different commitments in your life as a mother, wife, radio host, TV presenter as well as your passion for running, so how do you juggle all of this?
If you want to do exercise you have to look at your day and see where you can fit it in. I get up really early for work and I just have to fit it in afterwards. I go running at 6am- I finish work and I run home. My husband goes to work when I get home and that's it we're ready to start the day. My little girl goes to nursery a few days a week, so if she's there- he can take her. When I'm not working I might go for a run and I might go to a boot camp or another activity. Every week is different- it all depends on what I'm doing and if I have another job on and whether my husband needs me home any earlier.
At the beginning of the week we have to sit down and assess what's going on. It try and fit in a run after work four times a week and I do some sort of activity five times a week. You just have to fit in it- you just have to get up earlier.
What is a typical day for you in terms of what you eat to keep your energy levels up?
I spoke to a nutritionist not that long ago and she said she was marvelled at how I had the energy because I was trying to focus on eating health. My nutrition is not ideal- I do need guidance with it. Following advice from her, when I get up in the morning at 2.30 breakfasts is not very appealing so I have banana. When I come back from a run I have a big protein shake I quite often have another banana with peanut butter or almond butter is what I am quite into at the moment.
I might have scrambled eggs. For lunch it depends on what I'm doing, but if I'm at home for lunch I might have eggs then or a chicken salad. If I am out and about, it can be quite difficult during the day but I have dinner with my daughter every single evening unless I'm working.
If I'm having dinner at home it varies- so last night- we had tuna chargrills and quinoa and rice with that and some broccoli so that was quite nice. I always make sure we have plenty of protein in meals because I feel that it is good for recovery and some carbs. I try not to buy bread- I love it so much- I try to limit the amount of bread that I have in the house otherwise I will eat it all. I do quite enjoy it- we have to have it for sandwiches and things but I try not to snack on French baguettes which is quite easy to do.
How do you gear yourself up mentally for a run? What goes through your mind as you are racing to keep you going?
I get quite nervous before a big race- but if I am going for run you just have to realise that it's for enjoyment- you are choosing to do it so why dread it? When it comes to marathons you have to train- you have to do the longer runs as part of the training. You have to run 20-22 miles at some point within your training program. You might have a little bit of dread for that because it's hard work and it's not the marathon. You have to do that to be able to run the marathon on the big day and you are doing it for fun and excitement.
I love this time of year when you can run outside, you can do a bit of travelling around looking around that's why running outside is so much more interesting than running on a treadmill. Whenever I travel around the world for work I always take my running kit because it means at the start of the day if I get up earlier or at the end of day I can go out for a run- you get to know the area- especially if you are near a beach. It's lovey just running along- it's a great way to end the day or to start it.
In the winter I do use a treadmill if it's bucketing down or if it's cold but I run home all the time. If it's dark I will wait for the sun to rise; I will run home from work and it's quite nice running with the really cold air on your face and a big hat on your head. If you have the right kit on you shouldn't really feel the cold and warm up.
You suffered a form of shin splint due to running in ill-fitting trainers back in 2013 so how did you go about healing yourself and get back into running after that?
I think injures are a quite a good reminder that you are at risk of hurting yourself if you don't look after yourself. I was filming abroad in Malaysia and I wore some old trainers so if anything happened and they got lost- it didn't matter. That was silly because I did lots of hill running and when you are wearing the wrong footwear with the wrong support, as I found out, it can lead to disastrous consequences. I got a form of shin split which meant that if I carried on running I could have got a fracture in my shin bone. It was painful enough without fracturing so if I had continued it would have been really bad. When the doctor looked at it he said I'd just sprained it. But when I went for an MRI they could recognise that it was quite tender and swollen and the physio said that it could lead to hairline fracture. I was still running until I went to the physio in extreme pain- so I had to give up running for about five months.
During that time I was so frustrated because anyone that likes running and is suddenly being told that they are not allowed to run- it's the most frustrating thing you can imagine. You suddenly see everyone running everywhere and you dream about it and start thinking about it all the time.
You have to find something else to do so I did a lot of yoga and weights at the gym and I found that I got just as much enjoyment out of those disciplines as I would a run. When I got back into it I found I liked to balance things. It's good to combine whatever your chosen activity is with other things to keep you fresh and keep you enthused and also to make sure that all your muscles are getting worked.
Do you feel any pressure to stay in shape given that you are in the media spotlight?
No because in television there are people of all shapes and sizes. I think it's a myth to be Hollywood glam and thin in order to be a success on British television. I think it's about who you are, what you can offer and what your personality is. For me staying in shape is something I enjoy doing for me and I just enjoy being healthy and fit. I have got areas of my body I don't like and areas that I do. I think staying in shape is something I do for me as supposed to the job.
You are also a travel enthusiast- so where is your favourite place to visit and why?
I have been to many amazing places- I love the Maldives- the photographs just not do it justice. Miami is one of my favourite places - my husband and I have just come back from a weekend in Miami- we went there for our firth wedding anniversary. I went running along the promenade, there is the boardwalk there- gorgeous beaches and bars- it's such a cool city to go to.
My brother lives in Cape Town and my daughter loves going there and meeting up with her cousins around the same age. There are so many places- I love travelling. I really enjoy Barcelona too.
I read that you say you now feel fitter than you ever have before. Many women say that they feel fitter now than in their twenties, so why do you think women get a sudden urge to make that change later in life rather than when they are young?
I started trying to get fit when I was in my twenties and now that I am in my thirties I just love it. You have the drive, the mind-set, it's not all about going out every night. You have your schedule for the week and your lifestyle is set in stone and you kind of know what type of person you are.
If you are into fitness, you will probably make sure it's part of your daily or weekly routine. There is also a real trend in fitness right now. It's never been more fashionable- everyone has a gym membership whereas fifteen years ago people still saw it as a bit of an extravagance. Now it's kind of the norm or to do fitness activities. There is so much more information out there for us on how to stay fit and healthy. We all know about nutrition about what we should and should not be doing- we all know we should be stretching to make sure we don't get injury. I use Arnicare Cooling Gel on my legs so after I have gone for a run I make sure that I ease my aching muscles and don't get injured.
The fact that we know how to avoid injury and we know what we want to do within our week- I think all contributes because we get to enjoy fitness. You don't want to age either and you want to be fit and healthy for your children.
You are very active on social media so how important is it to stay in touch with your fans?
I love staying in touch with people about running and fitness full stop because I ask as many questions of those I follow. On Instagram I follow a lot of fitness brands and I like following them for inspiration or for ideas for food. I like looking at the different ideas for fashions and trends, so for me I get as much out of everyone else as I do if someone asks me a question. But I find I get more out of asking other people questions. Social media is just brilliant for sharing information.
What is next for you?
This weekend I am filming the Blenheim triathlon for Channel four and in August I will be filming the London triathlon. They are specials I am doing became I really enjoy these kinds of events. There is nothing more inspiring than seeing people cross that finish line. From a selfish point of view it's the most inspirational place to be. I work on Heart radio six days a week so I will be doing that over the summer. It's really nice to spend lots of time with my little girl; the way things have worked out I get to see her most evenings for dinner- which is perfect.
Jenni Falconer uses Nelsons arnicare Arnica Cooling Gel, £5.49 from Boots, as part of her exercise cool down routine. Visit arnicare.co.uk
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