Occupation: Ignite Fitness & Wellness franchisee, sports specific coach and fitness instructor
Nationality: British
In the recent Vertical Run Almas Tower climb and MediaOne Run vertical race, Paul finished 11th and 6th place respectively. Not an easy feat, given the fierce competition. He also won numerous races including the Dubai Holding Vertical Marathon of Emirates Tower, the Urban-Ultra Big Stinker hill climb in Ras Al Khaimah for over 12km, the 5km category of the 2014 ADNIC Yas Run, and has set a team relay record of 4hrs 42mins for 72km at the 2014 Salomon Wadi Bih. The Salomon ambassador, runner and squash player for Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort team, talks more about sports specific coaching, running in the Middle East and shoe science.
What brought you to Dubai?
I used to be a writer and photographer for the national paper in the Cayman Islands. I started travelling the world and ended up in the Cayman Islands. That was supposed to be a week, then it turned into six years [laughs]. I came out here to have a look and got myself work with Ignite three years ago.
It’s a pretty happening city. The sports industry has taken off dramatically and it’s great because the city needs it. We have such a busy lifestyle here that we need to balance it with a healthy and active routine, and simply to de-stress, if nothing else.
What is your coaching approach?
A lot of my work is one on one with individuals because I do a whole wide range of stuff. It’s not just personal training; it’s sports specific coaching, injury rehabilitation and lifestyle adjusting. My style of training is all about fun and variety, making it enjoyable and mixing it up so it doesn’t get boring. That way, you appeal to them mentally first, get on the cerebral side of things and then the body follows. The key is a thorough evaluation first off, to check out where the starting point is and really focus on setting some goals so you know what you are trying to achieve.
I’ve been doing this for 23 years now. If you have the experience and the background, you can adapt your knowledge to all sports to produce very sports specific training and preparation.
As a runner, how many shoes have you retired?
Quiet a lot [laughs]. I’ve had issues with my feet because I’ve been racing for so long, beating the hell out of them and putting a lot of miles on them – running, gym and other activities. I need good shoes to look after my feet. I often go for the top-end ones to really do the job.
There’s a lot more to shoe science, right?
You don’t know the half of it. Some of it is even quite technical for me and I’ve been doing it for a long time. I had to do a lot of research.
For comfort, getting that bigger size is crucial. In the summer time, your foot is going to expand. It expands even when you’re in a plane because you don’t have much blood flow. You live in a country with a hot climate and your foot is going to swell. Sports like squash and running make your foot expand anyway because it’s trying to make a bigger surface for more stability. The shoe size is absolutely crucial. The key is when you’re standing up in a shoe there should be a space the size of a thumb width in the end. We’re so used to shoes fitting like a glove, but not in sports shoes, there needs to be a little space for excess movement.
What’s your favourite running spot?
Fossil Rock because it’s not too far from the city and it is stunning. You’ve got that red sandstone, red dunes, and then the mountain ridges. You can do some off-road in there or picnics. If you go further afield, there’s some stunning stuff in Ras Al Khaimah, Musandam and Oman.
What do you like most about your work?
It’s kind of like an honourable gig. You change people’s lives for the better. It’s all about inspiring people and letting them get a lot more from their lives. In a way, it’s like I’m writing all the time because I’m motivating people, being an inspiration and a catalyst. Instead of writing, I’m using my voice but I still have to be creative and be an inspirational speaker. I do miss writing sometimes.
What are your tips for runners?
Running on the soft is key to longevity. If you are going to be running for years and using it as an integral part of your fitness routine, it’s pretty crucial you get off the road as much as you can. It’s the whole concept of the Salomon CITYTRAIL™. There are probably thousands of people who have never been out of the city, never seen the desert or the mountains. At the very least, the CITYTRAIL™ concept is to show people that even in the city, with a little bit of effort, creativity and adventurous spirit there are cool places to run. In races, the main thing is not about the winning. It’s about the adventure, exploring and making it fun. Just being a participant and enjoying the social side as well.
Paul is also organising the Salomon CITYTRAIL™ running group session every Saturday at 8:00 a.m. in various locations. For enquiries and training, contact Paul at drurypaul@hotmail.com or 055 6541913.
