Q&A with Barnaby Hitchcock—Brighton Marathon run for Project Harar
Tuesday 7th September 2021
We caught up with Barnaby Hitchcock—fitness coach and founder of fitness and life style brand B FIT, who is participating in the Brighton Marathon to raise funds for Project Harar.
Barnaby has also documented his training progress on JustGiving—where you can also donate to support his marathon run for Project Harar!
BARNABY HITCHCOCK JUSTGIVING PAGE
Q&A
Tell us a bit about yourself:
I’m a fitness coach that has always been passionate about sport and exercise! My favourite sport is football and played a lot growing up and whitish studying at University in America.
Tell us a bit about your fitness brand B Fit:
Being a coach I wanted to develop a brand that people could get behind and relate too. My goal is to make B FIT more than just a brand, I want to make it a lifestyle and community that everyone can get involved in!
I am a huge advocate of functional fitness, which is an individual and personal approach to training. Exercise should help you face the challenges of your own daily life and help build a strong foundation for a long-term, sustainable and healthy lifestyle.
Read more about B FIT here
Have you ever ran a marathon before?
Yes I have, I was originally set to run the Brighton marathon back in April 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic so I decided to run one on my own in September 2020 just to see what it felt like. I’m really excited to run an official marathon though!
What made you want to run the marathon for Project Harar:
My Auntie has worked to raise awareness for Project Harar for many years and she showed me all the amazing work they do so I thought it would be a perfect charity to raise money for!
How has your training journey been for the marathon?
I guess it’s been very long as I started back in October 2019 but I’ve really enjoyed it all! I do prefer the shorter distance/sprint sessions but then the long runs are nice to do when it’s a lovely day, not so much during the winter though!
What do you think about when you're running?
I listen to a mixture of podcasts and music, on the long runs I’ll start with a podcast then finish with music to get me through it. I tend to think a lot about what I’ve got on at the time, whether it’s clients or my own training.
What inspires you to keep going when you think about giving up?
Once it starts to hurt, the pain doesn’t really get any worse it’s just there. So it’s about understanding that, yes it’s painful, but you CAN keep going and it won’t get worse!
What would you say to someone who was on the fence about running a marathon?
I’d ask them what are you running for? It’s a lot easier to run if you have something worth while to run for!
What are your top training tips for aspiring marathon runners?
Build up slowly and start with a distance that is suitable for your level. If you’re new to running maybe aiming to work towards 5k would be a good way to start. Try running for a bit then walking some, don’t just jump straight into running 5k if you’ve never done it before. For more longer distances such as a half or full marathon, having a training plan is really important. Trying to incorporate some intervals, tempo and long runs into your week will benefit you massively!
Do you have any fundraising tips when partaking in a challenge event for charity?
I’ve tried to post it on all my social media pages and ask people to share it if they’re happy too. Asking friends and family to spread the word is always a good way too!
What’s your plan post marathon?
I know that my legs will be pretty knackered! So I’ll probably look to have a seat, get some food in me and watch other people have a few drinks and celebrate!
Do you have any other upcoming races?
I think I’m going to be doing the Great Ethiopian Run for Project Harar but apart from that no other races. I will be doing a fitness challenge for Movember at the Gym Group Chichester where I work out of. It’ll involve a mixture of weight training and cardio over a whole day but still need to plan it properly!
If you're feeling inspired to join a challenge event to support Project Harar do get in touch with a member of our UK fundraising team by emailing: smile@projectharar.org