Man in vest and shorts runs with arms in the air
Credit: Michael Roderick

Michael Roderick, a passionate runner from Swansea, South Wales, has been running for over two decades. While running wasn’t always his main focus, in the last 4–5 years he has elevated his performance to elite-level standards. He also founded the Tri Hard Harriers running and triathlon club, creating a space for others to improve.

Michael chatted to us on the podcast all about his experiment to improve his running, and his advice for runners looking to make similar leaps in their training.

This article summarises the episode.

Changing the focus to running

“Running was never my main focal point, but then I joined a local running club. In 2016, I became a run leader, and then lockdown happened. A few close friends and I felt there was something missing in Swansea: there weren’t many clubs that offered the running and triathlon side, so we decided to start Tri Hard Harriers.

“People went one of two ways in lockdown. They either went and got really fit, or they lost all their motivation. I started training two or three times a day because I had nothing better to do. I was travelling to England for races [while events still weren’t happening in Wales] and I noticed my times were a lot better than they were before lockdown. So I wondered if I stopped football, could I become a better runner?

“Within like 12 months of lockdown finishing, I was hitting elite times, which I never thought was possible years ago. The last four years have been a bit of a whirlwind.”

Variety and running volume

“Before, I used to just go out and run and I’d always run pretty much the same pace with no real structure behind it. And I think that’s why I was never getting better. In lockdown, we were planning virtual sessions for people, and I started to do more tailored running. I also slowed my other runs down and increased volume. I started to run more days because I’d only run three times a week previously. Now I’m running pretty much almost every day. I’ve got friends now who’ve literally doubled their mileage in 12 months and they’ve also achieved everything they wanted to do.”

What does Michael advise if you want to increase your running volume?

“You have to build it up. So if you run on three days, three times a week, then maybe increase the mileage on one of those, increase the intensity on one of those. and then add in a very, very easy run on another day where you haven’t done something too hard the day before. If you are feeling tired, then don’t be afraid to take a rest day.”

Starting up a running club

Michael advises to go for it if you have the confidence: “For us it was the the hurdles you have to overcome at the very beginning because there’s some legalities if you want to become an official club. If you’ve got the core members then that becomes easier.

“When our numbers started to creep from 50 to 100, that became one of our biggest challenges: how do we keep everybody happy? We’ve got training sessions five days a week now.”

What’s Michael’s proudest running achievement?

“I think it will always be the London Marathon. I’ve been very, very lucky to have run it four times. I don’t think I’ll have a better experience than London.”

Quickfire Questions

Morning or evening runs?
Morning, every day.

Road, trail, or running track?
Road, especially open roads like those in Swansea with nature around.

Hills or flat routes?
Hills, definitely. They help with elevation and make you stronger.

Run in the rain or run in the heat?
Rain. Once I’m out the door, I love it.

Music or no music?
It depends. I usually run with music on easy runs but prefer no music for speed work or races.

Long runs or speed sessions?
Long runs. I enjoy the mental challenge and the freedom of just running for hours.

Medals or memories?
Memories. They mean more to me, like emotional moments in races.

Shorts or leggings?
Shorts, no matter the weather.

Favourite piece of running gear?
A running hat. It became my lucky item after lockdown.

What would you change about the running world?
Make races more affordable. I’ve seen race fees rise and it’s pricing out many runners.

Describe your ideal run in three words?
Easy long run.

If you could have one superpower to enhance your running, what would it be?
No fatigue, especially for long distances like marathons.

Who inspires you in the running community?
Matt Reese, a fellow Swansea runner, and the people in my local club who push themselves, like Tom Davis who improved dramatically in his marathon times.

Listen to our full chat with Michael on the UKRunChat podcast