BETTER KNOW A STABLEMATE—TOM ETHERTON

“Blue, blue, electric blue / That’s the colour of my room.”

What is your name? 

Tom Etherton.

What is your favourite colour?

Blue.

What is your favourite word?

Yes.

Who is your favourite musician?

Oooh, toughie—hard to go past Bowie.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I plough my own furrows.

What talent would you like to have?

I’ve always thought being really speedy would come in handy.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

That I have a bunch of friends who knew me as a teenager and weren’t put off.

Who are your heroes in history?

Darwin was pretty cool—anyone who isn’t afraid to challenge the orthodoxy gets my respect.

Who are your heroes in real life?

I have a certain amount of heroic respect for most of my friends and family, for various reasons.

What is your idea of happiness?

Summer’s day, pint in hand, outside a pub by the River Thames.

Where would you most like to live?

London, London, London.

What profession would you like to attempt?

I reckon being a politician would be both an easy life and a bit of a laugh.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Stuff for the kitchen that I use, um, “intermittently,” shall we say.

What is your most treasured possession?

The TV remote. You know it when you lose it.

When did you start running?

About 14.

What does running mean to you now?

Running is the only sport I’ve stuck with, and looking back, I’ve stuck with it for decades now. There must be a reason. Team sports fell by the wayside as adulthood hit, and I’ve finally woken up to the fact I’m not a gym bunny. I’m never going to be slinging a kettlebell around, and I only have to look at a weights bench before I need to call an osteopath. Running has always been there—originally as exercise, to fight the flab; but now I realise it is what my whole mind and body needs. Plimsolls on, headphones in ears, and an hour later, I’m a healthier, happier, and better person.

What do you like about Stazza’s Stable?

I’m super excited to actually have a plan. I’ve run for nearly 30 years without much purpose. It’s great to aim for something, to be told what to do by someone who (leap of faith here) knows what they’re on about, and to be part of an enthusiastic running community. I’m in the blessed position of being likely able to knock 10-15 minutes off a HM more easily than most of you can knock a minute off, so I’m excited to see the improvements.

What is your motto?

It wasn’t me.