1. What do you like best in running and what is your pet peeve?

For me it’s a way to switch my mind to other things, it’s a kind of meditation. Also, it’s a me-time. This is what I like about running. What I don’t like is when I’m in pain or when the weather is horrible.

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2. What would ideal running/racing conditions look like to you?

10 degrees Celsius, cloudy skies, no wind, but the air is not dry.

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3. What running dream do you have? If you had everything you needed, what would be the wildest, most impossible dream?

Well, I’d like to run a marathon under 3 hours. I’d also like to be able to run when I’m much older.

If I think of a really big, crazy, next-to-impossible dream, that would be running a marathon at 85+ years old, and breaking the world record for that age group (currently it’s 3 hrs 56 mins 44 sec).

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4. Tell about the toughest training you had. What was the outcome? And what was the most valuable takeaway?

I didn’t understand this question, so it’s hard to tell, actually.

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5. What body part would you name that would be the most important when it comes to running? What body part you're most thankful to?

Definitely, the head. We use our head to control our body, so if you work on your psychological state, you’ll get better finish results.

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6. Did you do sports when you were a child? Was running among the activities you were fond of? If not, why did you eventually decide to start running and when did that happen?

When I was a child, I used to do orienteering and I managed to achieve pretty good results. I participated in a few local races and won a couple of medals. Later I started running because I wanted to switch my mind off everyday stuff, and also to lose some weight.

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7. What do you feel when you're at the start line and when you've just crossed the finish line? What is essential for you to have when you're about to run a race and what do you usually do after you've run it?

Of course, I’m a bit nervous before the start. I’m impatient, I want to start running and not wait in line. After I cross the finish line, I find it very important not to lose consciousness, eat and drink well, help my body regenerate.

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8. Was there something that changed in your views on running since you started?

No, I don’t think anything’s changed. Maybe apart from the fact that now I know how important it is to take things slowly and smoothly, not to rush. This helps avoid injuries.

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9. What goal that you set to achieve in the beginning of your running journey now seems to be something that's too ambitious or maybe even impossible to do?

There was no such goal.

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10. What goal do you have now?

I have already answered that question: I’d like to run a marathon under 3 hours.

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