Aspasia Karras
Thursday, August 21, 2014
If you have read my review of the 2014 HFPA old ed's race you will know that I had a really terrible race. It was not all horrible though, I had a brief encuonter with this amazing woman. Marie Claire is one of my favourite magazines, I started my collection in 2009. Anybody that has watched The devil wears prada, will not forget Miranda Priestly.
So what do you do when you look across the table and see the editor of your favourite magazine? You ask them for their email address ofcourse and this is what happens.
Q. Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do
for a living?
A. I am the editor of Marie Claire magazine in South Africa.
Q. How do you balance your exercise regime and your
professional life?
A. I find that unless I exercise in the morning I cannot
actually get my day started. I also lose my temper if I haven't gone for a run
and that is never a good thing. So it really helps me be a better, less
stressed person.
Q. What does your weekly fitness regime consist of?
A. I run 5 days a week with a long run on a Sunday and I go
to gym twice a week where my trainer Cameron gets me to do lunges and squats
and things I would genuinely avoid unless someone was forcing me to do them. I
know that I should and that it is good for my running but lord do I hate them.
Q. When and why did you start running?
A. I started running four years ago when I became the
editor. I was having to be in Cape Town every week for work and the promenade
looked so inviting. So I started running every day. We all know about how
quickly the addiction sets in don't we?
Q. What motivates you to go out there, when you do not feel
like it?
A. The idea that if I don't go I will be a misery. Quite
literally nobody will like me anymore when they realise what a bundle of nerves
and tension I can be without it . I run to be a nicer person. It is an act of
kindness for my family, friends and colleagues.
Q. What is the longest distance you have ran?
A. I am one of those conservative runners so I like to run a
marathon a year. My first one was Paris four years ago ( I am the editor of a
fashion magazine after all so it seemed apt) This year I am running the Dublin
marathon in October, I am slightly worried it might be wet but there is the joy
of Guiness afterwards to compensate.
Q. What do you love
about running?
A. The endorphin rush.
Q. What do you hate about running?
A. The period before the endorphin rush.
Q. What gives you the confidence to run in the streets?
A. I hate running on a treadmill. It is so tedious and mind
numbingly boring.
Q. How do you think running can empower women?
A. Running is just so good for your brain and your spirit it
is good for everyone.
Q. What would you like to achieve in the future in terms of
running?
A. I would like to be one of those very old ladies who I see
on the races kicking up the dust into my deep old age.
Q. How do you envision the future of running?
A. Bright especially because of brilliant initiatives like
the Nike Running clubs which is bringing running to young people.
Q. What do you think about the lack of exercise among the
youth?
A. Crazy !
Q. What was your best running experience?
A. Finishing my first marathon in Paris, I was 2 ks before
the end and feeling quite broken - the Medoc marathon was doing marketing by
handing out little glasses of red wine. Basically at the Medoc marathon in France all the water stops
are wine and cheese stops. So I had a little shot of red wine and finished with
a pep in my step. It was so emotional because I never imagined I could be the
sort of person to run a marathon, I could not really believe that I had done
it.
Q. What was your worst running experience?
A. Never had a bad running experience, I love it. The people
you meet on the road are always so lovely. There is a brilliant camaraderie
that develops especially on a race.
Q. How do you push through the pain?
A. It is a mind game. You have to tell yourself this is my
brain trying to stop me and I am stronger than my silly brain.
Q. What is your favourite shoe to run in?
A. Nike
Q. What can you not run without?
A. A smile
Q. What advice can you give somebody who wants to start
running?
A. I started running around the Zoo Lake. I would run from
wino to wino and then walk . Eventually you find you can run the whole way
around the lake without stopping. That is a kilometre and then you can build
up. Go slowly but know that anyone who puts their mind to it can run.
Q. Which Social media sites are you on and how can one
follow you?
A. I am on twitter @aspasiakarras and Instagram @aspasia_karras
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