PB INTERVIEWS #6 JAY SMITH FROM PARIS RUN CLUB
Hot off the heels of our interview with Charlie Dark from Run Dem, we sat down with one of the BTG movement’s biggest and most recognizable characters…Jay Smith, leader of Paris Run Club to find out how PRC started and how he reallllllly feels about running…
Who are you?
I’m Jay Smith co founder of BLACKRAINBOW and captain of Paris Run Club .
How did you get into running, what keeps you at it?
I still hate running. Running sucks, for real. But those guyz, this crew and this unique energy well I cant live without it.
So, how did Paris Run Club start?
PARIS RUNNING CLUB (PRC) was founded in 2008 for the Human Race in Paris. NIKE did ask me to create a group of non runners and influencers, able at the end of the season to run a 10k… The idea was to bring total non runners and total beginners, in the worst shape ever, to make them run 10k.
Since then I’m the chief supreme and main dictator of this whole running mascarade. The unique thing about our club is that we are empowered by french manager of the olympic track and field team RENAUD LONGUEVRE which is giving a crazy athletic flavor to our street dna.
PRC must mean a lot to you personally, to see it grow like that…how do you sum that experience up?
Energy
Smiles
Fire
Bombaclot
Paris is a very unique, beautiful city, how do you make the most of the city?
Each week there is always somebody, and its often me, who said we are so lucky to run here. Paris is just breath taking when u run around it. The sunset, the building, the women, the architecture … everything is great. And we are lucky to have one of our members , Clemence (@ursularaton), who is able to create perfect crazy beautiful running maps. She rocks!
You’re known for your own personal creativity. How do you use this in your running?
Ahaha to kick creatively those lazy asses.
We always ask this, but what is the best thing that starting up PRC has brought to you?
Learn about myself.
Learn about nutrition.
Learn about body and muscles.
Learn about boundaries and pain.
Learn about friendship and solidarity.
And the worst/most challenging?
To keep that energy. To keep that everybody leave with a smile.
We have now so many different kind of runners its hard to please everybody.
Street running/culture seems to be going through a key time over the last 12 months, What do you think is the most interesting thing happening in the global street running culture right now?
Us. Our street running crew who gave a new breath to running culture. We are the present and the future of running. We totally remix it to create our own flavor.
Global crew love.
Fun.
Sweat.
Party.
We notice more and more street runners are experimenting with trail running, ultras and other sports too. What’s your view on this trend – you yourself seem to have a passion for multiple sports?
I’m a basketball player.
I’ve just done my second triathlon last week in Lausanne.
It’s not only about running.
With that in mind, what are your personal running goals for 2015?
Maybe go under 40min for the 10k and blast my pb for triathlon…
Finally….what’s your favourite running related product or item?
Well its really hard to choose but I would say my Paris Run Club dri-fit tye and dye custom tee :P
Check out the rest of the ‘PB Interviews’ series here for some global CREW LOVE….
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