Get to know…Jo Marshall / Ricky Coleman

For this weeks chosen club member we are have two for the price of one today. Surely one of the nicest couple’s I have ever met. It’s rare to find two people so suited at such a young age. They have a love of animals (some would say a house like Noah’s Ark) a love for adventure and a love for each other. Watching these two grow with their running since they joined Arena has been a pleasure to watch and there times prove that they are doing something right in their training sessions. Jo is a keen photographer and Ricky is just keen for everything. They are a pleasure to hang out with and two very gentle souls. Let’s find out what rocks their world.
Name: Jo Marshall and Ricky Coleman
1. When and why did you join Arena:
Jo & Ricky: September 2016, to up our game!
2. How long have you been running:
Jo: My first 10k was in 2013 but I didn’t run for a year after that because I was too traumatised.
Ricky:  My first Half Marathon was in 2009 (Hastings) but I’d say I’ve been running properly since 2015
3. Where did you grow up:
Jo: Kenilworth, a small town in the Midlands
Ricky:  Down the coast in Hastings
4. What do the last five words of the last text sent to you say:
Jo: ‘Can you get a pineapple? ‘ From Ricky for his signature pizza
Ricky: just having tea
5. What types of holidays do you prefer:
Jo: Active ones, preferably with a mountain or two in sight
Ricky: Road trips, hoping from hostel to hostel
6. Apart from running what else do you do with your free time:
Jo: Anything outdoors – hiking, camping, skiing, climbing, etc. I also really enjoy DIY!
Ricky: Definitely not watching Love Island. Er I love reading and I follow lots of different sports
7. What would your epitaph say:
Jo: eco-warrior
Ricky:  could argue with his own shadow
8. Tell us about something you would happily do again:
Jo: Do a road trip in the Canadian Rockies
Ricky: Go white water kayaking in the Alps, living off fresh bread and cheese for weeks
9. What makes you bored:
Jo: Politics
Ricky: When the football season ends
10. What would be the hardest thing for you to give up:
Jo: Sugar
Ricky: Peanut butter
11. What were you like a school:
Jo: An average Joe. Always came last at sports day.
Ricky: Bit of a joker with a short attention span
12. What is your one weakness:
Jo:  Funny cat videos
Ricky: I have to have the last word
13. Who was you first celebrity crush pop star and film star:
Jo: Zac Efron
Ricky: Tom Hardy
14. What are the three most used apps on your phone: 
Jo: BBC news, Strava, Facebook
Ricky: Facebook, Whatsapp and the Guardian
15. Tell us something we don’t know about you
Jo: I used to ring church bells. I only gave up so I could run more.
Ricky: I was once arrested and detained in Singapore for a short time when travelling
16. Who is your sporting hero:
Jo: Ricky – he is good at everything!
Ricky:  Bradley Wiggins, he just oozes class and has achieved lots across so many different bike racing disciplines (sorry Jo!)
17. What one thing do you like to do the most:
Jo: Make a good spreadsheet
Ricky: Win a sprint finish at parkrun (although it’s definitely not a race)
18. What’s the best thing about living in Brighton:
Jo: The south downs on our doorstep!
Ricky: Being smug about it to anyone that doesn’t live here…
19. What was the best thing about 2016 for you:
Jo: Buying a flat so we could get our guinea pigs!
Ricky: Qualifying as a solicitor
20. What are you most looking forward to in 2017:
Jo: My holidays – Croatia and India
Ricky: Seeing Royal Blood at the Brighton Centre
Our biggest thanks to Jo & Ricky for their Q&A’s this week and we hope that you feel that you have now got to know them a little better. Check back next Wednesday for another set of Q&A’s with our chosen club member.