JOE talks to parkour crew 3RUN about fitness, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, and being chased by dogs

The original Mirror's Edge was a bold, effortlessly stylish and thoroughly unique first-person parkour action video game that garnered a loyal cult following.

Last week saw the highly anticipated release of its sequel, Mirror's Edge Catalyst. Once again players slide into the shoes of the game's heroine, Faith, a self-assured Runner thrown into a struggle against the oppressive Conglomerate in the city of Glass. Catalyst progresses the series by allowing Faith to run free in an open-world environment, and yet again it is in the running mechanic that this game really excels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6raTZY6JzQE Parkour involves treating the world as an obstacle course. It's about vaulting, climbing and leaping to gain momentum and keeping an almost zen-like flow to your movement. Nobody understands this more than 3RUN, a world leading professional parkour and free running team who have travelled the world, broken records and made numerous TV and film appearances that show off their awesome athleticism. It makes sense, then, that alongside heptathlete and Rio 2016 hopeful Katarina Johnson-Thompson, 3RUN were front and center of the launch campaign for Mirror's Edge Catalyst. Those who tweeted the @3Run_official Twitter handle with the hashtag #MirrorsEdgeCatalyst had their copies personally delivered by a free runner in the team: a parkourier service, you might say, which is infinitely cooler than a nondescript white van that turns up two hours late. https://twitter.com/3run_official/status/740974320797749249 JOE asked them about their opinion on the game and how effectively it manages to simulate the art of free running. We also quizzed the team's founder Chase Armitage on exactly what draws him to his chosen discipline. JOE: Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is arguably the best implementation of parkour in a video game to date. What do you think of the free running in the new game and how close does it get to nailing what you guys do? Chase: The free running movement system in Mirror's Edge Catalyst is spot on. As parkour artists, one of our challenges is deciding how we're going to tackle an area or obstacle. The game throws you into the same situation as you have to choose the path you take, affecting your next few steps moving forward. You can jump, climb and even slide your way around. The first person experience brings you even closer to the movement and you really feel like you've become a free runner... Just don't fall off the edge! https://www.instagram.com/p/BGbWrmPMR_S/?taken-by=team3run&hl=en JOE: You did a parkour delivery service to celebrate launch day. Surely there’s something in that? Maybe Free Runners could be a more fitness-conscious version of postmen?  Chase: Postman at day, free runner at night? It could work, we're trying it out in London, but who knows, it could sweep the nation! Our fitness levels are great and ideal for running these deliveries but I think we'd have to stick to envelopes and small packages. We'll let the couriers handle the big stuff. https://twitter.com/JaminEatWorld/status/740933836431888384

JOE: Do you integrate Free Running within daily life? Does it help on your commute, for example?

Chase: There have been occasions when I have been running late for trains and had to run and jump a few fences to get there on time. I have also helped out a couple of friends who locked themselves out of their second story flat before, yeah. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGkAcR1qJYN/?taken-by=chase_armitage&hl=en

JOE: What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done Free Running?

Chase: It's a throw up between jumping a 15-story building gap, dropping down two stories and getting chased by doberman dogs around a shipping yard for a shoot in Ukraine...

JOE: They all sound equally terrifying. What about the best experience you’ve had with Free Running?

Chase: I think it would have to be traveling to Cambodia and taking Parkour back to its roots, filming a video with three of my team mates and best friends in the jungle. It felt incredible moving in and around ancient temples and among vine trees with monkeys all around us.

JOE: How did you all get into Free Running? Did you drift into it from other extreme sports, martial arts or gymnastics, or was it totally independent from those things?

Chase: Jackie Chan's movies gave me the idea over 15 years ago so i just went out and learnt to jump, flip and climb over anything I could. Shortly after, my brother and good friend joined in the practice that had no name, and we then formed the 3RUN team.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGOe4dCqJdv/?taken-by=chase_armitage&hl=en

JOE: Describe your typical week in terms of training? How much time is spent Free Running, and how else do you like to keep fit?

Chase: I try to fill every day with training, although I prefer to call it 'fun' as it's my passion. I will train parkour 4/5 days a week outside, complemented with training in our indoor custom built gym the 3RUN Academy. I also train by doing rock climbing for upper body strength, and I try to ride my bike everywhere for leg strength (and for the environment!). To top it all off, I spend three days a week in the weights gym and do yoga twice a week for flexibility. My training secret is meditation, I try to meditate for 30/40 minutes every day to help with visualisation, focus and inner peace. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDRaa0oKJQ6/?taken-by=chase_armitage&hl=en

JOE: How do you warm-up?

Chase: Warm-ups for me start in the mind, so I will start with some exercises such as balancing on a rail, as it warms up muscles slowly, whilst syncing with the mind. It's great to get the heart rate up, pump the blood and life force energy by jogging, skipping running etc. We also like to play gentle capoeira games with each other to get into the zone.

JOE: What about diet? Do you prioritise certain foods when training?

Chase: 90% of our team and many other free runners I know are vegans. I have been vegan for 3 years now and continue to see and feel the benefits on my training,

I'm 30 years young now and still progress and push my physical limits with more energy and less injuries or fatigue. For me, it's the most efficient, clean and easy process, meaning I lose less energy on the conversion of food to energy. I am a super food junkie!

JOE: We’ve got the Olympics coming up this summer. Would you like to see Free Running recognised as an Olympic sport one day, or is it too much about self-expression to be bound by rules and regulations?

Chase: It's a tough one as the old me would have stood by keeping it non-competitive and just for self-expression and personal development. I like that the only person I really compete with is myself.

But the more I think about it, the more I think it could be cool to see it in the Olympics. I just hope that if it does, it keeps the spirit, philosophy and purity I have known since I began on this journey.

JOE: What is the best way to get involved in Parkour and Free Running? 

Chase: Get started in one of the many Parkour and Free Running gyms popping up all over the country. I would welcome anyone into our 3RUN Academy to get them started in a safe and fun environment. If they don't have access to a gym, or the funds, I would suggest going on our YouTube channel and watching all of our free training tutorials.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFCm9RYKJQP/?taken-by=chase_armitage&hl=en

JOE: What is it that makes you passionate about the performing that you do? 

Chase: I have always taken so much positivity from parkour and free running - it changed my life in a million ways for the better. It gave me focus, dedication, faith in myself and took me around the world - so I like to see others get into this awesome discipline and start their own journey. I also love shooting and producing my own inspirational videos to get people motivated and show them anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

3Run provided a 'parkour delivery service' for the launch of Mirror's Edge Catalyst, bringing to life the fluid movement of the game. The parkour athletes took to the streets of London  to deliver copies of the game to fans whilst carrying out flips and tricks. Mirror's Edge Catalyst is out now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Origin for PC

Images courtesy of 3RUN and Chase Armitage/Instagram