Holla, this post is going to be a bit different as it deviates from my usual theme, FOOD.
Well, at leats if I want to argue, this activity can be linked as a countermeasure of my food-involved activity right? We need some balance in a life revolves around food. So, why not run?
Lemme clarify that the ‘run’ that I’ talking about is not about running from the reality. It literally means ‘run’ 😉
Run baby, run!
Well, I need to explain first, that I’m not a hardcore runner. I run for fun, and I run in events. Normally, people run at least, once a week, right? We’re talking about counter measure, so do not make me as your role model, cause I ain’t a running-athlete.
This time around, I joined Jakarta Wine and Cheese Run 2016 (JWCR 2016) an annual event held by SUMMARECON, and this is the fourth general running event that I ever participated.
This event is always hold in conjunction with the Jakarta Food and Fashion Festival, and I personally love the overall event! Last year, I joined the 5K race (it means the running requires the distance of 5 kilometers) and that was my first run! For a first timer, I made a quite satisfying debut (at least, for my self!). I finished in 32 minutes-ish, and ranked 54th in the male category from 859 male runners. Overall, I was ranked 77th. #YeahImProudOfMyself 😆
After that debut (I love calling it a debut since it sounds like something a pop singer would say), I joined the the infamous Jakarta Marathon (finished in 1 hour 5 minutes-ish and ranked 374th in male category) and a 10K race in 2XU Compression Run (finished in 1 hour 3 minutes and ranked 100 in male category)!
This JWCR 2016 is my first running event. But next week in 2016. I will join another run, POCARI SWEAT Run 2016 for another 10K race and it’s tomorrow!
I’m quite pessimistic since my result for JWCR 2016 is simply horrible. I finished in 1 hour 11 minutes-ish and set a new horrible record for my own 10K history. It’s a decline!
But anyway, I feel obliged to share some tips, as for beginners (like me), there things to do and to avoid. I don’t know a lot, but I can try telling you based on my experience. The points below might help you in being comfortable in running!
Tips!
TO DO:
– You really have to start running at least once a week. The facility for running exists! Even Car Free Day is available every once a week in Sudirman area. No excuse for this point.
– Warm Up! Warming up is really a must. Sometimes, we tend to ignore this part since we might find it funny, hilarious (admit it?! some of the moves are really laughable) and not necessary, and I honestly did ignore it during my first run. The consequencies? Sore muscles and limp movement first thing in the morning.
– Pick your own comfort shoes. They play an important part in style. Kidding! Well, it’s really important to have comfortable shoes. Not everyone will have the same shoes. Why? People’s feet are shaped differently (due to many factors), and to find your right shoes, you can look it up on google. Or, the easy way? Go to your nearest footwear stores, and get ready to try each and every pair of shoes. Thick face might be needed for that. Oh, and it won’t hurt to visit these stores during promotion. Discount is important.
– Pick your own comfort clothing. Wearing a gown won’t be appropriate in case you do not know. Or tuxedo for that matters. In running, tight shirts and tight pants seem to be the right ones. Do pick the shirts that are properly ventilated, or lightly-insulated. Different weathers speak different clothing. Oh, don’t laugh if you see some people wear some sort of leggings. They’re not for show. They’re compression tights, and they have a very functional benefit, mostly in keeping your muscles warm while running. With the tights, you can prevent muscle strain and fatique, plus it can help wick away the sweat that might cause some chafing and rashes.
– During your run, always check your own posture. Be aware. The wrong posture will hurt your feet or spine or your whole body. It will slow you down too in the long run. Check here for more info: http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/perfect-running-form
– Watch your running pace. In a 10K run, it’s really important in knowing your own pace and control according to your heart rates, stamina, and breathing (in my case, 2 minute of slow running, and 2 kilometers of fast running, another 2 minutes of slow running, and another 2 kilometers of fast running, repeat) so you can make it to the finish line. The most common mistake is that people run real fast in the beginning of the race, then after 5 minutes, all the energy is drained drastically causing the runners extreme fatigue. And those people will definitely not make any great record for the moment. Learn more here: http://www.runnersworld.com/tag/pace
– Drink appropriately. During any event for any distance categories, drink stations are usually provided every 2 kilometers. Hydrate yourself well enough. Do not overdrink, it might cause you to feel bloated.
– Songs help. Listen to some songs to boost your spirit. Songs work to uplift your mood and mind-set, plus you can always follow the beat of the songs to guide you in keeping your pace. Some of the most recommended songs are Eye Of A Tiger by Survivor and Dog Days Are Over by Florence+The Machine. But please don’t put slow mellow songs to your list of songs, unless you plan to slow dance, or be in broadway. I won’t have a say in that.
– In case you decided to be serious and invested in running (and if you have money), you can buy supporting GPS watch that will help you in keeping records of your pace, timing and performance. It will show all the important statistic of your performance which will help you a lot in running. My cousin (who is very serious in running) trusts Garmin as his watch. Doesn’t mean you have to buy Garmin too. But watches like this usually cost you about USD 129,99 – 499,99. Always choose the right one for you, do not overspend for a watch with features you don’t need. If you want to show off, buy Rolex instead.
TO AVOID:
– Run too fast without keeping a good pace. It will drain you really badly and might cause you to experience extreme fatique. Being motivated is real good, but forcing yourself to pass even your limit in wrong timing will usually last in a bad manner.
– Bad posture. It will cause you an injury, and the very least, muscle strain.
– Eat a lot or drink too much before running. Obviously, you don’t want to keep on going to the restroom every ten minutes right?
– Wear sandals. Oh come on!
– Well, all the things to avoid are basically mention in all the things to do, just the opposite. So, I’ll save my energy writing all down.
That’s all! If you never run just because you’re feeling too sleepy and find it hard to wake up, for God’s sakes, start running now! It has plenty of benefits.
In case you’re clueless, here are the benefits that I actually felt.
1. Obviously, running helps you in your overall level of health! It will raise your level of good cholesterol and plus, it will increase your lung function! Those are the obvious ones right! For me, I found myself more healthy and less sick.
2. It can help you lose weight. I experience it myself, even for a non-regular runner like me, after joining the three events last year, I lost about 5 kilos. From my previous weight, 69 kilos to 64 kilos.
3. Running can make you think fast. For me, it helps me to be more productive the next day. It even helps me to concentrate better.
4. Sleep easy. By running regularly, you can actually sleep better. With the energy drained (properly), you will sleep easily. Just hope you won’t have a nightmare. 😉
5. Shoes war. Well, runners will always get to show off, like, “Hey, my pair of ASICS is limited addition, ya know?” or “Don’t look at my shoes because it’s too expensive to be looked at, it actually will fade the longer you look! You’re not worthy anyway”.
6. Selfie. Extra bonus, after finishing your race in time, we’re obliged to take a selfie right? Plus we can show the medal we can achieve and a big grin. Oh, I have braces, the big grin can always be replaced with a smirk.
Those benefits are what I experienced my self. But actually there are more that we can have in the long run.
Check for more here:
http://www.active.com/health/articles/10-reasons-running-is-good-for-you
Well, just happy running! 🙂
