Running for a rockin' body
I am not a natural runner; I don’t look like a gazelle when I run like the Kenyans or the Ethiopians do, balletic and elegant with every stride. I am neither a diehard, hardcore runner who wakes up at the crack of dawn like clockwork with eyes wide open, ready to conquer the road with their feet. I am not a philanthropist, either; I don’t run for pledges or donations, a cause or a charity, although I have joined races that have helped save and preserve the Dolphins of Palawan and Tubbataha Reef and raised funds for Habitat for Humanity. I was not “dared” to run by friends, nor did I catch “running fever” as it became popular in Manila.
I started running mainly to find an inexpensive way to exercise while traveling overseas. Since I exercise six times a week, I had to find a practical and inexpensive alternative to a gym workout, because it became increasingly expensive to go to the gym in Tokyo even without having to pay a membership fee.
A couple of years back, I found a gym where I could go and use the facilities as a guest and stay as many hours as I liked. The gym sold guest passes by the booklet at a reasonable rate, but then they discontinued that and started charging 1,500 yen (about P750 at today’s exchange rate) per visit. Overtime they continued to increase the fees and after a quick mental calculation, I realized that I would spend about P10, 000 (subway tickets included) if I went to the gym four times a week! I considered my options and told myself there was no way I would spend that ridiculous amount of money to exercise. So I threw all my hesitations about running out the window and became what you would call a reluctant, accidental runner. I had a slow, difficult and frustrating start, but three years after I first hit the road for a run, it has now become an integral part of my workout anywhere I go.
Have Road, Will Run
These days, when you find yourself in Fort Bonifacio on any given Sunday morning, chances are you will see many streets closed off for a race. You will notice throngs of people, nervous and excited at the same time, oblivious to the heat and the noise, navigating the potholes on the road, taking sips of water or energy drinks and trying to keep track of their pace with one goal in mind: reaching the finish line!
I am one of those people who on occasion will make an exception to wake up at 4 a.m. (yikes!), brave the heat and noise pollution, bear the pounding of the unforgiving concrete on my knees, all for the sake of fitness. I will not pretend and say I absolutely love running, even though there are days when I enjoy traversing the quiet and empty roads with just my music and my thoughts to keep me company. I will neither say I get a high from the adrenaline rush most runners claim to experience, but I will attest to the value of running as a way to lose weight and stay fit.
The thing I love most about running, aside from the fact that it is free (well, almost), is that running is an activity that does not discriminate; it is open to men and women, young and old, rich or poor, of all shapes and sizes. I was 43 years old when I began running and my age didn’t prove to be a hindrance. I have seen women older than me take part in several races, run longer distances and make it look like it was a walk in the park! Of course, it helped that I was already in good physical shape when I started running, but the rigors of the sport proved to be very different from what I had been accustomed to. It didn’t matter that I could do more than an hour of Bikram yoga nonstop or spin class or play tennis like my life depended on it. The demands of running on the body were nothing I had ever experienced before. But preparing yourself mentally and physically and following several practical tips can actually make running a practical and easy way towards achieving a healthy, fit body. Here are some things I personally found very useful in staying injury-free while running:
• Wear the right kind of shoes. Just like there are shoes for basketball, soccer or tennis, there are shoes made specifically for running. They need not be very expensive; they just have to fit properly. There are several local sports stores where you can get fitted with the use of a machine for the right kind of running shoes; check those out and ask for additional information on how to take care of them and when to replace them. I used to wear normal running shoes, but when I got fitted properly at an Asics store in Tokyo, I was told that I had narrow feet; the store staff advised me to wear narrow shoes for a more comfortable and effective stride and to lessen the chance of a foot injury. I immediately noticed the difference with the narrow shoes; my feet felt more stable and I was able to run faster.
• Wear comfortable clothes. You don’t have to be in the latest, most high-tech and expensive running gear, but wear clothes that will allow you to breathe comfortably and properly. Your pants or shorts must not be too tight to hamper your stride, but tight enough in the right places (like the hamstring area) to support your legs. Some people like to wear long pants and sleeved shirts; I personally like to wear shorts and sleeveless shirts because they feel light and do not constrain my movements.
• Get informed. If you can’t find a running buddy or a group to join and teach you basic running techniques, research on the Internet about stretching and the right form, breathing and hydrating, among other things. There are several sports shops at the Fort that hold free running clinics, so it might be a good idea to join one since they are conducted by professional runners. I always stretch before and after I exercise, particularly when I run, because it loosens the muscles and relaxes the body, which helps prevent injury. I also like to carry a bottle of an isotonic drink or water while I run to avoid cramps, heatstroke and dehydration. Some people like to run with caps and sunglasses on for sun protection but I don’t; the less stuff I have on me, the less distraction. Some people like to have water bottles on a belt strapped around their waist but I prefer to just carry the bottle in my hand and throw it when I’m done.
• Start slow. Set realistic goals for yourself; don’t expect to do a 10-km. race immediately after you begin running. Go at your own pace even if it takes you 10 minutes or longer to finish a kilometer; the important thing is to keep the body moving and the heartbeat steady. You can increase the distance or improve your speed after several weeks of consistent running; by then your endurance/stamina would have improved. When I ran a 5K the first time, I finished with a time of 37 minutes. At that time, 5K seemed like an eternity but now, I run a minimum of 10K on the treadmill twice a week.
• Listen to your body. There are days when we feel more energetic than others, so it is prudent to run only when you’ve had a restful sleep, feel perfectly healthy and when you don’t feel any discomfort or pain. Remember that it is more difficult and time-consuming to recover from an illness or injury after forcing yourself to run rather than resting a day or two when your body is telling you to do so. I remember running a 10K race when I was already feeling weak and with a sore throat the night before. My fever broke while I was running, my throat became inflamed, I found myself stopping every hundred meters from shortness of breath and fatigue and I ended up taking antibiotics for several days. What’s worse, I had to take a break from exercise for a full week!
• Train for long runs. There is a science to running long-distance. If you cannot afford to hire a trainer (which most of us can’t!), ask other veteran runners for tips. Better yet, go online and search for training programs specific to the distance you’re going for. But don’t get overzealous and do a bit more than the program requires, especially when you’re feeling stronger and want to push your body. That’s when injury happens. Don’t do more and don’t do less. Once you find a program, commit to it because proper training will determine your performance and time.
There Is No Better Time Than Now
The biggest obstacle for anyone attempting to do something for the first time, whether it’s a diet, quitting a bad habit or exercise, is when and how to start. We all find excuses to procrastinate and often use the adage “you can’t teach old dogs new tricks,” but that is far from the truth. Listen up, ladies, we’re in great company and there is no better time than now to try running!
Look at Valerie Bertinelli, former TV sitcom darling and current spokesperson for Jenny Craig; she ran and finished the Boston Marathon in 2009, four days before turning 50. After losing weight with the Jenny Craig diet program, she complemented her diet and exercise regimen with running. She began in January of 2009, ran a half marathon in July and trained seriously for four months to join the Boston Marathon. In an interview she remarked that when she hit the 19-mile mark in the race, she turned to her boyfriend/trainer and said, “Okay, dude, this is uncharted territory, let’s go for it.” She did what she set out to do and completed the race with a time of 5:14; she has since made a commitment to run the Boston Marathon in 2010.
Then there’s Jennifer Lopez, who participated in the 2008 Nautica Malibu Triathlon, seven months after she gave birth to her twins, a few months shy of 40. She clocked in at 2:23:28, raising US$127,000 for the LA Children’s Hospital. Nautica Malibu is much shorter than the Ironman distance with its half-mile swim leg, 18-mile bike, and 4-mile run. She told reporters that she liked the running part of the triathlon the least but was very happy to have finished the race and raised a large sum of money.
In 2009, 45-year-old Teri Hatcher registered for the same triathlon, finishing with a time of 2:06:50. Her goal, apart from raising funds, was “not to walk on the run,” she told media in an interview. She added, “I didn’t sleep at all the night before … anxiety that mixed the feelings of waiting for Christmas morning with having just seen The Exorcist was what I felt prior to the race.”
Countless other celebrities run in their personal time, alone or sometimes with a trainer. In the Philippines I count celebrities like Maricel Laxa, Isa Calzado and Tessa Prieto-Valdes as avid, serious runners.
Three years into the sport, I am now proud to say that I have run three half marathons, or 21K races. I still don’t like waking up at an ungodly hour, so I run 10K minimum on the treadmill in the gym at least twice a week. I sometimes still struggle to hit the road or get on the treadmill, but I remind myself of the payoff.
I still run for my own personal pleasure (and pain), albeit with some reluctance, but I’m training my sights on Kawaguchi, a small, sleepy and beautiful town outside Tokyo, which comes alive every November for the Lake Kawaguchi Marathon. I have no grand illusions of running the full marathon (42K) yet, but a 27K run in a festive, friendly atmosphere, in cool weather amid majestic trees with autumn-colored leaves, the calm waters of the zigzagging lake and snow-capped Mt. Fuji as the backdrop, seems within reasonable reach. A stride at a time, that’s what I say.
