Approaching Running...

Singapore is haven for runners.  We have safe, well lit and paved streets that are fantastic to run in the cool of evenings and early mornings.  And then, we have park connectors that aims to link up all the parks on our little island.  Save a few rainy months, we enjoy fair weather all year round.  We have a road race almost weekly and we arrive in droves for most of them.

While the generally warm weather and safe environment does encourage running, most of my peers run to pass their IPPT.  Pay a little more attention to the runners around and you will find many soaked in their world of anguish pain.

It begs the question.. why do we run?

A large number of runners just want to pass their IPPT.  These runners are easy to pick out as they slog on in their world with whatever relief from their iPods.  I know because I was one of them.   I too was forced into running with the impossible target of completing 2.4km within 13 minutes and after consecutive years of failing to make the mark, I hated running.

I wrote about Gearheads previously and how I was involved in several activities where gearheads are predominant trait.  Blame it on the commercials and the marketing departments of the various brands.  Each new version of whatever product revolutionalise the oomph from the previous version.  Of course, it costs us some moolah to stay ahead of that revolutionary performance.

Or perhaps it was our own ego to mimic the performance of those who excel in such activities without the commitment of similar investment in training.  That latest running shoe or racket or (fill in any latest product) might just be that silver bullet in our quest for better performance.  As much as I hated running, my need to pass the torture test drove me towards the best (aka most expensive) running shoes.  As expected, the expensive experiment ended in disappointment when any improvement from such material investments, if any, are marginal at best.

To boot, it is about aiming to enjoy the run.  A serious runner friend commented that I exhibited decent discipline about my running.  But discipline is the least of my attribute.  In a skewed way, I am hedonistic.   If I enjoy myself when I run, I will do it.  In fact, I feel disappointed if I do not get to run for whatever reason and will start craving for it.   Discipline will be keeping myself from what I enjoy doing -- running. BMW's new slogan comes to mind. "We make Joy" is certainly more relevant to me than Nike's "Just do it".

Keeping with finding enjoyment is the issue of pain and the masochistic runner.  There are runners who find enjoyment in achieving new target distances and time.  I am adverse to pain and I detest suffering.   So far it was never about endurance for me.   However, it is not that I do not like seeing improvements in my distance or timing.  So distance and timing improves as a result of better running technique rather than improved endurance.  In other words, how far and fast can I run without pain?  How much more efficient is my running form now that will allow me to run further and faster?

Obviously then, I do not set any target distance (much less speed) for my runs.   I go running with a vague idea of a route but also build in several decision points that allows me to change my mind on distance depending on how I feel.  That vies me the option to adjust my running distance according to how I feel.  Interestingly, I have extended more runs than I have shortened. Most of the shortened runs were result of going out too hard and the lengthened runs are those I enjoy the most.

I am at a crossroad right now.  I am staring right now at a training programme that involves intervals and hard runs.  But if I want to improve and ultimately enjoy running more, I am convinced that I need to do it.  My running has stagnated for the last half a year without much improvement in either distance nor speed.  I am also staring at possible core strengthening exercises -- something I have left behind in preference for longer distance runs on gym day.  At the moment, I will probably take it slow instead of hitting it too hard like what I did back in June.  I hated June.  It literally caused me to stop running and was more disruptive than constructive.  Yet, there need to be a balance between my hedonistic running mode with the slightly more performance oriented mode.

Intervals and track... I still hate both but I will give it my shot in the coming monday.  Lets see if I actually have any discipline to keep at it.