“Running, what so special about it?”

Let’s talk about running. As we know, running has different meanings to each individual. People may think about cardio, or “zong” time when you do it in a longer distance, or a reflection time, or a rejuvenation to clear our head, or a way to start and/or to end the day, or they just simply love it, or others. Whether you’re an early riser or not, running can be squeezed in your crazy daily routine. Nowadays, people love to run and we have to admit it. Well, not literally all people but it has grown pretty much (please raise your hand if you agree with me). I always like to read motivation stories about sports when people did it for the first time and the reason why they stick to it for a quite long time. In this post, I will tell you a glimpse of my journey and my love for running. For me, running has several meanings and it has a place in my life milestone. So bear with me, I will tell you my own experience and I can say, it means way deeper than I thought.

Back in 2011

It was really my turning point in life. At the age of 20, I was becoming more interested with living a healthy lifestyle (not that I had no health awareness before, I always had it because my mum is pretty much a health freak so I have been living with it since I was still in her womb), devoting myself more to sports and becoming a lacto-ovo-vegetarian (so I was a vegan but I also ate dairy products and eggs). I started to work out every single day at the gym, took sessions with a personal trainer and did a strict diet (no fried foods, no meat, less sugar and sodium, plenty of water). Don’t get me wrong, I loved doing that crazy routine. I enjoyed it with all my heart. My personal trainer told me I need to work on a balance workout which consists of strength training, cardio and stretching like doing yoga. I did what he asked me to do and that was the beginning of my running journey. I started to do 5-10km run on a treadmill and grew some love. I really enjoyed it! I have never thought that I would think of running back in high school because I pretty much devoted myself on basketball which also requires running but you know it is not exactly like that. Also, they kind of give sort of different satisfaction by doing so. Due to my curiosity, I started to challenge myself and ran outside the gym. Thinking about what would it feel to be running outside when you can feel the air moving and the wind blowing through your skin, see and hear your surroundings (maybe the sound of the vehicles, bird chirping, movement of the trees due to wind blows, or even your own steps), and smell the fresh air if you run in the morning. However, the fear of danger has caught me on guard all the time, especially being a resident in this metropolitan city (Jakarta). It kept me in my own shell growing up and still is. Thus, deciding to enjoy running outside was quite a challenge for me.

So, I started to run at my university running track whenever I could. It’s a pretty decent running track and I simply loved it. A lot of people say running at a running track is extremely boring but not for me at that time because I could kill my time there and run until I was exhausted. Even there was a professor from my uni who came there regularly asked me, “How many laps will you do it today?” I just smiled and replied, “Until I am pretty tired to move my legs and out of breath.” I didn’t really count how many laps because that could give me a psychological effect in my head. Counting laps doesn’t work well on me, seriously. I like it when it has a little bit of freedom and little boundaries yet still listen to my body.

Talking about listening to the music while running, I used to constantly doing it and still do it sometimes up until now. I listen to the music when I run on a treadmill or when I run alone outside on a short distance. It helps me a lot with my cadence control and keeps me accompanied. Basically, my running mixtape is a mixture of diverse genres as long as it has an upbeat tune. My all time favourite songs are: Get Together by Tim Myers ft. Serengeti, Run Run by The Rival; and Mr Brightside by The Killers –> who doesn’t love this band!? But as the time goes by, I started to leave that habit little by little and enjoy my surroundings. I would say listening to the music while running is not a false/right thing to do; it is not a rule because every individual has different preferences. I don’t really miss it when I have good surroundings or running buddies with me.

Talking about running buddy, my first running buddy was my boyfriend, Adrian, back in 2011 when we were reunited after 9 years lost contact and weren’t on a relationship. Actually, this is one of those factors that makes running so special for me. Adrian made me fall deeper into the art of running. He was an avid runner unlike me. 5 km finisher, 10 km finisher, Half-Marathon finisher, Full Marathon finisher, you name it. He kept those all in his pocket by the time we met again. I was amased by his accomplishments (“What on earth have you been doing!? Are you crazy or what?” that’s what I had in my head at that time) and it actually inspired me to do more and raise the bar higher. He motivated me to enrol for a 10 km race, which happened to be my first running race (Adidas KOTR 2011). Adrian and I have quite an opposite personality. He always like challenges up front and he welcomes those things with open arms, while, I am on the other side of it always think and analyse the situation until I feel safe and secured then I will make a decision. If we are both kids, our first day of school will be:

1. Adrian: he will definitely be a social butterfly and try to be really active. Engaging more to the class interaction. Basically he’s really excited to start his first day of school.
2. Karina: I will be sitting slightly at the corner of the class, analysing the situation and then make friends after I am ready to do it. Trying to engage with the class interaction but somehow a bit reluctant. I will be excited but also really nervous on my first day of school.

I didn’t even think I would do well on my first race, I was so nervous. (I may laugh now because it really sounds ridiculous. It was only 10 km, Karina!). To break my nervousness, Adrian assured me before the race (he accompanied me on that race), “You can do it, just enjoy this race and do your best. Don’t even think about giving up! I will run along the way by your side.” I was out of my breath when I sprint towards the finish line and I was fully concentrate to just push through it. We both finish at the same time hand in hand and for the first time in my life, I have felt so alive and happy. The joy, satisfaction and happiness poured within myself and from then I know that this will be a part of me for quite a long time.

Our first race together (Adidas KOTR 10KM Race 2011)

Have you ever heard about, “Running is a simple sport” or “Running is an inexpensive sport”? I used to think that way like we only need a pair of running shoes, a short, and a top. Pretty cliché for a beginner, isn’t it? Good thing that I had Adrian to share his knowledge about running. Turns out, it is not that simple! First, you need to take care of your apparels. I am not saying you need to buy the most expensive and cool apparels. Hell no people, it is not a fashion show. What I am trying to say is you need to buy the most suitable apparels for your own needs. For example, the most crucial part of running is your running shoes because you kind of count mainly on your legs to do it. You need to have a knowledge about your stride, pronation, and biomechanics of running so that you can find a proper pair of shoes with certain technology offered that you may need. I am a heel striker and mild overpronation on my right foot but normal on my left, so with that situation my shoes soles tend to wiped out at the outer part of my heel. What is the difference between normal and overpronation? On normal pronation, the outer side of the heel makes initial contact with the ground then the foot rolls inward by fifteen percent, in complete contact with the ground, then push off with the front part of the foot. The forces are distributed evenly through the foot surface. Slightly different with the normal, overpronation causes our foot to roll inward more than fifteen percent and the shock is not absorbed evenly, which a good stabilisation is needed to help our foot and ankle. Overpronation can be mild or extreme. In my case, I usually buy a mild stability shoes or a neutral shoes. I just need a mild support because too less or much support on my shoes will cause pain on my arc. The thick sole shoes and barefoot shoes are definitely not for me. Choosing the correct shoes is not like buying a pencil when you can just grab one and pay for it without even thinking. You need to do some research and read reviews or even try them on yourself. Every individual has specific needs, so don’t just buy it because of someone’s recommendation or how good the brand is. I also considered my running mileage before purchasing running shoes. As you can see on the picture above, I used a Nike Lunarglide+ 3. I completely satisfied with this pair of shoes. Even though my knowledge was still scarce, I made a right choice with the consideration of my mileage. I have not ran more than a 10 km at that time so there should not be any problem.

On 2012, I was really busy doing my final thesis or research in completion of my undergrad so I need to put more concern on my academic priority and slightly abandoned my running routine. After I done it, I continued my routine and ran more and more than I used to. Adrian told me, it was time for me to buy a new pair of shoes. I followed his suggestion and started looking on numerous reviews. My first pick was Brooks Trance 12. I felt a bit uncomfortable at the first time trying it but it ended up being used for a lot of races from 5 km to Full Marathon. Thank you, Brooks! Little did I know, running shoes also have a shelf life, which is being worn for 750 km. I tried a slightly minimalist shoes (Brooks PureCadence) and it did not suit me. I ended up using it for training at the gym. People say if you are looking for a good pair of running shoes, try Asics, pricey but super comfy. I tried it and yes, they don’t lie. I have been using Asics GT-2000 up until now. I feel more comfortable with it in overall likeness. I would say, we cannot really compare brands regarding the uniqueness of each products. I use my Asics for a longer distance course and for the shorter one (5 to 15 km) I use my Nike Free Run 5.0 and Nike Dual Fusion (I am a Nike freak, so please bear with me. LOL).

Okay, enough about the shoes. Let me continue my story.

Adidas KOTR 2012

I did my second race with Adrian on September 2012 (Adidas KOTR 10 km Race 2012). My 10K race result was not improved since the lack of training but at the end, it was only the matter of accomplishing another race and finishing it with a pure of joy. At the end of the year, I promised myself to run more and take this more seriously. I could not help myself because I just simply love it.

On 2013, I felt like I was getting bored with my one and only running buddy, Adrian. (I am just joking, boo.haha). But really, I thought there were supposed to be a lot more people who like to run. I found out there was this running community called Indo Runners Tangerang (now: Tangerang Crazy Runners or TCR) and we showed up for the first time to join them. There are lots of benefits I could get from joining this group and I hope I have been giving more and more contribution to this community too. They have been like my second family and I love spending time with them. What else could I ask for more? A bunch of people with the same hobby and willingness to learn and move forward together. We often talk about the running shoes, biomechanics of running, races, everything about this thing we love. Why would we name ourselves as Crazy Runners? Because yes, we were (and are still) crazy. We made our own Half Marathon and Marathon routes, did crazy challenges on most km in a period of time, running all day long (morning or night time, bring it on!), nothing could stop us from doing it and not even being injured and a lot more crazy things which cannot be described one by one. Well good thing, we also learned about injury prevention and treatments. Sometimes, we have the same conversation over and over again like, “What is it exactly that we are trying to get or find by doing this crazy thing?” and it always brings us to a huge grin and laugh because we don’t really know the answer. All of them keep inspiring me. From the oldest and most respectable member who we called as TCR 1, TCR 2, Kepsek (The Principal), Portugal, Mimin, to the newbies, they all are simply awesome. We also have this kind of birthday celebration tradition every time someone is having a birthday, this person will run according to his/her age. Please keep that in mind for those who read this. Haha. Despite of being too crazy, I owe this group a lot. Thank you, guys!

Photo courtesy of Garmin Indonesia

My second family, Tangerang Crazy Runners

We had so much fun with lots of sweet memories and definitely more to come. There are a lot more pictures that we have but it will be endless if I uploaded all in this post. Sorry for those who are not included on these pictures.

So far I have done several running race categories, such as 1 Mile, 5K, 10K, and Full Marathon races (I have to do a Half Marathon race one day and make it official). Am I a short distance or a long distance runner? This is a very good question which I hardly can answer. Both has different meanings for me. I always keep this in mind, every races that I have done or I will do in the future are meant to be an improvement from the previous one whether from the timing result, longer distance, or just to finish another race and proof myself that things are possible with a determination (guts) and preparation (training).

“Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it” – Oprah Winfrey

I see a short distance course as a speedy test and I tend to push myself to get a better timing result, to improve myself and push through the boundaries. On the other hand, I see a long distance course as a battle within the mind and physical endurance test. For an endurance course, I personally don’t really seek for a great timing result and if it happens to be improved then I will see it as a bonus. It is so much easier for me to push aside my negative thought to stop, to slow down or to feel more tired in a short distance course because:

1. I have to endure the pain or thought in my head in a shorter period of time or less psychological matter. Adrian once told me this quote that I always use every time I am in a race or even in daily life, “Just a little bit more.”
2. I love to run faster because time is my temporary success measurement.

I found the joy of running more on the short distance course because I don’t really have to deal with the soreness or injuries which I usually prone to every time I do a longer distance run. But don’t get me wrong, I also enjoy the art of doing half and full marathon courses (but no ultra marathon), why?

1. It gives me the idea of really pushing through my limit. Running a marathon is more painful in terms of physically and psychologically. Nobody ever doubt it. All the training plan or commitments are no joke and to be able to finish this kind of race is such a huge accomplishment. We have to admit that not all people can or even willing to do it. A very good side of this, it gives me a grant satisfaction and it is a real deal.
2. While running a short distance course, you don’t get to see clearly enough about your surroundings. Well, you don’t actually have time to do it. You put your head on the track and on your full speed just to get it done as fast as you can. On the other hand, you really have plenty of time to do this while running a longer distance. From my experience, I have come to learn there are so many things I can do. Self reflection, embracing the nature, people and the greatness of God. I guess, that is pretty much what I do. I talk to myself during those 42 km. It is like I am absorbing more during this type of run and still in a good state of mind.

Why do I say no to an ultra marathon?

1. It hurts a lot.
2. I don’t think there is any joy left for me during running this course. Period. Not even debatable.

Sometimes, I wonder why Asian people generally run slower than other races (generally, but not all Asian are slower). I want to break this wall. I don’t really have an intention on competing with other people. I just want to proof myself that I can do better like them or let’s say that achievement is my short term benchmark. Being better than them is a second priority.

Let me tell you my first marathon story at Bali (BII-Maybank Bali Marathon 2013). I enrolled for this race at around December 2012 and January 2013 with the whole support from Adrian. I started my training plan in accordance to Hal Higdon’s recommendation (Hal Higdon is one of the editors for Runner’s World magazine) which was really good (highly recommended!). During 5-6 months preparation, it went up and down. Good things, it gave me idea on what to do on a weekly basis and I learn that there are different kinds of training such as tempo run, interval run, fartlek run, and endurance run. The downfall was I didn’t really run in accordance to the training plan because I also did several running challenges and unplanned running routines. My left leg was pretty injured, centralised on the lateral part of my knee as the major issue. I went to a podiatrist and she told me that my leg muscles are not really suitable for a runner. Something was odd, seems like my left leg quads didn’t grow well. The size difference on my left and right quads was well noticed that I had never thought about it before. She also insisted me to take a rest for a month and avoid running during the recovery period. Knowing that, I was really upset and anxious because it was getting closer to the marathon race. I didn’t dare to stop training. At that time, I only allowed to do a less intensity training which I did and recovered slowly. She also applied me a KT Tape all the way from my IT band to my calf. Desperation time, really!

Move forward prior to the race, I was pretty well prepared I guess. One day before the race day, I went to the race pack collection venue where there were lots of sponsor stalls. One of them was a well known gym in Bali and they offer a biomechanics analysis. I tried it and was told that my hand, chest and back posture were proper. However, I have a slight problem with bouncing too much. This actually affected my knee every time my feet land on the ground (probably that’s also a reason why I injured my knee), especially because my left leg is longer than the right one. There is one thing that I completely remember, the trainer told me, “At the end of the day, there is nothing can stop you from doing things that you love the most no matter in what condition you are.” I couldn’t agree more. We just have to compromise and do it in a smart way.

At the end, I walked out from that room with a pocketful of useful tips and encouragement. That was my first marathon so I thought I just need to enjoy the whole race. In reality, I did not really enjoyed it. Hahaha. It was painful, not only my legs were trembling and screaming for a break, but also the abrasion from my pad on my inner thigh (I was on my period at that time). Just like ordering a burger with two patties and two cheese at an in-and-out burger in California or a coffee with two creams and two sugar in Canada, I get a double-double no pleasure yet pain. During that race, I also had like a love and hate situation with Adrian, which always makes us laugh every time we think of it. So this is the situation: I was really tired and full of pain, at that state I was trying to say to myself that I was almost done and I would be proud of this after I reach the finish line. While dwelling with this situation, there was Adrian with his excitement saying to me, “C’mon, Karin! You can do it!!!” for almost in every km. I felt annoyed starting on km 30 when time starts to get really slow and 1 km starts to take ages. Guess, it was just a matter of different personality (but I love you, Dri. Haha). I have to thank him all the time for this experience because without him, I am not sure if I could do this whole thing despite of that situation. If you ask me, what did I think about as I run during that race? My answer is: I have no idea. I mainly talk to myself about everything, random thing, till I have no idea what was in my head. I really can’t conclude it.

“I’m often asked what I think about as I run. Usually the people who ask this have never run long distance themselves. I always ponder the question. What exactly do I think about when I’m running? I don’t have a clue.” – Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

From that race, I learned that training plan is a serious thing to be deal with and then I fell in love with Bali all over again. It was such a beautiful place on earth, I have to admit. The people, the culture, the scenery, the supports throughout the whole race were incredible. I’ll give it a round of applause! Thank you for making my first experience to be very sweet and I will definitely remember this for the rest of my life.

After finishing the race (Left to right: Me, my mum, and Adrian)

Next, my second full marathon was in Manchester (United Kingdom). Different than my previous one, I did as I told on my training plan better this time. My only distraction was the England weather (combination of cold, rainy and windy). I used to hate hilly route but since I stayed in Sheffield, I just loved it. Perhaps, I was getting more comfortable with the hilly terrain by walking every single day. When it was raining and really windy, I needed to hold a grudge and just ran indoor on a treadmill. Thankfully, there was a gym in my accommodation so I didn’t have to fight the storm outside or if it was still a little bit manageable, I could go to my uni gym (15 mins walking distance). Then another interesting part is when I nearly reached my training peak which I had to run for 28 km. At that time, my beloved friends (Maria and Nat, both are basketball players) insisted to accompany me by taking turn on running and cycling every 5-10 km. It was really really fun to have them around and I love being around them too. I was also proud of them for breaking their running barrier and it was their first time running in such distance. Thank you so much and I’m a proud friend! We were outside for 20 km, but were pushed to go back to my accommodation gym to finish my last 8 km due to a really bad rainy and windy weather.

Nat, Maria and I were waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

Fast forward to the race day….

I was well prepared for the race and I could feel that I would break my own marathon record that time. With a solid determination, I was aiming to get it done under 5 hours. I went to Manchester the day before and sleepover at my classmate’s house, Chloe (thank you for being a super welcoming host!). The next day, she sent me off to the race venue where I gathered with another fellow runners from beginners, avid, to pro athletes. The best part of it was the venue. Take a guess where it was! (Drum roll…..) It was at Manchester United Stadium! How cool is that? I was a bit nervous because I was going to run a marathon alone for the first time. No Adrian and no my friends. I am going to be fine, I told myself. Aside from what I felt, the race went well despite of the crazy weather (rainy, windy, sunny, hot and cold, all at once). I enjoyed my running view, not only about the places, but also the other people who ran along with me. I found it entertaining that so many people were wearing silly costumes, which two of my favourites were a bottle beer man and a dino guy looks like Barney. It was hilarious! I am still curious how could they run a full marathon with those costumes on. I just don’t understand it. Hahaha.

Anyway, my hydration and fuel were decent and proper. I drank at km 10, 15, 20, and followed by every 2-4 km. Noticed that in colder weather, our body doesn’t really need hydration as much as in a hot weather. I ate my running gel at km 15, then ate energy block at km 25 and 35. The only problem was the blood circulation on my right foot and a little bit of cramp on the early 10-ish km. But it just interfered my timing goal, nothing really important. It was raining pretty heavy when I finished the race. Glad that I didn’t get any blister on my feet, it would have been disastrous. The race organiser had done really well overall and the crowd was spectacular. Seems I put more joy into this race compared to my first one. I think I was starting to get used to running races and felt no pressure on my shoulder. I set a new personal best even though it was not under 5 hours but I was grateful for it. Like the icing on the cake, my race experience was completed with a warm hug and support from my friends. Thanks for coming and helping me to walk to the train station and get back to Sheffield!! The most interesting part of running a marathon is the after effect. The day after doing a marathon, I’d be walking around like really really slow that even my grandma walks faster than me. The hardest part is when I need to deal with the stairs. I still remember my classmates laughed a lot seeing me walking like a snail because I needed to climb the stairs from 1st floor to the 3rd floor then go to the 2nd floor for the next class and the elevator wasn’t working at that time. Oh boy, the struggle is real…. haha

My crews from Indonesia and Manchester United Stadium on the background

I did two other running races during 1.5 years in Sheffield, both of them are 10 km courses. From those two races, I learned that there were so many people who love to run no matter how different their physical look like, fit or not, young or old, males or females, and any other separation categories. It was becoming quite a common lifestyle there and for sure they run really fast. Thankfully, it has becoming a lifestyle too here in Jakarta (take a full credit for Indo Runners and all the other initiator in raising running awareness to the society). People in the UK, their strides were way longer than mine. Not only while running, but also while walking. Every one step they took, I needed to make it double or triple. hahaha But it’s okay, I admit it and I still love running along side them. Full disclosure, I love to run with my running buddy, Nuria (she’s a European). She’s taller than me about 15cm but we could adjust perfectly to one another. Sometimes, I needed to keep up and go faster and sometimes she also need to slow down a bit and have mercy on me. Thus, height difference and other anatomy differences were no longer an issue for me. I finally reach the acceptance stage. Another thing I realised from these races in the UK, there were so many people who raise a charity donation and run for a good cause. There are so many organisations offered, such as Diabetes UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, British Heart Foundation, and many more. It’s really cool that the representatives from those organisations come to every running races and support their raisers as a sign of gratitude for their willingness to do it. It would be nice if we have more of this here in Indonesia.

Nuria and me after a morning run in Bath, UK.

When I got back to Indonesia after the completion of my postgrad, I was continuing on my triathlon training. I started my interest on it since I was still in the UK. Even I also got the encouragement from my classmate Kimberley and Rob (her boyfriend) but to do it right. So, I asked for a guidance from my uni gym and got a beginner training plan. Because it deals with not only one sport but three, I need to put an even amount of time and effort to those three. I slowly reduced my running plan and got more time for swimming and cycling (indoor cycling, RPM). From this sport, I learn about what it is called of a balance training. I finally see that running can’t be done all the time at certain degree. Our body needs different kinds of training to be able to function properly. For example, high intensity-less intensity, strength and conditioning, endurance, speed, stretching, power, resistance training, stamina, relaxation, recovery, and many other terms that we need to know. I haven’t told you that when I was preparing for my second marathon, my right knee was slightly injured. I went to a friend of mine who is a physiotherapist (Ana) and asked her to help me with it. Almost the same words she said to me that I was not destined to run. Again and again, I thought. It made me think about those words, though. Am I really supposed to be running like I used to? Why do I get injured? I was losing a bit of my interest on running because of that. A slight trauma, I can say. Luckily, it was not really bad because I have done so many things to protect my joints and muscles for injury prevention. A lesson learned. I used to run almost every single day in a week and at the end, I ended up getting injured. Probably it works on other people but like it or not, it doesn’t work on me.

Hydration and fuels play an important role. There is also an art on doing that during race preparation. As an active person, I need to drink more than the normal recommendation (more than 2L of water every single day). I also consume diverse sources of vitamins and also minerals which are essentials to prevent cramp and to build my immune system brick wall. I try to get it mostly from natural foods instead of supplements. I don’t really avoid carbohydrates, but I consume it properly. I would likely choose a better option of carbohydrate sources with a lower glycemic index to help me controlling my blood glucose but sometimes if I don’t have any other option then I’ll end up eating those with higher glycemic index. I love oats and wheats and plenty of fruits and veggies. Most likely, I will consume a bit more carbs when I am very active (for example, doing resistance training and endurance training in one day), then less carbs on my rest day. My body also needs sources of good protein such as lean meat, fish, legumes, beans, eggs, and chicken breast which I will eat for my huge meals. It is really important to replenish my muscles. Also healthy fats such as avocado, olive oil, and almonds for my heart. My on-the-go drinks are low-fat chocolate milk, strawberry-banana-peanut butter smoothies, and coconut water. What about snacks? My on-the-go snacks are banana, raisins, and boiled eggs. That’s pretty much it, I guess.

I run neither because of a weight loss purpose, nor a trend purpose. I run for the pure joy it can get for myself. That pure satisfaction that can’t be described by words. I don’t want to hate running yet I want to keep running until I am incapable of doing it. Thankfully, I could find the answer on how to retain my interest on running by incorporating swimming, cycling, yoga, resistance training, and bodyweight training. Stretching and recovery are also essentials in my opinion. I warm up more and cool down adequately. I also dip myself in an ice bath after a heavy leg training for 6-8 mins. Moreover, I also use my foam roller and a tennis ball to loosen my muscles. Thinking about how beautiful the scenery will be like every time I go out for a run. I also started to make self evaluation every time finishing the race. I would look after what went right and what went wrong so that in every races, I will do it better. With those, I found myself in peace with running.

Last but not least, a little bit of an advice for those who want to start running and those who need a rejuvenation. Your competition is not what other people can do or their advantages, you, yourself is your own demon and competition. I salute all people who can break their own competition and push to the limit no matter how far the distance is, short or long distance, 1 mile or ultra marathon, and even for those who are finally starting to run. However, I don’t want to push people to start liking something that they don’t really like because there is no point by doing so. My sole intention is to inspire people on living a healthy lifestyle which can be seen in many ways and not only by running.

What’s next for me? I will keep doing what I love and passionate about in a proper way. Right now, I am preparing myself for an Olympic Distance Triathlon race which will be held next month. I also have an on going mission which is running in every new city that I visited. Wish me luck! 🙂

What about Adrian? He will also keep doing what he loves and keeps challenging himself with greater challenges. We were jokingly said probably he’ll be the next Iron Cowboy. For you guys who don’t know who Iron Cowboy is, this American guy did 50 Ironman Distance Triathlons (3.8 km swimming, 180 km cycling, and 42.195 km or full marathon running) in 50 different states in the US in 50 days and he made it. Hahaha Beyond normal? I don’t know what else to say about that.

Running has a special place in my heart and it will always be.

This is end of my running motivation story and I hope this piece inspires you. Thank you for reading!

Eat right, exercise regularly, and just be happy in life.

P.S. I was in the featured image on top of this article. Can you find me? Haha

K