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Jakarta Post

Expert guide to keeping running safe and fun

On the go: Participants run across Suramadu Bridge in the East Java city of Surabaya as they take part in the Suramadu International Run

Juliana Harsianti (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Fri, April 12, 2019

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Expert guide to keeping running safe and fun

O

n the go: Participants run across Suramadu Bridge in the East Java city of Surabaya as they take part in the Suramadu International Run. (AFP/Mochammad Risyal Hidayat)

Running has become a favorite leisure activity for Indonesian urbanites, and for those who want to be more serious, it is important to take some precautions to ensure that they get the most out of running.

In major cities, running competitions are organized almost every month by school alumni associations, sportswear companies and even banks.

National Independence Day celebrations also include running contests, from national to subdistrict level. This has got a lot of people seriously engaged in running as part of their lifestyle. They either follow their friends or realize the health benefits it brings. They join running clubs, train on a regular basis and regulate their diet. Some groups even hire coaches and nutritionists.

One runner, Mira, said several of her friends had been thinking about taking part in the marathons in Berlin, Chicago and Tokyo, and therefore they needed to prepare as much as possible to meet the competitions’ strict requirements.

Although most of these runners are hobbyists and do it just for fun, if they want to run at world-class events or long-distance races, serious preparations are a must.

Physiotherapist Annisa Citra said runners needed a thorough checkup before they began their training. This is mainly to check any leg joint conditions, because running relies on the strength of legs. This way, any previous muscular or joint injuries that will affect running performance can be handled immediately.

Fuel tank: Runners pass by a refreshment station. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
Fuel tank: Runners pass by a refreshment station. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan) 

“This examination can be conducted by a sports medical doctor or sports physiotherapist,” Annisa said.

Nonathletes, she added, usually do not care much about their joint conditions as long as they can run normally.

Athletes and hobbyists also have different rhythms of training, according to Agung Mulyawan, a running coach.

“Among other things, they have different training schedules,” he said.

Athletes train every day to maintain their physical condition while hobbyists have to divide their time between exercise and their other daily tasks.

“They should be patient and listen to their body rhythm, otherwise injuries may be sustained and their performance may decrease,” Agung said.

Hobbyists also train at a constant pace for the sake of maintaining their energy and physical condition.

Agung has observed that in long-distance running, runners speed up in order to reach the finish line quickly. He said this could just exhaust a lot of energy and slow down the stride to the finish line.

Proud achievement: Amateur runners show their finisher medals at a running event in Tangerang, Banten, last December. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
Proud achievement: Amateur runners show their finisher medals at a running event in Tangerang, Banten, last December. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)

“Accelerating the running pace will suddenly increase the heart rate, which endangers runners,” he said.

In preparing for long-distance running races, Agung suggested that runners have a regular training routine scheduled by their coaches.

“If they are assigned to other cities or have to keep deadlines, they should try to run even if only for a short time,” Agung said.

Stopping training totally, even for only a couple of weeks, will decrease performance, which takes more time to restore.

Alya Rohali, a presenter and one of the hobbyists coached by Agung, said the trainer had called her an “impatient runner”.

“Sometimes, I get bored when I run at a slow pace,” said Alya. “So I will occasionally speed up even though it’s not actually good for the stamina.”

Alya once competed in a marathon and plans to participate in the Seoul marathon to improve her record time. She said she felt confident because her physical form and stamina had improved under the guidance of her coach, physiotherapist and dietician.

Accelerate: Students in Depok, West Java run up a hill as part of their running training program. (JP/P.J. Leo)
Accelerate: Students in Depok, West Java run up a hill as part of their running training program. (JP/P.J. Leo)

Hobbyists indeed do not rely on running for their career but if they pick up injuries they need proper treatment so as not to hamper their running performance.

Agung said if runners incurred severe injuries they should rest until full recovery.

“At least until they feel no pain and their activity is not disturbed, but they should undergo therapy to restore the normal functioning of their injured muscles,” he said.

No less important is the food intake of hobbyists, who need a balanced combination of carbohydrates, protein and fiber for their increased energy and muscular work.

Agung said food intake needed during training and that for the days approaching contests was different. This can be a huge challenge for most hobbyists because they do not stay in a training center, where food consumption is under strict supervision.

“Trainers can provide direction with the help of dieticians to recommend the food to be consumed for training to cover different distances and also to prepare for competitions.”

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