Sports

A Reason to Run

Health isn’t the only reward for two
girls who fell in love with running.

Running a marathon is daunting for most people, but not for two girls whose love for running has not dimmed.

Xanthe Ang, 21, a final-year Mass Communication student, claims her motivation for running comes from a desire to have a “hot body” and a sense of accomplishment .

She signed up for her first 21km half-marathon in the Sundown Marathon last May on impulse, fell in love with the experience of running a race, and decided she wanted more.

“I love food, so I do this in order to keep up with my eating habits. Every time I finish a race, I feel that I have a victory,” says, Xanthe, who also ran for the “We Run SG 10K” Marathon by Nike, and the Adidas King of the Road 16.8 Marathon.

For Goh J-ing, 18, an avid marathon and triathlon athlete, taking the top place does not take top priority. The second-year Business Studies student was called up by Standard Chartered to be a pacer, to help others achieve their desired time. This meant giving up her hopes for a medal and a podium placing.

An ex-member of Tanglin Secondary School’s track and field team , she took up Muay Thai to take a break from running.

Little did she expect her love for running to be rekindled when she went in for last year’s Standard Chartered Marathon.

“By the thirtieth click, I could not feel my legs,” says J-ing, recounting her experiences at the 42km race.

What followed after was a series of triathlons and marathons, which included the Adidas Sundown 42km Marathon, and the OSIM Singapore International Triathlon held in May and July 2011 respectively.

She usually crafts out her own training plan with the aid of her old coach. In her running season, she can run six times a week, and clocks up to 10-15km each time.

But such motivations are not enough for the runners to go on.

For J-ing and Ms Ang, they believe that good music is their best friend. Both enjoy playing loud and upbeat music during their runs .

“I usually play any music that is loud and has a lot of beats like Dubstep,” says J-ing, referring to electronic dance music. Xanthe, however, does not have a fixed genre of music.

“I usually put my Ipod on shuffle and when a slow song comes on, I will switch (to a faster song). I have a mix of Christian songs, pop, and all sorts of genres except heavy metal.”

5 Tips for Beginners:

1. Always warm up: A light jog, leg swings, and lunges are recommended

2. Hydrate yourself: with 600 ml of water prior to the race

3. Follow a pacer: if it keeps your running in control

4. Reduce anxiety: by training adequately

5. Consume carbohydrates: to facilitate adequate recovery

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