Runmageddon, Kraków Business Run, Aon Running Club… our colleagues clearly love running. We have asked three of them a couple of questions about their passion.
Let us “run you through” our colleagues running stories that may inspire you!
Marek, Data Operations Manager
Marek has successfully finished 5 ultra-marathons. As the most important one, he believes it was last years’ 100km run, with the finish line in Chamonix. As Marek said, completing the challenging race and crossing the finish line will always be a great achievement for him.
How did your running journey begin?
I started running 7 years and 18 kg ago – as a part of New Year commitment. I was lucky 8% of people, who according to statistics, keeps it going. The main problem with running is, that for most people it is quite boring and “lonely” sport. You can, of course, listen to music, audiobooks or join running communities. I love mountains, so in my case running off-road paths keeps me motivated.
Running in the mountains gives a lot of fun! Additionally, because you don’t run on asphalt – injuries are less common. But why long distances? It is all about finding your body limits and breaking other barriers or marathon walls. It is very addictive. When I had finished my first 100k run I said “never again” but after a week I was planning my next run.
Has running changed your life somehow?
If you want to finish ultramarathon you have to split the run into small pieces. It is the same as working with projects – you need to focus on the specific task (like a distance to the next checkpoint). After finishing the 100k run, every project looks less challenging ????
Has running influenced your personal and/or professional habits?
If you want to have 4 trainings per week, you will have to change a lot of your habits. Sometimes you need to wake up at 5 am. Sometimes you need to do your training after kids go to sleep (it’s already dark and it’s only -5C degrees outside). You have to think about what you eat because it has a direct impact on your performance. For example, I am addicted to sweets – every time I have a run planned, I try to keep my diet healthy.
What kind of music do you listen to while running?
I have my own favorite playlist, you can find there: Hymn (by Luxtorpeda), Safe and Sound (by Capital Cities), Little Talks (by Monsters and Men), Diggy Diggy Hole (by The Yogscast, perfectly in the loop).
Kasia, Transition Manager
Kasia does Obstacle Course Racing. Her biggest achievement was qualifying and taking part in last year’s European Championship as well as the World Championships, in Denmark and the UK respectively. She also came first in Barbarian Race (which is a top-level Polish race) in her age group last year.
How did your running journey begin?
To be honest, I’d never enjoyed running itself. I used to find the ‘road-running’ terribly boring. Furthermore, I had felt ‘the world of my mind’ isn’t rich enough to help me survive running through the same surroundings every time. But then I discovered obstacle course racing (OCR)… To make it simple: you “only” have to move (run?) from one obstacle to another, and these are typically placed in the wood, or in the mountains. Over there every corner is an adventure!
Uphill, downhill, bushes, mud, climbing up numerous objects -THAT’s what looked appealing to me! No boredom. And this is when I began trail running (in the terrain) to simply build strength and endurance for my future races.
Has running changed your life somehow?
Yes, it’s all about discipline. You have to eat right, avoid alcohol, follow your training plan (no excuses), sleep enough, and so on. What’s probably even more valuable is a lesson to never give up, and to be able to face your failures! You just have to acknowledge them, analyze, and change your approach next time. Most importantly, just like you come across obstacles in the race (sometimes very exhausting, both mentally and physically), you learn to push your limits also in everyday life. The value of this experience cannot be overestimated.
Do you listen to music while running?
I used to run and listen to music but over the time I found music distracts me. When I run in the woods it’s my time to experience nature with my senses. Because we’re constantly in the middle of the civilizational noise I enjoy moments when I can’t hear the sound of the city.
What running challenges are in front of you?
You need to listen to your body when it says “I need a break”, rather than continue to push through. Otherwise, just like at work, you can face burnout. I’m taking a break from the competitive side of this sport. I need to re-charge my batteries to find new motivation. Whether I go back to running or something else, remains to be seen ????
Grzegorz, IT Support Administrator
Grzegorz ran the X Silesia Marathon 2018 for his 25th birthday. As he described it, ‘it was the most painful and splendid moments in his life that cannot be compared to anything else’.
How did your running journey begin?
I’d tried to be active and in good shape, but a real journey began four years ago, after a short daily run. I met a small group of people who at first, appeared out of the blue, and then screamed to me “DO YOU RUN?”. Sounds like a strange question to a person who just finished his training, right? It turned out that I had met a few amazing people that want to create Running Club from a scratch – without a doubt – I was in. NAUKA BIEGA (that’s the name of the club) – the atmosphere there is incredible! It does not matter if you are almost a professional or a beginner, everybody fits there, so do I.
Why a marathon?
The longer the better ???? I have chosen long runs because in this kind of run I am the only opponent of myself. The only obstacles are in my head.
What have you learned thanks to running?
In general, I have learned humility and hunger for a victory. Overcoming my limits drives me more than anything else. There will be no great results and achievements if you do not devote enough “blood and sweat”. I found the true meaning of a few simple words I’ve heard whole my life: work hard, be patient then you can achieve whatever you want. Today I can say that it applies to every aspect of my life.
Run preparation, for sure, teaches to schedule your all weekly habits carefully. Every single thing (like training, eating, sleep) should be done in 100% and… at the right time. There are no excuses!
Do you listen to music while running?
Usually yes – everything depends on the training duration and intensity. The exception was 3-4 hours long runs before the marathon, I called to my whole family and best friends to talk… how long can you think about the meaning of life? ????
