Where indeed should one run to enjoy the experience? This is a question often asked by newbie runners ready to break-in those new shoes or even veteran runners who happen to be in new places or out to simply conquer the unexplored – their personal terra incognita.
Answer: wherever you feet realistically take you! But then, with this answer, one is not being very helpful. So please let me be more specific.
At the highest level of the decision tree or dichotomy, one can either run indoors or outdoors.
Indoor running, whether inside your own house or apartment, in a neighborhood gym, or in a hotel’s fitness center, involves having to run on motor-driven treadmill equipment. It offers advantages over running outdoors such as:
Convenience- many gyms have dressing rooms, lockers, showers, even saunas, with ex-ante, during- and post-exercise support and goodies such as towels, drinking water, toiletries, hair dyers, and the like;
Proximity: many fitness centers are strategically located near offices, schools, and major business districts while those in hotels are usually adjacent to sports areas, swimming pools, or massage/physical therapy clinics;
Tech gear: modern treadmills allow for the varying of exercise routines- from walking to jogging, running, cardio, etc. you can measure your heart rate, distance covered, calories burned, average pace, ascent level, and cumulative/lap times;
Variety: being in a gym affords the ability to cross-train using other equipment; some centers even offer classes on Pilates, yoga, dance, and other interesting routines and attractive extras.
Among the downsides of indoor running, however, are:
Cost: premium fitness centers require one-time entrance memberships and monthly dues, although some charge fees on a per-use basis; when booking hotels, it is always good to inquire if they have gym facilities, as these can usually be availed of at no extra charge;
Claustrophobia: many hotel- and condo-based gyms occupy very small areas. This leads to overcrowding during peak hours, or to a feeling of being boxed-in, monotony and boredom, or even worse, claustrophobia.
Hygiene: it is not too uncommon to find underfunded gyms full of sweaty bodies using unkempt equipment in poorly-ventilated surroundings; the absence of designated maintenance personnel ready to wipe out sweat with alcohol and other antiseptic concoctions can lead to a build-up of odor-causing bacteria – no doubt a turn-off.
These said, it is, therefore, no wonder that many runners eventually graduate from indoor to outdoor running. Thereafter, they resort to indoor running only when outdoor running becomes impossible or impractical due to inclement weather or for cross-training purposes.
So if one has decided to run outdoors, where then should one run?
Answer: One can either run in structured runs/races, use tested running routes, or simply run free!
Races
If you’re a local, probably the best place to find out where and when the upcoming races are or will be is Takbo.ph, the overarching blog of the local running community. Other good sources of information are running blogs (many are in my blog list), direct print and electronic media ads from race organizers, and poster ads at running specialty stores such as Runnr, SecondWind, Nike BHS, and R.O.X., among others. For the major runs, organizers usually deploy full-time staff at these stores to accept registrations and hand out race kits pronto! Races are usually held every Sunday, sometimes up to three different races on the same day, with some held on Saturdays. The popular starting points of races include BHS (Taguig), MoA (Pasay), UPD/City Hall areas (Quezon City), and Luneta/Quirino/CCP complexes (Manila).
Running Routes
Another way to find out where to run is to use running-related websites that collect and freely distribute running routes uploaded by their users, usually created using either mapping software such as Googlemap or through GPS-enabled devices. Examples of running routes in Manila, for example, may be found in MapMyRun or in Run.com. GPS-enabled watches such as the Garmin Forerunner 405 or 310XT, also allow the uploading of a route used to the Garmin website for sharing with other Garmin users. Running blogs are also good sources of information when it comes to choosing running routes based on actual runs of runner-bloggers.
Running Free
Perhaps the most hassle-free of all options is just to run and roam free – no routes, no a priori detailed planning, no registration fees – just circle around your block or go to several popular running places in the metro and take it from there. A review of popular running routes in Metro Manila, for example, has been posted by Running Pinoy. Outside of the metro, there are a number of attractive places to run in – Subic, Tagaytay, Los Baños, and Baguio, among other running-friendly and scenic cities. Further south, you have Cam Sur, Cebu, and Davao!
These options and their almost limitless permutations (statisticsspeak for all possible combinations) are what makes outdoor running such a fascinating sport. The running possibilities simply seem to be endless - ad infinitum. And all that’s needed is for you to lace up your favorite pair of running shoes, let your mind roam free, and then allow your feet do the exploring!
Answer: wherever you feet realistically take you! But then, with this answer, one is not being very helpful. So please let me be more specific.
At the highest level of the decision tree or dichotomy, one can either run indoors or outdoors.
Indoor running, whether inside your own house or apartment, in a neighborhood gym, or in a hotel’s fitness center, involves having to run on motor-driven treadmill equipment. It offers advantages over running outdoors such as:
Convenience- many gyms have dressing rooms, lockers, showers, even saunas, with ex-ante, during- and post-exercise support and goodies such as towels, drinking water, toiletries, hair dyers, and the like;
Proximity: many fitness centers are strategically located near offices, schools, and major business districts while those in hotels are usually adjacent to sports areas, swimming pools, or massage/physical therapy clinics;
Tech gear: modern treadmills allow for the varying of exercise routines- from walking to jogging, running, cardio, etc. you can measure your heart rate, distance covered, calories burned, average pace, ascent level, and cumulative/lap times;
Variety: being in a gym affords the ability to cross-train using other equipment; some centers even offer classes on Pilates, yoga, dance, and other interesting routines and attractive extras.
Among the downsides of indoor running, however, are:
Cost: premium fitness centers require one-time entrance memberships and monthly dues, although some charge fees on a per-use basis; when booking hotels, it is always good to inquire if they have gym facilities, as these can usually be availed of at no extra charge;
Claustrophobia: many hotel- and condo-based gyms occupy very small areas. This leads to overcrowding during peak hours, or to a feeling of being boxed-in, monotony and boredom, or even worse, claustrophobia.
Hygiene: it is not too uncommon to find underfunded gyms full of sweaty bodies using unkempt equipment in poorly-ventilated surroundings; the absence of designated maintenance personnel ready to wipe out sweat with alcohol and other antiseptic concoctions can lead to a build-up of odor-causing bacteria – no doubt a turn-off.
These said, it is, therefore, no wonder that many runners eventually graduate from indoor to outdoor running. Thereafter, they resort to indoor running only when outdoor running becomes impossible or impractical due to inclement weather or for cross-training purposes.
So if one has decided to run outdoors, where then should one run?
Answer: One can either run in structured runs/races, use tested running routes, or simply run free!
Races
If you’re a local, probably the best place to find out where and when the upcoming races are or will be is Takbo.ph, the overarching blog of the local running community. Other good sources of information are running blogs (many are in my blog list), direct print and electronic media ads from race organizers, and poster ads at running specialty stores such as Runnr, SecondWind, Nike BHS, and R.O.X., among others. For the major runs, organizers usually deploy full-time staff at these stores to accept registrations and hand out race kits pronto! Races are usually held every Sunday, sometimes up to three different races on the same day, with some held on Saturdays. The popular starting points of races include BHS (Taguig), MoA (Pasay), UPD/City Hall areas (Quezon City), and Luneta/Quirino/CCP complexes (Manila).
Running Routes
Another way to find out where to run is to use running-related websites that collect and freely distribute running routes uploaded by their users, usually created using either mapping software such as Googlemap or through GPS-enabled devices. Examples of running routes in Manila, for example, may be found in MapMyRun or in Run.com. GPS-enabled watches such as the Garmin Forerunner 405 or 310XT, also allow the uploading of a route used to the Garmin website for sharing with other Garmin users. Running blogs are also good sources of information when it comes to choosing running routes based on actual runs of runner-bloggers.
Running Free
Perhaps the most hassle-free of all options is just to run and roam free – no routes, no a priori detailed planning, no registration fees – just circle around your block or go to several popular running places in the metro and take it from there. A review of popular running routes in Metro Manila, for example, has been posted by Running Pinoy. Outside of the metro, there are a number of attractive places to run in – Subic, Tagaytay, Los Baños, and Baguio, among other running-friendly and scenic cities. Further south, you have Cam Sur, Cebu, and Davao!
These options and their almost limitless permutations (statisticsspeak for all possible combinations) are what makes outdoor running such a fascinating sport. The running possibilities simply seem to be endless - ad infinitum. And all that’s needed is for you to lace up your favorite pair of running shoes, let your mind roam free, and then allow your feet do the exploring!
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