How to Prep for EuRun (Coming From People Who Aren’t Professional Runners So It Doesn’t Feel So Miserable)

Written by: Jerrett Chua (25-A6), Giselle Yap (25-E3), Vivian Ang (25-I3), Lim Hong En (25-I6), Kuek Chue Eung (25-O1), Gui Shao Kai (25-U3)

Designed by: Julianna Del Rosario (24-E6)

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Coming to Eunoia JC sounds like a great idea — until you realize that you would have to run 4K every year (and more, including the training). If you’re just an average Joe like us, you’ve come to the right place! Here’s some pointers from us on how to get through it without losing your sanity—or your knees—and possibly even enjoy the process (or at least not hate it).

A great start would be high-tempo songs. Enjoying fast-paced music can make an intense run feel much more manageable.  Research has shown that we naturally sync our running pace to the beats we listen to, making our movements more rhythmic to reduce wasted energy from suboptimal pacing.

Running with others is another way to keep yourself blazing through a run. Not only can you pace yourself while running with your friends, you can also be each other’s source of motivation. Positive peer pressure!

You should also aim to warm up and cool down sufficiently before and after your runs respectively. Warm ups should include dynamic stretches and movements like leg swings, high knees, and butt kicks targeting your glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, core, and hip flexors, while cool downs involve reducing taking a walk for 5-10 minutes, followed by static stretches targeting major muscle groups like hamstrings, quads, and calves. Doing so would help stretch your muscles and decrease the risk of injuring yourself. Maybe this will help you wake up less sore on Thursday! As you run further distances, warming up would help you work your muscles more efficiently and run faster. Many might think that a strong physical body is the only determinant of how far and long we can run. While that is important, we often neglect that the battle of the mind is an equally important factor in whether we win or lose.

In the book Lore of Running written by Dr. Tim Noakes, he describes the brain as the Central Governor when racing: it limits our ability to push beyond perceived fatigue to ensure self-preservation. Noakes believes that the point in the race when you think you’ve given everything you’ve got, is actually a signal from the brain to slow down to preserve health, rather than your body saying you’ve got nothing left. 

Throughout the process of each run, I would often find myself on the brink of stopping, even when I barely started. The ‘oh my body is tired, I think I’ve run a lot—‘ at just 500 metres, or the ‘does it matter if I’m short of 1 round?’, weighing even the discomfort and the seemingly disproportionate outcome to justify that the run never mattered anyway. The run would become painfully arduous, the music in my ears would slow, and I would find myself  putting up a quick Google search amid the run to check if Spotify had a function to slow music down — all because the distance I ran that felt like ten songs turned out to only be the duration of two. (you needn’t search, it doesn’t exist).

The battle of the mind will certainly not cease. However, there are ways to reduce the impact our mind has on our physical capacity and make our runs less dreadful. For one, we can focus on the process — instead of fixating on distance or time, you can concentrate on your form, breathing, and the surrounding environment. It helps distract us from the seemingly endless and immovable progress. Consider visualising your successes too: imagine the end point after completing the race and the sense of accomplishment of meeting your goals.

To prevent us from ruminating over the negative, sufferable aspects of the run, we can turn to means of distractions. Paying attention to the surrounding environment and staying engaged with what we see stimulates our mind and distracts us from the monotonous toil. When training for EuRun, or running in general, exploring new running routes keeps our runs interesting and prevents boredom, allowing us to travel longer distances.

Other than simply alleviating the mental burden, we can actively replace pessimistic thoughts with motivational ones to keep us going during our runs. Making your running experience more enjoyable all starts with your mindset. While seemingly inconsequential, reframing your negative perception can transform your experience entirely. Running isn’t a punishment; rather, it’s a stress reliever, an opportunity to enhance your fitness, or a chance to take a break from academics and have fun with your friends.

On a deeper level, finding purpose in your running can provide an extra boost in our motivation to run. This year, Eurun is collaborating with Heal Hearts to host the Mini Relay for Life, where cancer warriors will join EJ students in the event. Not only does this initiative raise awareness, it also engages students in celebrating and honouring those who have fought cancer. Knowing that your efforts contribute to a greater cause certainly makes the run more inspiring and meaningful. 

Take our very own principal Mr Andrew Tan for example, an avid runner who runs 3-4 km five times or more a week! An insightful interview we had with him reveals his deep desire for a healthier body that’ll carry him far through life and his love of the post-run feel; a feeling many may characterize as a sense of fulfilment of achievement. Previous EuRuns had given him many chances to interact with different people, forming unforgettable memories and forging new friendships! So why don’t you give EuRun a shot too!

Participating in EuRun as an average Joe doesn’t have to be a soul-crushing experience. By focusing on the above tips, you can cross that finish line without hating every step of the journey. Remember, the goal isn’t just to survive Wednesday — it’s to build healthy exercising habits that keep you motivated, injury-free, and maybe even excited for your next run. So lace up, take it one mile at a time, and with a quote from Mr Tan himself, “It's not just about the destination, so enjoy the journey and enjoy who you're running with” – The Origin wishes everyone Happy Running!