Transcript
Jeric: Yeah, is it recorded?
UKRunChat: Welcome to this episode of the UK Run Chat podcast. Today we're joined by a special member of our community, Jeric Yuan, who you might know best from Instagram as Code Runner Guy.
UKRunChat: He makes incredible GPS art on his runs around London and we're going to be chatting to him today about how he does all that and why and all about his running. Hi Jeric, thank you so much for joining us. How are you?
Jeric: I'm good. Thanks for inviting me too.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So just, yeah, just introduce yourself a little bit to our listeners and tell us about how you got started running.
Jeric: Yes, I'm actually Jeric. I'm based in London itself. Most of the time you can see me like running around drawing, especially in ah London with my GPS eyes.
Jeric: and How I actually started running, it was like back in 2016, if I'm not wrong, I've joined this like new company, which is like a social ah media agency.
Jeric: I did not do any running at all that time. So I have this team that invited me and i said, oh, we have this charity teams doing Hackney half. They want to join us for the half marathon. ah The company is paying for the entries. You just have to put your name down.
Jeric: ah During that time, I don't even know what a half marathon is. So because the the leader itself ah sort of that convinced me, so I put my name down ah without realizing that the race is in two weeks time and I have to train for it.
UKRunChat: Oh wow.
Jeric: Can you imagine like how hard it is for like a someone that doesn't run that and then have to do like a half marathon in two weeks time?
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Oh wow. So how did it go? How was it? Yeah.
Jeric: ah It was one of the toughest race I've done. ah um remember being so painful going down the stairs after the race for like a week or so a
UKRunChat: yeah
Jeric: Only after that time, I realized that, oh, maybe running is not really like suitable suitable for me. ah Not to the point where a year after the same leader invited me to to join Hackney Half again.
Jeric: That's when I have the proper like two months time to train for it.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So how was the actual run? Did you run much of it having only started running two weeks previous?
Jeric: Oh, right before the training-wise, right before the race, I remember that I can only need do like 7k non-stop, like very slow, easy run, 7k non-stop.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: So to do the half marathons, have to do them like running and then a bit of like jogging, a bit of walking in between. But i still managed to complete it, which I'm pretty pleased
UKRunChat: Yeah, no, you you did really well considering. and So it didn't put you off running then. Did you carry on running after that event or was it the following year when you started?
Jeric: It was only after like six months after that, that I started slowly running again, ah joining some like running clubs, which sort of like helps me building up my stamina and my endurance and things like that.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: yeah Yeah, so you've not been running that long really, have you?
UKRunChat: But you've been, you know, you've been doing marathons and all kinds since then, haven't you?
Jeric: not Not too long, like nine years roughly.
UKRunChat: Yeah, it's not long at all. and So tell us about how you got into kind of marathon running then from there.
Jeric: uh from that time basically i've been doing a lot of like half marathon i've been joining a lot of uh volunteering from like park runs i love i love and enjoy like park runs a lot i tend to do one which is closer to my to my home a volunteer and then i run it too so from there you tend to meet a lot of like running friends that's when you're running friends so i invited you to join them for like marathons and mean just sign up to it
UKRunChat: it's It's funny that, isn't it? How do we get so caught up with just doing all these exciting races?
Jeric: Yeah, exactly.
UKRunChat: We've got our friends to blame, haven't we?
Jeric: yeah Yeah.
UKRunChat: are you often at Parkrun, Derek?
Jeric: Sorry, come again.
UKRunChat: Are you often at Parkrun?
Jeric: ah Yes, I'm still building up my life. I'm on like 170 plus now at the moment.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah, wow, that's loads. Yeah, and you and you volunteer a lot. Are you there most weeks?
Jeric: One to a lot to yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Yeah. So when did the GPS art start? Because we we love seeing your creations on our feed. They're so detailed.
Jeric: Yeah, thank you very much.
UKRunChat: what kind of What was the first one you did? what What started it?
Jeric: Oh, it was some time ago. I remember it being end of 2019. twenty nineteen and I was on holiday up north in Scotland and ah during this like Christmas break season, like end of the year, because I got like nothing to do. I told them like, oh, maybe I should go out for like a long run.
Jeric: And then I started checking all the maps. And I realized that I found this this path that looks like a human face. So I thought, oh, maybe I should see whether I can draw like a human face. Went out for the run, came back and then it looks a little bit like a human face. So I had this idea when I'm like back in London, maybe I should try drawing something ah when I'm back in London.
Jeric: And it was so coincidentally, it's during like 2020 where everything went on like lockdown. I used to sign up to a lot of the races, but because there's no races to do, so i was like, oh, it's a good idea to maybe start doing, start planning something which is like a GPS app.
Jeric: So go out for my run and then I do this like arts. It's surprisingly that I get to see the shapes of animals on like lines, which is very, very weird.
UKRunChat: Yeah, so are you kind of naturally creative in, like, your working or personal life?
Jeric: um i'm I'm like a web developer, so I do a lot like codings, but do works in like a creative agencies.
UKRunChat: Do you?
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: So maybe that sort of helps.
UKRunChat: Because you obviously have an eye to see these patterns, don't you?
Jeric: To see some things. Yeah.
UKRunChat: Because i've i've ah I've had a go myself at doing some GPS art, and it's incredibly hard to see the shapes, isn't it?
Jeric: It's very hard. Yeah, it looks easy when when when you see people doing it, but when you try to do it, it's kind of like hard.
UKRunChat: Yeah, but you kind of, you do you do a lot of drawing on London's South Bank, don't you, where I guess there's a lot of streets and, yeah.
Jeric: Yes, mainly here. Yes, yeah. It's because the main reason is it's because I'm living closer to that that passes easier for me to go out for a drawing and then come back home.
UKRunChat: Yeah, I think that there's kind of a lot of little streets that I guess you can make kind of patterns and drawings easier with.
Jeric: head Yeah. Yeah, it's easier in like a big city like London is very easy, ah very easy because we have a lot different and small routes here and there.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: I've tried drawing in ah some cities this which is a bit like straight.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: So for example, like New York is a bit square. So it's kind of like it hard to do some like proper drawings on it.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Oh, have you had to go in New York? Have you? What did you come up with?
Jeric: Yeah, I've been to New York before. Yeah, I went there for the marathon.
UKRunChat: Oh, okay. How was that?
Jeric: Yeah, oh, it's very, very tough. It's not like London, which is really flat, like London Marathon. New York is like a tough one with all the big bridges, a lot of elevations and then up and down.
UKRunChat: Yeah, I think you forget that the bridges add a lot of height, don't you?
Jeric: Yeah.
UKRunChat: went Yeah.
Jeric: I do. Yes.
UKRunChat: know
Jeric: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So did you do any GPS art in New York then?
Jeric: Yeah. So. Did you manage to do of the way that I was trying to ah rest out the legs just in case I don't overdo it before the marathon?
UKRunChat: ah Yeah, fair enough. So how do you come up with your ideas for the arts?
Jeric: It's very weird. Most of the time, it's a lot of zooming in and out from like a map. So I'll start off with like a point. So sometimes I'll see ah like a shape of the the head of like a dog, and then I'll start off drawing from the head, and then I'll carry on with the body and things like that.
Jeric: It's more like what I see on the spots on like a particular area, and then I just go from there. But the weird thing is most of the time I get to see like animals. It's very hard for me to draw like like the whole human or something like that. I tend to see a lot of animals. I don't know why.
UKRunChat: Yeah, I must say I like the, and youve you've done a bear and you've done few variations of it, haven't you?
Jeric: Yes, yeah.
UKRunChat: Kind of waving and I really like that one.
Jeric: Yes. Yeah, I could running one. Oh,
UKRunChat: Yeah, and it's I guess it's a nice one to repeat, isn't it? And make make some changes to it.
Jeric: um yes. Yeah. Yeah, the bad one I started seeing the the head of the bassist and then I said, well, doing the the body and the shapes and things like that.
UKRunChat: Yeah, no, I think I thought it was really clever. and Do you find that once you've kind of set a GPS route, do other runners tend to have a go at it?
Jeric: There's a few that tried the routes that I've created. I've even do some which is like a surprise ah GPS arts in London or different cities. So I created like a free event because that time I was fundraising.
Jeric: So people turn up to my events, it's all like free. I'll tell them about the initiative, why I'm doing it, for what ah charity and things like that. There's no obligation for them to to donate.
UKRunChat: yeah
Jeric: So they turned up never knowing what I'll be drawing. So they'll just follow me around for the entire run. And then at the end of the run, that's where we get to sync it back to our watch or the phone. And then get to see like what you have to want.
UKRunChat: Oh, that's exciting. Yeah.
Jeric: Like a very good surprise. So the surprise that you get or you you get to see from the facial expression is totally priceless.
UKRunChat: Oh, that's brilliant. So how many, how many people do you get joining you on those kind of runs?
Jeric: Yeah.
Jeric: a Sometimes it goes up to like 25 people, like random runners that turn up.
UKRunChat: Wow.
Jeric: I try to limit them into like a smaller size because it's easier to control. If it's too big, I can't even see whether i left someone behind.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: So to is a good number.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Oh, that sounds exciting. So if youve got have you got any more like that coming up soon? Yeah. Yeah.
Jeric: I haven't planned any like new ones with groups at the moment.
UKRunChat: yeah
Jeric: I did a few in Victoria Park. There's a T-Rex that we've drawn together in a group of people ah in Victoria Park.
UKRunChat: yeah
Jeric: And then I did another one in Victoria Park too, which is like ah like a chicken.
UKRunChat: um of it.
UKRunChat: That's brilliant. So what are you training for at the moment?
Jeric: Yeah, it's very fun.
Jeric: I'm training for the London Marathon, so it's not long to go. It'll be the end of end of this month. A few more ways to go. little bit scary, but should be fine.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Yeah. So how many marathons have we done before?
Jeric: a I think so. Including London Marathon this year, it will be like my number nine or something.
UKRunChat: Oh, okay. So so you've you've got a fair bit of experience behind you. So, yeah, what are you hoping to get out of London Marathon this year then?
Jeric: Oh, yes. Yeah, yeah, definitely.
UKRunChat: What's your goal?
Jeric: It's a little bit tricky with the training training this year. It's been on and off. There's some tiny niggles here and there. ah Finishing is fine. Whether I'll be able to hit like a PB, that will be like another question.
Jeric: It depends on this few weeks. We'll see how it goes.
UKRunChat: Yeah, because you you've you've had some success last year, didn't you, with a PB?
Jeric: I did it last year.
UKRunChat: Is that right?
Jeric: I did it last year. Wish I managed to get like a PB last year. a Very good condition. Weather-wise is good. Training has been going well. This year has been a little bit sh tricky. There's some things in between training.
UKRunChat: Yeah, I think like life gets in the way sometimes, doesn't it?
Jeric: Yeah, sometimes. yeah I've just moved to like a new location. Last year, been very, very busy for me too. and Did my wedding last year, end of last year. And then, honeymoon, moving house.
UKRunChat: um congratulations. Yeah.
Jeric: There's a lot of things ongoing.
UKRunChat: Oh, it's a lot, isn't it? Yeah.
Jeric: yeah
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: Should be okay. Let's see how goes.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So what do you enjoy most about London?
Jeric: ah I would say the crowds, the crowds is crazy. Like everywhere, every corner that you run past, there's like so many people. Especially when you have your names on your shirts.
Jeric: People just yell your name no matter whether they know you or not. It's insane.
UKRunChat: Yeah, it's brilliant, isn't it? I love I think I've done I've done London twice now and it is it's an incredible race.
Jeric: Yeah.
Jeric: Wow.
UKRunChat: It's so exciting.
Jeric: Yeah, it's a different experience, definitely different experience.
UKRunChat: Yeah, it's lovely. and what What would you say your favourite race has been so far that you've done?
Jeric: ah Favorite one, if you ask me, it would still be like London. a The second favorite, if you ask me, ah would I would like the Athens Marathons. I did that one in 2019.
Jeric: and That's why they called it the Authentic Marathon. It's tough.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: it It's going slowly, inclining, going uphill to like 33k, and then it goes down. It's like a slow climb. And you're running on highway without any shakes. It's very warm. Without any shakes, it's on highway.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: It's tough one, but a good, very good experience. You get to finish in the old Olympic stadiums. The finish line is in the old Olympic stadium.
UKRunChat: Oh, that must be an incredible feeling.
Jeric: an Incredible feeling. Very, very nice.
UKRunChat: yeah what ah What time of year does that is that on then? Is it quite a hot race?
Jeric: Did it in 2019?
UKRunChat: What month of the year does it take place?
Jeric: Oh, end of the year in November.
UKRunChat: Oh, yeah. So it it's a bit cooler.
Jeric: Early November. Yes, yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: a little bit cooler yeah cooler over here but it's slightly warmer over there
UKRunChat: ah Yeah.
UKRunChat: So is there any races that you'd kind of that you'd like to try in the future?
Jeric: uh if you ask me i would definitely wanted to try tokyo marathon i mean the uh and even this few years i've been chasing the six stars the world major six stars
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: So I've completed five now. So I've only got like Tokyo left to do. ah But now they have like Sydney added in on the seven one. But it's very hard to get into like Tokyo Marathon. I've tried like so many years on the balance.
Jeric: Can't even get in very hard.
UKRunChat: yeah What's hard? Is it just a busy race, lots of people wanting to do it, or do you need a qualifying time?
Jeric: Yeah, the the chances of getting through the balance very high. ah Very low. Sorry, the other way around. Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Also, tell us about the other majors that you've done there. So there's London. and We've heard a bit about New York.
Jeric: that's London, that's Berlin, ah that's Boston, and New York, and Chicago.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So, yes, tell us a bit about those then.
Jeric: Yeah, so no, actually, you asked.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: ah Sorry.
UKRunChat: Tell us a little bit about them.
Jeric: Oh, ah Berlin is the flattest one among all the world majors. So people tend to go to like Berlin ah to try to get like a PB because it's pretty flat. It's pancake flat, flatter than London.
Jeric: and The US one, ah quite tough. Like Boston, there's a lot of that rolling hills. There's up and down hills most of the time. New York is tough too, like what I mentioned before, because of all the big bridges.
Jeric: It's not like small bridges that we have in UK. It's like massive big bridges that you climb off and you have to come back down.
UKRunChat: you know
Jeric: a Chicago is pretty flat too, ah if you want like a PB. and i think so mainly the US one is slightly expensive, but ah for the experience itself, it's very, very good.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So so what what is it that's drawn you to chasing the six stars then, or soon soon to be seven?
Jeric: ah Back in the days when I started this six-star journey, I haven't been thinking about like chasing the six stars.
UKRunChat: Right.
Jeric: I've just thought about doing it for like charity because most of my entries are from like charities. like My ah London Marathon back in days is from charity. The New York one, the Chicago ones are all from the charity. to Berlin is the one that I got from my ballot. my own ballot But contacted charity and just so I can fundraise for them too.
UKRunChat: yeah
Jeric: so So most of the time I'm just doing it for a charity. I never thought about by chasing the 6 stars. So only when I achieved like 5 of them, I was oh, might well just do the final one.
UKRunChat: Yeah, you're so close now, aren't you?
Jeric: Yeah, very, very close.
UKRunChat: So which which one are they adding then? What's coming to be the seventh?
Jeric: Sydney is the new one that they have added in as the 7 star.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: It's a little bit further away, far away. yeah
UKRunChat: but very far away.
Jeric: Maybe one day once I'm done with Tokyo. Yeah.
UKRunChat: So have have you got any tips, Jarek, for and those people who are raising money for perhaps marathon charity places? Because it can be quite difficult fundraising as well, isn't it
Jeric: Very, very difficult. Yeah. I guess just enjoy what you're trying to do because to be able to fundraise for someone is something very, very good to do.
Jeric: So just enjoy whatever you're doing. Don't worry too much about like ah hitting the targets and things like that. Just try your best and then see whatever, what goes.
UKRunChat: Yeah. And any kind of techniques that you've tried that have brought lots of fundraising in, in particular? I know you use your GPSR kind of runs, don't you?
Jeric: Yeah, mine mostly coming from the events that I organize.
UKRunChat: Anything else?
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: So people, even though I say there's no obligation for them to ah donate because of the special experience on the surprise drawing, so they still tend to help out. ah And I tend to use a lot of social media to spread whatever I'm i'm doing to so people knows about it.
Jeric: And there are some like random people that doesn't even know me from social media. yeah Even when they see the stories and then what I'm trying to help people on, they tend to help out too, which is very, very good.
UKRunChat: That's amazing, isn't it? So people who don't even know you kind of personally, that's lovely.
Jeric: Yeah. yeah um I'm quite surprised with that one too. so Social media tends to help a lot.
UKRunChat: Yeah, it's funny. Do you often get people saying hi to you in London who you don't know, but who know you?
Jeric: Sometimes, it happens to me a few times when I'm drawing, I have my phones with me and people shout out my name and say, Karan the guy! And I just turn around without realizing who is that.
Jeric: But they are very very friendly people. Yeah,
UKRunChat: Yeah, that's quite a nice feeling though, isn't it, I guess?
Jeric: yeah. It's very good feeling.
UKRunChat: Yeah, like we've got a nice, I think we've got a nice community of runners in the UK.
Jeric: Yes, yeah, yeah.
UKRunChat: and So do do you kind of often run alone, Jarek, or are you usually with friends or a running group?
Jeric: and It's like 50-50%.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: If you ask me, I would prefer to run with like friends. You get to chat with people and then you have to catch up with people. ah But sometimes when I'm doing my speed work or things like that, because I'm doing on my own a intervals, I tend to run on my own on that.
UKRunChat: Yeah, yeah, you can kind of concentrate more and focus, can't you, on your own with the moves.
Jeric: Correct, yeah.
UKRunChat: So what does your training look like for a marathon where you're kind of trying to do your best? What's a typical training week or a new?
Jeric: Yeah, ah I tend to follow like a training plan at the moment.
UKRunChat: yeah
Jeric: a And I run like six six days a week. Most of the run will be will consist of like one single go speed sessions in a week. ah One long run, which is on Sunday most of the time.
Jeric: And if I have the time, I'll put in like a tempo run, which is slightly slower than intervals, but faster than my normal ah easy run. And then the rest of the days will be like easy runs.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So how um how much mileage are you generally covering in a week? I know everybody's different, aren't they?
Jeric: and Oh yeah, everyone is different. like Mine, ah at the moment, is in between 70 to 90 km per week. sorry
UKRunChat: Yeah. Yeah. And is is that kind of optimum for you or would you kind of be wanting to do more?
Jeric: Oh, ah two years ago, I tend to cover more when I have the time because that's too many commitments at the moment. I tend to go up to 100 kilometers per week back in the days, two years ago or three years ago.
Jeric: But because now there's too many things in in life that I need to like ah do, so I have not got too much time. I'll cover just enough. 70 to 90 is still okay.
UKRunChat: Yeah, it's it's a lot to fit in, isn't it, when you're working full time?
Jeric: A lot of it.
UKRunChat: Yeah, I'm trying to take the marathon.
Jeric: Yeah, you need the time. have to get up super early. I tend to do all my runs in the morning. I prefer morning than the evening.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: So once I have everything done in the morning and then I have my whole day to do whatever I want to do.
UKRunChat: Yeah. what What would you say is your favourite training session to do, the one that you most look forward to?
Jeric: ah It's either the long run or the speed sessions.
UKRunChat: yeah Oh, right. A real contrast there, Ben.
Jeric: ah yeah yeah The long run, if I manage to do it with like a friend, it's a good way to like catching up for like four for a bit of time.
UKRunChat: you
Jeric: Whereas intervals, I like it because it sort of like pushes you out of your comfort zone.
UKRunChat: Yeah, yeah. what Where do you do your intervals then? Do you go down to a track or do you do them on the streets?
Jeric: I do them on like a park near me. I found like a massive park, which is like a 600 meter loops.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: So I've been like looping in the park.
UKRunChat: Oh, perfect. Yeah. Yeah, that's ideal because it it must be... like really frustrating running around London sometimes with it being so busy.
Jeric: Yes.
UKRunChat: Does that have an impact?
Jeric: Yeah. It's more and more tricky on this race. Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah, does that have an impact when you're out kind of doing tempo runs and things like that?
Jeric: Oh yes, yeah. ah Especially when you have dodged people, you're doing like a speedrun, it's very tricky.
UKRunChat: Yeah, yeah, I can imagine and stopping at kind of traffic lights to cross roads.
Jeric: Oh yes, yeah.
UKRunChat: ah you Are you the kind of runner who stops your watch though or do you just let it keep going?
Jeric: The one that pops it. Every time one does like a traffic light.
UKRunChat: but That would get on my nose.
Jeric: but sometimes some of my friends they just uh they have it automated but sometimes it doesn't pause was like i'm too used to like housing and then
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: That's funny. I'm not sure I could. Yeah, I'm not sure I could run around London. I don't know. I'm used to kind of being it out on the trails. um I think city running would be difficult.
Jeric: feels i'm very very beautiful if i have the chance i would do more trails uh but because i'm in like london it's kind of like difficult you have to take the train to go out to do like trails yeah
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah. What's what's your favourite place to go to then when you do get a chance to get out of London?
Jeric: box is it box heel uh sally downs so yeah that one's quite nice yeah hey
UKRunChat: um Box Hill. Yeah.
UKRunChat: Oh, that's lovely. So have you done kind of any trail races or do you stick to mainly road races?
Jeric: i've done a few in children's area there's a few like organizers like mavericks they organize a lot like trio running everywhere so sometimes when they they rotate around sometimes when they return back to like children's i tend to sign up and then they'll go for the truth
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: yeah and Yeah, so tell us a bit about those.
Jeric: ah The chills one, because sometimes they start quite early, like 9 o'clock, and it's over the week, in in the weekends itself, you have to go out very early from London.
Jeric: From the place I live, have to go out there super early. Sometimes it will be like half six, sometimes it will be like seven, just to get there in time. And trail running is not really, it when I'm doing it, ah it might be different with different people.
Jeric: I tend to not race it. I just enjoy as much as I can doing it as i slowly because you get to see all the ah surrounding areas are like totally different than when you're racing in the city.
UKRunChat: yeah
Jeric: tend to slow things down just so I get more time with the nature and things like that.
UKRunChat: Yeah, that's beautiful. Like, I guess you get better value for money, don't you? The slower you are.
Jeric: ah Correct. Yes. Yeah. Plus the ground itself is all like softer than normal like roots. So it's better. It was supposed to be like ah better for your knees and things like that
UKRunChat: Yeah, it can help strengthen you up, can't it? Yeah.
Jeric: and so that.
UKRunChat: So what what kind of distance are those races that you've done?
Jeric: too
Jeric: ah I tend to do at least like 10 to like 20, 21 K, which is like a half marathon.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Yeah. What's favourite distance overall, would you say, race?
Jeric: Else it will be
Jeric: I come again?
UKRunChat: What's your favourite distance of race? Yeah.
Jeric: Oh, among all the distance I've done so far, I still prefer half a marathon.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: Marathon is a bit too long ah with the training schedule. It takes me three to four months just to train for it. Half a marathon is just nice, if you ask me. It's not too long, it's not too short. Just enough, maybe.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Okay. i'm I'm interested in your tips for a half marathon. and i think personally for me, I find it the toughest, the toughest one to race.
Jeric: Oh, yes. Yeah, yeah.
Jeric: Yeah.
UKRunChat: and So have you got any tips you can share for people listening about how to run a good kind of half marathon?
Jeric: Yeah.
Jeric: The first first thing first will be ah once you have your race sorted, you know, when is your race? ah The first thing you need to do is to find like ah like a training plan that fits your schedule. So if you if you prefer to run like five days a week, find one training plan which suits like five days a week.
Jeric: So once you have your training plan, you just you just have to like follow the plan itself. Because without like a training proper training plan, you're not so sure what you're doing and things like that. a So would suggest to get like a training plan.
Jeric: Secondly, ah if you can, try to squeeze in at least like once once a week, ah strengthening into your training. That one helps a lot.
UKRunChat: yeah
Jeric: It helps you to ah recover faster and then it prevents injuries too while you are like training. You didn't don't have to do like very long strengthening. Like for me, when I'm training for like a half marathon, the strengthening and I'm doing is only like maybe 30 minutes at least.
Jeric: 30 minutes to maximum will be like an hour.
UKRunChat: yeah
Jeric: It will be more than enough. You can do like squats, lunges, bit of core exercise too. Helps a lot. A lot of difference. You can see like a lot of difference once you do them like once a week.
UKRunChat: Yeah, wow. So are you doing that at home or do you go to a gym?
Jeric: I'm doing it at home. Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Yeah, no, that's that's really good that you do that because I think i think more of us need to do a bit more strength work, don't you?
Jeric: yeah I tend to have some like dumbbells in the house and I'm doing it once a week.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah, I've been trying to get my Pilates in regularly to do some strength.
Jeric: Pilates is quite good too.
UKRunChat: and
Jeric: Yeah, I quite enjoy doing Pilates too. Helps with the cold and things like that.
UKRunChat: Oh, it does, yeah, core on the back and the running posture.
Jeric: And the fact, yeah.
UKRunChat: I'm really enjoying it. Yeah, it's good. and Yeah, thank you. So what would you say has been your proudest running achievements so far?
Jeric: ah My proudest running achievement? ah I would say to be able to organize all those like surprise GPS arts for me.
UKRunChat: Yeah, I love that.
Jeric: Because
UKRunChat: I love that story.
Jeric: most of the things that people don't see on the GPS arts, it's the amount of ah planning behind the scene. So sometimes some easy one, it might take like, oh, 10k for the entire drawing.
Jeric: But behind the scene, it might takes me like two hours or something like that just to plan the drawing.
UKRunChat: Wow.
Jeric: That's the thing that people don't see behind the scenes. For like bigger drawings, like 30K drawings, that one takes me sometimes four to five hours just to plan.
UKRunChat: Wow.
Jeric: Four to five hours, yeah. That's not including the running time yet. It's just the planning time.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So how do you actually plan it practically? Do you kind of kind of go on Strava and map it out or do you kind of draw it on a map?
Jeric: Yeah, so if you have like a so Strava subscription, you can actually plot like a root in that.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: ah For those who doesn't have like a subscription, there's a free website called plotaroot.com that you can use.
UKRunChat: Okay.
Jeric: Yeah, similar kind of like things. It gives you maps and then you can plot from there. You can zoom in and out. It's just like a normal map, too.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So, yeah.
Jeric: So once you've got them, you can ah save them into like a GPX file. they can either send to your phone or to your watch to guide you on your on your run.
UKRunChat: Oh, and then you can follow the routes then. Oh, that makes life easier.
Jeric: Then you can follow the routes, yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Okay. i was going to be next question.
Jeric: Yeah. Else would be very difficult for me to remember the whole 30 kilometers.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So you're just having to look at your watch that tells you where to go next rather than kind of have your phone in your hand.
Jeric: Yeah. Correct, yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah, that does make life easier. Yeah. and what have Have you got any GPS art planned soon or are you keeping that as a surprise?
Jeric: ah Maybe keeping that as a surprise, but still need to plan more and more for a future one. Once I'm done with London Marathon.
UKRunChat: Yeah, once you've got that, have you got any big races coming up after London?
Jeric: London is the big one. And then I haven't planned anything after London yet.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So you can have a summer of fun running again.
Jeric: Oh, yes.
UKRunChat: Yeah. I think, I think we should challenge our listeners to come up with some GPS art actually and tag us in them. I'd love to see what people can create. So you can go into Strava if you've got a description or plot a route and have a go.
Jeric: That sounds like a... Yeah,
UKRunChat: We'd love to see what you come up with. and
Jeric: yeah sounds like a good plan too.
UKRunChat: yeah Yeah, I'd really like to see. What's one race or running event that you'd recommend other runners to try you've enjoyed?
Jeric: Oh, if I would recommend, instead of like a race, I would say it's more like an event that will be part run
UKRunChat: Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Jeric: uh yeah it's definitely a good place or uh if especially when you're trying to do running or you're just like a beginner runner that just started running but run is a very very good event to try out uh you get to see your local like community runners and then there's like whole bunch of people over there it's not just like running you can run you can jog or you can walk too
UKRunChat: yeah
Jeric: just to get yourself used to those kind of like environments very recommended you will definitely find one near to your uh to where you live especially in uk here
UKRunChat: yeah i think that's the beauty of parkrun isn't it that it's just so inclusive and you see all the abilities of well runners and non-runners don't you
Jeric: yes yep yep yeah such a good like uh positive environment if you ask me
UKRunChat: Yeah, yeah, it is. it's I really enjoy it. I've not been along. I'm not great at getting up early in the morning, but I i would really like to get back to parkrun. and
Jeric: Yeah.
UKRunChat: So, yeah, that's that's my goal for the spring to get to get to at least one parkrun. and If you could give one piece of advice to a new runner apart from parkrun, what would it be?
Jeric: yeah
Jeric: I would say just enjoy whatever you're doing.
Jeric: out, just go out for like a run. Go with friends, go solo, doesn't really matter. Just enjoy whatever you're doing.
UKRunChat: Yeah, but I think, yeah, I think that's the best advice you can have around running, isn't it? Just enjoy it.
Jeric: yeah
UKRunChat: Yeah. is Is there anything you would change about the running world?
Jeric: if you would ask me i would say maybe to uh ah to make things more inclusive so like more people get to join. Because running for me, it should feel to be like for everyone, it's not just like limited to like a specific ah party or something like that.
Jeric: As long as it's like in inclusive, ah no matter if it's like an event or race or whatsoever. everyone just get to enjoy them as well, no matter what's your ability.
UKRunChat: Yeah, think that would be great. Yeah, but I think the more people we can get involved, better, better for everybody.
Jeric: Yes. yeah
UKRunChat: ah Describe your ideal run in three words.
Jeric: ah My ideal run in 3 weeks? Fun, enjoyable, and happy?
UKRunChat: Oh, like that.
UKRunChat: And if you could have one superpower that would enhance your running, what would you choose?
Jeric: Wow, super power.
Jeric: Atlas stamina maybe?
UKRunChat: That would be amazing, wouldn't it?
Jeric: Maybe. Yeah.
UKRunChat: how How do you find kind of getting through on the on the subject of stamina, kind of getting through marathons? How are you at fueling them? Because we've been talking about that on some recent podcasts and it seems to trip a lot of people up.
Jeric: yeah
UKRunChat: Are you kind of well practiced in fueling marathons now?
Jeric: ah Still getting used to it. A lot of things to learn with the fueling strategies and things like that. a my my Most of my concerns on like marathons is the ah the amount of sweat. I tend to sweat a lot when I'm like exercising.
Jeric: ah Half marathon is fine. Usually only during like marathons when I'm ah running over like 38k.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Jeric: Sometimes I tend to get like cramps because of the amount of sweat. So I've been like testing things off on electrolytes and salt tablets just to see you what works and what's not.
UKRunChat: Yeah,
Jeric: Still a bit of like a testing phase here and there.
UKRunChat: yeah it's a bit of trial and error.
Jeric: It's always tricky. Sometimes doesn't cramp, sometimes it cramps so I can't tell what's going on.
UKRunChat: Yeah, it's a bit of trial and error, isn't it? with just it mights For us as individuals, it can be hard, but it's worth it's worth experimenting.
Jeric: Yeah, exactly that. Yeah.
Jeric: Yes. Yeah.
UKRunChat: ah Are you finding easier but the more kind of electrolytes you take on?
Jeric: uh seems it helps a lot with the electrolytes a and i'm going to try on this time's uh london redondon because last year when i tested it doesn't ah doesn't affect me with the cramps which is good which is a good thing i'm just going to like carry on doing it
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah. I think it's it's worth, it's worth practicing to try and get right. I think.
Jeric: correct yeah
UKRunChat: Yeah. Yeah. If anyone listening out there wants more information, we have just recorded an episode all about hydration and electrolytes. So do give that one a listen. Actually it's full of, full of information.
UKRunChat: m So Gerrit, you, you inspire us all in the community with your wonderful GPS art. Who inspires you? Who do you kind of look to and think, wow,
UKRunChat: You're really inspiring and amazing.
Jeric: Yeah, if you ask me, i would definitely say it's Ili Kipchoge.
UKRunChat: yeah
Jeric: He's sort of like ah one of the legends, especially in the marathon world, with his like mindsets, performances, and ah the way he he he just gives out those like positive energy to all sort of people and runners around him.
UKRunChat: Yeah, he's he's so kind of calm and collected, isn't he? Yeah.
Jeric: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah, when when he's kind of on on social media, he's kind of, he's very, he's just very inspiring and he gives, yeah, he gives such nice advice and yeah.
Jeric: Inspiring, yep, that's the words I'm looking for.
UKRunChat: and Okay, thank you. We're going to finish off with our quickfire round. So it's this or that. and
Jeric: ah yeah?
UKRunChat: So morning or evening runs?
Jeric: Definitely morning for me.
UKRunChat: Yeah, you did. You did chat about that earlier, didn't you? and Road, trail or running track?
Jeric: Yep.
Jeric: ah I would pick road trail.
UKRunChat: Yeah, and hills or flat routes?
Jeric: Flat root. I'm too used to flat root.
UKRunChat: You're not fan of hills, no.
Jeric: yeah No, um I might need more training on hills.
UKRunChat: ah
UKRunChat: ah Run in the rain or run in heat?
Jeric: ah I would prefer the rain because I sweat too much on in the heat.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah, I'm the same as you. I think that's why I like rain running. Plus, I'm normally with my dog.
Jeric: Yeah.
UKRunChat: So, yeah, she prefers the rain. and Long runs or speed sessions?
Jeric: Ooh, tricky.
Jeric: I would say long run if I'm running with a friend.
UKRunChat: Yeah. I know you said both of your favourite earlier, didn't you? So, yeah, I've made a pick now.
Jeric: Yes, yeah.
UKRunChat: ah Music or no music?
Jeric: ah Music with me, definitely.
UKRunChat: what's top on your playlist?
Jeric: Can't live without music with my run.
UKRunChat: Go on, you've got to give us a tune.
Jeric: Yes.
UKRunChat: What's top of your playlist?
Jeric: Oh, yes. a it's weird when I'm depending what runs I'm in if I'm in like a ah long run if I don't have a friend with me I tend to listen to like ah some podcasts like cooking podcasts and things like that that's very weird if I'm doing intervals I tend to listen to a lot of like ah very high bass songs just to push me just to make sure that I'm like doing the intervals pushing through it's very weird
UKRunChat: Oh, really? Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah. it It makes a difference, doesn't it? Any favourite songs?
Jeric: I don't have any favorite songs with me. It's just like a random one from my from my playlist most of the time.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah, okay. ah Medals or memories?
Jeric: I would pre prefer Memories.
UKRunChat: Yeah. ah
Jeric: Because that will last longer than the medals.
UKRunChat: Yeah, they do.
Jeric: And you've got you've got more things that you can like chat about or share about with friends and families.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah. And finally, a fun one, because we're runners, shorts or leggings?
Jeric: Shorts for me, sometimes I go with something called like, they call it short shorts, which is even shorter than shorts.
Jeric: That's going to come out soon in like maybe summer.
UKRunChat: Oh, well, thank you for being such a good sport, Jarek. It's been really enjoyable chatting to you today. So you've got London coming up.
Jeric: Thanks for having me too.
UKRunChat: soon. ah you Are you fundraising this year?
Jeric: Yes. Yeah.
UKRunChat: Would you like to kind of give a shout out to your charity?
Jeric: ah I'm actually not fundraising this year, I'll be doing more fundraising soon after the London Marathons. a So going shout out after Marathon too.
UKRunChat: yeah okay, brilliant. So if you want to follow Gerrit, you can find him on Instagram at coderunnerguy. Is there anywhere else where we can, you must have a Strava account?
Jeric: Yes, struggle. Come. It's harder to say what's the struggle one because the profile is like a number.
UKRunChat: I think your link's in Instagram.
Jeric: if youre search for my name, Jared, you and they should come up.
UKRunChat: Yeah. And is is there anywhere else we can find you or is it just Instagram?
Jeric: and I think it's mainly like Instagram Instagrams on my struggle.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's lovely. Oh, well, thank you so much for your time. It's been wonderful chatting.
Jeric: Thanks for having me to
UKRunChat: Yeah. And all the very best with your London Marathon and your running adventures over summer. Thank you. We hope that everyone out there has enjoyed this episode.
Jeric: Yeah, thank you.
UKRunChat: and Do let us know your thoughts and do go and give Derek a follow.
Jeric: Yeah, thank you very much.
