Man vs Smog: The 2015 quest for running glory starts here

I refer to myself as a ‘runner.’ I’ve run marathons – some full, some half. I own some pretty flash gear. I have running playlists on my iPod. If a jogger passes me on the streets I give them an almost imperceptible nod to express our kinship.

But it’s more truthful to say I’m a part-time runner. I go through peaks and troughs. The handful of races I’ve done have been spread over the last seven years. I might go a whole winter with my gear collecting dust instead of medals. My running playlist still has James Blunt on it. In 2015.

Maybe it’s due to a lack of motivation, or maybe, just maybe, it’s because Beijing is among the least hospitable cities for runners, anywhere in the world. We all know the pitfalls: pollution, traffic, pollution, lack of parks, pollution, harsh weather… last year’s 400-plus AQI (‘hazardous’) marathon. If an extreme sport is one that has an inherent sense of danger and needs specialized preparation and equipment, then I’m tempted to say running in Beijing is exactly that.

Which is why in 2015, for the first time in my running ‘career,’ I’m joining a club. “Running with a club, you get accountability and support you don’t usually get when you go at it on your own,” says Randy Richardson, head coach at HeyRunning and my future mentor. “On hard days when you might be tempted to skip, having other runners to join helps you to recall and visualize your goals.” Randy doesn’t stop there though, oh no. He goes on to suggest that the trademark ‘Big Smog’ hazards might actually help me on my quest to become a runner. Is the man insane?

“[The hazards] make Beijing runners so much better! We don’t take anything for granted and we are freakishly aware of our surroundings,” says Randy who’s been running around Beijing for a year-and-a-half now. “I can tell you at any given moment the air and wind forecast for the next 48 hours. We’re not completely oblivious to the pollution and we do look out for our runners’ safety on the gray days. Being forced to take rest days on polluted days helps with recovery, both physically and mentally, and gives you extra motivation to get out there when the air is clear.’ But extreme sports are supposed to be fun. Does slogging it round a busy Chaoyang Park every week fit that description?

“One of the biggest goals at HeyRunning is to make running fun. We sometimes let loose with the Heyrobics-inspired pink shorts and crazy-in-a-good-way techno music. Plus, one of the best interval training sessions is picking out a rickshaw and chasing it down. Once you’ve caught up with it, take a break and then find your next target. Endless fun!” [And, er… endless danger!?]

Community equals fun too, obviously: “At HeyRunning everybody is welcome; we’ve got some of the fastest legs in Beijing training with complete beginners and nobody gets left behind. In the last year we’ve grown to include more running and social events.”

One of which is their running camps, which start March 1 this year. Then my goal-achieving starts in earnest: the quest for a sub-four-hour marathon this summer. “We use our own tried-and-tested training methods throughout eight weeks of three to four sessions per week to help you achieve any goal. Our goal is that you’re still with us by week eight, when your smile should be bigger and legs a little faster.”

And if my dodgy knee flares up, can my goal just be feeling better about myself? “Sure. What I enjoy most about running is the mindfulness,” Randy preaches, only semi-irritatingly. “Running, like meditation, trains your mind to focus on the present. I do my best thinking (and make my best jokes) right after a run.”

We’ll be the judge of that, Randy. See you on March 1 – just 13 days to finalize that running playlist.

· Next month: read a training update one month in

Option 1 |  That’s Beijing discount price using the ‘irunthatsbeijing’ promo code - RMB400 (usually RMB600)

Option 2 |   Or pay per session for RMB30 each time