Ms. Namita Nayyar:
One question which comes in everyone’s mind when they see you running for miles at a stretch is, How you are able to ‘beat the monotony in thought’ in hours of running apart from physical endurance needed for reaching the success at the end?
Ms. Joanna Zakrzewski:
I have to admit that I’ve never found it monotonous – I am a relatively low mileage person in training, and in races there is plenty to keep your mind occupied. Sometimes it’s the scenery (in both road and trail runs), and sometimes it’s looking out for other people and encouraging each other (in lapped runs such as the recent races in Doha). I sometimes listen to music when out for solo runs, I sometimes use the time to mull over work/other issues, but at other times you seems to have covered the distance without even realising it, eg a few times in Doha I found myself finishing a lap, when I thought I’d just started it!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?
Ms. Joanna Zakrzewski:
Unfortunately, as I have to fit my training in around a busy job, I don’t have the time to do some of the cross-training I’d like to do. It would come at the expense of being able to get a run in, so I actually only really manage to fit in a pilates reformer class each week. I do this instead of a run on a recovery day, and I feel it helps me to stretch and to try to increase my flexibility and strength, so helping to avoid injuries. When training, I aim to do one good speed session and 1 long run per week. If injured and so unable to run, I try to keep up some level of fitness , so it’s then that I manage to get out on a bike or go to a gym.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Joanna Zakrzewski:
I am probably the worst person in the world to ask about this, as I have a really sweet tooth. I know how far it is to run to every cafe near me, as then I can reward myself with coffee and cake afterwards. I find that not being too strict with myself in terms of diet means that I can enjoy my training and racing – and that’s why we do it isn’t it? I am, however, a vegetarian, and contrary to what most people think, a vegetarian diet doesn’t lack protein so you can get all you need for recovery and repair, though I do have to take iron supplements for anaemia.
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