How to get started with running in Bangkok

[snoop1130]

How to get started with running in Bangkok

 

 

Please join me in this not-so-unlikely-scenario-in-August. You have relocated to Bangkok recently. Found a great place to live, swimming pool right at your doorstep, kids are going to a wonderful school, you managed to locate your favourite Thai street food vendors and are ready to pick up your sports routine again. Life is good, you are getting settled and so you decide to go for a run in the nearby Queen Sirikit Park.  

 

The first thing you notice after donning on your running shoes and reaching the park is that it is remarkably quiet at 11am on a Sunday morning. You went out after you had set the kids up for success with a nice family breakfast and immediately find yourself running in less than ideal circumstances. You did not bring any water or put on sun protection because you never did that back home. After your warm-up you notice that the running shirt you usually wear is already drenched in sweat. “I better get going”, you think, only to find out that there is an impenetrable wall of humidity in the park that prevents you from picking up any speed whatsoever. You double check your sports watch because that Heart Rate must be wrong. After one exhausting lap of the park you return to the safety of a shaded tree and rethink your plan to go out and run in what now feels like a sauna. “Whoa… I am really out of shape with the move and all”, is what might go through your mind. Deflated, you return home to spend the rest of the day nursing a headache that arose shortly after you stopped running.

 

If this sounds familiar to you, rest assured, you are not that out of shape. You just experienced a little piece of Bangkok’s beautifully suited climate to drain every bit of energy out of you. You are simply not used (the proper term being acclimatised ) to this environment, yet. Here is the upside; it will get better! Until then, learn to do what experienced BKK runners do. 

 

8 Tips and tricks to get you started with running in Bangkok

 

Avoid running in the heat of the day

 

This is a must-do for runners acclimatising to Bangkok’s humidity and temperature. The reason it is so quiet in the parks at 11am is that very few people will opt for a heat training session other than some experienced runners who are purposely training heat sets for their (ultra)marathons. Most parks open at 5 am in the morning so if you set your alarm you can be running in a relatively cool period of the day from 5 to approximately 7.30 am. Trust me when I say you won’t be lonely in the park at 5 am. There are a  surprising amount of people active that early in the morning.

 

Not a morning person? No problem! Parks stay open quite late so you can also opt for a cooler sundown session at night. Equally as many people out and some you may even recognise from your morning outing.  

 

Shorten your training runs

 

As it takes time to adapt or acclimatise to your new environment, shorten your training runs for the first 6 weeks after moving to Bangkok. This is an ideal time for you to step back, be kind to your body and establish the routine first before adding volume to your running. Three sessions of 20 to 30 minute jogs in a week are better than one single long run over the weekend. I always encourage people to take this 6 weeks acclimatisation period to make some changes in your running form. This way you go out there with a purpose rather than just running for the sake of running. Not that that is such a bad thing but hey, make the most of the given situation!

 

Full Story: https://expatlifeinthailand.com/health-and-beauty/how-to-get-started-with-running-in-bangkok/

 

-- © Copyright Expat Life in Thailand

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

 

[Jane Dough]

All that advice without suggesting people run on a treadmill....in air-conditioning.

 

Rooster

[Seismic]

Running at dawn or dusk is also the time when those wonderful Bangkok denizens are out in force looking for a blood fix. Wear long sleeves or mosquito repellent.

[Denim]

Avoid running .

 

Good advice. Been doing this for years. 

[androokery]

I love running in Bangkok. It's not easy and it's pretty restricted in terms of time and locations, but the parks are great.

Just one thing: do I have to stand still during the playing of the Thai national anthem? I'm not Thai and not at all nationalistic, but in the interest of self-preservation I have opted to stand still. 

[VocalNeal]

I suggest hooking up with the Hash House Harriers. Heat, sweat? We laugh at that. Plus side there are a few runners as well.

Avoid running during the day? We've been doing that, OK evenings, since 1977.

Do what experienced runners do? In Bangkok? Finish the session with a beer.

Edited November 18, 2019 by VocalNeal

[impulse]

4 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

I suggest hooking up with the Hash House Harriers. Heat, sweat? We laugh at that. Plus side there are a few runners as well.

Avoid running during the day? We've been doing that, OK evenings, since 1977.

Do what experienced runners do? In Bangkok? Finish the session with a beer.

 

I tried the HHH in China, but left the group after a 2 hour run and then 4 hours of the leaders trying to force feed beer down everyone's throats.

 

Is the BKK group just as focused on the drinking?

 

[smutcakes]

12 hours ago, Seismic said:

Running at dawn or dusk is also the time when those wonderful Bangkok denizens are out in force looking for a blood fix. Wear long sleeves or mosquito repellent.

You are running, a mosquito is not going to bite you unless you are literally standing still. I regularly run at 4-5am around BKK and never ever have i been bitten. Chased by dogs and lady boys for sure, rats running over my feet, but never problems with mosquitoes. 

[soistalker]

Running in Bangkok is all about deeply inhaling the inhaleable(sp) and respirable particulates in the air.  And delicious O3 Ozone. 

No thank you. 

[VocalNeal]

10 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I tried the HHH in China, but left the group after a 2 hour run and then 4 hours of the leaders trying to force feed beer down everyone's throats.

 

Is the BKK group just as focused on the drinking?

 

Bangkok runs/walks are about 1 hr. No one is forcing you to stay and drink beer for 4 hrs. Bangkok has about 30 mins of beer and about 1 1/2 hours of socializing.

 

There are no rules you could have left whenever you wanted. 

[VocalNeal]

1 hour ago, soistalker said:

Running in Bangkok is all about deeply inhaling the inhaleable(sp) and respirable particulates in the air.  And delicious O3 Ozone. 

No thank you. 

Bangkok is a large place lots of places to go. I'm sure we (hashers) will outlive people who don't exercise frequently.

[MaxLee]

Put on a PN 2.5 mask nowadays

[impulse]

27 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Bangkok runs/walks are about 1 hr. No one is forcing you to stay and drink beer for 4 hrs. Bangkok has about 30 mins of beer and about 1 1/2 hours of socializing.

 

There are no rules you could have left whenever you wanted. 

 

You've never done a run in Tianjin then, where they charter a bus to location.  And finding a taxi to run between cities is tough.  The circle lasted longer than the run (and was very abusive), then there was the dinner with pressure to drink more before hopping on the bus back to town.  I don't know if they were all like that because I didn't go back for a 2nd run. 

 

I guess you're saying that BKK HHH isn't like that?

 

 

Edited November 19, 2019 by impulse

[bbi1]

15 hours ago, androokery said:

I love running in Bangkok. It's not easy and it's pretty restricted in terms of time and locations, but the parks are great.

Just one thing: do I have to stand still during the playing of the Thai national anthem? I'm not Thai and not at all nationalistic, but in the interest of self-preservation I have opted to stand still. 

No you don't have to stand still during the Thai national anthem, just continue on with your run while your lungs keeps on enjoying sucking down those PM2.5 particles.

[Proboscis]

16 hours ago, Denim said:

Avoid running .

 

Good advice. Been doing this for years. 

In South East ASia, I just don't get the runners. I cycle some of the year (not in Bangkok!) and with the higher speed than running you get to cool a little bit. But when it gets very hot and humid, I even give that up.

[Tropposurfer]

Sounds like this person isn't a runner, maybe a jogger lol. Only silly people run in the middle of the day, unless your acclimatised and know you can handle heat from experience. All serious, regular runners usually run early mornings, while children and others are asleep or just stirring. As for mosquitoes you'd have to run like a very slow geriatric to get bitten. If you run, actually run instead of shuffle then no way you'll get bitten by mozzies (well, maybe before you start to run and when you stop you'd be carried off for a feast) ... lol

[ExpatOilWorker]

Forget about running and go for a nice bike ride at the airport. Bicycles can be rented for 400 baht.

 

 

[Redline]

What is the balance between health and harm breathing all kinds of chemicals and smoke deep into your lungs?  Or, are you proposing this for it’s social benefits?  I personally would not get all of these pollutants deeper into the lungs-wear a proper mask nearly all year 

[DLock]

Even on cleared marked and separated bike paths, the Somchai gene is strong.

 

...but this actually looks pretty cool. I would use it.

 

 

[Tagged]

21 hours ago, Jane Dough said:

All that advice without suggesting people run on a treadmill....in air-conditioning.

 

Rooster

And a gym with view! Many nice gyms a bit up in the buildings with great views. 

[buick]

if you are running in benjasiri park (next to emporium btwn sukhumvit soi 22 and 24), you definitely have to stop and stand still during the 'music moment' at approx. 8am and 6pm.  if you don't, you'll be told by the locals to 'stop'.  that includes running in place (no, don't do it).

Edited November 19, 2019 by buick

[shoupy]

The Hash House Harriers are yesterday's news.  The Waffle Wat Walkers are where it's at now.

[bbi1]

32 minutes ago, buick said:

if you are running in benjasiri park (next to emporium btwn sukhumvit soi 22 and 24), you definitely have to stop and stand still during the 'music moment' at approx. 8am and 6pm.  if you don't, you'll be told by the locals to 'stop'.  that includes running in place (no, don't do it).

Who in Thailand follows laws anyway? Laws and rules are only suggestions.

[soistalker]

12 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Bangkok is a large place lots of places to go. I'm sure we (hashers) will outlive people who don't exercise frequently.

That is not what experts say. They say running in that level of pollution is counterproductive to health. You are actually hurting yourself by running in that <deleted>.

[soistalker]

5 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Who in Thailand follows laws anyway? Laws and rules are only suggestions.

No one follows the rules for anything unless it is for King and country. 

[Hanuman2547]

On 11/18/2019 at 4:08 AM, VocalNeal said:

Do what experienced runners do? In Bangkok? Finish the session with a beer.

or 2 or 3!  On-On!

[Hanuman2547]

16 hours ago, Proboscis said:

In South East ASia, I just don't get the runners. I cycle some of the year (not in Bangkok!) and with the higher speed than running you get to cool a little bit. But when it gets very hot and humid, I even give that up.

You can cycle in Bangkok all year around.  Luckily my place is on the outskirts of BKK and can find better places to cycle.

[sirineou]

On 11/18/2019 at 6:32 AM, snoop1130 said:

How to get started with running in Bangkok

Get into an argument with a ladyboy.

[Hanuman2547]

16 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Forget about running and go for a nice bike ride at the airport. Bicycles can be rented for 400 baht.

 

 

There are a lot of good things about Skylane for cycling.  It's a dedicated cycling venue that is approximately 23.5 per lap around the airport.  However, the one bad thing is that it does become quite boring after 15 or 16km as the scenery doesn't change much.  It's also flat as a pancake.  I've only cycled it a couple of times but it was ok.  I put my bike in a taxi and got dropped off out there.  When I was done cycling at Skylane I just cycled the additional 15km back home.  

[Hanuman2547]

17 hours ago, impulse said:

 

You've never done a run in Tianjin then, where they charter a bus to location.  And finding a taxi to run between cities is tough.  The circle lasted longer than the run (and was very abusive), then there was the dinner with pressure to drink more before hopping on the bus back to town.  I don't know if they were all like that because I didn't go back for a 2nd run. 

 

I guess you're saying that BKK HHH isn't like that? 

 

 

All of the Bangkok Hashes are generally an hour run give or take 10-15 minutes.  The circle doesn't last longer than the run.  You can almost always catch a taxi if you don't want to stay longer or perhaps a ride with someone else who is leaving.  There isn't any pressure to drink more than you feel comfortable with.  If your cup/glass/mug is half empty someone might offer to fill it up for you but you can always decline.  All hashes worldwide are different, even those in the same city.  I know that in my home country I don't hash as I don't find it very appealing at all.