Despite being new to the running community, third year university student JX's colourful running adventures have lit up the online space
PHOTO: HAW JIA XUAN
What started off as a way to lose weight from late night suppers while staying on campus has turned into a fierce passion for runner Haw Jia Xuan, who now clocks 25km - 30km weekly.
Known by most as JX, Haw regularly shares her running adventures through social media, with beautiful sunrises and landscapes captured via @WorldThroughJX, her Instagram page.
She recounts how she first started running due to the Covid-19 lockdown in early 2020. Back then, she had just moved home from campus housing when Singapore announced its 8-week Circuit Breaker.
PHOTO: HAW JIA XUAN
"I was looking for a reason to get out of the house. I found that running allowed me to keep my mind off schoolwork and spend some time to reflect on my day. I especially love easy run days where I am able to let my mind wander off," said the 22 year-old.
Her brother and boyfriend are both huge running enthusiasts, and both played a huge role in helping her start on her fitness journey. Running was also a common activity they were able to do together.
Her parents are also runners, with the Haw family running together at least four times a week. They would go for their runs at their own pace and meet after for a meal together.
PHOTO: HAW JIA XUAN
Favourite Running Route
Haw's favourite running route is just around the neighbourhood of Punggol, and one can understand why: tucked away in Singapore's northeast with gentle streams running alongside the greenery that line beautiful footpaths for pedestrians.
"Punggol has many scenic routes including inside Coney Island and along Punggol Waterway. Let’s not forget the fact that you can run to other neighbourhoods like Sengkang and Hougang via the park connectors too," Haw shared.
She added: "I really like the versatility of the running routes here – you can choose to go for a 3k or 10k run; you can choose to do intervals at the straighter paths; you can do some trail runs inside Coney Island – many types of runs are possible! There are also plenty of water points littered around the area so you do not have to worry about hydration points."
PHOTO: HAW JIA XUAN
Running Mileage
The third year NUS student's usual weekly mileage adds up to about 25km - 30km, which includes a speed session and a long run every week. The rest of her runs are easy runs to help her build her aerobic base.
"One simple way that I use to check whether the effort is indeed an easy one is by checking if I can sustain a conversation during my run. My runs usually range from 3km - 10km on average," Haw shared.
On special occasions, Haw would aim for a specific distance, such as a half marathon (21km) on her 21st birthday and 8.88km on Chinese New Year.
PHOTO: HAW JIA XUAN
Running Shoe Rotation
She has a few daily trainers on rotation, but would choose the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v2 if she had to pick one to run with for the rest of her life.
She finds the FuelCell Rebel v2 super lightweight, with FuelCell foam one of the softest she's ever tried. The Fuelcell Rebel v2 are the first pair of running shoes she's tried outside of Nike, and she doesn't regret it at all.
PHOTO: HAW JIA XUAN
For faster runs, Haw would reach for her New Balance FuelCell RC Elite v2, the shoes that she feels help propel her forward with every stride.
She isn't usually a fan of carbon plated shoes because she finds them too stiff, but the RC Elite v2 was a game-changer for her because of the soft cushioning from the FuelCell foam, making it the most comfortable pair of carbon plated shoes she's worn, and it helps that she loves the colourways too.
Running Solo vs Running with Friends
As it is usually tough to arrange a time to run with others, Haw usually runs solo. The benefit of that choice is also because it allows her to decide on the pace she prefers.
To help her along her running journey, she uses audio-guided runs on the Nike Run Club App. Despite this, she does occasionally run with friends, whom she's very thankful for.
PHOTO: HAW JIA XUAN
"I’m not going to sugar-coat it but picking up running was far from easy," she recalls. "Within my circle of friends, I actually create a monthly challenge where the goal is to run 1k for every day in the month. So, let’s say there are 31 days in January, then the monthly challenge would be to complete 31k that month."
"Even though this is a virtual challenge, it is still heart-warming to see my loved ones complete the challenge and continue loving the sport. Aside from this, it was my pleasure to run with my closest friend on her birthday – her longest run yet – and I cannot express how proud I am!"
Diet and Food Choices
Haw has an obsession with Chocolate Soya Milk and Yakun Kaya Toast, which she shares regularly on her social media platforms. Not being someone who watches her diet very strictly, she believe that it’s okay to eat what you like to eat, but in moderation.
"I find that restricting yourself and avoiding food you love is a recipe for disaster. You will inevitably give in to your cravings and overeat when you have the chance, so I choose to eat what I want to in watchful amounts instead."
PHOTO: HAW JIA XUAN
Cross Training Outside of Running
Haw recently also picked up jump rope, after coming across content from the jump rope community on instagram. She was impressed by how other jumpers gracefully nailed down sick moves and eye-catching tricks, and began challenging herself to learn them too.
It also offered her an excellent all-weather cardio workout option. Her running journey was also made easier after she tried out free home workout programs by Caroline Girvan. She began to explore group fitness more recently at F45 Pasir Ris West where she frequents.
"I had the opportunity to try out group-based functional training classes at F45 Pasir Ris West and I got to meet so many amazing people! I want to give a shoutout to Amyn, who has been my workout buddy since my very first class. These classes vary from strength training to cardio sessions with many variations so there’s never a dull day."
PHOTO: HAW JIA XUAN
Personal Goals and Targets
Haw hopes to inspire more people to lead an active lifestyle and to make it a sustainable lifestyle choice, not just temporarily.
"I want people to embrace the fun of working out instead of seeing it as a chore," said Haw. "I am also honoured to be part of the RunNUS 2022 planning committee, which aims to spread the joy of running to the NUS population and members of the public."
With physical and hybrid running events expected to make a return to Singapore in 2022, Haw hopes to be able to take part in another race and hopefully complete a full marathon.
"I was lucky enough to have taken part in Our Tampines Hub 2.4k challenge and Standard Charted 10k race in 2021, so I can’t wait to be on the starting line again."
Get inspired by Jia Xuan's running and fitness journey by heading over to her Instagram page, and stay tuned for more stories from our local fitness community here on SportPlus.sg!
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