Advice to Runners in Cambodia

As mentioned in my previous entry, it's not easy to train in Siem Reap. In addition to the atrocious road and air quality conditions, facilities and items essential for serious runners are also lacking.

One important lesson I learned living in Cambodia is being able to "wing" it. It may not be the best option but you have to learn how to deal with it and do the best with it. A little bit of creativity and nifty ideas go a long way.

Gym and Weight Training

A good part of my training usually involves a good amount in the gym. I find core training just as important as LSD's (=long slow distance) to maintain my endurance for long distance running. I also do adjusted speed workouts on the treadmill for accuracy. 

Gyms are not exactly a paucity in Siem Reap per se but really there are only 2 options: 1) A local Cambodian local gym (2000R~4000R per entry) in which looks more like a formal tool shed. It is occupied mostly by local Cambodian men pumping weights. Plus, no AC 2) Expat oriented gym with membership $30~. Both were out of the question for me. 

Instead I resorted to yoga classes twice a week to build on my core. There's a plethora of yoga classes (it seems to be the "it" thing amongst expats at the moment) offered at many hostels and expat cafes. I also found a "massage parlor" with a simple gym facility on the rooftop that had a stationary bike machine and simple weights in which I negotiated to use for $2/session. 

At least I get a nice view from my "gym"

Nutrition

There's many theories on marathon nutrition so don't take my word on how to properly eat --I simply do what works for me. I usually increase my simple carbohydrate intake by 25-30% a month before the race. I then switch to a protein-high diet about 2 weeks before the race as my training schedule starts to taper down. 2-3 days before I switch back to a carb-rich diet to do my last minute fueling for the race. 

The problem in Cambodia is that the weather is so hot that it is simply hard for me to eat before I start gagging (My  California adjusted body can only tolerate mild weather so any extremities will make my body shut down). Fortunately Cambodia being a former French-colony there's an abundance of bakeries. I took advantage of a few of them in which I would buy a whole baguette and try to finish it throughout the day. Either or, I would buy 2 nompang-pate (Cambodian style sandwiches) to eat as a snack. 

Getting substantial protein is also a problem. Training is usually the only time when I eat meat (I'm an ex-vegetarian and usually eat more fish) but finding good quality meat here can be problematic unless you resort to imported expensive meat in expat supermarkets. Local foods such as dried fish, beans, and peanut butter were all great alternatives. In addition I would "splurge" to buy canned beans for extra protein intakes.

Side note on "Whole Foods" and "Trader Joes" -like products

You know what I'm talking about, you health-nuts: Organic wheatgrass juices, CLIFF bars, whey protein powders, raw bars, running gels. Sorry to break the news to you guys, but there is none available here. As international shipping doesn't really work in Cambodia unless 1) you have a PO box and 2) you want to risk of your package getting inspected/open and stolen), you need to stock up when you go to Bangkok or somewhere overseas. I raided Trader Joes when I was back for Christmas last month. 

Hydration

Training in 10k plus weather can really take a toll on you, especially in the searing heat. It's usually advisable to carry a camel pack or a portable water bottle on your runs. The thing is, I hate carrying extra equipment on me other than my running sunglasses and Garmin. When I ran in Tokyo, I relied on street vending machines and FamilyMart/7-11/Lawson's in which all I needed was my Suica card that acted as my electronic payment card. Obviously with no such luxury or technology available here, I resorted to carrying around a running fanny pack (trust me, those things are lifesavers for carrying gel packs, keys, iphones, etc) and carrying small amounts of cash to buy bottled water on the road. There's usually few vendors on the street selling ice cold water, red bull, and coke in water coolers for 500-2000R.

Clothing & Equipment

Luckily, I've bought and brought all my running equipment from home.  As for shoes, there's plenty of ersatz Nike Airs floating around at local markets. However, I strongly advise not to buy counterfeit athletic shoes since they can really mess your feet up in extreme physical activity. This is especially true in Cambodia where roads are not paved and hence very injury prone. My best advice is to go shoe shopping when you get a chance to go to Phnom Penh or Bangkok. It's been the trend the past few years to wear low-cushion/barefoot shoes but if you're going to be running in Cambodia I strongly recommend impact-free higher cushioned shoes just because most of the roads are dirt paves. 

For running attire, there's an official Adidas store in Siem Reap but unfortunately not many other options are available. Although, you can try looking for clothing at Old Market. Since cotton based clothing will only make you heavier with all the sweat, I strongly advise you against to run in them. NIKE dry-fit clothing is really nice for these sorts of weather but if that's expensive the Target athletic line is a great alternative and good quality for the price. Also, I know it's hot but I strongly advise to cover your legs/arms when you run in order to be considerate of the modest dressing code here and more importantly running under the harsh sun in bare skin will create wrinkles no matter how much sun-block you plaster on! I usually wear UV-protect clothing from Uniqlo. It's inexpensive and the material is light and sheer so you won't sweat through them. Nevertheless, don't forget to put on water-proof sunblock all over your body before going out in Cambodia everyday! Hats and sunglasses are also a plus to minimize the sun rays and heat. 

Contrary to running shoes, I don't spend a lot on running attire. Running clothes have become fashionable in the last few years but I don't see them doing much to improve my running other than the fact that I gain a little bit of self-esteem while running hideously and sweating profusely. Frankly I'd rather use that extra money to buy a nice pair of pumps or jeans when I am NOT running. 

In all, it makes me realize how fortunate America is in terms of athletic facilities and options. At the same time it's sad that much of the American population aren't utilizing it to its full potential. So with that note, start signing up and making use of those great gyms in the US!  Even 24hour fitness seems like a luxury when you are on the other side of the world.