TV personality Kristjan Gold prepares for Narva half-marathon: "The first time I ran 400 meters, I walked back and lit a cigarette"
Kristjan in 2017 at his first marathon in Riga
On the last day of May and the first day of June, running enthusiasts will gather in the border city of Narva. Among those starting in Ida-Virumaa’s most popular race will be TV personality Kristjan Gold. Kristjan has run half-marathons and full marathons before but after a break, he's trying to get back into training mode. As the saying goes: making a public commitment helps maintain motivation to train.
Why half-marathon and why in Narva?
A half-marathon because my current fitness condition doesn’t allow for more :) A few years ago, I had a knee surgery, and since then, it’s been difficult to start running again. About six months ago, I began moving a bit more quickly. That’s why the Narva half-marathon seemed like an achievable goal right now. As for Narva, it’s the only city in the City Run series where I haven’t yet run.
When was the last time you visited Narva?
Last year. I go there every few years because I think Narva is a very beautiful and interesting city. Ida-Virumaa as a whole is a place I enjoy visiting and discovering from time to time.
What is your relationship with running?
Running and I have had a complicated relationship. I remember when I was studying at university in Tartu and working at a radio station at the same time, my weight kept rising like yeast. My lifestyle wasn’t healthy either. I decided I needed to do something and running seemed like the easiest way to start. The first time I ran about 400 meters, from one end of Anne Canal to the other, and when I walked back, I lit a cigarette. It seemed impossible that anyone would do this voluntarily. But I thought, I’m not giving up that easily. I started moving every day. I got serious about running again in 2016. I began training and set a goal to run a half-marathon every month. I discovered that there are a lot of really cool running events in Estonia. My bigger goal was to run a full marathon. I ran my first marathon in the spring of 2017 in Riga, and later that same year in Tallinn. After that, my plan was to run two full marathons each year—one abroad and one in Estonia. I ended up running seven marathons before the pandemic brought that to a halt.
A good time to restart! Why is it better to run with others, for example, in a race?
I enjoy training alone, but public sporting events are irreplaceable for their atmosphere. The way people cheer on the course and work together for a common goal is incredibly fun. You probably won’t fully understand it until you’ve participated in a running event yourself. For me, the finishing time no longer matters. It’s much more enjoyable to run at my own pace and enjoy the course.
Where are you with your preparation today, with a month and a half until the Narva half-marathon?
I’m trying to get back into my regular rhythm of running three times a week. Right now, it’s been a bit challenging because of work, but I’ve still managed to make it to the gym at least twice a week to build a base.
How many times a week do you need to train to complete a half-marathon?
From my past experience, I can say that running about twice during the week, covering 7-10 km (with some intervals mixed in), and then doing a longer run on the weekend (about 1.5-2 hours) has been enough to prepare for both half and full marathons.
