What does it take to run a marathon? Is preparation easier when applying a scientific mindset? This is what we set to find out as the RIMI Riga Marathon nears, since the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL) is proud to have multiple researchers competing in the event.
On doing before thinking and the cold soup waiting past the finish line, we spoke with Andris Antuzevičs, a leading researcher at the Spectroscopy Laboratory.
How would you briefly describe your scientific field and what do you research?
I study defects in solids. I specialize in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, which is essentially similar to magnetic resonance in medicine. Defects in solids – much like imperfections in people – are often the most interesting.
When and why did you start running? How did you turn to marathons and long distances?
I have been running diligently for three years, though movement has always accompanied me in life. Long distances appealed to me because they seemed like something unattainable for me, an ordinary person. Every small victory over oneself inspires a little, so one must continue training and testing one's limits.
How much time a week do you devote to running? What distance and/or route do you usually run?
For an amateur, a lot; I devote approximately a part-time job equivalent to running and related activities. Single session distances fall within the range of 5–35 km. I improvise all of them within the sidewalks, bridges, and parks of Riga.
Do you see parallels between scientific work and preparing for a marathon? What from marathon discipline helps the most in science?
Endurance training and competitions help one discover non-cognitive skills – patience, resilience, perseverance, discipline, etc. You can read a lot about them in wise books or listen to inspiring podcasts, but heavy training cycles are one way to experience them directly and unforgettably. Regular, prolonged effort teaches that difficulties are the norm, as a result of which daily stressors no longer seem so significant. In both science and sports, every victory and loss provides valuable insights to calibrate your ambitions with reality and continue working toward achieving new results.
How do you balance training with laboratory work / projects?
In my life, science and movement are like meshed gears that turn each other. Balancing is relatively simple because the time schedule in research is flexible and the workload is usually as much as you yourself want to invest.
How does running affect your thinking or productivity in research? Have you had ideas or “aha moments” while running?
I like to plan (training, work) and then implement the intended program. This is often productive, but not always useful. During a run, out of the noise of many thoughts, only a few signals survive that are worth keeping. Those are my “aha moments.”
How do you feel in the last 10 km of a marathon? How do you overcome “crises of will” – both in a run and in projects?
Pain permeates the entire body. You want to slow down, stop, drop out. Mentally, you want to crawl into your little bed, get under the blanket, and not run for even a moment. It's excellent if, during a moment of weakness, the instinctive counter-reaction manages to connect with the pilot's words from a recent movie about fast planes: “Don’t think, just do.”
In every step of the last 10 km, neither in competitive runs nor other critical moments, is it decisive how I feel, what I think about it, or what crises I’ve invented. You have to stick to the plan and see the work you've started through to the end. You can rest, recover, and restart afterward.
Does your scientific thinking affect how you train? For example, do you analyze your training data (HR, VO2max, pace) or use any specific strategies?
Scientific thinking helps me view training as a long-term, lifelong process. Therefore, health comes first: I listen to my body's signals, compensate for training with an appropriate amount of calories and sleep hours, and perform periodic laboratory tests and specialist visits. Watch data provides an additional “game element” that clearly marks trends in various running performance parameters. I partly use this information for training plan corrections.
Will you also run in any other event this year (e.g., some Stirnu Buks)?
As much as possible, I will try to participate in all stages of Stirnu Buks and I look with a certain awe toward the Gauja trail run planned for this year. In the autumn, I might try some fast asphalt stretch.
Which marathon has remained in your memory the most and why?
Participation in any distance of the Riga Marathon is a celebration. A grandiose event that, although a bit too loud for me, certainly evokes unforgettable emotions in all participants. My first marathon has remained most vividly in my memory because my parents were waiting at the finish line, and my mom had prepared a pot of cold soup. I really like cold soup.
What would you recommend to a colleague who wants to start running? How to start if time is very limited?
Don't think. Put on comfortable shoes. Go outside. Start walking. Then – run slowly. The hardest part is usually the first step.
If you listen to music while running, what is your favorite song?
I rarely listen to music, but on long stretches, it's sometimes necessary to drive away bad thoughts. Then I prefer Latvian songs that remind me of the beautiful, boost emotions, and drive me forward.
What is one book you would recommend to others?
Harry Potter is an exciting read.
What is one habit that changed your life?
A little morning exercise. It helps to wake up, mobilize, and be more productive in the first hours of the day.
Your next goal (in science or running)?
To progress a little every day in both my knowledge and physical capability.
