When she was younger, food influencer Emilie Voe Nereng (26) could take occasional jogs, but she didn't start running regularly until 2017.
- Then my father had signed up for the Oslo Marathon in the half-marathon distance, and he challenged me to join. I couldn't say no when my 50+ dad wanted to run! In January, Emilie started to train, and by the time September came, she had started to get the feel for running. And now the half marathon is on the agenda for her on 17 September.
SIGN UP FOR THE OSLO MARATHON HERE!
From punishment to mastery
In the beginning, running was about everything but the joy of running for Emilie. She used running as a kind of "punishment" against her body if she had eaten too much, which gave a bad running experience.
- I was also in pretty bad running shape, and then running is no fun if you only do it a few times a month. When I started training for my first half marathon, for the first time I experienced mastery in something I had previously disliked. I felt I was getting in good shape and began to appreciate my body in a completely different way than before.
Have you had any role models in running?
-I have always been fascinated by ultra runners and loved the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Otherwise, I have no other specific role models, as I only take myself and my own running form as a starting point.
How was your first race?
- I was taken to a zero race by my father when I was 11 years old and I remember thinking it was really cool. Otherwise, I ran a stage of the Ringeriksmarathon when I was a little older and remember the feeling of mastery I got from having run for a team!
RUN THE OSLO MARATHON AND CHOOSE BETWEEN 3 KM, 10 KM, HALF MARATHON, MARATHON, THE TRIPLE OR THE SPORT RUNS FOR THE LITTLE ONES!
Injuries and food before the race
Emilie now runs a maximum of 3 times a week to avoid running injuries. She has struggled a lot with runner's knee, and has therefore realized that she has to reduce the amount and length of the sessions in order to continue running. To avoid injuries, she takes care to recover at least one day between each running session, and train leg strength with good load 1-2 times a week to strengthen the muscles.
When she runs intervals, 45×15 is the favourite.
-I take either 20 or 30 45-sec intervals depending on the day's form, with a 1-minute break after 10.
Emilie's favorite session, on the other hand, is a quieter long walk outside in the nice weather, while she switches between listening to music and listening to the sounds of nature.
And as a food enthusiast, she is also keen to eat good food both before and after a run.
- The best thing I know before a run is a good and thick smoothie bowl of banana, berries, spinach, protein powder and milk! And after a run, I make sure to eat a balanced meal that keeps me full for a long time.
JOIN THE RUNNING ADVENTURE ON SEPTEMBER 17 IN OSLO!
- The audience during the Oslo Marathon gives me energy!
Altogether, there have been around 15 races on Emilie, and one of her best memories is when she set a good half-marathon time during the Oslo Marathon in 2018.
- It's great fun to set a new personal record. My dad rode the entire course to cheer me on, and my mom stood at the finish line with yogurt nuts!
Lovely! And what makes the Oslo Marathon so special?
- The audience! People who stand along the trail and cheer us on as we run past! Smiling at the audience along the way gives me a boost of energy!
Do you have any tips for others who are in the starting pit?
- Don't start too hard. Find a pace that suits you where you can chat a bit, without worrying too much about speed or time. We are all different, and you have to start from where you are.
And for Emilie, running is now about coping with stress, and that this is a source of joy and coping, and something that gives life a little wonderful X-factor.
- My life became something completely different after I found joy in running, and helped to give me a better view of my own body and my own life!
