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Running Opens The Doors to a Happier and Meaningful Life – Safiah Galgo

For many of us, running is a path that helps us to stay healthy. It is the same for 41-year old Safiah Galgo, but she chooses running as a means to also improve her mental health.

During a recent interview by ToughASIA with the Takaful Group Manager, she illustrated how she started her journey from having a mental breakdown to a person that embraces running as a means of gratitude towards her life.

ToughASIA: When did you start running and what made you interested in it?
Safiah: 2017 and 2018 were trying years for me, as I was faced with marital issues. It led to some mild depression as I was lost in life. I did not have a specific life goal and I felt depressed over my weight gain. After giving birth to my youngest child, I gained approximately 45 kilograms and that weight lasted for almost two years.

I took the courage to switch up my lifestyle by initiating a goal. I started brisk walking for 3 kilometers alongside 45 minutes of positive self-talk. That determination to transform my life became a 20-kilometer weekly run. Today, it has improved to about 50 to 60 kilometers per week.

I made a rule for myself, and that is to only think about positive matters and gratitude when I run, and it has truly opened the doors to a happier and a more meaningful life.

ToughASIA: Do you run alone or in a group?
Safiah: I do both. When I run in a group, I always join the Gombak LSD (Long Slow Distance) members. They are mostly runners from the Malaysian Woman Runners Facebook group.

Group runs are usually LSD road runs or trail walking or jogging sessions. We are just a group of regular ladies that try to maintain a healthy lifestyle but we try to push ourselves a little bit more in every session.

When I run solo, it is usually a 70 percent tempo run. I try to finish my long runs as fast as I can, while some days are lazy runs with no specific time goal.

I do enjoy the lazy runs though as I can make frequent stops to buy some kuih and drinks.

ToughASIA: What is your usual warm-up routine?
Safiah: My warm-ups usually consist of a 5-minute marching walk, 3-minute butt kicks, 3-minute high knees, 3-minute side-kicks, 3-minute front kicks, and a 1 kilometer slow jog.

ToughASIA: Have you registered for any races this year?
Safiah: I still have some pending races which I am really looking forward to. These include the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon and the 50-kilometer category of Route 68 Ultra.

 

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A post shared by Safiah Galgo (@safiahgalgo)

ToughASIA: Recently you have tried the JoyMix Hello-Bong and JoyMix Collagen. How did it help in your run?
Safiah: Very fast results! I did not expect it to get rid of my hip pain especially in the morning after I wake up from bed.

I was shocked that there was a noticeable difference. Usually after long runs and off-road sessions, I would feel sore and pain. But after consuming JoyMix Hello-Bong and JoyMix Collagen, the recovery time was shortened, and I could resume my run the next day.

 

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A post shared by Safiah Galgo (@safiahgalgo)

ToughASIA: Is there a difference before and after using JoyMix Hello-Bong and JoyMix Collagen?
Safiah: I evaluate the product based on the recovery and how my body feels throughout the day and also during my training. I think the JoyMix Collagen has definitely helped me to get through 33 days of running without feeling much fatigue.

I would definitely recommend JoyMix Hello-Bong and JoyMix Collagen to all the ladies, especially if they are in their 40s.

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