My current favorite hobby is listening to podcasts while running.
Why I Listen to Podcasts
At first, I ran while listening to upbeat music, but having to pick songs that matched my taste or search for the right tracks each time actually broke my focus. So queuing up two or three podcasts of about 30 minutes to an hour each, then focusing on running while listening to their stories and comparing them with my own thoughts, has been very effective. For someone like me who struggles to focus on one thing for long, a synergy develops where the podcast catches my wandering attention and helps me dive back into running. With high-quality podcasts like Choi Sungwoon's Thought Experiments, Shoes Off, and Chimchakman's Nest, we're in an era where media quality has generally leveled up. Competitive podcasts enrich my life. I can't express how precious it is to have media in this reality that I can simply empathize with, laugh at, and enjoy—rather than adding to or evaluating someone else's opinions.
My Thoughts on the Running Boom
This exercise is trendy, but I think it's also because it has relatively few barriers and anyone can do it easily. If your two legs work, you can run or walk and taste the feeling of achievement. If you do it as a team with others, you build teamwork and bonds. Korea's many riverside walking paths play a big role too. In a world where complete individualization is intensifying, walking along these riverside paths, you commonly see countless people running, walking, strolling with pets, enjoying dates, and playing music. Those places feel like precious spaces that smell of humanity.
Growth Process
I have severe flat feet. I have to consciously lift my big toes to create a foot arch. While running, I often feel the center of my right sole bunching up or folding, and occasionally I get an unpleasant sensation like plantar fasciitis or an impending blister. Whenever that happens, I apply force to my big toe and focus on the inner sole while running, gradually self-correcting over time. Through this process, I feel a sense of progression, and the sense of achievement grows.
My calves are also on the thicker side. Even a little running causes my calf muscles to bunch up and get sore. Without regular foam roller use, even light finger pressure on my calves causes significant pain. Even Thai massages are difficult. Still, these days I occasionally use a foam roller and combine it with massage, and the pain feels reduced and more bearable compared to before.
Applying lubricant to a body that's like old rusty equipment and getting it working again—there's a satisfying feeling in that. It's only two 10K marathons and a handful of runs, but each time I can directly observe myself improving little by little. I experience the joy of competing not with others but with yesterday's version of myself. Nothing shines quite like this kind of achievement.
