Chargefox head of marketing Rob Asselman on the benefits of running

Life & LuxuryHealth & Wellness

Chargefox head of marketing Rob Asselman works mostly from home, which helps him find the time to problem-solve while running. He answers our Time Out Q&A.

Life & Leisure

Jan 22, 2024 – 5.00am

Rob Asselman is head of marketing at EV charging network Chargefox. He lives in Melbourne.

Why running?
It’s about 80 per cent for mental health and 20 per cent to stave off “dad bod”. There was a period in my early 30s where chronic back pain prevented me from doing anything. After years of pain and bouts of temporary paralysis I was eventually diagnosed with a chronic inflammatory disease of the spine. I got it treated and since then I’ve never taken the simple joy of running for granted. I’ve had struggles with anxiety and depression, too, and running has become a critical part of how I stay healthy and happy.

Rob Asselman, still smiling ahead of the Great Ocean Road Marathon: “There was lots of swearing, maybe even some tears.”

Road or track?
I’m fortunate enough to live in a beautiful part of the world with many options for running. My local creek and parklands have some amazing tracks where I usually see kangaroos, horses, incredible birdlife and the occasional echidna. There are times when I feel a million miles from anywhere but am less than 30 kilometres from the CBD.

Do you race?
Only against myself. I’m competitive by nature but have never been in any way an elite runner. For me, the beauty of running is that anyone can get out there with little more than a pair of shoes. The running fraternity welcomes everyone because it is everyone.

Favourite distance?
I love running half-marathon to marathon distance. There is a sweet spot that sometimes comes at about the 15-kilometre mark where the chatter in my mind quietens, time seems irrelevant, and my legs just do their thing. I think it’s probably the same as a meditative state that yoga practitioners seek – it’s elusive, but when you find it, it makes it all worth it.

How often do you train?
When I’m training for a marathon, I try to get out four times a week, but currently it’s two or three. I clocked more than 1000 kilometres in 2023.

Rob Asselman, right, on the trail with his running buddy Anthony Wymond.

Social or solo runner?
Both. I love running by myself – there are so many brilliant podcasts to get through – but my running buddy, Anthony Wymond, is great. We’ve been running together for about five years and have become really close friends.

Morning or night runner?
I mostly work from home, so I sometimes sneak in a short run during lunchtime. On the weekend, I’ll try to wake up early and do a longer jog with Anthony. If we’re lucky, we’ll meet somewhere interesting and try a new route.

Post-run fuel?
This is one of the best things about running long distances. After burning somewhere between 2000 and 5000 calories, your body just wants to demolish whatever is in front of you. I’ve even been known to choose a running location purely because there is a restaurant, cafe or pizza joint I wanted to stop at after the run (my humble apologies to the establishments I have eaten at in a sweaty mess).

Ever been lost?
Often. I have lived in Melbourne most of my life, and yet I have been known to tell visitors who ask for directions, “I’m not from here.” If I’m not running on my regular routes, you’ll often see me fishing out my phone and poking my sweaty fingers at Google Maps.

What motivates you to run?
Exercise, fun, mental health, beating a personal best, thinking through a work challenge, claiming back my Strava “local legend” status, getting a little break from the kids … any reason is a worthy reason.

How do you mitigate the risk of injury as you get older?
It’s no secret, but I think it’s about listening to your body, not overtraining, and mixing it up with some other exercises when you can.

Done any marathons?
Two marathons so far, with a personal best of three hours, 52 minutes and change. I was really happy to break the four-hour mark. Last year, I ran the Great Ocean Road Marathon in some pretty horrendous weather after tearing a calf muscle only a month or so before. It wasn’t the most fun. There was lots of swearing, maybe even some tears, but I finished and ended up doing a respectable time.

Do you travel to run and if so, where?
I throw my running shoes in my bag whenever I travel, either for work or for pleasure. Nowhere super exotic, but I’ve clocked up some nice runs on the Mornington Peninsula, including along the Cape Schanck and Bushrangers Bay tracks, which are stunning.

What about travelling overseas for running events?
It’s my dream to run an overseas marathon. I’m eyeing off the Tokyo Marathon because I’ve never been to Japan and I love ’80s pop culture, video games, whisky and watches – things Japan is famous for.

View of Tokyo streets during the Tokyo Marathon. Getty

Favourite piece of kit?
Probably my Jabra Elite Active 65t headphones for all the true-crime podcasts I listen to. I’ve had them for about five years now, have run thousands of kilometres in them and even accidentally put them through the washing machine a few times.

Dream running buddy? The key here would be someone who can tolerate me for two, three or four hours (and I them), so that narrows the field quite a lot. I want to say [Kenyan long-distance runner] Eliud Kipchoge, but I’d keep up with him for a maximum of five minutes. My current running buddy is top-notch. Anthony made me believe I could run the marathon distance, and we’ve shared countless hours beating the pavement together.

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