Industrial designer by day, DJ at night. Alex Kovac knows that balance is key and that friends make it all better.
Tell us about what you do?
I’m an industrial designer for my day job ... I’m a DJ on the weekend. I’m starting to get some really good gigs this year so I’m going to see where that goes ... Having that creative outlet of DJing is super cool and quite important in my life.
How long have you been on your career path?
I’ve been in my current job not for very long, only since October last year but I’ve been doing industrial design for 10 or 11 years.
And DJing?
Probably around the same time. I think 2007 or 2006 was when I started.
How does running fit into your creative lifestyle?
It is definitely one of those things that really goes hand-in-hand ... It sort of balances out everything really well. I see a lot of people all the time. I’m always around people and I live with people and it’s just my one chance to really be alone and have a lot of time to process thoughts and relax and not have all this stimulus with what comes with all the jobs that I do. You always have music in your ears, or people talking at you which can be a bit overwhelming when it is happening six days a week. So going for a run, all that drops away and you just have this time to think and be alone and absorb everything that is happening around you nature-wise.
“You can just clear your mind, relax. If you need to solve a problem or come up with creative ideas it is a good time for that as well. So I get a lot out of [running].”
So you mainly run solo?
A bit of both. It is interesting in the group that I run in, some people only like to run in a group, they don't like to do it alone. But for me it is a real balance of the two. Sometimes it is essential that I am alone and sometimes I really want to be with the crew because they’re encouraging, and its social and fun and we push each other ... It is definitely important that I have both in my life. Having the crew around is so much fun. You get to have a social thing with them, you get the talk and chat. It makes the running go really quickly. We also go for beers afterwards and hang out which is really fun too. And the support that you get from them is really important.
Where do you like to run in Melbourne?
I just moved house to North Melbourne so I am really close to Princess Park. I usually like to go somewhere that is a good distance around where I am living. So before that I was in Collingwood. So I would go along the Capital City trail that goes along the Yarra. It was a really good loop that goes about 15kms.
Being close to nature is super important for me, where I can get out of running with cars or running with traffic to somewhere where it is full of nature and hopefully quiet. One of the best spots is actually where Abbottsford is ... The Capital City trail goes through there. And it is literally like being in the country. I love that trail so much. There are other runners there but often you can run for an hour and not encounter any other people whatsoever. Just water and birds and sunshine.
What sort of music do you listen to when you run?
It's funny, sometimes if I’m trying to get new music for DJing I’ll listen to podcasts or other people’s DJ mixes or a radio station to see if I can pick up new music when I’m out. Try and learn new things. And other times I will listen to DJ mixes that I’ve done and try and critique the work that I’ve done and try and improve. Otherwise I like deep house music, something that is not too interactive. Something that doesn't take the focus away from running, I don't listen to it too hard. It is kind of relaxing, I guess. It doesn't have to always be upbeat.
