A shot is fired. Several thousand bodies are in motion. Hearts thumping, lungs pumping, bodies sweating. Running - I am now part of this madness but sometimes I do not know why I run. Now, reflecting back over a year ago, on this journey I decided to take with Joy and Nomi, the answer to the question “Why do I run?” may slowly be taking shape.
My journey into fitness started when a friend dared me to join Original Bootcamp. What is Original Bootcamp you say? Well, according to its website it is “an outdoor-based group fitness training system that offers a creative infusion/blend of heart-thumping HIIT (High - Intensity Interval Training), Kettlebell-inspired concepts and bodyweight drill progressions that are structured on the scientific principles of strength and conditioning.” Quite a mouthful, yes? But I’ll just let the Youtube video speak for itself.
Suffice to say, I actually started to take up running so that I could keep up with the Bootcamp recruits! Nomi, a long time friend, (who later introduced me to Joy) suggested that I run with her on occasion. Let me tell you about Nomi and Joy. Nomi is the strongest person I know. Strong, not only physically, but mentally. Her strong legs pound the pavements with an amazing natural ease. Joy is the definition of a runner. Tall and elegant, with the longest legs and a fast, steady stride. And then you have me. With a body built for, well, lying down and doing nothing, running was the ultimate ‘4-letter word’. I could walk with no problems, but I could only hold a run for 30 seconds before I stopped and wheezed like a 102 year old woman with lung disease. I have never been athletic in any way shape or form. Never did any sport in school. I was the fat girl whom no one chose for any team. I hated physical education with a passion and always had an excuse not to exert myself. But both Nomi and Joy showed me that running was possible once I put my mind to it. So put my mind to it I did. I started with a program online called “How to go from a couch potato to a runner in 9 short weeks” in January 2010.
I followed it diligently without fail and in 3 months I was actually running 5 km! (slow but still running!) I slowly built up to 7 km and ran my 1st race in KL last April – The Bomba run in conjunction with World Firefighters Day. I ran 7k in 49 minutes and actually became 43rd in my category. I was a runner! And I had a medal to prove it!
Lulu and her 1st ever medal!
I soon became addicted to it – as Nomi said, I caught the running bug. I began to run at least 5 times a week. I was introduced to the wide and wonderful world of running shoes, sweat-wicking attire, compression tights, thorlo pads, power gels, electrolyte drinks, chafing, blisters, sunburn etc. and I wanted more. I pushed myself with every run and I felt disappointed everytime I did not do better than the previous run. My 1st 10 km race was the Standard Chartered KL Run (June 2010) which I ran with Nomi, and I finished it in 1 hour 11 minutes. It was an amazing achievement but I thought I could have done so much better, and thus was not happy with the result.
Then Nomi reminded me what running was all about. Her blogpost “Morning has broken” was an “a-ha” moment for me. She reminded me how thankful we should be to be able to run, and thankful for the support of family and friends. I saw the error of my ways and decided just to enjoy the runs, stress and pressure begone! The enjoyment of putting one foot in front of another, the pleasure of feeling the wind on my face, the achievement of finishing a certain distance no matter what the time became my new goals. And I found myself enjoying running more, even smiling during runs, saying ‘hello and good morning’ to passers-by, feeling energized and happy after each run. I completed another 10k run in June, a hot and hilly12k run in September, a crazy but amazing 14k adventure trail with Nomi in October, my 1st half marathon, the 21k Singapore run in December, and now, another half marathon, the Sundown half marathon in May 2011. Nomi and Joy have inspired me not only to be a better runner but a better person. And I am so grateful to them for that.
And so the marathon awaits. Joy has already signed up for one in Canada and Nomi will sign up for one soon. I should follow my own advice and run one for the fun of it. But 42 km? A fun marathon? That is the ultimate oxymoron if there ever was one! In life, there are certain milestones of physical activity that can define you. 42 km seem like a neverending journey, something unattainable, inaccessible, impossible, exclusive to only a certain number of people. But then, I used to think that about a 5 k run, then a 10k. 21k was unattainable to me last year and now I can proudly say I have done 2 half marathons. Is it something that I could possibly do? The fat girl in me wants to sit down, stuff my face with some Lindt chocolate while watching mind numbing reality shows. But the runner in me wants to try. To achieve the unattainable, to feel the pain of 42k in hot, humid conditions, to be able to say ‘Yes, I have run a marathon and finished upright with a smile on my face’. Am I mad? Why do we always want something we cannot have? Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be able to do it.
Love always, Lulu xxx
Joy Says: This is such a great post, Lulu! Thanks so much for writing it. I also second your complimentary comments about Nomi. She rocks, doesn't she?
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