Be a Runner, Be a Better You!

I just talked my elder brother into signing up the 10k

race in the upcoming inaugural Standard Chartered KL Marathon,

which is going to be his first race ever.


For regular runners like most of us, running or racing

a 10Ker doesn't seem to be such a big deal, after all, we do

it all the time. However, we mustn't forget that signing up for the

first 10K or any race, is a huge leap forward in the journey

of SELF REALIZATION to being a runner.



In fact, it might be the very first step that kicks start

the transformation process that will eventually turn

one into a health fanatic from a coach potato, into a runner from a jogger,

or into one's own hero from a zero.


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On reflection on my path of becoming a running, I think that the most

critical period for any success in running is the beginning stage.


This is the period that the habit of running has not been ingrained deeply into

one's life yet. Hence, this is the period that PERSISTENCE and CONSISTENCY
is needed most as one hasn't learned to enjoy running yet, in fact,

at this period, running could be likely a very tortouring act.


At this stage, it is likely that one can't run very far.

Don't worry!

Just run comfortably or take walk break if required.

It doesn't matter how long one could run at this stage, the key point is to run

everyday and slowly build up the duration of the run.

Forget about how far one can run, just concentrate on running for the time.

Be very patient!!!

Unless one is very fit to begin with, everyone else of the normal mortal

is likely to has inflicted some damage through years of abuse to the

body by practising things like smoking, drinking, overeating, etc.,

and it is not unusual that some time (sometime years) is needed

to undone all this damages.


Just go slow and steady! But never stop running!

Once running for a certain time daily becomes easier and more comfortable, increase the

duration of run slowly. Be particularly careful not to increase the duration of

the run too drastically, as it usually will lead to injury.


I couldn't stress more on the importance of PERSISTENCE AND CONSISTENCY.

Forgets about what others are telling, keep running everyday!

At this stage, if one could find an excuse not to run on a particular day,

one will find another reason not to run on the following day too.


The MAGIC bullet is not to make it an exception. Everyday is a running day

no matter what. Even when things are really tough and times are really rough,

force oneself for at least a 15 minutes run.

The point is not about the benefit of that 15 minutes run,

BUT OF NOT MAKING IT AN EXCEPTION OF NOT RUNNING!!!

BE COMPULSIVE!!!

BE OBSESSIVE!!!

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If one follows this and keeps running for a long enough period of time,

some strange things usually happen.

One starts ENJOYING the run!!!

Slowly and unconsciously, running will become the CLIMAX of the day.

It becomes something one really looking forward to while working,

attending meetings, doing chores, etc.

It becomes the most enjoyable activity of the day instead of a

punishing act as before.

It becomes one's friend that one relies on whole heartedly.

It gives one cheers and it makes one happy.

It becomes one's best companion as it is something

one can always fall back to when things doesn't seem to go one's way.

It becomes one's refuge when time get rough and things aren't right.

It becomes one's solid reason to refrain and abstain from

damaging substance like smoking and drinking.

It becomes everything that is good ....

All the sudden, one realizes that running is the best thing that happens

and it becomes one of the best attribute of one's characteristic.



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Once one gets into the previous mentioned stage of running, running becomes one's

second nature. The identity of being a runner will slowly and definitely

takes precedence of everyhing else.

One starts relates oneself as a runner more than anything else, be it

a programmer, an engineer, or a chef.

One starts browsing all the running related sites on the web,

at the same time, transferring all those running books stored on the

local book store shelves home. In the process, not only one becomes

more knowledgable about running , but also becomes a far better

learner in all aspect of life.


One starts researching and experimenting on the different runs and workouts

that presumably would train the different exercise physiological systems.

The terminologies such as tempo run, interval, VO2max, lactate threshold,

cruise interval, recovery run, cruise tempo, fartlek, etc.,

that once sounds like a foreign language vocabularies eventually becomes familiar.


One starts eating a certain kind of food while avoiding others, all because one

hopes to shed off a few unwanted pounds, hopefully that will result

in finishing with a shinning PR the next time that one races.


One also starts going to bed early, skipping all those once faithfully followed

soup operas or late night super bowls, so that the body would recover faster

from the weary repititions of the evening's interval workout and thus

better ready for the next two day's grueling marathon pace long run.



One would abstain from any alcohol, sweet, ice cream, soda...

one would train and train endlessly...

one would dedicated a few years of perspiration and inspiration...

in fact, one would do any damn thing on earth just to hope that it

would give the body an slight edge so that the next race will be completed

in a few seconds faster.


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And if one thinks that is all the package that comes together with running,

thinks again!!!


The ripple of changes seem to propagates to all aspect of life...


One tends to be more efficient at work and completes all assignments in

lighting-speed so that one could head out the door and hit the road before

dinner is served.


One becomes calmer and more tactful in dealing with stressful situations,

as one naturally avoids any conflicts and definitely stop creating

any, after all, isn't the marathon training already stressful enough,

who wants more?



Through a two-hour long run, one understands one's running patner far better

than one would from a whole night of dine and wine and bull. One values

and enjoys the commarderie of one's patner and becomes

a far better companion in return. Very soon, one

finds that one is surrounded by a whole gang of friends who share

one's interest and passion of running.


At the last few miles of the marathon, one starts digging deep

down into one's soul, searching for the revital source of energy

to would yet to push just another step, as the glycogen store

is fully depleted and the legs are long dead by then; during those miles,

one learns to be humble and realizes that there are things that are much

bigger, greater and more significant than oneself, and one has to

let go and start believing, as it is the faith in whatever above

oneself that would carry one through the agony of those late miles...



At this stage, one reach out and extends oneself not only on the physical

horizon, but also on the mental, emotional and spiritual dimension.


IT IS AT THIS STAGE THAT A BETTER ONESELF HAS EMERGED!

ONE BECOMES FASTER, STRONGER, FITTER, HEALTHIER, HAPPIER ....

ONE SIMPLY BECOMES A BETTER PERSON!!!!
But until then,


ONE HAS TO TAKE THE VERY FIRST STEP OF STARTING THE RUN OF TODAY.


Every journey of thousand miles begin and continues with the single

step that one takes at this moment.


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Don't just sign up that 10K race and sit back doing nothing!

Let that upcoming race be the motivation to push both the mind and

the body to train hard.

Let that upcoming race be the beacon of light that keep life into perspective

and on the right track.

Let that upcoming race be a goal of today and the benchmark of future performance.

Let that race day becomes the D-DAY that is aimed at today, and let it the

the GLORY day that would be remembered in the distant future.






NOW,


LACE THAT SHOE and

GET your ass ON THAT MILL

or

GET OUT OF that damn DOOR

and


BE A RUNNER! BE A BETTER YOU!




Crank on.