Sometime, in the evening, I saw him changed into his running attire from the corner of my eyes, I quickly make myself busy with house chores. This is to 'avoid' being 'invited' to join him for a run. Well, inactivity has made me sluggish, hagged and always feeling tired and lazy.
Even though I do run with him on and off but the interval is far far apart. I dread too much physical activities and the only marathon I do is 'Shopping Marathon'. Why run? So hot, so sweaty, so tiring? Though at times, I initiate a jog – when I needed to burn some fats. Running is just for the purpose of slimming down.
In the course of our differences in viewing running all these years, we share something common – that we wanted to go backpacking when our kids are grown, when we retired. So, he will sometimes comment that if that is the purpose, we have to make sure we are physically fit and healthy. So, he is not sure if I'm up to it by then? (Such conversation repeat many times, and always left me thinking)
Ugh ugh! I'm not going to sit at home and 'watch' him go backpacking through the most exotic places in the world! So, like it or not, I better get fit or get left behind......
Finally, came October 2008, I 'woke up' from my 'slumber land' and started to jog in front of our house (see, I actually have the luxury of a small padang, a complete round of about 250-300meters right in front of my house that all this while I intentionally ignore) Best record 10 rounds! I must admit, it is so so difficult to break that record. Sometimes, I just feel like running right into the house and that's it for the day. Weak mind, not much determination then.
One day, he asked me if I'd like to try out a race, only 7km? Huh? Kidding me, 7km, so long, how to run? But then, I don't know why, I said yes and registered. So I started some form of training, with loads of butterflies and bees and all sorts of bugs in my stomach!
Then, just a week before the race day, I was down with dengue hemorrhagic fever and hospitalised. What a first timer luck? Darn, I was actually upset that I cannot make it to my first ever race (Shhh, don't tell anyone – I lost my temper and tantrums the day before the race and got mad with everyone!) I cried. Can you imagine that?
It's okay, babe! My next 'first race' was Mizuno Wave Run! I did it! I completed the whole 10km in 1 hr 32 minutes! I got a medal! Yeay! Well done, well done! Ecstatic is just too vague to describe my feeling the moment I stepped onto the finishing line.
My feet didn't stop running ever since. Then it was Malakof 12 km, POAWP 6km cross country, KL City Day Run, Wild Wild Run, Larian Amal Sri Sinar, and the list goes on and on. The longest distance being New Balance 15km race recently.
I now have, within reach, some 'medals' that I hold extremely dear to me:
Healthier, fitter, fresher!
A common direction with “The Man” who brought me here
Blossoming friendship of our running community
A passion – 11 races within 6 months, more to come
A ticket to experience the world's most exotic places
An ice-cream box of medals which is accumulating
There is a saying : Behind every successful man, there is a woman. For me, It is “Behind every avid women runner, there are very very supportive family”, Therefore, my medals are for :
The Man himself, Steven, my hubby, my motivator (I hope to make him my 'rabbit' instead, next year, if I'm able, haha, FAT HOPE!)
My daughter – Shaunie, whom I made 'baby sitter' over her little brother and happily doing it
My son – Jeremy, the big baby who runs only his fingers on keyboards, who has his father's running genes, awaiting to be 'exploded.
I made ONE and ONLY resolution this year : “I will run as many races as possible beginning 1-1-2009! “ Looks like I have some minor amendment to my resolution : “and train for a half marathon by year 2010!”
Baru realised :
Backpacking or no backpacking, it's secondary now. All that matters is a passion fast brewing and an addiction that spread like a wild fire.
2 comments:
I hold strong to the affirmation "I CAN DO WHATEVER I SET MY MIND TO" and you are another great example that it is a universal truth!
I hope anyone out there reading this will be motivated (not necessarily running)to pick up something they are passionate about and go for it!
Cheryl,
Inspiring write uo esp to the newbies! We, like Steven & me got the runners high years ago.
Keep running as Riq said earlier!
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