So glad that I finished the 15km REAL Run yesterday...
And after the race, I can somewhat appreciate why it's called the REAL Run... Runway, road, trail and beach... all the "run-able" tracks were covered in this race...
To be honest, I was quite worried before the run... Since the last 12 km S'pore Bay Run in Aug, I really attempted to condition myself (after numerous reminders by my close friend too) by going for long runs to Bishan Park... I didn't want to end up collapsing from the rigorous heart activity...
But having completed it, there was an immense sense of satisfaction... Running is an 'out of my comfort zone' activity... I've always felt that human beings were not designed to run (otherwise why do we have to design shoes to protect our feet and knees from the impact?)... All along the race, I kept having to push myself and encourage myself not to stop... I could run slowly... I could walk briskly... But giving up was not an option...
And along this race, I also found myself running somewhere at the 2nd third of the entire pack of thousands of runners... There are those who are capable and fit and they are well way in front of me... and there's also those who are way behind me as well, running their own race...
And I come to some kind of realisation that in life, there's always a place for all of us... I need not be the fastest runner all the time... I need not feel bad about not being the better runners out there... I'm already out of my comfort zone, pushing my bodily limits, sun-tanning myself evenly under the morning sun, risking further wear & tear of my leg joints, trying my best to finish a long race... And I want to enjoy it, and affirm myself that I can accomplish something that I've never been good at doing...
I know that I will get there, no matter what... I may not be running at the pace that some may deem acceptable... I may be less fit than those in my age group... But I don't really think I mind that at all...
Having completed 4 long runs this year has allowed me to benchmark myself against the really ardent and serious runners... I know my fitness level will never get me anywhere near them... But the good thing about joining such races is that they gave me good motivations to complete these ridiculous distances which I'd never convince myself of completing all by myself...
And I think this 'benchmarking' that I've learnt from my running can also be applied in my area of work... It's not all about achieving achieving achieving the best the best the best results all the time... It's all about giving giving giving our best our best our best that really matters... We may never be comparable with the absolute best out there... But if we are all willing to step out of our comfort zones and push ourselves, we will achieve something that we may not have believed we ever could...
Yes... for the most part of my under 2 hours run yesterday, my mind was preoccupied with processing such thoughts... Something similar from meditation , I suppose... And also to distract myself from focusing too much on the discomfort...
But of course, the greatest motivation of all that really made the difference in yesterday's race was really the fact that I know deep down in my heart, that there is someone who's waiting for me right at the end, waiting for me to finish my run safely... I also know deep down that there is someone there who wouldn't be judging me on how well or how badly I've done for my race... It was this assurance which gave me the strength and determination to finish this run... This run into the Starry Night...
