21 November 2010
During this year that I've been running regularly, friends have repeatedly asked me "What is this obsession with running?" And I have also asked myself why would someone enjoy spending hours every week doing something apparently so simple and repetitive as running, sleep early on weekends before a long run instead of partying all night, and refrain from drinking alcohol because of an upcoming race. I thought about this while I am preparing to face the 3 legs of the Malta Marathon Challenge...and this is what I can answer.
I run because:
- it made me realize what a beautiful, efficient machine our body is... one which no engineer can equal
- it has given me a self-confidence boost
- it is much better to run hard until you vomit than to drink until you vomit... there are no hangovers or headaches the day after, and it is much healthier :)
- I no longer consider 10k to be a long run, while 5k is an easy recovery run
- it strengthened my immune system. Since I've been running, it's the first year in which I have not needed one sick day! (\m/)
- it taught me that limits are there to be exceeded, boundaries to be extended, and to change "That's impossible for me" to "I'll need to work much harder for that"
- every time I start a run with something weighing at the back of my mind, by the end of the run I always end up looking at the same thing from a new, positive perspective
- it is my stress de-toxifier, my mental re-charge, my spiritual renewal
- it helped me start to look at each new phase of life as a new challenge to tackle, a new adventure to enjoy
- it taught me that your body can adapt to whatever you train it do... and likewise your spirit can be shaped to whatever you want it to be
- it is the time of the day when no worries afflict me and no weights are on my shoulders
- it is the time of the day when I can have that much needed conversation with my inner-self
- I've learnt how to endure pain, make my way through it, and beat it
- it has made me appreciate the beauty of sunrises and sunsets, the freshness of rain and the sweet smell of damp soil
- it has led me to meet many wonderful, positive people, part of the crazy and happy running community
- the eperience of that very nice feeling when you cross another runner's path and just nod your head and say "Hi", fully aware of the passion you are both sharing
- it is the sport in which I have no alibis: no luck to curse, no referees to blame, no substitution to help me regain my breath. It's just me, my body and my will... from the start till the finish line!
This is what I'll be thinking about as next Sunday on the third leg of the Malta Challenge, just after having gone up the Sa Maison hill, as my Garmin will hopefully for the first time go past the 21.1km mark before making my entrance in the City built by Gentlemen, for Gentlemen.
During this year that I've been running regularly, friends have repeatedly asked me "What is this obsession with running?" And I have also asked myself why would someone enjoy spending hours every week doing something apparently so simple and repetitive as running, sleep early on weekends before a long run instead of partying all night, and refrain from drinking alcohol because of an upcoming race. I thought about this while I am preparing to face the 3 legs of the Malta Marathon Challenge...and this is what I can answer.
I run because:
- it made me realize what a beautiful, efficient machine our body is... one which no engineer can equal
- it has given me a self-confidence boost
- it is much better to run hard until you vomit than to drink until you vomit... there are no hangovers or headaches the day after, and it is much healthier :)
- I no longer consider 10k to be a long run, while 5k is an easy recovery run
- it strengthened my immune system. Since I've been running, it's the first year in which I have not needed one sick day! (\m/)
- it taught me that limits are there to be exceeded, boundaries to be extended, and to change "That's impossible for me" to "I'll need to work much harder for that"
- every time I start a run with something weighing at the back of my mind, by the end of the run I always end up looking at the same thing from a new, positive perspective
- it is my stress de-toxifier, my mental re-charge, my spiritual renewal
- it helped me start to look at each new phase of life as a new challenge to tackle, a new adventure to enjoy
- it taught me that your body can adapt to whatever you train it do... and likewise your spirit can be shaped to whatever you want it to be
- it is the time of the day when no worries afflict me and no weights are on my shoulders
- it is the time of the day when I can have that much needed conversation with my inner-self
- I've learnt how to endure pain, make my way through it, and beat it
- it has made me appreciate the beauty of sunrises and sunsets, the freshness of rain and the sweet smell of damp soil
- it has led me to meet many wonderful, positive people, part of the crazy and happy running community
- the eperience of that very nice feeling when you cross another runner's path and just nod your head and say "Hi", fully aware of the passion you are both sharing
- it is the sport in which I have no alibis: no luck to curse, no referees to blame, no substitution to help me regain my breath. It's just me, my body and my will... from the start till the finish line!
This is what I'll be thinking about as next Sunday on the third leg of the Malta Challenge, just after having gone up the Sa Maison hill, as my Garmin will hopefully for the first time go past the 21.1km mark before making my entrance in the City built by Gentlemen, for Gentlemen.
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