Passion
I was running my usual 6 km at the park connector at the back of my house today later than usual. In the past, I would never run after 7pm because by then the sky would have turned dark, and for some reason, I convinced myself not to. But of course, my experience in Cape Town has changed my perception of night and safety. And if I could venture alone at night in Cape Town, you can't go very wrong in Singapore. Besides, after I started running past 7pm that I begin to realise I'm not alone anyway, so can't be that bad.
Sorry, I digressed because the point of this entry is about a man I met today. The thing is people do recognise me, even though I was decked in a cap, with no make-up, so I've gotten used to people smiling at me. So naturally today, when this man, maybe about 1.65m tall, 50 plus, quite toned and fit, with a moustache, smiled at me, I smiled back, thinking perhaps he recognised me. When I was on my last 2 km, and we were running in opposite directions, he u-turned and started to pace me. I've never had anyone done that before, so I was a little surprised. But I must admit that it is useful to run with someone because you feel compelled to keep up and outrun the other, which forces you to push beyond your normal limit. That's why I always want to find a buddy, but sadly, the subject has always been gracefully skirted each time I bring it up to the "buddy" in question. Anyway, I was completely immersed in my music from the ipod nano (with many thanks to a real sweetheart!) to pay this man much attention. On the last km, he started talking to me, and telling me to follow his pace, relax and I was like...woah, since when have I gotten myself a coach? Or is this the new way to make friends?
Michael is an English speaking man born in 1952, who obviously didn't appear to have any knowledge of my public persona. He began sharing with me how I should do my workout and it is as follows:
1. 6km on Mon and Fri with the first 2 km at normal pace. From the third km, I should run normal pace for 200m and then open my strides for another 200m and then repeat it till I complete my 6km.
2. 100m-10x training on Tues. Run normal pace for 200m, then widen strides for 100m and then repeat till I've done 10 rounds of 100m.
3. 3km normal paced run on Wed.
4. Circuit training on Thurs. 20 step-ups, 5 duck hop, 10 sit-ups and 50m shuttle run. To gradually increase in frequency and intensity with time.
5. Saturday and Sunday do something else like swim or weights. Train parts other than the legs.
He began talking about running and taking part in marathons very passionately. Like how his first experience in a marathon, which he didn't really take it seriously, motivated him to improve his timing and trained hard for the subsequent years. He spoke about how he trained for one whole year, the regime, the diet and how he sought motivation from marathon videos just before the race. It was a harmless chat and till now, I still don't know why he picked me to "impart" all this knowledge.
I was very impressed but guilty at the same time, because his passion has made me think about my own, or rather the lack of it. I don't know what it's like to have so much interest in one thing, that one would read books, research, and plan in pursuit of it. It's like I know someone who is so interested in beauty products and eating healthy that she would read up on ingredients used to make the products, experiment to find the best combination of skincare and even take a degree to know more about food and nutrition. Whether she is trying to, as what some speculate, 1. appear intelligent, or 2. turn her knowledge into something lucrative, her motivation and discipline is admirable.
Like Michael's success formula for conquering the marathon(which he admitted to ripping from some reading material) 3D + 3S = Determination, Dedication, Discipline + Stamina, Speed, Strength
I suppose the 3D applies across many things in our lives.
For now, I have a bit of it in everything, which, until I find my passion, will never be good enough.
Sorry, I digressed because the point of this entry is about a man I met today. The thing is people do recognise me, even though I was decked in a cap, with no make-up, so I've gotten used to people smiling at me. So naturally today, when this man, maybe about 1.65m tall, 50 plus, quite toned and fit, with a moustache, smiled at me, I smiled back, thinking perhaps he recognised me. When I was on my last 2 km, and we were running in opposite directions, he u-turned and started to pace me. I've never had anyone done that before, so I was a little surprised. But I must admit that it is useful to run with someone because you feel compelled to keep up and outrun the other, which forces you to push beyond your normal limit. That's why I always want to find a buddy, but sadly, the subject has always been gracefully skirted each time I bring it up to the "buddy" in question. Anyway, I was completely immersed in my music from the ipod nano (with many thanks to a real sweetheart!) to pay this man much attention. On the last km, he started talking to me, and telling me to follow his pace, relax and I was like...woah, since when have I gotten myself a coach? Or is this the new way to make friends?
Michael is an English speaking man born in 1952, who obviously didn't appear to have any knowledge of my public persona. He began sharing with me how I should do my workout and it is as follows:
1. 6km on Mon and Fri with the first 2 km at normal pace. From the third km, I should run normal pace for 200m and then open my strides for another 200m and then repeat it till I complete my 6km.
2. 100m-10x training on Tues. Run normal pace for 200m, then widen strides for 100m and then repeat till I've done 10 rounds of 100m.
3. 3km normal paced run on Wed.
4. Circuit training on Thurs. 20 step-ups, 5 duck hop, 10 sit-ups and 50m shuttle run. To gradually increase in frequency and intensity with time.
5. Saturday and Sunday do something else like swim or weights. Train parts other than the legs.
He began talking about running and taking part in marathons very passionately. Like how his first experience in a marathon, which he didn't really take it seriously, motivated him to improve his timing and trained hard for the subsequent years. He spoke about how he trained for one whole year, the regime, the diet and how he sought motivation from marathon videos just before the race. It was a harmless chat and till now, I still don't know why he picked me to "impart" all this knowledge.
I was very impressed but guilty at the same time, because his passion has made me think about my own, or rather the lack of it. I don't know what it's like to have so much interest in one thing, that one would read books, research, and plan in pursuit of it. It's like I know someone who is so interested in beauty products and eating healthy that she would read up on ingredients used to make the products, experiment to find the best combination of skincare and even take a degree to know more about food and nutrition. Whether she is trying to, as what some speculate, 1. appear intelligent, or 2. turn her knowledge into something lucrative, her motivation and discipline is admirable.
Like Michael's success formula for conquering the marathon(which he admitted to ripping from some reading material) 3D + 3S = Determination, Dedication, Discipline + Stamina, Speed, Strength
I suppose the 3D applies across many things in our lives.
For now, I have a bit of it in everything, which, until I find my passion, will never be good enough.
posted by Me at 7:43 AM
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