Sunday morning dawned cool and balmy, clear after the previous night’s rain.
I put on my running shoes, geared up with my Samsung MiCoach heartrate monitor and earphones (the stride sensor’s busted), did a few stretches, and slipped out of the house while my children were still sleeping soundly. [NB: DH is in China until Tuesday, in case you're wondering why I seem to be living a 'single' life today.]
This run also marked the debut of the New Balance® Long Sleeve Motion Top that I bought from Capetown (ironically made in the land of my birth — the Philippines) which features New Balance’s new Lightening Dry™ fabric technology, said “to keep you dry and comfortable by managing moisture transfer through the use of hydrophobic polyester yarns.” (It worked like a dream!)
There was no fanfare, no people cheering on the sidelines, no timing chips embedded in specially designed bibs, no commemorative t-shirts nor medals nor certificates. It was just me and my dogged determination to achieve my goal of running 5 kilometres today, the 28th of June, despite not being able to join the KL Marathon.
The sky was clear, a calming shade of robin’s egg blue. The only sounds I could hear were the pounding of my heavy feet on the asphalt pavement, the squish of moist green grass, the chirping of birds hiding somewhere within the branches of dew-laden trees, the occasional hum of approaching cars, the thumping of my unfit heart against my chest. I met a few other runners and walkers along the way but they all seemed too preoccupied with their MP3 players or just plainly avoided eye contact.
And I did it! Never mind if it took me almost an hour (my original goal was 40 minutes but a side stitch slowed me down on my last 800 metres). Never mind if it was more of my run-walk-pant-repeat routine rather than a steady run. I. Did. It. I ran 5 kilometres and proved that if I just set my mind to something, I can do it. My only fervent hope is that I can apply this determination into every other aspect of my life from this moment on…
June 28th, 2009 at 15:19
Kaya ko rin yan! I used to jog 5K some 5 years back. Now a days, I jog in my mind na lang. : )
June 28th, 2009 at 17:14
I wish I could have your will-power and determination.
June 28th, 2009 at 23:50
Hi Mimi, great that you did it.
I was there this morning and it was my first 5k also.
So literally you are not alone. :)
June 29th, 2009 at 17:15
congratulations! you did it!
that’s a huge milestone, if i may so myself. ^-^
June 29th, 2009 at 17:16
*say
June 30th, 2009 at 16:17
avril: to quote ‘the little engine that could’: “i think i can, i think i can, i think i can”
neulwy: ahh i envy you! so how did you do? :)
odette: dank u wel!
July 1st, 2009 at 06:48
uy mimi! natuloy ka pala! good for you! congrats!
i think new balance also makes good running shoes. you might want to try it! :)
July 1st, 2009 at 13:31
kg: i ran by myself within our housing area only. registration for the 5k fun run closed early june. as for shoes, i use just a pair at a time, which lasts a LOOONG time, proving how little i actually run haha!
July 22nd, 2009 at 13:33
Congratulations! That’s a big achievement!! I wonder if I could do it too..