How to start this post.
It's a different feeling each time I register for a race event.
To think that it's only since March that I started running more often, doing more training and pushing myself more. As much as I can't be back at my peak performance, and I doubt I'm barely halfway there, it's still an adrenaline rush to be back on track, to be back running and to be back against time.
But this time, it's a different field.
It's different from training for 400m, 200m and 100m already. It's different from having competition on the track.
Now it's outside, it's pushing out of boundaries.
Since primary school, to secondary school, it's all about racing on the track.
Even in secondary school, we had a few runs at MacRitchie, that was a big challenge already. Imagine then, our longest distance we ever ran is 2.4km. And to run about 3.5km at our yearly cross country event is like WOAHHH.
Yet two years ago when I joined my first race event in Adelaide, and that was a 12km run from city to bay. It was a big step. That's one distance I never thought I would be running, least training for.
It was a good experience though, to be running on the road, with random people cheering for you as you reach towards the finishing line.
And after you cross the line, the first word on your mind is 'FINALLY'. And seeing the timing that you clock and marking your personal best, it's a whole new feeling again.
One hour for 12km. That was my fastest. YET.
Taking the first step to start training is hard, it really is very hard.
Last year my friend asked me out to run with her at MacRitchie with her group of friends on Sunday morning at 7.30am. I went once, after that I never appeared again... Until recently.
I couldn't wake up, or rather I didn't want to wake up early on a Sunday, the only day that I get to sleep in. That day was so precious to me especially when I'm working a 5.5days week. There was just no way I'm sacrificing my sleep to torture myself for a run in the morning.
I do love to run, but I get bored of running easily and not really up much for a challenge again after not running for years.
It's like learning to walk all over again, and this time on my own. There's no coach who is going to yell at you to run faster, there's no friends who will be training with you for every session.
As much as I have the friends who wanted me to join them on Sunday, it's a different terrain. I'm not up for that challenge at all.
After 6 months of bluffing and procrastinating that I would start running again eventually, it finally happened in March.
It first started with Kevin randomly asked if I want to run at Serangoon stadium in the morning.
From one morning, we continued on to about three times a week, and pushing more distance. Adding swimming in, we pushed the boundaries to run and swim. Hell it wasn't easy.
We started adding more people into our running/swimming club.
And once we decided to run outside the stadium instead.
The whole month of March was a struggle to wake up early, and not just waking up early, but waking up early to RUN.
I think along the way, there were a lot of moments that I lost motivation and wonder why am I training again. Why bother going back to train. It's not as though I'm going to compete in any racing events.
But one day, Ashley mentioned about joining marathons. That's when things change.
We found a website showing racing events of the whole year, and started choosing a race to join.
Debated and finally decided on joining the Race Against Cancer.
The thought of joining a first race in Singapore, and I really wanted it to be a meaningful one.
This year just registering for my third race event, I'm excited for it.
I'm wondering how would it be like running on Singapore streets.
The first would be Race Against Cancer at East Coast Park.
The second is Adidas King of The Road at Gardens by The Bay.
The third is Yellow Ribbon at Changi.
All three different locations, all three different experiences.
My primary school teacher always tell us; in a race, we're not racing against our competitors, we are racing against the clock.
Even if we didn't come in the top position, but we beat our personal best. Inside we have already won the race.
The second thing he told us is that it doesn't mean the first person who turn the corner would be the first person passing the line, anything can change along the way.
And third is our moto - To conquer, to overcome and not to yield because only the finest make it through.
Well, we will keep the post about finishing the race in July after I completed my first one.
Till then it's all about training and beating the clock.
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