I picked up running about 2 months ago. It was due to a mix of influence from a good friend, a wake up call after a medical checkup that informed me that i have high cholesterol level and an unflattering photo a friend posted on facebook which was a rude reminder to me that i have put on weight and needs to start keeping lean.
I thought running would be a great choice as i can do it anytime. I do rollerblading every other weekend with my friends but it was not enough. Tennis was also out as i was still recovering from an arm injury.
So i got a new pair of running shoes, a gift :), and kickstarted my new sport. To make sure i keep the momentum to run at least once a week for the start, i told my friends about my sad situation (high cholestrol level!) and my new ambition, hehe, and make plans to go run together. My idea was, if i made appointments to do the runs, i couldn't back out like if i were to go alone.
So far, it has been great. I have ran at the Botanical garden, Hortpark, Bishan park, Ponggol park and around my housing estate. For the last two, it will be when i run alone. Actually, i rather enjoy running alone. I can run at my own pace and set my own targets. And i enjoy thinking of things or not thinking of anything when i run. It helps to clear my mind. And with my ipod to accompany me, it has been perfect! :)
But running with friends helps fix the regularity and routine for the run. (at times, when i planned to go myself for a run afterwork, i found myself skipping the plan when things gets too busy at work, and things are always busy at work for me) And it is nice to chat, relax or have breakfast together(on weekend runs) with my friends after the workout.
It has been slightly less than two months since i have started running. I am quite pleased with myself as i have consistently run at least twice a week. :). I received comments from some friends that i seemed to have slimmed down. I'm not sure if this has been due to the runs since i've only started recently, or if it was due to my smart dressing to hide my fats, but definitely, i feel much better. I like the feeling at the end of each run when i'd be all sweatly. It feels really great. I like to imagine that i have expelled that much of toxins out from my body each time.
And i downloaded a cool running application to participate in my new interest. I don't use the application often but still it's quite a cool application that allows you to track your running actitives. Here's a snapshot of my running route earlier this week through the RunKeep iphone application. :)
With my new interest, i start to read more about the sports on the internet. I rather like
Runner's World, they have very interesting, informative and inspiring articles. I especially like the section under Runner's Stories. Each story is an inspiration...
And recently, i have signed up for the addias
Sundown Marathon 2010. Since i'm a beginner, i shall not be ambitious and signed up for the 10Km run. Managed to persuade a non runner friend and two others to sign up together. Now my non runner friend has to go for morning runs with us every saturaday morning. hehe.
I'm actually quite looking forward to the run.
Quote of the day:
"You can have anything you want, if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, if you hold that desire with singleness of purpose."
--Abraham Lincoln
