Personal Worse

Thanks to PM1's insistence that the team members renew/attempt their PRs over 3, 5, 8 and 30 laps at the KLCC park, the park saw an increased level of activity the past few days. A number of records were wiped out in the process. Good for the park and of course good for the achievers! It goes to show that to improve, you shouldn't always run within your comfort level, especially in a race. Push a bit now and then, and when in a race, run like there's tomorrow.

 

I was sulking all the way within as not only I can't run, I'm not able to be there to cheer for them. And while their intentions were hardly malicious or ill-willed, I was riled when PM18 and PM20 called time and again asking if I was running - sorry guys but you know what running deprivation can do to one's mood. Most times I don't have liberty to dictate my weekday schedule. Meetings can be called at the last moment. The company is moving at a breakneck speed. Many FIs are locked in a battle for market share - more than ever before. Project Management is not like what it used to be where 6 years ago we're accountable to only our local management. Now, our projects are being tracked and scruntinized at the regional level and besides project management we have to manage crises as well. After the showering of accolades for my recent project, many more are still in my queue. The year is no longer a marathon but an ultra-multidisciplined event, much like the Raid Gauloises or the Eco-Challenge where running projects are as much a team effort besides the acts of individual heroism. To keep up, you simply need to move fast (talk, walk, type, read, understand) and navigate the course intelligently. My tolerance for feet-draggers and procrastinators have diminished as I can't afford for others to point their grubby fingers at me for being the cause for delays. So at work, it's been that bit more intense but thankfully I'm able to hang loose once I step out of the office and over the weekend, when I'm thankful for the opportunity to catch up with the family and on rest. And a bit of running, of course. A good thing (hey, I'm trying to see some good in the craziness) is that due to the intensity during the working hours, weekdays pass very quickly and before I know it, it's the WEEKEND - LIKE TODAY!!! And I've learnt to slow things down tremendously over the weekend so that I can go through the 2 days very slowly.

 

Getting back to the subject matter, I decided yesterday that was that, packed up and headed to the track. Soon, I was enjoying the freedom of the outdoors again and though it was drizzling lightly and I wasn't feeling too good (nose clogged from the overly cold air-cond), I wasn't going to give up the run. I didn't bring my ClimaFIT cap and the drizzle was too light for the jacket, the first lap felt cold. Only another person was running but there were a few other walkers. The first lap was OK but I felt the limbs were as tight as knots and there were twitches here and there. Oh well, everything was so rusty and no WD-40 can oil it except to run.

 

I know that I won't be able to last many laps besides not wanting to expose myself to the elements too much, I had to compensate by gradually opening up the throttle and caught up and passed the other runner who was 300m ahead throughout my earlier laps. As it turned out my absence from the scene hasn't dimmed my fire as much as I'd thought. Sure, my aerobic fitness is presently basement-level, the joints creaky and 5-min pace totally out of the question but as long as the fire is there I know there's no reason to push the panic button. What good is there if you have all the time in the world to run (or for that matter to do anything) if you don't have the desire right?

 

Lifemou has accepted my suggested war-cry and I think with it, he should be able to get to a 3:50 (but not sub 3:40 as he intends to) for the Penang Bridge Marathon.

 

Laptimes: 8:23 > 7:49 > 6:46

Total: 22:59 Average lap: 7:39 (5:53/K pace)

 

NB: How did I end up with such a long posting??!!