Reverie- the condition of being lost in thought; Daydream (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reverie)
First of all, I'd like to say, by blog standards, this will be a long entry. It's my first and I will claim my right to verbal, ehem, written diarrhea. Hehe...
I may rightfully be called, "the accidental runner". I bumped into this "delightful physical torture" (sounds exaggerated perhaps) one lazy morning in March this year, when I and a few work colleagues/friends decided to make it an informal bonding activity. I even thought of declining, as the thought of waking up early on a Sunday morning was just horrible. But it turns out, I've chosen to remember the date and keep it safe in my memory, March 7, 2010. For me, it was like meeting someone who later on became special. Cheesy, I know. Anyway, when we finished the race, my companions were relieved. After all, it was just a one-time bonding activity, no more, no less. But I was smiling, looking forward to the next race. Gosh, is this me talking?
I can vividly picture out how I looked on that race. I wore blue shorts, my shoes were just the typical, not-meant-for-running rubber shoes, and of course the singlet from the race organizers for my tops. I even laugh at it every time I browse my file photos in FB. The other runners who saw me must have had an easy time telling I was a newbie runner to the superlative degree. Haha!
Back to my love story with running. Right from the very first race I joined, which was a 6k, there was something in me that got hooked into it. And initially, I hated the feeling. I was afraid I was fooling myself that I could possibly like any form of strenuous physical activity. Throw at me any kind of mental challenge and my adrenaline levels rise. But this time around, it was coming from another, unexpected source. So the next few months were a whirlwind of short races. I've had 8 races so far. Not bad since I started 4 months ago. Each race only heightened my excitement for the next one. I realized further that I was at square one in running. My office mates who got into the sport way earlier than I did were giving me tips, advice and the technical terms/know-hows, whetting my appetite for running even more.
So why do I run? For a variety of reasons, which eventually end up interrelated w/ each other:
* At first, it was just the ecstatic feeling I have when finishing the race. But I had one race where the feeling after was not just ecstatic, but euphoric. The more elite ones definitely took it as chicken feed. But your first time in a longer category almost always leaves a mark.
*Second, running does a lot of good to your health. This cliche gains renewed relevance when the runner starts experiencing the benefits.I love having my own interpretations on what running does to me physically, mentally, emotionally, and psychologically. I believe the sweat I produce when running is different from sweating on regular conditions. I feel the toxins are released from inside, and I feel good afterwards. Oh well, it's me and my thoughts again. Aside from this, my immune system has also improved. Before, I was so prone to colds. Almost every week brings about a new series of attending to a runny nose and popping Decolgen or Biogesic so I can doze off and be less annoyed. But shortly after I got into running, I was amazed I didn't have the "regular" colds anymore.
*Third, running became a healthy diversion for me. It became a release for my tensions in life. If you're one who's serious in building a career in a multinational company, you know life ain't a walk in the park. Running reminds me to take it easy and not allow work or non-work pressures to get the better of me.
*Fourth, running has become a bookmark of my life's chronicle. Hey, I'm serious! It's become an effective reminder that if I have goals in life, I gotta try and try until I succeed. Never say die. Running is now my sign post on how well I am doing in acheiving my life goals. When I had my first 10k in the Great Lapu-lapu Run, I was exhausted in the middle of the race. I didn't expect 10k would seem that long for a first-timer. Many times, I thought of stepping aside and abandoning the race. But no, I told myself I was gonna finish the race no matter what. Even if I'll be the last one to reach the finish line. I'd be more ashamed if I told others I abandoned the race. The same thing applies in life. When things don't turn out as we intended them to, and our plans are frustrated, we should not succumb to the spirit of defeat and tell ourselves, " I'll never be able to do it." Because of running, I learned how to say more often, " I can if I try harder."
*Fifth reason is that it reinforced my values in life, particularly discipline, humor and humility. If you wanna make progress in running, you need to have disicipline, like waking up early to make sure you're not late for the race, sticking up to your practice sched., etc. Being able to laugh at yourself when you fail or make mistakes in your races is also essential. Otherwise, it'll make you hot-tempered and bitter, and takes the fun out of running. What if you pick up a fight w/ another runner because you thought he intentionally hit your back or stepped on your shoes? Tsk.tsk. Running also taught me to have more humility. I have to recognize the fact that I'm just a beginner and I have a long way to go (literally and figuratively) compared to the other runners I meet in the race. I have to be patient with myself and trust that eventually, I will get there.
So, why do I call my blog, " Road Reverie"? Well, to be honest, my mind gets so preoccupied w/ different thoughts when I run. I even think I'm not the typical runner. When I start working out my feet, I think a lot about different things. Random thoughts fill my mind, which otherwise doesn't happen when I'm quiet or doing nothing. I remember certain people, some I haven't seen for a long time. I remember scenes from my younger years. I imagine myself being the person I want to be. I imagine the kind of house I want to have, my dream car, my dream job, the places I want to go to, etc. In other words, I daydream. It's like I enter into a trance. But I'm not at all distracted. More than any kind of energy bar or electrolyte drink, these thoughts actually serve as my most powerful motivators to reach the finish line. If I am excited about running, all the more should I be excited about my life.
So there you have it. I've reached the finish line for this post. It always feels fulfilling when you finish something.
Till my next road reverie.
First of all, I'd like to say, by blog standards, this will be a long entry. It's my first and I will claim my right to verbal, ehem, written diarrhea. Hehe...
I may rightfully be called, "the accidental runner". I bumped into this "delightful physical torture" (sounds exaggerated perhaps) one lazy morning in March this year, when I and a few work colleagues/friends decided to make it an informal bonding activity. I even thought of declining, as the thought of waking up early on a Sunday morning was just horrible. But it turns out, I've chosen to remember the date and keep it safe in my memory, March 7, 2010. For me, it was like meeting someone who later on became special. Cheesy, I know. Anyway, when we finished the race, my companions were relieved. After all, it was just a one-time bonding activity, no more, no less. But I was smiling, looking forward to the next race. Gosh, is this me talking?
I can vividly picture out how I looked on that race. I wore blue shorts, my shoes were just the typical, not-meant-for-running rubber shoes, and of course the singlet from the race organizers for my tops. I even laugh at it every time I browse my file photos in FB. The other runners who saw me must have had an easy time telling I was a newbie runner to the superlative degree. Haha!
Back to my love story with running. Right from the very first race I joined, which was a 6k, there was something in me that got hooked into it. And initially, I hated the feeling. I was afraid I was fooling myself that I could possibly like any form of strenuous physical activity. Throw at me any kind of mental challenge and my adrenaline levels rise. But this time around, it was coming from another, unexpected source. So the next few months were a whirlwind of short races. I've had 8 races so far. Not bad since I started 4 months ago. Each race only heightened my excitement for the next one. I realized further that I was at square one in running. My office mates who got into the sport way earlier than I did were giving me tips, advice and the technical terms/know-hows, whetting my appetite for running even more.
So why do I run? For a variety of reasons, which eventually end up interrelated w/ each other:
* At first, it was just the ecstatic feeling I have when finishing the race. But I had one race where the feeling after was not just ecstatic, but euphoric. The more elite ones definitely took it as chicken feed. But your first time in a longer category almost always leaves a mark.
*Second, running does a lot of good to your health. This cliche gains renewed relevance when the runner starts experiencing the benefits.I love having my own interpretations on what running does to me physically, mentally, emotionally, and psychologically. I believe the sweat I produce when running is different from sweating on regular conditions. I feel the toxins are released from inside, and I feel good afterwards. Oh well, it's me and my thoughts again. Aside from this, my immune system has also improved. Before, I was so prone to colds. Almost every week brings about a new series of attending to a runny nose and popping Decolgen or Biogesic so I can doze off and be less annoyed. But shortly after I got into running, I was amazed I didn't have the "regular" colds anymore.
*Third, running became a healthy diversion for me. It became a release for my tensions in life. If you're one who's serious in building a career in a multinational company, you know life ain't a walk in the park. Running reminds me to take it easy and not allow work or non-work pressures to get the better of me.
*Fourth, running has become a bookmark of my life's chronicle. Hey, I'm serious! It's become an effective reminder that if I have goals in life, I gotta try and try until I succeed. Never say die. Running is now my sign post on how well I am doing in acheiving my life goals. When I had my first 10k in the Great Lapu-lapu Run, I was exhausted in the middle of the race. I didn't expect 10k would seem that long for a first-timer. Many times, I thought of stepping aside and abandoning the race. But no, I told myself I was gonna finish the race no matter what. Even if I'll be the last one to reach the finish line. I'd be more ashamed if I told others I abandoned the race. The same thing applies in life. When things don't turn out as we intended them to, and our plans are frustrated, we should not succumb to the spirit of defeat and tell ourselves, " I'll never be able to do it." Because of running, I learned how to say more often, " I can if I try harder."
*Fifth reason is that it reinforced my values in life, particularly discipline, humor and humility. If you wanna make progress in running, you need to have disicipline, like waking up early to make sure you're not late for the race, sticking up to your practice sched., etc. Being able to laugh at yourself when you fail or make mistakes in your races is also essential. Otherwise, it'll make you hot-tempered and bitter, and takes the fun out of running. What if you pick up a fight w/ another runner because you thought he intentionally hit your back or stepped on your shoes? Tsk.tsk. Running also taught me to have more humility. I have to recognize the fact that I'm just a beginner and I have a long way to go (literally and figuratively) compared to the other runners I meet in the race. I have to be patient with myself and trust that eventually, I will get there.
So, why do I call my blog, " Road Reverie"? Well, to be honest, my mind gets so preoccupied w/ different thoughts when I run. I even think I'm not the typical runner. When I start working out my feet, I think a lot about different things. Random thoughts fill my mind, which otherwise doesn't happen when I'm quiet or doing nothing. I remember certain people, some I haven't seen for a long time. I remember scenes from my younger years. I imagine myself being the person I want to be. I imagine the kind of house I want to have, my dream car, my dream job, the places I want to go to, etc. In other words, I daydream. It's like I enter into a trance. But I'm not at all distracted. More than any kind of energy bar or electrolyte drink, these thoughts actually serve as my most powerful motivators to reach the finish line. If I am excited about running, all the more should I be excited about my life.
So there you have it. I've reached the finish line for this post. It always feels fulfilling when you finish something.
Till my next road reverie.
