One of my goals this year is to be consistent in writing --of anything under the sun. I thought it would just be an easy peasy thing to do because I love to write, it has been my way of unloading my thoughts and understanding what I truly feel. Do you do that too? It helps so much, especially now, when what we can all do is send messages or do video calls with family and friends. For the past months, I have busied myself with a lot of things. Aside from going to work twice a week, I have started doing runs in the university's academic oval. Sometimes, it feels like I'm training for a marathon since I've been really working hard with improving my pacing and distance. But, I always go back to the purpose of why I started running: the joy of doing it. I enjoy the times I run, so I make sure that even though it feels like work to me, I do it in such way I could enjoy it.
I started slow, I did 4km runs without stops for a whole month and then I further increase my distance. Next, I started working on my pace. I am so guilty of improving my pace and distance simultaneously , it was not recommended and I didn't know about it. After four months, I was able to run 10km straight with such good pacing. I was so proud of myself when my running app notified me that I ran passed 10km, so proud, that I even had the energy to sprint.
After achieving my goal, I relaxed a little and enjoyed the holidays despite the current situation we're still in. During Christmas time, I spent a lot of time baking cookies and breads for my family. I did a few runs but it was just to make space for all the food I was binge eating during the holiday season. Don't we all? I tried to go back to running again, but it was no longer the same. I still enjoy it too, but gone were the hustle of improving my pace and distance. I was just really enjoying the time I get to run along such beautiful path. I get tired more easily, well it's hard to run wearing a mask, but I have no choice. Whenever I'm in the course of running, what motivates me is the view ahead of me. The photos I've included in this post are the pictures I see while running. I stop looking at my steps and look ahead, above, and see the branches of the trees along the lane. The branches that shy away with each other, just almost touching, they paint perfect silhouettes under the setting sun. That keeps me moving, that tells me I could run more.
I have also recently watch a Korean drama series that tells about running, the activity and life in general. I liked what the character in the series said, the pacing is important, if you're tired, slow down; just don't give up. It was something like that. On my runs, I always look forward to when I reach my goal...4km...5km...6km...7km... I would settle with the 5km mark but I always feel light whenever I get passed that, so I would again set another kilometer of run, and then add another kilometer. I feel what I feel at the moment and decide whether I could still push further. The goal is very important, that's what they say, but I think the process is important as well. The present matters as much as the future I'm looking forward to. Today, I just realized that my 1-hr runs are pretty much the same as how I should pace myself in life. I keep looking forward, but, now is important too. I am always amazed whenever I get valuable life lessons out of the mundane things that I do. I hope you get those moments of learning too.
I keep looking forward, but, now is important too.