I liked to read on other runners' training life, running experience and how to cope with situation in their daily life. Whether it is elite, pro, amateur runners, "working class" runners, or "running tribes".
Not everyone come to this world in equal.
Genetic makeup, the country one was born, the timing of exposed to running, climate, geographic, politics and economic environment.
Some people have no job but have to be a runners to earn a job,
some people have a job but no time to run.
Some people withhold the job to train for Rio.
Some were single. Some made marriage proposal at the finishing line. Some have children and a family.
Some people have a 3 jobs and still able to log 190 km per week.
Among all the differences, we choose the same thing to do - to run.
And we all have the same 24 hours per day.
And here come the question, what is the priority?
Life is a one way journey, we live at that second for one time.
And within this life span, what we would like to fit in?
Come to new year, it's a shame of me that the only thing I have an idea of is to keep running.
Is it bad to leave job prospect behind? Family?
People said we need to be balance in our life.
I came to realize that the environment won't always be the same, and one must grow, change, improve, proceed and march.
As a working class, how to maintain the passion for running, when the requirement for job is increasing? Change myself, or change the work?
In this new year, at this age, which priority should I put?
Steve Jobs' quotes say "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward." and he continued, "So you have to trust the dots will somehow connect in your future." "You have to trust in something, whatever"
What we did today will affect our future, but before the day come we won't know how it will be affected.
Last Saturday (5 Jan, 13), uncle Alex Ong, a senior and friend in the running group I participate in (CariRunners) met with accident on his training ride up Penang Hill. It was a shocked and sad incident for all of us. He was cheerful, encouraged and supportive in all athletic activities. Condolences from everywhere, all folks of life. Sometimes we won't know how much we lost until the day. And we won't know too how much we can contribute or affect others life. He left for good. His spirit stays.
I will keep this as my review for new year.
New challenges and changes.
No one says it will be easy.
I get what you mean. It is hard to find the balance. Some days, running seems a lesser priority when weighed against the other issues in life.
ReplyDeleteBut it's a lifestyle, a healthy one that reaps far more benefits beyond the physical realm. I run not because it defines me, but it makes me whole. And the more I run, I continue to discover more of myself. Make that discovery too for yourself.
Thanks Francis, it's always hard for people to understand what's that bothering me. But talk to runner friends they will understand right away.
ReplyDeletePunch in and punch out the same as other people, they may be their own sets of problem too, what make mine worse?
I might face the struggle but it's still up to me to decide.
It shouldn't be something to be regretted of, but something to be grateful of.
Thanks for follwing, and good luck for your debut ultra!