A long road ahead

--The race is long...in the end it's only with yourself--

M. Schmich (1997) "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young" Chicago Tribue

Sometimes I find myself pondering what lies ahead in my life. The vision is constantly vague and blur as I’m sure it is for all of us. But admit it, we all ponder about it every now and again right?

I recently participated in the annual Harbour Capital run in Wellington – the 10K category – something I wouldn’t imagine myself doing a year ago. I did it, completed it and safe to say I didn’t come in last! I did it in an hour and 10 minutes. Not bad for a couch-potato smoker eh?

It’s only the second distance running event in my life. The first was when I volunteered in a 5k run for my sister’s high-school when I was about 6 years old. I completed that one too. No, I’m not patting my own back instead I’ve realised how much this event (and the preparations I made for this) managed to teach me a few things about myself.

It all started back in April 2007 when I felt I needed a change of lifestyle. You see, back in KL, my life was very much a schedule. Not that I follow the schedule religiously but it was organised (somewhat). In that schedule, I managed to include futsal which became a place to deposit any frustrations from work or home while breaking a sweat. And it worked too…I lost weight!

NZ is not really a football mad country though they do have a lunchtime indoor football league but I do not have a team to play in. Besides, my dodgy knees are also something to consider before I play football again. But you see, I always manage to find some excuse or another. So finally, I decided that I need to do some exercise.

It first started with some light jogging in the early hours around the wharf until it got too cold. Then the local gym gave away a free 1 month trial coupon. I was too self conscious of my own body at first. But in the end, my initial experience at the gym got me hooked. So now I’m in a 3 year membership with the gym. I must say, it really feels good running on the treadmill, working on weights…just sweating my body out. I finally understood what it meant being flat footed and the effects it can have on my knees when I run or play sports with less than adequate shoes. If I had heeded my mum’s advice much sooner, I may not have dodgy knees at all.

Anyway, whenever I run I would keep my mind ‘occupied’ with random thoughts. It varies from all sorts of things. But during the 10k run itself, I occupied my mind with childhood memories, memories of friends I left back home and I realised that life have a lot of similarities with distance running (or almost any other sports). In sports, as it is in life, you need to develop the endurance for it. You also need to pace yourself well to go the distance. Most importantly, I learned that “in the end, the race is only with yourself” to quote Mary Schmich.

It may sound selfish at a glance but look at it in the context self-improvement rather than to compare yourself with the next guy. Believe me, this is not easy to do but the philosophy of is sound and fair.

Do we really need to rush out in life to grab the best? To be the best? What is it worth being best If I'm not happy and content with my life? What good is the contest if you are incomplete?

Don't get me wrong, I would like to indulge in the latest gadgets and gizmos, cars, clothes but I think, the best way to face life is to pace yourself. Looking ahead at the next Kilometer of the race while keeping in mind the finish line. For now, this is my way of being realistic. While I struggle to finish my 10k...three words kept going in my head that helped me cross the line: "Small steps Fairul".

Just as it was in the run as it would be in my life, those three words remain important to me.