Sunday, July 03, 2005
Milk Run Day!
Hi everyone, today was Milk Run Day! An event organised to raise funds for the disabled youth. Many thanks to the organisers, they did a great job. Although it was not as professional as, say, the Standard Chatered Marathon, I was very glad to see that they made do with as low a budget as possible. Eg, Water instead of 100plus, no cordoned off roads and bananas in place of expensive replacement fluids etc. This means that the kids would get the biggest share of the funds, which in fact is the main purpose for this run.
The past few days have been hectic and I had minimal sleep. Besides, I had an important soccer match the day before which means I went into the run with tired thighs and an ailing calf. I was yawning half the time whilst waiting for flag off. Both Nelson and I were thinking, how should we approach this 10km run in this quite bad shape we were in? We decided we were gonna push forward in the early laps, maintain and finish off with all that we've got. Well, the plan did not work as well as we wanted it too cause I guess we were simply too tired. I pushed forward in the early laps, had a good lead but found myself not quite the same person I thought I was! When I reached the halfway point, I felt my engine was failing me and I could not push myself any further. Seriously, I have never had this feeling of burning out quite as badly as today. A couple of things raced through my mind while strking a deal with my weak engines. Decision-making time. Do I push harder now and compromise on the last 2Km or should I try to maintain a reasonable speed till the finish line? Meanwhile, No. 5 runner is breathing down my neck, waiting for me to slip up any moment. I made the decision then, I must slow down and wait for the chance to overtake later, or the last 2Km would be very tough. From the 4th position I slipped to the 9th position.
Yu yee asked me how do I define 'GIVING YOUR BEST'? I told him : The moment you cross the finish line, if you feel like you can still run further, you most probably have not given your hundred percent. While I pushed myself throughout the race, I can not say every foot planted was the best foot forward. I can not say every step was the hundred percent Esmond. But does that equate not giving my best? I say no, it is the best with what I have then. Determination is one thing, preparation for the race is another. Determination takes you this far but preparation is likewise very important. I must then agree I have not prepared as well as the other runners ahead of me. Sport builds character, at least to me it does. It pushes you beyond your comforts and exhorts you to make uncomfortable yet neccessary decisions. You either push harder with gut spirit or you allow immediate gratifications tempt you to give up.
This should be my last race before I leave for the UK. Thank you Song, Weixin, Black and Yuyee for joining this race with me. I was not spared from the usual laughters once again. Weixin when he told me of all Song's cheap moves! Song, pls take note of your surroundings even though you are really tired, you might just bump into *ahem ahem*. Thanks for waiting so long for the prize presentation. That's all for now. It's back to work tmr!
Esmond
The past few days have been hectic and I had minimal sleep. Besides, I had an important soccer match the day before which means I went into the run with tired thighs and an ailing calf. I was yawning half the time whilst waiting for flag off. Both Nelson and I were thinking, how should we approach this 10km run in this quite bad shape we were in? We decided we were gonna push forward in the early laps, maintain and finish off with all that we've got. Well, the plan did not work as well as we wanted it too cause I guess we were simply too tired. I pushed forward in the early laps, had a good lead but found myself not quite the same person I thought I was! When I reached the halfway point, I felt my engine was failing me and I could not push myself any further. Seriously, I have never had this feeling of burning out quite as badly as today. A couple of things raced through my mind while strking a deal with my weak engines. Decision-making time. Do I push harder now and compromise on the last 2Km or should I try to maintain a reasonable speed till the finish line? Meanwhile, No. 5 runner is breathing down my neck, waiting for me to slip up any moment. I made the decision then, I must slow down and wait for the chance to overtake later, or the last 2Km would be very tough. From the 4th position I slipped to the 9th position.
Yu yee asked me how do I define 'GIVING YOUR BEST'? I told him : The moment you cross the finish line, if you feel like you can still run further, you most probably have not given your hundred percent. While I pushed myself throughout the race, I can not say every foot planted was the best foot forward. I can not say every step was the hundred percent Esmond. But does that equate not giving my best? I say no, it is the best with what I have then. Determination is one thing, preparation for the race is another. Determination takes you this far but preparation is likewise very important. I must then agree I have not prepared as well as the other runners ahead of me. Sport builds character, at least to me it does. It pushes you beyond your comforts and exhorts you to make uncomfortable yet neccessary decisions. You either push harder with gut spirit or you allow immediate gratifications tempt you to give up.
This should be my last race before I leave for the UK. Thank you Song, Weixin, Black and Yuyee for joining this race with me. I was not spared from the usual laughters once again. Weixin when he told me of all Song's cheap moves! Song, pls take note of your surroundings even though you are really tired, you might just bump into *ahem ahem*. Thanks for waiting so long for the prize presentation. That's all for now. It's back to work tmr!
Esmond
# posted by eastsidebackstreet : 10:53 pm
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