Tired / Lazy Days

What do you do when you have planned for a run and just before it, feel tired and / or lazy? And especially when the days are extremely hot and humid, or that the skies have turned all dark and gloomy?

Just lace up and run!

The past year or so, I have decided to not let the above factors deter me from running as planned. If it really were an exhausting state, I would project an easier run, shorter route and the aim to just complete the workout. Never mind it is not going to be a long run nor tempo nor fartlek speed workout. As long as I could complete the session, I am happy and grateful. And usually, I would outdo the previous condition during the run. So if I'd just think to myself: "Ok it's a weary day, let's just do a 5-6k today", I'd usually get more than 5-6k mileage completed, and sometimes with sections of speedwork included. The aim is to condition the body to just go through the routine and move, and I believe this contributes a lot to the overall body fitness, consistency, as well as tuning the mind to accomplish tasks beyond the state of torpor.

And I am also grateful that in the country where I live, we have good infrastructure in the forms of sheltered walkways, park connectors, not to mention void decks of HDB* blocks of flats. So even in inclement weather - hot or cold; dry or wet - I have no excuses. I always joked to a friend whenever I run in the brutally hot and humid weather of late mornings that we've got to make good use of these facilities we taxpayers contributed to! So these public features are really useful. Though I must say that I would appreciate a lot more if there could be more public water fountains available.

Running under such covers also allows me to uncover and discover some new routes, places, nooks and crannies of green spaces, eateries and not to mention the different types of flat units in various HDB estates. This has made my runs more varied and interesting especially on unmotivated days. From these new discoveries, I would go on to plan and chart future runs and think about where I could give myself a treat after working hard, which then becomes another source of motivation.

So the next time the feeling of inertia kicks in, tell the mind to "Just Do it!" and you'll be glad you did. 😊

HDB* - Stands for Housing Development Board. It is the authority in charge of public housing in Singapore. HDB flats or apartments are the type of residential units that majority of Singaporeans live in. 

Bad Runs

Saw this the day before:

Source: The Running Week on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/TheRunningWeek

Man, how powerful this quote is.

I remember there was a time many years back, having a similar sentiment as I huffed and puffed through a difficult bad run  - how bad could it be? - at the Stadium tracks.

"Not everyone is as fortunate as me to have these limbs to run."

"Not everyone has the ability like me here, to be able to even experience this suffering if they do not have such an intact healthy body."

And that was how I got myself through. 

It was nearing a trip to Japan with my family, and after that humbling running insight, I reminded myself how so, so lucky to have so many things in my life that I have not appreciated. To be able to suffer in a choice that I have made myself is in itself, a blessing. What's more I was soon to be enjoying an overseas trip! How many people could do the things I have planned to do?

Fast forward more than a decade later, I was met with this quote as a distant reminder.

Bad Runs, they still appear.

In between those years, I probably had forgotten to remind myself of such a blessing this suffering is.

In fact over these years, I have been lamenting the lack-ofs, unaccomplishments, not-yet-haves, why-me-nots, etc. 

Had I been more mindful of appreciating such little sufferings as blessings, my life would perhaps be totally different. It might be teemed with much more true abundance, more satisfaction, more wholesomeness and happiness, if not, a more grateful, loving and compassionate being in motion.

After all, bad runs are here to inform us what are the good ones!

Every run, good or nay is part of the collection that propels us forward in reaching our goal in steps.

And a bad run is a blessing.

It is never too little.

Never too late.

Gratitude.

NOW.