I am not a RUNNER! ... I'm a jogger

This article is written by the chairman of SAF LIFE Secretariat

I am not endowed with blazing speed (as are those who feel ashamed if they run the 2.4 km in over 9 minutes) nor remarkable endurance (those sub-3 hour marathoners). No,I just trundle along 3 times a week for about 30 minutes each time, in the neverending/ceaseless search for:

• Calories-burning , to help control my weight
• Reasonable enough fitness to pass my IPPT
• The more distant, less tangible health rewards.

The trouble is that for all my noble intentions, I find that my jogging has become dull, predictable, and well, sort of aimless. It's become mechanical to lace up my jogging shoes every other day, and go out to complete 5 km or 30 minutes, whichever tires me first.

In other words, my jogging has become dreary.

But very recently, I was persuaded to try something new: RUNNING. I was invited down to the SPE running track to RUN some short-distance circuits(laps) of the track. It was such a simple experience but a true revelation:

• 2 laps at a slow,jog pace(great fun)
• A rest, with stretching (even better!)
• 1 lap as fast as i can run (wow!)
• Rest( I needed it)
• 3 more laps as quickly as i could go (....)
• More rest (badly needed)
• 2 laps of slow jog to warm down (pure relief...)

I completed more than 3 km but in exciting way.This result is that after 4 sessions at the track,I feel:

• Excited! I'm FAST! New goals (time to run a 400m lap) challenge me
• In my own mind, I fly!
• Re-energised, with new focus to my run ring
• Renewed. I feel happily tired at the end of the run, in a different way from my dreary jogs. The aritifical track surface is spongy and comfortable.
• Fitter! My jogs seem to be less "painful" and my legs feel stronger, hills seem to be less steep.

I've become so excited about these runs (I think of them as "speedwork at the track"!!) that i now go to the track once every 2 weeks, and have spoilt myself with a new pair of light-weight "running" shoes. (Of course, I bought these on "Special" at Queensway Shopping Centre where my dollars seem to stretch more).

So my final words is that if you feel any of the symptoms" I described earlier, consider adding some fun and spice to your LIFE jogs;run!

LWM

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