So I don't run...I might do a few hopping around on the treadmill but I don't run. I don't understand why people run, it's boring, it's painful and I really find the whole activity quite pointless. I enjoy exercising but things like tennis where I'm chasing something (I like chasing things...if you throw something at me, I'll probably chase it..), or even resistance training, painful but there is a purpose. Running..bleh..so 6 weeks ago, when an email was sent around the office, talking about the Great City Race, I said kudos to those who wanted to do it, I thought I'd cheer at the sideline. Then peer pressure...I mean..grown ass woman and somehow I still gave in to peer pressure! Couple of other girls in the office were doing it and for a very brief moment, I actually thought..yeah..sure..why not...how bad can it be?
So I worked out a running plan with my PT and he was kind enough to tell me everything I needed to do in 6 weeks to prep me for this thing. Did I do it? Uh..yes, the first week, I was so gun-ho about it. I did the run 1K as fast as you can then 2K and so on..felt really good about myself. Then that excitement went away the second week and back is the 'why am I running? Am I chasing something? No...there's nothing ahead of me..this is so dull..' feeling so...I gave up and kind of ignored the fact I did sign up to run this thing.
6 weeks went by really quickly...next thing you know, we were given our 'running pack' with our 'running number' and a chip to tie to your shoe so they can mark your time. I started to get really nervous...i mean..not only did I not follow up on my fabulous running plan, I've stopped exercising completely and have gained back the few kilos I've lost before..so now I'm out of shape, carrying a few more weight and I have to run 5K?? Yeah..I was basically dreading this whole event...
The Great City Race is something that takes place in London every year. When they say 'City' they mean this 3+ mile area of London's biggest financial institutions, banks, investment companies, insurance companies and whatnot. Each year, this is the only race that shuts the City and thousands of individuals from City industries like the ones mentioned above represent their companies to run this thing. Of course there is a charity behind it, it's for Seeing is Believing, a charity for blindness.
16 July 2009, at approximately 7pm, my colleagues and I arrived at the meeting ground and I must say, it was quite a sight! 4 years in London I've never seen the City shut down and it was actually really cool to witness. People were everywhere, all in their best exercise gear and all looking like professional runners! I was thinking..what the hell am I doing here?? So I hung around with my 3 others colleagues, the others we lost somehow. One of the girls decided to just follow the crowd and we somehow got stuck in the middle of the 21-27 minute runners...yeah..that is optimistic but obviously won't happen..but we stayed and the race began.
All I saw were a flood of people running past me and people on the sideline cheering..obviously not for me because I was so freaking slow! I wanted to chase my colleagues (see, the chasing factor is still around..) but they just took off so fast and also I knew this chase was not going to end for a long while so I gave up on the chasing and decided to just run at my own pace. So got my iPod on, playing some really cheesy pop music and I just went. First 2K, totally fine, I just daydreamed about recipes, cookies, Chinese food, clothes and shoes..very random..then I saw the 3K mark and thinking..WTF?? I've been running forever! Oh sheesh...okay..by then I ran out of things to think about..so I started thinking about how I've run out of things to think about! And why did I do this..and why are these people enjoying this? And how I am in so much pain...4K...oh dear mother of god...will this ever end!?! Then I saw it..the finishing line..so..with Christina Aguilera's Fighter playing loudly in my year, I just ran....and when I crossed it..I nearly died...I cannot believe I actually f**king did it!!! It was such an adrenaline rush! I was so proud of myself..I mean, I cannot believe I actually finished it..I wanted to quit so many times..but...self-motivation really does work wonders.
We all got a goodie bag which I like until I saw what were in the goodie bags:
- a bottle of low calorie Lucazade (disgusting)
- a small bottle of water (should've traded the Lucazade..)
- a bottle of eye drop (?)
- a pack of vitamins (seriously?)
- an apple (that made sense)
- one piece of Ricola drop (in case I somehow contracted sore throat during my run?)
- a small pk of Mike & Ike (is that to throw at the random bankers drinking on the sideline??)
- a medal (Duh, cuz we're all winners...)
- a t-shirt (I think it's too small for me..)
and THE MOST RANDOM THING you'd ever find in a running goodie bag.....
- A JAR OF CRANBERRY JAM!?!?! (Not sure if the organizers were expecting us to find some kind of Turkey meal like a treasure hunt or something..)
Well, I did it...after all the moaning and whining, in the end, I'm glad I did it. We got our result back Friday morning and my goal was to finish in under 35, I did it in 36.13.
I am not one bit disappointed! I have no idea if that's good or bad but I don't even care. The fact is I actually finished it and I think it's not a bad time for a first timer. This actually does prove to me that anyone can run. I'm not sure if this is something I want to pick up, unlike one of my colleague Alisa who had such a rush after the race, she is now planning for next year (WTF*&#*&). But I definitely missed being fit and working out so maybe this was the push I needed. Yay, I ran 5K!!
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