I started my running very slowly. So slow it was actually just brisk walking. But nothing was ever good enough for my PT. He would circle around my treadmill like a vulture eyeing a wounded gazelle. Or worse, he would park himself right beside me and furiously prod the speed button unsure which was not working, the speed button or me.
We started off with a one minute run. He told me running is all about controlling my breathing. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Slow controlled breaths. All I was concentrating on was the time. 20 seconds. 30 seconds. This is how I'm going to die. 40 seconds. Right now. 50 seconds. I'm dead, I'm sure I'm dead already. 60 seconds. TIME! And he'd decrease the speed to brisk walk.
I'd run for 1 minute and walk for 3 minutes. Run for 2 minutes, walk for 3 minutes. Run for 3 minutes and die a thousand deaths. You catch the drift. This went on for a couple of months. The objective was to incorporate the breathing into my regime. Make us one. There were at least 40 of us at that time in present.
Right now you would think I hate the treadmill, the PT, the smell of stale sweat permeating from every pore of the gym floor (walls were mirrors - I can't control my breathing but my brain was still 20% functioning so I know sweat cannot permeate from mirrors), the stinky towels, the people who were running all around me without clutching their chests, who could still have a chit chat with the runner next to them talking about how wonderful the smell of roses coming from their gardens when they woke up that morning.
But no. Something in me started to spark. If I can do 1 minute, what's 2, if I can do 2, I'm sure I can do 3. If I push a little more, 5 is definitely in the books. It was tough love. I struggled at 5 minutes forever. But that 5 minutes was like a lifetime achievement. It's never happened before.
There were the stitches I had to deal with. It was so painful I might as well just stab a fork in my kidney and show my PT "Is this what you want? Just take it, I have 2". "Oh it's not the kidney? Here, take my liver too, I'll get my sister to donate a third of hers". Every single organ in my body felt like it was trapped in a cocktail shaker. But the PT opened my eyes. You breathe, you avoid stitches. You avoid stitches, you rule the world.
I was far from conquering the world but I was interested to find out what it would take to do it. I was stepping into new territories, a strange place I never knew existed. I envy those runners on the treadmills. But I found the key to their secret place. It was simply breathing with a technique. That was all to it. If they can do it, why can't I.
6 comments:
what do you mean by *stitches*?
Signed,
Couch potato
i think stitches is when you lari, and your sides tiba-tiba sakit.
kan?
stitches tu bila u lari but tak warm up and you dont have enough oxigen supplied bla bla bla kan? i always have that! but someone gave me a tip, when you start to feel it masa lari, raise the opposite arm (u know macam angkat tangan kat sekolah) sambil lari.. pain subsides in a minute.. it works for me..
Yes that's right. Oxygen doesn't reach your organs, you get that jabbing pain. When you raise your arms and take a deep breath, u lift up your ribcage and oxygen travels to the organs. If you maintain a constant breathing technique, you won't get the pain and also won't tire easily.
Late to the party as usual... but enthralled by your 'run' series just coz I've always wanted to run a marathon but have to be realistic... XD
My fave line: "You avoid stitches, you rule the world"
ffe: realise the dream uols. i thot i cud never do it. and i nearly died doing it but guess what, i just signed up for another one. but 10km only and i hear its bukit bukak.. gulp.
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