I had always found running an unnecessary chore.
During my high school years, I had to run laps on the campus before the start of every PE lesson.
I used to dread and wished that I would get accepted into college earlier to save myself from more avoidable running.
My wish did not materialize.
My school places an exceptional emphasis on physical training. It expects all girls to participate in at least one game on the annual sports day.
I signed up to the 3k long run by elimination, knowing that I would never win, but I should be able to complete it. Sure enough, I was the last to finish the race. I felt okay because I checked the box.
The next time I ran was 20 years later.
My trainer and I were exploring how I respond to different cardio training. She put me on a treadmill once and asked me to dash. So I did.
At the end of the various assessments, my trainer concluded that running is the most suitable cardio for me. I run instinctively like a runner, she said.
I debated with her that I don’t feel like I’m running like a runner. I ran out of breath, even during my short dash. My legs and arms felt heavy; of course, my whole body felt heavy too.
I should pick another cardio to help me lose some weight first before incorporating running.
At my trainer’s alternative recommendation — jumping rope, I agreed to including running as part of my training.
When I’m not hitting the gym, I do what most people do — watch TV.
I’m addicted to The National Geographic and The Discovery Channel because I convinced myself that I’m soaking up so much knowledge as I binge-watch.
I stumbled upon this program, which looked at the subject of why humans have to live and work in groups.
I get that no man is an island, but was curious about how the program would approach a subject that is common knowledge.
It focused on the physiological aspects of humans, particularly our skin. I thought it was interesting.
It stated that our skin has evolved to such an advanced state that enables us to run long distances, which is an essential edge over all other natural predators. It suggested that humans would be doomed
if we don’t have our furless skin. Other natural predators hunt with their speed. Humans will never be able to beat them in hunting if we compete on velocity.
But instead, our furless skin allows us to regulate body heat that can build up during running, enabling us to run for a longer time than other predators.
Because of the usual thick fur other natural predators have, they can only burst into action for a short time before their bodies become overheated.
Humans are born to run and to run long distances.
Somehow this message stuck in my head, and I wasn’t able to shake it even for days after.
I wanted to put that statement to the test. Is my unfit body also capable of running?
So I walked onto the treadmill at my gym and started to run.
Because of the excess fat that I carried with me, my body didn’t feel right at the beginning.
However, as I continued, I noticed I started to perspire all over my body. I persisted in putting my foot forward, one at a time.
And before I knew it, I finished 5k. There was no game at the end of my run, but a strange sense of gratification befell me. Perhaps that’s what people called “the runners’ high.”
Since then, I went on to finish my many kilometers.
