Run for your life

‘Twas December yesterday and 2016 closed. Time to reflect on the running and fitness goals set in January. Were they achieved? I had only 3 goals for Run4life.co:

1.  To get more of the Malay Muslim community, my community to embrace fitness as a lifestyle choice and preferably running as their choice activity. Why? Because, statistics has shown that this community is not as active. I would run in the Parks in Singapore and I would see other communities running, cycling even just walking. On the other hand, my community would be having picnics, eating and generally rest. Not good. I plan on starting with a modest 10 persons to train for and participate in a race.
2. To reset the clock so to speak. Embark on a post 45 PB starting with the half marathon this year and the full next year.
3. To write and post 2 articles a month here.

Getting more from my community to run

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon had a campaign during the buildup of the 2015 race that asked participants what they were running for. I wrote that I would like to, by my running and in this blog to inspire more Malay Muslims to take up a healthy lifestyle in general and to make running in particular their sport of choice.

So I set out in 2016 to get at least 10 of the community to run or at least to regularly brisk walk. I have been back in touch with a group of friends from my army days. This group of friends served together in the army. We first met in ITD in Tekong, then most of us went to Safincos in Pasir Laba, Safti. These are the guys who I will try to get moving. If I could get them going, I would have achieved my 10.

I am happy to report that this group went on four brisk walk treks in 2016. In April we briskwalked Labrador Park, in May we navigated the Southern Ridge from Kent Ridge to Seah Imm, in June a small party trekked Macritchie Nature Park and finally in October a larger force trekked Macritchie, Tree TOP walk and the Rifle Range Link.  A planned assault on Coney Island did not materialise due to scheduling. But we shall do Coney Island and more treks in 2017.

What was better though was that I trained a smaller group of these guys, Azhar, Daud, Hashim and Norshad on a weekly basis and they ran their first 5km race. They ran the Urgent Run, a fund raiser organized by the World Toilet Organization. Brilliantly done guys.

Thank you guys.

Reset the clock

This I owe to Enrico. He inspired me to go fast again. I set my post 45 PB for a half marathon at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. I clocked 2;11. I learned 2 things while resetting my clock: (1) that everybody needs coaching, even a coach and (2) always have a goal but to know that in life, a moving goal post is inevitable, what is important is that we know when the goal post have moved and how to react.

Two articles per month

Yes, I pretty much did that. It was tough going in the beginning, getting into writing mode and maintaining discipline to do so. Materiels were and are not hard to come by, I had plenty of knowledge, experience and stories to share, the angle with which to approach and connecting the wisdom to impart, that is the difficult task. Speaking and interacting with friends and people who write and the act of writing itself are how I have improved.

I have started a series which I call #bigkidmoment. In this series I interview and write about inspiring people and their big kid moments, moments when they did something spectacular. In so doing to simply inspire. My first feature was my good friend Enrico. This was verbatim, next feature will be different. Do look out for it.

Other little running things I have done this year;

1. Spartan Super
2. Lead a warm up session at a race.
3. 22 days, 22 push up challenge to raise awareness of PTSD

So take aways from 2016;

1. 50 is the new 30
2. Everybody needs a coach and a mentor, even a coach.
3. Want to get good at what you do? Repeat!
4. Relevance
5. Moving goal posts? React quick

What of 2017?

I am doing this now

I want to do this

come run with me