I’ve learnt a lot of useful tips but I’ve also learnt a lot about myself.
You learn a lot about yourself when you start something new. Try learning to swim and riding a bike when the last time you did it was in high school. Try running when you’re huffing and puffing and all you can think of is how comfy your bed would be at 6am in the morning. Even better, try running in a race where you’re going flat out and little old ladies and people with babies in strollers are gliding past you.
I’ve learnt a lot over these last eight months. I’ve learnt that when I make exercise a habit I tend to stick to it, that camelbaks are the coolest accessory to have and clipless pedals really are better. I’ve also learnt that I run faster when I put some effort into compiling a decent playlist, and that the W on a jersey stands for “walker” (but that these people generally walk faster than I can run).
Most importantly, I’ve learnt about myself. I sometimes give up too easily when things get tough, but I can also unlearn that bad habit. I’ve learnt that pain can sometimes be good and that it’s not supposed to be easy if you want to see real results, and how to find a strange yet serene calmness in the repetitive motions of running, swimming and cycling, to better survive this hectic world we live in.
When you train your body, you also train your mind. And when you train your body on a regular basis, you end up being honest with yourself about the kind of person you are. The best part is that if you don’t like what you find, you can change. I’ve spent a lot of time with myself these last eight months during those long and sometimes lonely kilometers in my running and cycling shoes. I don’t think I was that bad to start with, but I think I’ve become a better person. More patient, more open to trying things I’m not good at, more willing to believe in my abilities to succeed at these things, and ultimately happier. My friends look at my frenetic sports schedule with bemusement, but really, I find that it leaves me rather ‘Zen’.
It’s five days to race day. I hope I’ll see you at the start line of the Freshpak Fitness Festival in Clanwilliam on Saturday. As they say, life’s too short for just one sport… go out there and find your Zen…
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