"We told our guys to hold on for 30 minutes of agony for 12 months of glory." -
Coach John McDonnell, after Arkansas won the 1993 Ncaa Cross Country title
I like the quote the first time I read it. I think it's an awesome motivation for holding out and in for a little short while before the sweet release. I always have a bad finish for my race - I tend to struggle a little bit at the last 1km when I run with a higher pace. I think it was KOTR 2009 when I was huffing and puffing sprinting to the end and I went, "Alright now I know why you need speedwork!" I incorporated GP (gentle pickup) everytime I run after that, and they really did come handy. But well, unlike everyone else, I never really enjoyed the last few moments before a race ends. It was so high pressure - you either have to run really fast or not at all.
Maybe if I could run still for the next year I would try to Finish Strong like this one lady I remembered running behind for Mizuno Wave run. I was following her steadily when she suddenly bucked up like a horse and sped off the last 1km. Where did she get the second wind? It was awesome and I bet felt great to give it your all until the end.
Anyway I repeated the quote a couple of times in my yoga class yesterday just to make me hold on in a few particularly challenging poses. Yesterday was TOUGH. The session kicked my ass. I went, "Just a minute, just a minute, just a minute more for my moment of glory!" What glory? I asked myself. Oh well, the glory of not giving up. Balancing poses are hardcore than your mother!
Just a random question but for guys out there - can you squat? Most men in the yoga classes can't squat which left my yoga instructor baffled. It's common for foreigners to not be able to squat but yesterday 3 Malaysian males couldn't. She asked, "Wow you can't squat? I thought it's an Asian thing?"
Anyway turned out that squatting is one of the most efficient and easiest workouts to strengthen your ankle and keep your reproductive system healthy. The pose gently massages your internal organs and also provides just enough resistance workout to your ankle. Maybe we need to spend more time in the loo. Maybe that's why in the olden days people had so many kids. Heheh.
I want to run. Right this second. Miss running in the early morning.
i miss running early too! Nowadays I am just so kedekut of time,lah :)
ReplyDelete30 minutes of pain? that's like a 5k run ooo
talking bout squat, a fren told me 3 months back that one pakcik told him to do 10 "ketuk ketampi" every morning. Consistent with your yoga disciplin I guess
ReplyDeleteLol i can squat and like doing them. Was already replying in my head that i can squat because i used to use the squat jamban at my grandma's place :) and then i saw the rest of your post
ReplyDeleteyim and ziff: yeah that's what my yoga teacher assumed... i mean, we all grew up with the squatting toilets kan? even if we outgrew them, could we ever forget how to squat? hehe
ReplyDeletesyah: crazy isn't it? 5km push to the max urgh!
I love squatting. I didn't know that this exercise works on the internal organs. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete