26 Days Left - I Ran 10K for About an Hour and I Messed Up!

Honestly, I was so hesitant to run the Energizer Night Race after what loss had come into our family with Mama Ling gone. But I asked myself, if Mama Ling is to be asked he'd surely want me to run. I know how much she wanted me to "exercise" after seeing how big I have become since she came last January. Too bad, she'd didn't have the chance to see how much I have improved with my body.

And so I moved forward and join the race - to conquer myself, overcome my grief and celebrate life!

With me were Jan, Kuya, and Kuya Lee and it was one amazing experience! Whew!We registered with the 10 kilometer ran for it was only the last slot available aside from the 3k and 5k. And it was so worth it, aside from the free head lights from energizer. Cool!

So fast forward, yup I finished the raise in about an hour something. I wasn't able to see the clock for I was eyeing the finish line! I was ahead of  the three with Kuya Lee following me, and Kuya then Jan.

So where did I mess up????

It was when Kuya asked us two questions.

Did you enjoy the race?

Ummmmm...I finished the race...hihihihi

Did you have any new bright ideas?

Ummmmmm...10..9..8..(smile)..4..3..2..1

This was where I messed up.

Life is not all about finishing the race, it's about enjoying the race!

And so I realized how the REAL (and at this moment- the now OLD) Hanz took auto-pilot during the race. My basic instinct towards things like this was to finish it to the best I can no matter what! For me it was a competition. Tell you, I never stopped nor slowed down during the entire race. I didn't stop because I know I would be very tired if I stopped or slowed down. I was only looking forward to finishing the race. And nothing else. While I was running I was really able to remember Paulo Coelho's story in the book The Alchemist,

“The Secret of Happiness lies in looking at all the wonders of the world and never forgetting the two drops of oil in the spoon.”

Read the full story here.

This "instict" of mine was deeply rooted in my academe world, purely motivated to be on top. I was like a horse in a calesa, or a typical rat-race employee who does only what he's told to do. All the time, in running, my goal was to simply finish the race without stopping. And so when I finished the race, I felt the same feeling I got during graduation,  
" Oh yes, you finished the race, so what?"

And upon realizing this I begin to smile. Yup, I messed up a race, but I learned one lung-tearing-knee-binding-foot-killing life experience I will never learn anywhere else...

Life is not all about finishing the race, it's about enjoying the race!

NB. You know how Jan and Kuya enjoyed the race? They had fun every step of the way, interviewing racers, Jan endorsing out names, Hurling URLS, looking for gorgeously inspiring racers, speeding up then walking, eating snickers, and came up with one BIG idea they haven't told me yet! Now that's the REAL race!