The Running Robot, the Beginning...
I was never a runner all my life, it began about 10 months ago that I began my first baby steps towards being a runner.
However, there was a legacy. I remember that I was fifteen years old when I first fell in love with running. I was not adept at ball games or other sports as I was awkward with my motor skills. Socially, I was also left out because of this. Most of my classmates including asingaporeanson were soccer players. They could play from dawn to dusk in canvas shoes and a tatty ball.
I couldn't play for nuts. In the rare occasion when I joined them in the soccer games, I will be assigned as a defender. The objective is simple, if the ball comes over to my side of the field or rather volleyball court. I just have to kicked it back to the other end. Accuracy zero, skill set zero.
I can't remember what triggered me to put on my running shoes, but I did. I was fifteen, and I bought a pair of Nikes from Queensway Shopping Centre. A cheap pair at $36 from a budget bin. It was oversized at size 8.5 because it was cheap; I currently wear 7.5. It was gray, with black and green trimmings. No air cushioning. No medial post etc. Basic.
At that time, the Queenstown Stadium was newly revamped with foam tracks. I put my on my Nikes sans socks and went for my first run, which was probably at 5pm if I remember correctly. I probably did 1 or 2 laps in my first attempt. 800m run, yes. And in bermudas and t-shirt.
The number of laps slowly increased from 6 to 8, eventually to a maximum of 12 laps or 4.8km. I ran everyday at the stadium if I can. There were no such thing as training load back then. Strangely, I ran without socks for reasons I can no longer remember, and I never got blisters strangely. Running injuries, cramps? Pah...nothing.
I am a heel striker, I ran with heavy loud steps, and when I sprinted, my palms were widespread as if to cut the air. But I was anything but fast, this on top of my duracell bunny running stamina led to my fellow classmates making fun of me. Yes, that includes asingaporeanson. They called me a variety of nicknames from Terminator, T2 and finally Robot...
Nevermind about the nicknames, I can pass my 2.4km fitness test run with little effort from then on... Go on, laugh...
However, there was a legacy. I remember that I was fifteen years old when I first fell in love with running. I was not adept at ball games or other sports as I was awkward with my motor skills. Socially, I was also left out because of this. Most of my classmates including asingaporeanson were soccer players. They could play from dawn to dusk in canvas shoes and a tatty ball.
I couldn't play for nuts. In the rare occasion when I joined them in the soccer games, I will be assigned as a defender. The objective is simple, if the ball comes over to my side of the field or rather volleyball court. I just have to kicked it back to the other end. Accuracy zero, skill set zero.
I can't remember what triggered me to put on my running shoes, but I did. I was fifteen, and I bought a pair of Nikes from Queensway Shopping Centre. A cheap pair at $36 from a budget bin. It was oversized at size 8.5 because it was cheap; I currently wear 7.5. It was gray, with black and green trimmings. No air cushioning. No medial post etc. Basic.
At that time, the Queenstown Stadium was newly revamped with foam tracks. I put my on my Nikes sans socks and went for my first run, which was probably at 5pm if I remember correctly. I probably did 1 or 2 laps in my first attempt. 800m run, yes. And in bermudas and t-shirt.
The number of laps slowly increased from 6 to 8, eventually to a maximum of 12 laps or 4.8km. I ran everyday at the stadium if I can. There were no such thing as training load back then. Strangely, I ran without socks for reasons I can no longer remember, and I never got blisters strangely. Running injuries, cramps? Pah...nothing.
I am a heel striker, I ran with heavy loud steps, and when I sprinted, my palms were widespread as if to cut the air. But I was anything but fast, this on top of my duracell bunny running stamina led to my fellow classmates making fun of me. Yes, that includes asingaporeanson. They called me a variety of nicknames from Terminator, T2 and finally Robot...
Nevermind about the nicknames, I can pass my 2.4km fitness test run with little effort from then on... Go on, laugh...
never laugh at you lah, mai xiao qi leh.
ReplyDeleteu like the name don't you? you use it for the blog. It was a compliment behind those teasing. I don't know about the others but i recognised that robots do not have lungs, or they have iron ones.
Haha...guess the name became part of my identity. It was good fun though, those days.
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