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BLOGMATES
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This site is Reishin's,
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audentes fortuna juvat: Only three thousand steps ahead.
ABOUT ME:
chalkleight
chalkleight
Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines
usually first impression s'kin mataray,masungit and the likes..uhm,sad to say totoo un kc hndi ako msyadong sociable unless there's something in one person that i really like..sbi ng mga close s'kin good listener dw ako but i think im better in ignoring what they are saying pero when i feel n kylangn mo tlga ng mkikinig sau game ako lalo n kung nkakarelate ako s topic mo..'yoko s mga self-proclaimed..those who say a lot 'bout themselves (who cares 'bout them,anyway?) hehehe..trip ko mga humorous kc moody ako..another thing 'bout me is ung temper ko..uhm,it's always at the edge, u knw what i mean..if u nid 2 knw more basahin mo mga testi s'kin kc im sure they say a lot of things 'bout me.. :]
https://www.blogger.com/profile/15896205344583116855
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Only three thousand steps ahead.
Only three thousand steps ahead.
It was just about 2km or so from where we started to run. I realized that I was burning my lungs already. My cheeks were hot, my whole face sticky with sweat. My hands felt cold..so cold that the goosebumps started appearing in my arms. I was frantically forcing myself to keep on running because I knew I’ll never be able to run again when I stop. And we’re not even halfway yet. But after a while I chose to walk. You can’t blame me. The elevation was already getting in to my nerves. The pressure was building in my ears as we go higher. Even my molars were feeling it; sending different stimuli to my already anticipating pain receptors. I had no choice but to think of anything but pressure to divert my mind from welcoming the stinging sensation.
It was my first time to run with one thousand one hundred or so people. I was even frightened when I heard the sound of the shotgun which signalled our start. The participants were very thrilled. It seemed that upon hearing the shot, everyone has that painful surge of adrenaline. At first, there were people who were laughing with no particular reason I guess. It was fun to run with the same kind. Just like a pride of lions going for a hunt.
While attempting to run once more, I recognized where the real courage comes in..it’s when you decided to run again after you stopped. I couldn’t help but be amused by the different people on the race. I knew everyone aimed to finish the track, pushed by different motivations. We ran because it was inescapable. We needed to finish before our bodies go weaker.
My friend and I went through the course playfully. Enjoying the nature and laughing like madmen. Almost forgetting that we were supposed to be running like the rest. At times she would extend her hand to me as if trying to pull me up. Every time I would reach for her I would regain some strength and would continue on conquering the path. It was so nice to accept some help but I was convinced that it was not the effort to pull me up which strengthened me but the thought that someone was with me and she would not let me down. Thanks Edz! ^_~
As we go higher, the path continued to get steeper and the view more spectacular. Thank God I was not born acrophobic otherwise I would just throw up all the way and spoil the scenery from up there. Heights make me feel euphoric. I just love the thought of getting myself above anyone or anything else, denotatively or connotatively.
We continued the struggle and just then a very fast runner was sprinting towards us..he has already gone from the 10km turning point, still 30minutes ahead from us. He was going so fast because of the slope and I heard him shouting about the strong pull downwards. It was funny that he could not do anything about it. Another inescapable thing. I wonder how his legs are feeling right now.
So, on we went. People were starting to get back from the turning point. They were already taking the opposite path, all the way down, back to where we have started. There were jokes from them that we only have three thousand steps more to go. Three thousand steps?? Actually, I have no idea how far it was. And I was not in the mood to count.
By the time we reached the turning point, I was so exhausted that it was already impossible for me to breathe evenly. But the sight of the clouds that were just almost an arm-length away lifted me up. It was a breath-taking sight. However, it didn’t make me literally breathless. I even regained some of my strength back. We stopped and gazed down. We were even tempted to stay longer but we reminded ourselves that we were still on a race..well, technically, that is.
Getting back down the campus went smoothly, 75% sight-seeing. We learned some tricks to ignore the slopes, like staring down at the road while getting on with the path. We ran again on the last 1.5km stretch and reached the finish line feeling very fulfilled. Two hours, one minute and thirty seconds. Not bad.
I have to be reminded to thank my schoolmate in high school that pushed me to take that 10km challenge. I was decided that I’ll choke him when I see him again. But having to reach that high place on foot and to have a chance to admire nature some more, well, I have no choice but to change my mind.
