Down Memory Lane

Been a long time since I ran round this familiar route.
It was peppered with some slopes here and there.

While trying to chiong up the slopes, it suddenly dawn on me that this was the route that I used to run at least 4 times a week ...
This was the home ground.
This was where I started running.

While running, was trying to recall when, why, how and where I started running and all these exercise routines.

It all started during my Uni days ... I decide that I was Fat enuff .. and should start doing something about it! Move my lazy ass.

Started with skipping .. it was really a cheap form of exercise.
I just went popular bookshop to buy a cheapo skipping rope which I think cost S$5 plus or so?

So i started skipping at least 3 times a week at home for at least an hr or so.
I still remember I will skip like 15 mins continuously.. then take a break and start surfing .. then continue.

Thought that it will be good to swim as well ... to get a nice tan .. I was crazy about being dark.
It took a while to convince myself to put on swimming costume and jump into the pool.
Was very self-consicous ... still remember that i refuse to swim with anyone! I dont want to be spotted in a swimming costume.
Think the last time I swam was like in sec skool ...
The 1st time in the pool .. i swim as close to the side as possible .. in case i drown?

Met with an accident in 2002, as a result I cant exercise for quite a while.
Even after I was off the crutches .. I cant be skipping again.. it will be very bad on my leg.
But I was just growing fatter everyday! Decide that I have to do something about it.
Start to walk up and down the flight of stairs of my Block, at least i get to do some exercise.. and I figure out that it is a good form of strengthening for my injured leg.

Then in 2003, one sunday afternoon, I was so bored at home.
I decide to just head out for a run.
I must be crazy at that time ... I think i was running like around 3 pm under the hot blazing sun!

I just put on the only pair of running shoes that I have since JC days ... some old t-shirt and shorts and off I go.
It was a short run around my neighbourhood.
I discover that I can do a nice loop around my area .. plus a few rounds at the small park.
The distance should be around 5km.

From then on, the routine was change to running most of the time.
Continue this habit even though when I was in China .. .but it was impossible during the cold season. So had to make do with skipping at home.

I always feel that these 3 are cheap way of exercising ..
Skipping ropes are cheap .... swimming costume are reasonable ..
I dont buy expensive running shoes .. I wear old t shirts and shorts.

But somehow .. these just change along the line in 2006.

Got to know a group of runners ..
Come to know expensive shoes !
Start to think that I must wear dry fit top when I run .. expenisve shorts that doesnt cause abrasion .. wear a watch when I run ?
expensive high tech gadgets .... and whatever sort of stuff!

When I was still naively thinking ... running is a cheap form of exercise. It arent cheap at all .. if you go after all this stuff.

Is it only with all these you can run better?

I refuse to believe in it .......

But seems like the only thing that I still hold is my cheapo water bottle ...

what is wrong ..........