Running the same course but worlds apart..

After the launch of the Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon (SCKLM) on 13th March saw many runners getting up and started their long distance training. Some are already running into their 30km training last week.

And John and I haven't seriously moved our butts yet!!!

To begin with, I haven't even been competing in a single race since the year began. My running remains pretty normal. Same running route and same running buddies. My training buddies are mainly from the 'Senior Veteran' group which some folks felt their pace could be slightly slower for me. But I don't mind.
After each run, I did learn something from them which actually made me wiser. So while I may not be a better runner, I am certainly made a smarter person because of them.

Well, not all runners think alike or train alike...
We have one group called "the competers" - the pros and ambitious amateurs who live like pros and devote much of their lives to running faster and faster and of course, competing for the $$.
Then there's another group - "the completers" like the rest of us who sometimes run races with the objective to complete each race for a healthier and better well-being or simply to test out our fitness level.

The mixing of the 2 groups or 2 worlds at races maybe an illusion. "They" and "we" share little else but a common course. In an old copy of Runner's World magazine, I found this comparison to be funny. They (the competers) and we (the completers) run in different worlds and these are some of the differences :

- They outrun 99.9% of all runners.
We outnumber them a thousand to one.

- They make us proud to be runners.
We make them look good.

- They are largely young.
We are all ages.

- They race long and fast.
We run long races.

- They race for place and time
We race to finish.

- They are paid to race.
We pay to race.

- They train to race.
We race to spice up our training.

- They fit their day around training.
We squeeze training into our day.

- They train as much as they can.
We train as little as we can get away with.

- They are featured in magazines.
We read the magazines.

Happy training!