So You Think You Can't Run

When I got back to running in March 2010 after joining the new gym, I was having a hard time getting back to running. I was really not a runner even before that. I could hardly run 10 mins at that time. Don't even think about 30 mins. I was running so slowly on the treadmill until one of the gym guy used to make fun of how slow I ran. He actually imitate me on my slow running form. I started to run for about 10 mins then have to walk again and then run again. It is really a run/walk routine. It took me a month or two before I could run 30 mins. And the pace then is extremely slow probably at about 5.5/6.0km an hour that is like walking speed.  I used to be able to watch TV at the same time as my pace was extremely slow.

After a few months, fortunately I was still into running and the pace has picked up slightly but I was doing more weight training than running. With no seriousness in training I finished my 10K and then a half marathon in 2011. I have written in my earliest post how the Half Marathon was a torture due to lack of training and fueling strategy. But it prove to me that I could run if I wanted to. I could never imagine I could run up to 4 hours now in training when I could not run 10 mins then.

Even you think you can't run then you couldn't be more wrong. You can always start with a run/walk routine and slowly move up to the 5K or 10K. Some people said, "I Run Because I Can". As long as you remove the word "Can't" from your vocabulary and substitute with the word "Can". The human body will follow the human mind if you think you can.


If you think you are beaten, you are
If you think you dare not, you don't
If you like to win, but dont think you can
Its almost certain you wont.

If you think you'll lose, you've lost,
For out of the world we find
Success begins with a fellows will
Its all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are
You've got to think high to rise
You'be got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize

Life's battles don't go away
To the stronger or faster man
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

Napoleon Hill - The author of the famous inspirational book "Think and Grow Rich".

Oscar Pistorius "The Blade Runner"

Oscar Pistorius also known as "The Blade Runner"and "the fastest man on no legs". Pistorius who is an South African sprint runner has double below-knee amputations. Pistorius was born with fibular hemimelia (congenital absence of the fibula) in both legs. When he was 11 months old, his legs were amputated halfway between his knees and ankles. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Pistorius became the first double leg amputee to participate in the Olympics when he entered the men's 400 metres race and was part of South Africa's 4 × 400 metres relay team.

Md Shariff Abdullah "Singapore Blade Runner"

Another blade runner is "Singapore Blade Runner", Md Shariff Abdullah. He was born without a left foot below knee, at age of 6 years he was fitted with an artificial leg. During school day in 1970s he had been participate in various kind of extreme sports such as trekking, kayaking and running. At that time school mate will called him nickname of “Six Million Dollar Man” due to his active in Sports. He was interested in long distance running and have been completed numerous races in Singapore and Malaysia. He has just completed the Craze Ultra 100 miles Ultramarathon in Singapore. His dream is to climb Mount Everest in 2015 and had been training continuously in Singapore and Malaysia. His quote is “Focus, Believe in Yourself to Achieve, Make it Happen and Never Give Up” Always Change Failure into Success.

Of course, the famous video on YouTube entitled "CAN" on the love of a father for his son. Dick and Rick Hoyt, Team Hoyt, participating in the Ironman Triathlon.  Rick has cerebral palsy and during competition Dick pulls Rick in a special boat as they swim, carries him in a special seat in the front of a bicycle, and pushes him in a special wheelchair as they run. The song "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe is just so fitting for this video.

And you can also watch the video on YouTube on their story where the video will tell a better story than my words. In the video, Dick says "Our message is Yes, you can. You can do anything you want to do as long as you make up your mind. You can do it."