One foot in front of the other

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PhotobucketI miss running.

In college, my Dad would drop me off at school on his way to work. Since he’d go to work at 7.30 am, I was usually in school by 6.30. Classes didn’t start till 9 and my friends knew better than to wake up early just to meet up with me. So I ran.

I can still remember walking down the dark hallways to stuff my things in the locker I shared with two other people. I’d take a small towel, a bottle of water, make sure my shoes were laced up, then run.

Jogging, running, walking… whatever it was I did, I distinctly remember the crisp morning air. It made the running all the more pleasant, the sun still being asleep. I’d run from one corner of the university to the other, then back again to my locker. By that time there would have been several sleepy students walking around the halls. I’d jog up to the restroom and wash up.

Refreshed, revitalized.

There’s no excuse for not running now. I hate saying I don’t have time. I just don’t make time. There’s always a venue to go running (back at college, also UP, my family’s neighborhood…). I just can’t get up that early anymore. I’ve accumulated so much sleep debt since I started working I’d rather sleep sleep sleep than run in the early morning.

But running did cross my mind again last week. It was inspired by the lead character in Sloppy Firsts (a Megan McCafferty novel). Whenever the character would describe her running, I’d get whisked back to my early morning jogs in college. Then weirdly enough, I began to miss it.

I think I’ll start running again. I don’t want to promise myself I’ll go back to it and be disappointed when things get in the way again. I’ll try to start again. I shall take baby steps first, one foot in front of the other, then let’s see how it goes.

0 comment on One foot in front of the other

  1. jeanny
    April 22, 2008 at 3:17 pm (16 years ago)

    that’s good Toni. I know you can do it…. :)

    jeanny’s last blog post..Another Home

    Thanks for the encouragement Jeanny!

    Reply
  2. Junnie
    April 22, 2008 at 4:15 pm (16 years ago)

    just don’t run for politics…

    but i guess with your wit, popularity and charisma, you might win…

    who knows?

    Junnie’s last blog post..How Green Are You?

    Ack! No politics! I’m allergic to politics! Hehe. But thanks for the kind words. At least I know if I ever run for politics, I have one vote na! Hehe. You’re voting for me, right? Right?

    Reply
  3. anj
    April 22, 2008 at 6:11 pm (16 years ago)

    i didn’t know you ran in the mornings, toni. hehe! i do know you’re good at fencing and a couple of other sports. and i still wish you joined me at enta. hehe!

    i miss running too. i did my laps in the evening (after quitting from the track team coz i got the team jacket na which i lost. bummer! haha!) naman. anytime between 6 to 9PM. i miss the sweat! i stopped playing frisbee na rin because i’m just so tired from work and there’s tons of chores at home. sigh.

    but i still miss running around ateneo. forever my favorite jogging spot!

    anj’s last blog post..book tag

    Anj, I don’t think anyone from the LHC (except Ken) knew! You guys were all sleeping soundly in your dorms, hehehe. I loved fencing, Anj! I want to go back to it nga eh. But I don’t think my knees are strong enough now. Hahaha. And ENTA! Well we both know the reason why I didn’t join. Stupid, stupid me.

    I miss running in Ateneo, yes, yes, yes. We can still run pa naman diba? Can we tell the guard we’re just running and park somewhere?

    Reply
  4. anj
    April 22, 2008 at 8:24 pm (16 years ago)

    on sundays, the guards are usually laxed lang. they let cars in because some families watch soccer games of the kids. i think sa gabi, di rin masyado strict ang guards. not too sure. sundays, tested na yan. hehe.

    anj’s last blog post..book tag

    Thanks Anj!

    Reply
  5. Kay
    April 22, 2008 at 10:20 pm (16 years ago)

    I wish I can say that I have passion for running but I don’t. I get tired easily. :(

    Best of luck to you and I hope that you get to go back to running again.

    Kay’s last blog post..importance of sunblock

    Thanks for the good wishes Kay! I need all the encouragement I can get.

    Reply
  6. Candice
    April 22, 2008 at 11:08 pm (16 years ago)

    I used to run with Krn before classes, in sophomore year! I was just in Ateneo last Sunday to take Matthew biking, and I started thinking about running again. Saw a few people jogging, hanging out sa Bel field, playing soccer near the grade school. It’s a great place to be and go to still.

    Candice’s last blog post..My portraits

    I want to go back just to jog! All these trips down memory lane motivate me too. Haha!

    Reply
  7. dhey
    April 23, 2008 at 8:10 am (16 years ago)

    i always had an excuse, too (no rubber shoes, no running shoes, too late to jog, too tired from school/work, etc.) now that it’s summer and i got loads of free time, i still can’t jog. need motivation! *looks at flabby belly, sighs*

    dhey’s last blog post..International Year of Languages 2008

    Think of an outfit you really want to wear beautifully… that’s motivation.

    Ay pang-girls pala yan. Hahaha. Baka pwede ring applicable to guys?

    Reply
  8. odette
    April 23, 2008 at 9:15 am (16 years ago)

    now, thank you for the reminder, i haven’t been running for a while too, just because it feels so good to sleep in the early morning.

    way to go toni, let’s do it! :)

    odette’s last blog post..swann&smerlin, a love story

    We can do it, fitness buddy!

    Reply
  9. jojo
    April 23, 2008 at 10:54 am (16 years ago)

    it’s so sad that our jobs have become our masters…goodluck on your new quest…ako rin, i keep on procastinating on my fitness :(

    Good luck to us then! :)

    Reply
  10. chateau a.k.a. imom
    April 23, 2008 at 11:50 am (16 years ago)

    Every Sunday, UPD is full of runners. They start really early, and there’s a route that’s closed off to vehicular traffic. You may want to check it out. I did check it out weeks ago… but i’ve not gone back. My bad, too lazy! I wish you luck. And yes, I agree, take it one step at a time. It’s how I started my weight loss, which is now at 25 pounds. :)

    chateau a.k.a. imom’s last blog post..VGood

    Reply
  11. Pinky
    April 23, 2008 at 8:50 pm (16 years ago)

    Though I’ve never been sporty all my life, running around Ateneo does seem like a very enticing idea since there’s just so much greenery to see (marami pa rin ba up to now despite the “construction boom” there? Being from the South, I haven’t gone back in ages…) and the air early in the morning seems a lot fresher, right? 😉

    Good luck with your “running repeat”!

    Pinky’s last blog post..SSS #99: A Day at the Fair

    Marami pa namang greenery last time I was there. :) And true, the air in the morning is much fresher. And there are less people to see you heehee. Thanks for the running repeat good wishes!

    Reply
  12. tin
    April 24, 2008 at 6:31 am (16 years ago)

    i know you can do it, toni! keep us posted! :)

    Thank you Tin!!! I will keep you posted, definitely!

    Reply
  13. Meeya
    April 24, 2008 at 6:53 am (16 years ago)

    running seems to be the “in” thing in the phils nowadays. most of my friends at home have taken up either boxing or running. :) anyway, ok lang naman at least lots of people are getting more involved in healthy activities.

    teka toni, you fenced??? me too! please don’t tell me you competed sa mga inter-school meets dahil malulungkot ako if i find out na we crossed paths and didn’t get to meet! i cherish talaga those days when i was active sa fencing, kasi it was probably the only time in my life when i was truly physically fit, hehe!

    good luck toni! i will be cheering you on from my virtual sidelines! :) *shakes pompoms*

    Meeya’s last blog post..What Have We Done

    Hi Mama Mee. Nope I didn’t compete in interschool meets for stupid reasons. Hayyyy. If only I could turn back time, I would’ve joined the AFL (Ateneo Fencing League) and competed in those tournaments. Kalechehan kasi ang nangyari nung college. So I had to settle for being on the top of our class hehehe. I absolutely LOVED fencing. It was only the time I was truly fit too I think.

    Thanks for being my cheerleader Mama Mee!

    Reply
  14. dyanie
    April 24, 2008 at 7:39 pm (16 years ago)

    I was never been a sporty girl. My cousins and I tried to jog when we were kids around the village early in the morning. After like jogging and short time of basketball, our moms would see us kawawa so they would bring a lot of foods. As in a lot! Yung bang picnic na. So ang ending, wala rin use ang jogging. Hehe 😉

    dyanie’s last blog post..Self Reflection

    Hahaha piyesta after jogging! Nabalance out ang calories!

    Reply
  15. rowie
    April 25, 2008 at 10:06 am (16 years ago)

    Candice, Toni — Oh my gosh, while you guys were keeping fit in college I really was sound asleep! Had no idea you guys used to run, hahaha!

    But go for it Toni-girl! (BTW, if you’re worried about your knees you can run in the Moro indoor track. May entrance fee pero maliit lang.)

    rowie’s last blog post..The joys of online shopping

    MORO!!!!!!!! I’ve totally forgotten about that!! Do you know what time it opens? Kaloka. I haven’t been to Ateneo in ages talaga. Thanks for the tip Row! I’ll give it a try pero iba pa rin ang running by the greens!

    Reply

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