Hot-hot Chiken Sh*t? I think NOT!

New member. HURRAY!!!

There’s a saying in the Malay language that goes like this “Hangat-hangat taik ayam”. Direct translation is “Hot-hot Chicken Sh*t” (pardon  the decadent language – trying to prove a point – bear with me please). The nicer way of saying it is “while the chicken poop is still hot”..it means while the interest is still there..then it sizzles out.

When I first decided that I want to be a runner, I was so afraid that it would be another one of those hobbies I’ve collected over the past years – like beading, paper craft, making cupcakes, tennis, French, polymer clay – all of which I dropped when I got bored. I don’t want it to be just another one of my hangat-hangat taik ayam projects.

There’s more to running than just to fill up my free time.  This can positively affect my health and quality of life. It can truly be life changing.

That doesn’t mean I won’t get bored. In fact, when I injured my ankle 2 weeks ago, I found it so hard to start again despite running 5 km 6 days a week  for the entire month of August. That is why I had to take some definitive steps to ensure that I stick to my commitments. The first of which, is to sign up with the Bahrain Road Runners.

Today I joined them for my first ever run with a group. I’ve been cooped up in the gym long enough and it was wonderful to feel the breeze on my face and to enjoy the Bahraini sunset. I was apprehensive in the beginning. I was so nervous about meeting complete strangers, even more apprehensive about making a complete fool of myself and not finishing my run. My fears were unfounded. The Bahrain Road Runners were a  bunch of  wonderful people and amazingly supportive.

Starting point.

Of course when we first started out I was wondering why the heck everyone ran so fast. Turns out I was just slow. In fact I was trailing behind this boy for the most part of the run – then 2 others overtook me. There’s a huge difference between running on treadmill and running on pavement. It’s much harder.

3 km run

Well, guess what…I finished last in the 3 km section ;p Was I embarrassed? Absolutely not. It was fantastic. I finished my run with some members cheering on. What a feeling!!!

Am going to bed now, so I can catch another round of 3 km (or 5 if I can manage) with the road runners at 6 am tomorrow – by the beach!

Bopspeed us beginners and may we never give up, amen.