The mind strategies she learnt to keep herself going came in useful as they surfaced while the going got tough….
Like how towards the end, she told herself to just jog towards the tree in front of her, which was just a few metres ahead. That wasn’t hard, as compared to thinking jogging god-knows-how-long-more metres ahead.
It was the application of the kaizhen philosophy she learnt. It’s really really really easier said than done. Reading about it was easy, actually consciously applying it takes a whole lot determination and skill.. It’s like a whole different story.
That said, basic fundamental knowledge of such perspectives is still necessary before even being able to consciously apply it. That’s why it’s often said that to do something competently, it takes an overall encompassing interaction of knowledge, skills/expertise and desire together. Without each of them, it’s not possible to maximize the experience into achieving more.
The jog got “tougher” not just due to the physcial wearing down – eg. Ankles and knees started aching a little, got a bit more breathless, thigh muscles still straining from previous night cycling, etc etc – but also because of the inability to see the final destination, and hence the mental uncertainty of the terrain ahead, about when the run will end, when is it best to give her best shot, when to preserve her energy and when to push on more and “show hand”.
Then again, in Life, how often do we get such certainty in its “structure” and “markings” as to where we are and where we stand, like the interval markings she saw during the run reading:
1km
2km
3km
4km
.
.
And then finally, the row of orange toilets at the starting/finishing line, as if waving to her and beckoning her that all will be over soon.
Perhaps this is why the “wiser” people say to us that really, reality will hit one day that Life is really all a big pile of mess. There are no such markings; no such conventional routes; no standardized structure to organize the whole world forever. All of which are just guidelines, bendable rules and structures, that help people temporarily manage the overwhelming pool of information in the external world.
Okay many more mixed thoughts and feelings just from a 5km run but she is super satisfied with herself because she fulfilled her personal objectives!!!!!!! And that is to JUST KEEP JOGGING AND RUNNING no matter how bloody tiring it may be. Had that:
“Just keep swimming just keep swimming”
- Dory’s voice inside of her head.
Plus she also recalled that Confuscius quote she read somewhere before:
“It doesn’t matter how fast or how slowly you go. What matters most is that you don’t stop.”
.
.
So YES!!!!!!! HER FIRST BABY STEP TOWARDS HER GOAL OF COMPLETING A MARATHON ONE DAY!!!! 
))))))))))
