1. Check your Health.
I did not bother to wait for the new year countdown last night, December 31, opting to sleep at 11PM so I can wake at dawn to take a 5 kilometer road-run. I jog almost daily, except when it rains or I am on travel. But I intend to make this run different because I will try to run it at a grueling pace, just to sort of test my fitness and physical health.
The streets were deserted and dirty due to last night’s midnight revelry. As I drove to the memorial park where I will make the run, I was forced to turn around to get my cap so that rain can’t stop me from finishing, just in case.
It was still quite dark as I started to run the very moderate incline of a half kilometer (from my own reckoning, but I’m going to know for sure once I find my pedometer) stretch. I could clearly see the outline of the beautiful mountain on the far end. This great view plus the cool wind was so refreshing it made me push for speed early in the 10 laps that I intend to do today.
When the 6th lap came, it was downhill. I began to feel cold drizzle on my face, making it more pleasant to run. I noticed to my far right there was now a middle-aged couple standing over a tombstone and paying respects to their dear departed. What a meaningful way to spend their first hour on the first day of the year, I thought to myself, as I admired them silently.
When I turned around for my 7th lap, I was enthralled to see a rainbow so low and so vivid, with the majestic mountain view as backdrop. Although I had not seen a rainbow for what seemed like ages, I am fortunate to have seen 2 in the last 3 days. I had forgotten how many bands of color a rainbow has so I kept counting them. The happy thoughts must have diverted my attention somehow so that when I returned to my senses, I realized I was running at a punishing clip.
I am now down to my last kilometer and it was excruciating. I had wanted to correct my miscalculation by slowing down, but what the heck, this is the first day of a new year, I’ve got the energy, and there’s nothing like running turbo-charged with the wind in your face.
2. Take Time to Reflect.
My heart was pumping in over-drive as I walked briskly to warm-down after that final mad dash to my imaginary finish line. I could now feel the crisp sunlight on my back. Flocks of small brown birds traverse short flight paths in the green wet grass.
There’s this thing I believe about having a positive thought create other positive thoughts. So I used the next half kilometer of my warm-down to sort out the thoughts in my mind and reflect on them. First I said a little prayer for what to me is an extremely satisfying year past, 2011.
Then I decided on what’s urgent and what’s important. It’s important to get in touch with family and friends, for example. Of course it’s important to get a good start on the first day of the year, so I will make a conscious effort today to go to my office table, sort things out, and make a good road map for what I want to do this year.
With that, I went home, took a long refreshing shower, and had a slow breakfast, deliberately tasting every bit of left-over food. It was fantastic.
Let’s get it on, 2012!
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