After being hit hard by a “major illness” (a nasty cold) on Tuesday, my energy has been noticeably lower. The last time I felt this physically rough was probably during my COVID bout—only then, my body seemed fine; this time, I was practically bedridden. It feels like my immune system is weakening by the day—constant fatigue and trouble focusing even before school starts are clear signs. At its worst, I even experienced gradual mental fogginess, followed by a brief blackout… while seated (I’d make unconscious movements, too). I think it’s what’s medically referred to as syncope—Wikipedia describes it as a temporary loss of consciousness. It’s happened before when I was severely sleep-deprived.
Nvm. This afternoon, my condition was particularly rough (another “blackout” in the last class), and though I’m “on the mend” (the cold itself cleared up by Wednesday, but exhaustion lingered), I decided to go for a 5km recovery run. Almost immediately, I doubted I’d make it past 3km. The first 2km were plagued with issues: nasal congestion (likely a cold side effect + rusty breathing technique) and the return of a recurring mystery symptom (sharp, burning pain on patches of skin—upper arms, forearms, neck—no external cause. Doctors in China and Singapore have never heard of it…).
Digressing. I’ve heard people call running “torture,” probably because they never pushed past a certain distance (3–5km is the usual “long run” range; XC races fall in here too). My first 10km in middle school was brutal (last 3km were a walk), but I eventually settled into weekly 10km runs. Today, I understood the struggle—the first 5km were rough due to my condition, and only the last 4km felt comfortable. (Runners, maybe try pushing through? Beginners—aim for a slow 3km, around 20 minutes. Any slower and it’s basically power walking. But if your heart rate exceeds (220 – age) × 0.8, slow down.)
I’m halfway through The Last Milestone and recall Kipchoge’s team describing his peak state as “meditative.” He’s said that while running, distractions flood in (fatigue, escape fantasies, post-run plans), but he focuses solely on the act itself. So today, I tried fully surrendering to “endurance mode”—no forced strides or arm swings, just steering and stopping. My pacing was chaotic, though. It really drove home how precise body control demands systematic training—not something mastered overnight. (Like arm wrestling: it seems like just arms, but pros generate force from their feet. Same with table tennis.)
Post-run, my “battery” felt recharged—mentally sharp, physically energized. Of course, hunger hit fast (lol). But that’s normal. Building a training routine isn’t about sporadic runs. Today, I skipped pre-run fuel (usually carbs—bananas for me, others prefer chocolate or energy bars). After 5km, I got hooked—each lap (≈800m, random routes) made me crave another. By 8km, though, hypoglycemia and dehydration loomed (I usually hydrate every 1–2km past 5km, but this was unplanned).
Technically, I could’ve pushed to 10km (my PB is ~1hr), but 8.88km was the smart limit. Forcing further wouldn’t just risk injury (muscles, etc.) or collapse—it’d be self-sabotage, especially post-illness and sleep-deprived. (Post-5km, I felt less “recovered” and more “feverishly reckless”—probably an endorphin rush. No actual fever, though.)
P.S. Keigo Higashino once said long runs (3km+) were vital to his writing process (inspiration?). Personally, I’d recommend giving it a try.
