S comes out of the apartment block, intending to run 10 kilometers on the Tsimshatsui East Promenade as usual. Just a few steps into it, however, his legs start feeling heavy. His stomach feels bloated from the big lunch. He regrets eating noodles and congee for lunch, instead of just noodles. He wants to stop and turn back.But it feels silly, to stop so soon after taking the trouble to change and to come downstairs. What is he going to tell his family? So he staggers along for a little while. Perhaps, he thought, I can run a kilometer and at least sweat a little, so that the run is not a total waste.
One hundred meters onwards, he remembers suddenly that he has been having a headache since the run the day before. Perhaps he is dehydrated because he has not been drinking enough water? He shakes his head to see whether he is still having a headache. Indeed! It feels like something is sloshing around in his head. Perhaps he should stop now? He is not going to drop dead because of a headache, is he?
One kilometer afterwards, his legs continues to feel heavy. He shakes his head. Yes, the headache is still there. Perhaps he should stop shaking his head? But he is still paddling along, and feels he can last a little while longer yet.
A couple of kilometers later, he is still running. And is actually feeling a little better. He remembers he is having a headache. But it does not feel as bad as before. He dares not shake his head, however.
About 8 kilometers into the run, he is felling pretty good. Perhaps he can last 10 kilometers afterall.
10 kilometers, and he is on a high. He is practically sprinting, and feels he can run forever.
He runs up a slope, down the other side towards TST, turns around, up the slope again, and down again towards Hung Hom.
Suddenly, he realized he has already run 12 kilometers. Having accomplished more than what he set out to do, his legs feel terribly heavy. The high is gone. There is absolutely no energy left. He simply could not go on, and stopped almost immediately.
It is a strangely exhilarating experience. But he remembers that it has happened many times before.
2 comments:
Mind-body dualism at work: a case of "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Yeah. I'd like to think it is the strongly willing spirit overcoming the weak flesh. Unfortunately, often even the spirit is not willing. :-(
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