brother dont compare your hobby with others ability to earn a living through dining
"Brother, don't compare your hobbies with others' skills to make a living..."
- Preface
1.
Not long ago, I closed my WeChat Moments because every time WeChat rang, I couldn't help but feel restless and irritable.
My Moments and life were filled with all kinds of running app data charts, from intense training at five in the morning, to interval runs, long-distance runs, marathons, and trail runs.
You see what you actually care about inside, and the more you look, the more envious you become, driving yourself crazy.
It's not me who is envious of the training check-ins.
The reason for the obsession is that when you meet people in this circle, you don't want to fall behind them, you don't want to lose, you don't want others to call you an internet celebrity, but rather say, 'He has some real skills.'
Because I wanted to be recognized this way, I put on my shoes and ran 10-15 kilometers like my life depended on it.
How did I run? Just recklessly, starting at full speed, reaching my maximum, then gradually slowing down, realizing my lack of ability and feeling unwilling.
But paradoxically, after pressing the pause button at the end of the run, I felt full of confidence.
"I want to break 3 hours, I want to break 1:30, I want to do this and that..."
These thoughts linger after the run, feeling like a triumphant warrior at the moment of pressing pause.
Especially after posting on Moments, friends liked and commented, "Please stop training," "You could rely on your looks, but you insist on relying on your skills."
Rationally, I told myself they were just friends, and their compliments shouldn't be taken seriously, but hearing them often, one can't help but feel vain and think maybe it's true.
But thanks to meeting some people, I understood.
"The word 'effort' is great and inspiring, but thinking you're working hard and feeling self-satisfied is really awkward."
Yes, I recently went to Australia to participate in a sports + tourism project by Queensland and Codoon.
But because of the experts traveling with me, I gained a lot of knowledge and benefited greatly.
What I understand as knowledge and benefit is seeing the virtuous and aspiring to be like them, feeling ashamed.
2.
Before departing for Australia, I chatted with the boss, saying I was really looking forward to the trip, hoping to observe how Bass trains up close, and if lucky, train together. No matter how hard it is, it would be rewarding, treating this trip as a rare training camp.
The boss warmly said, "Push the squid to the limit, he will thank you."
Bass was down-to-earth, "Sure."
I thought, I've already boasted, what else can I do but go all out?
So after landing and having a simple meal, I desperately asked Bass, "Running tonight?"
"Sure, I have a class. Brother, let's run 7 kilometers first, then run 30 seconds at 95% heart rate, jog for 30 seconds, do four sets, then run 4 minutes as one set, a total of four sets, then jog 2 kilometers."
After one set, I was exhausted.
What I thought would be Bass leading me turned into Bass accompanying me, roughly at the speed of him running out and back, which was my 95% heart rate speed.
"Come on... push... last set."
Being genuine or fake is the only measure of a person.
Bass was very genuine.
After the run, he said, "Let's walk back to the hotel on our toes. Also, your core is weak, and your running form is poor. If you don't correct it, you could improve by 15-30 seconds, but it will take until early next year. Otherwise, running like this for two years, you'll be done."
I asked, "What do you mean by 'done'?"
"Like an internet celebrity, just running for fun."
"No way, then I can't escape the label of an internet celebrity. I'd rather not run."
"Then in your next training, you need to strengthen your core, at least four sessions a week, and strengthen the weaker leg proportionally."
So, what is gained knowledge?
It's the feelings brought by the details you see with your own eyes...
"During training, don't reply to messages, just focus on training."
"The coach just sent me the schedule, I just saw it." Then he still went for a run alone at night.
"Gather at 12 PM, there's an hour and a half break, let's go to the gym to train legs."
The training process was basically a helpless mix of deception and encouragement.
"Good job, friend!"
"One more set, brother!"
"Push harder, buddy!"
Being encouraged so half-heartedly by the triathlon expert really felt like being injected with adrenaline.
What's the result of the adrenaline?
After two sets, the next day, I was sore all over and collapsed.
So, what is gained knowledge?
I thought this training intensity day after day was already a lot.
But Bass said, "This week I basically didn't train."
It turns out,Training isn't about recklessly pushing yourself with adrenaline, and results aren't achieved overnight..
It'sslow and steady wins the race..
It'smaking a plan, executing the plan, and adjusting the plan..
It's countless stated goals and posted Moments, but focusing on doing something is more reliable.
It's that praise from others is ultimately not as solid as self-satisfaction.
3.
After talking about knowledge, let's talk about benefits.
What I understand as benefits is seeing the virtuous and aspiring to be like them, then realizing one's shortcomings and accepting them with shame.
On the flight back to Guangzhou, my companions, Bass was holding a computer modifying his training plan for the next week, Xiaoxiao was preparing PPT materials for her upcoming busy work, Felix, Lipstick, and Xiaoshuang were all preparing to handle their upcoming work.
The moment we landed in Guangzhou, I received a WeChat article from more than ten friends titled [Why Running Enthusiasts Aren't Popular].
The title was [Why Running Enthusiasts Aren't Popular].
As the plane taxied, I glanced at my companions and suddenly wanted to answer simply and bluntly, because those serious running enthusiasts have limited energy.
All their focus is on improving themselves, so they don't have much energy left for socializing.
So few people know them, hence they aren't popular, but they are specialized.
After reading the article on Running Wild Explosion, I read Chen Cheng's article and some heartwarming comments from friends below.
I just felt my face burning and my heart touched.
Because in the sports circle, telling the truth is cool. I am just an average runner without a professional background.
I rely on my looks or my story to be known and recognized by many friends.
I am grateful for these experiences because they allowed me to meet friends I might not have met with my performance, to chat and train together, avoiding some detours and finding some training tips.
But also benefited from,because of meeting some people, because of the focus they conveyed in details, enough to attract you, making you feel that is the best self-satisfaction.
I am not focused enough, nor serious enough, but I am lucky enough.
Lucky to meet some people, see the virtuous and aspire to be like them, feeling ashamed.
Finally...
After seeing Bass execute his coach's schedule, I thought about how I executed the schedule given by Brother Gui... (ashamed to the point of wanting to disappear)
I think I must curry favor with Xiaopang in the future, otherwise he won't take photos for me anymore.
Finally, to end with a conversation between Xiaoxiao and me:
"Running brings us some experiences, but running is just a hobby. Besides running, having a sustainable personal growth is more reassuring."
"Whether an internet celebrity or a running celebrity, self-entertainment as a joke is fine, but growth is for oneself, not for a reality show for others."
This article is a motivational soup and a wake-up call for myself.
*The copyright of this article belongs to the author. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
*The article only represents the author's views and does not represent Codoon's views.