Short Of Fitness

Went for a jogging session yesterday and it was really an exhausting experience for me. I was struggling to complete the 4 to 5 kilometres run in 30 minutes.

Throughout the run, I was literally running in pain all the way. My left ankle was cramped and it felt numb. It felt as though the whole of my left leg went dead, and it was a scary experience. I could not run without stopping for a walk as the pain was too overwhelming.

After the run, I decided to rest and proceeded to take off my shoes. The left leg was a bit swollen and there was no feeling at all. I could not stand up and have to sit with the affected leg slightly elevated so as to get the blood circulation running. There could be a few reasons for this, one of those includes inadequate warming up.

I have 3 months left to train for my physical fitness test. Should I fail, I would have to attend remedial training to get my fitness in shape. This is one scenario which I dread the most, as I would have to sacrifice 2 weekdays and a weekend to attend the program. I would rather spend some time training on my own as the remedial training will take up some of my personal time which is quite precious to me.

More about the physical fitness test. This test is compulsory for all national serviceman, be it active or reserve unit. This test is a benchmark to gauge their fitness levels and those who cannot clear the test within a year period will have to attend remedial training conducted by the military unit itself. There are a total of 5 tests, namely, sit-up, shuttle run, chin-up, standing broad jump and the 2.4 km run. The passing criteria is based on the age of the person taking the test and the total points which they would have to attain in every test.

Currently, I have to admit that my fitness is definitely way off. I am worried about that and I think the best thing for me is to train hard. This is what I will do till I pass the test:

1) Adequate rest and warming up before the run
2) Cutting down on junk food
3) Having the right mental approach before the run
4) Knowing my own limits and to maintain a steady pace throughout the run

I think my run yesterday is very bad, as I did not maintain a steady running pace in the first place. I started at a fast speed and that probably caused my left leg to go numb in the first place. Moreover, I did not have a good rest prior to the run and that probably explains the wrong approach to it. I was thinking of sleeping and did not devote my full attention to it.

Well, there is still time for me to shape up and to keep myself in prime condtion before taking the test. I will pass the test if I train regularly and have a positive approach to it. I will be taking the test in the month of May or June.

Till now, wish me luck and I hope to bring in some good news by then.

P.S. : My left ankle is still a bit sore.