Finding My Mojo

By Mercedes the “Ewok”

I think every runner goes through a phase where they wonder “Why am I running? What am I running for? Why am I waking up at 5 am in the morning to ‘suffer’?” These questions go on and on and the answers are of course just as endless as they are inspiring. We all know why we run – it makes us feel good and it is good for us and because we can - simple!

So what happens when even these simple logical answers do not seem to inspire us to run longer and faster? We try to look for our mojo or our reason/motivation to run.

So I looked and I looked; I questioned and I queried; I tried to remember what inspired and spurred me on those early mornings when I could have been snoozing in bed but instead was up before the sun came up and running. A long lay off due to an injury and stress from work (aren’t we all stressed from work?) were some of the factors I was looking for my mojo but surely I could “bounce back” like I hear from everyone else, right? Yet after starting another (running) programme for an upcoming marathon, I felt tired and lethargic and completely uninspired and totally unmotivated.

Yes, I kept up with the training programme albeit half heartedly as I remembered reading that the most important factor in (effective) running is consistency so even though I was not making great progress with my training runs, the very least is that I stay reasonably fit.
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Then a friend who complained to me about an injury prompted me to read my old magazines and books to find the “cure” and prevention steps and whilst doing so, I came across some old and interesting articles on running which sparked and rekindled the “old flame” I have for running. I passed on the (injury) articles to my friend and her happy look made me feel encouraged.

Then I read my old log book and realized that at the beginning of each running programme I also felt tired and fatigued as my body and legs tried to familiarize itself with the new heavier load. Then I also read in the old articles mentioned above that I am only to add 10% increase in mileage per week, perhaps I have been adding too many miles too soon.
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And then I slept and slept and slept in the weekends and also earlier at night to take into account the extra stress my body was going through…

And then I met some old friends who ran alongside with me “forcing” me to abandon a pre-planned training run but at the end of the run, I remembered what it was like to run among friends and capture the spirit of all that camaraderie. Then another friend commented that if I was in Star Wars I would be an “ewok” (the furry creatures that brought down the sophisticated storm troopers and machines in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back). OK, at this point you are probably wondering – “Ewok?” Has this writer gone bonkers? Well, I like things simple, and the ewoks are simple creatures that used simple ancient tools and clever tricks to bring down sophisticated machines and army.
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And then I remembered to write about my runs and what it means to me, writing is simple like running, put pen to paper and voila! You have your own unique article. Writing an article is also a commitment much like running where we commit ourselves to a race and train weeks and months for it.

And so this morning – I ran and ran and ran and my freckles are popping up everywhere but I am happy, my body is relaxed, my heart beat is steady and movements, fluid – the kind of “high” every runner seeks! Yup! I found my mojo (again!) - Why do I run? Because it is simple, just simply lace up your shoes and put one foot ahead of the other, enjoy the run be it long or short, absorb in the surroundings, say “hi” to your fellow runners and after the run, just let the feel-good endorphins flow for that phenomenal satisfied feeling! And of course rest well thereafter.

Happy running!

By Mercedes the “Ewok”
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Note by KC: Mercedes is a girl's name of Spanish origin. At one glance, it looks like Mercedes-Benz, the brand name of German automobile models and engines built by Daimler AG Company.

The writer is an avid Star Wars fan who runs fast and writes well. According to Mercedes, the name was given to her by another girl runner who noticed a pattern on the back of her vest that looked like the symbol of the Mercedes-Benz. There is an actress named Mercedes Ruhl who won an academy award a few years ago.

If you watch the movie "10000 BC" (showing currently in cinemas), the scars inflicted on the lead actress's hand bear the geometric sign of stars in the night sky – a force to be reckon with.

Go watch 10000 BC. It is such a refreshing movie with awesome scenery of ice-caped mountain that later transformed to lush forest and finally to desert scenes. The final quarter of the movie was a big surprise!