Run for the Nation or in short RunNat 2009 was launched last Saturday 10/10/2009, it was meant to prepare for the bigger event in year 2010, with 3 key words: run, pray & believe. Objective of this run is to run and pray for the nation, Malaysia, for revival.
I used to be actively running in quarter and half marathon, with my beloved sister, who passionately run through her healty lifestyle. I was dragged along sometimes due to some reasons: her friend pulled out last minute: 1 or 2 days before the run, I was free on Sunday mornings. However my first half marathon run was started by my own desire, it was in Penang, the date was near my birthday, therefore, one stone kills two birds. I celebrated my birthday there and run on the next day. Of course I went back K.L. with injury on my feet. I was inexperience, I don't know how to deal with sports injury. My foot were bandaged for 1-2 weeks.
Having only 2 years of experience in running, I've learned much: warming up before run, & cooling down after run is very important. During run, we must follow our own speed and breath either using nose or mouth, not both together. Drink a lot of water a day before and after the run to avoid being dehydrated during and after the run.
Last year's Mizuno Wave run caused injury to my right knee, therefore I stopped for 3 months or more before I start running, and my performance dropped slightly. This year I slowly catch up, but it wasn't as good as before.
This RunNat is different from other runs, it is run and pray at the same time, this year we prayed for the Tamans, buildings, people that we passed by during the run, one leader will be holding the prayer card with points of prayer to pray, while another 2 runners will follow as the run and pray going on.
In my case, we take turn praying according to the prayer points, and we prayed out loud (I thought we supposed to pray in heart?), no clear instruction...actually it depends on individuals, my group was bold enough to pray out loud, with weird eyes looking at us. I don't know why, thanks to the leader who started it first, but we still go on with same pattern until the ending point.
Run and pray wasn't easy, I was gasping for air while praying out loud. Thanks to my faithful marshall, who round and round without fail following our tracks and stopped at the right time for us to refresh ourselves during the run. After all, it's like, "I've finished the 5 km run nad pray. Wow!Yahoo!Yay!"
It was a good experience having 2 people that you know pacing with you, praying together with you, we were so blessed to bless others. Unlike other runs, it's more on individual, usually fun for self-achievement, to beat the time and record for our best timing or worst timing for the particular run. Usually, I would ask when will I reach the finishing point? It was different this round, because we were doing 2 things at once, and I didn't have the urge to ask, but continue the prayer. It's like I didn't even realized I just finished the 5 km run because I was praying together with my group members. Really a good training and joy having them to pray with me. Believe me, I was not leading but following. People will thought that I would lead the run, normally yes, but this time, for prayer and run, no, because I only good in running, not very good in praying.
After the run we had breakfast and went home to clean ourselves before joining the other people in PJEFC to celebrate the RunNat. People from other states of Malaysia, broadcast through Twitter about their progress. Example, "RunNat Melacca: We just finished the run." posted 2 minutes ago. The list went on and on. We worship God and praise God for the run. Believe it or not? God is moving His hands while we pray for the nation. Surely He will bring revival to this land!
RunNat 2010 will be launched in Stadium Melawati, Shah Alam, where runners from each state of Malaysia will run and meet in the stadium, where there first generation runner will pass the torch to the socond generation, and to the third generation, just like passing baton during relay run.
For more info about next year's RunNat, browse this webpage: http://www.runforthenation.com
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