Find Your True Passion
Let me tell you a story of mine. I love running since seven years old, but I do sprint, every time I do, I get enormous joy and be happy right before I finish. There is a ten second between start and finish when I’m not thinking about anything, I just be myself, I feel air burning inside my lungs to increase my speed, therefore I always run fast and short distances. I always think how do they run further than me because my best was just 3km long.
One day I read a book and there was a quote that I like, “Find your true passion and do it more.” then I thought about it like two days and found what is my true passion, what do I love most ? I decided to run further, I know I’m not good at endurance sports, but I have no idea how to run or where to start, I just tried in 11/7/17, it was my first 15km race, I met with my dad’s best friend there. I didn’t prepare for that race, I didn’t warm myself before race and stretching after so I couldn't walk 5 days, it was the longest 5 days of my walking history because I was walking at 1pace. He called me, and said there will be a race in 3/3/18 in Antalya and we will be there, if you are interested come join us. I signed up that race, arranged everything. While I was entering a mall to buy a short for the race because the weather was hot, I saw Adidas caravan. I met Adidas Runners Istanbul coach and he said we are running in Istanbul, we are a running a community. I will run 60min/10km you can join me, I said yep why not. I ran with him 4,5 km but then my spleen started giving me pain so I gave up running and walk 1km. I ran 4.5 after and finish the race, it was 63mins and my personal best.
When I returned back Istanbul, I joined every interval training of Adidas therefore I met the rest of the crew and some great people individually. In April there was a 10km race. My goal was 57 mins/10km but I ran 56mins/10km, new personal best. I hate running longer than 5km because it is really hard for me, but by the time passes I get used to it even then when I feel amazing after a long run. All because of Adidas Runners Istanbul family. They supported me everywhere, every time.
I had a chance to discover different cities by running, it is the greatest way to see and far greater than cycling around.In a few months, I tried 10km with headphones and I did think that yeah bro you got this. Then I tried 10km without music or crew support and I had succeed. Last step was going further and faster. 11/7/18 I made my personal best in 15km, 1.23hours. I did my personal 10km best in 3/3/19 it took 48.30mins.The race was Sunday, so I decided to hang out but I loose the tread so I didn't rest enough. Sunday when I woke up I was like, mate you will beat your personal best, but you don't have energy left. When the race started I was with two of the fastest runners in our crew, they supposed to run 50min but I wanted to run faster, so I left them when we were at 2.5km. I wasn't good at being a pacer that's why I looked my phone a lot to run steady. I felt I finished when I was 5km so I didn't speed up till last 200m. I bursted my last energy, and I speed up to 2.50pace.
I wasn't know anything, but I wanted to do something, I did my best and life guide me through it. You can do better, just focus what you love most and take action. Everything happens spontaneously once you have started. Take care.
