~the athlete in you~

Assalamualaikum,

I’ve several times mentioned that I’m a reserved person (though I don’t think I am anymore). As I WAS a reserved person during my study years, I don’t involve in sports much, frankly no sports at all except when teachers made it compulsory such as the games among rumah sukan or sukaneka. But still, I remember being high spirited each time I join in most sports.

Badminton – since primary to secondary school, I always played badminton around my house. Outside or even inside the house J what a memory that is. Outside my house, we add a net in between our gates pillars. The games, was among my father, my brother, me and sometimes my mother joined in. I always adore my father and brother who were always learning new technical skills. I got to learn from them. Easy. So I think I can play badminton quite well. But didn’t have the will to try out in any clubs or games. There was once when I was in university, my brother informed me that they were recruiting girl players for badminton. And I didn’t give him any answer. I’m just afraid. When I went to one of the games thereafter, I was frustrated for not joining earlier, as I know I’ll do better than the other girls who entered. There, no confidence at all! Shame on you.

High jump and long jump, and  100m sprint – now, these are the sports I secretly like when I was in secondary school, especially the long jump. Although I never qualified, I always push myself to do my very best. I never knew my performance. Maybe I was actually qualified, but the teachers never told me? Haha, because I always think that the more talkative girls always have the chance. I never talk to the teachers personally. I always answered when teachers asked questions in class (quite loud but not by raising my hand – for the lack of confidence). I always finishes my teachers sentences. But, of other things, including sports, I wasn’t confident to talk directly to them.

Marathon or merentas desa or anything more than 100m sprint – these are the least sports I like, and I’ll never like. The reason? I have breathing problem. My heartbeat would beat so fast so easily. And I got tired easily. I’m always behind, and always the last or close to last person to make it to the finish line. It’s like I didn’t know how to breathe. After marriage, I’ve tried the treadmill at the gym. Mister Partner told me to run on treadmill correctly, which is to slowly increase the speed after a few minutes. If he didn’t tell me, I would set high speed, and then I'll surely get tired quickly, and I'll stop. So, the step by step speed increment do help me to not be out of breath easily. But I still don't like the long run.

When I started working (more than 6 years ago, already!), I joined a few sports, one of them is badminton. I love it so much, to play again J Besides that, I learned new sports, including bowling, ping pong, netball, and carom. Yeah, I joined them all. It’s because our organization is quite small, and being a young staff, I was urged to try them all. I enjoyed playing every game, though I don’t exactly excel, but I had fun, and it was an experience I’ll always remember.

But now, I’m under the fertility treatment, I don’t do any sports or exercise (real ones). But I don’t regret it. Maybe I’d have some other time, because I’d rather sacrifice all those fun activities, and having the time of my life to just have a big family of my own. Who wouldn’t wanna?