Confessions Of A 'Runner'

Running knows no boundaries, as David Ng picks up the story of Rohit, the gardener that has found his tribe.

- David Ng

Character:

He stood out for several reasons, but that was only in the context of the minds of the likely vast majority of this seasoned gathering of foot-soldiers if they saw him during the week. That like-mindedness of attitude, due to the often military-level uniformity of attire, poise and overall demeanour perhaps reflect the appreciation of conventions and norms. It was often the swagger of these well trained and seasoned combatants which seemed even more pronounced, especially the ones that went to the frontline.

The sub-groups were clear, often clustered in their platoons of close friendships, marked by common battle fatigues. Notably, there was the distinctively uniformed red and black vertical striped army; the white and green brigade; and of course the multiple blue vested soldiers, united by their battle souvenirs of years past. He spied some of the 2005 vintage, grizzled vets that had seen the battle over a decade ago, proudly wearing their uniform with the year of service still visible to those who braved a look.

The lead up to the 8:00 AM call to action that landmark morning had been full of anticipation, tempered with bouts of trepidation and regret for he was not sure he belonged. For the previous evening, the doubts were immeasurable, with welling emotions that had been foreign and clearly energy sapping, raising his doubts about what lay ahead. He was awake in the tropical heat at 2.00AM, speculating what the morning battle would bring. Whilst the evening air of his dormitory last night was no different from the years he had experienced in this foreign clime, clammy and still, he felt the doubts course through his body, consigning him to a negligible appetite and so the poorest preparation imaginable based on conventional advice.

FOUNDATION WORK: