adminKudakwashe Trevor Muranda
Harare Institute of Technology.
Without plants as the primary source of food along the food chain, all other consumers and products would not exist so is running in general a foundation of every sporting activity you can name from cricket, hockey, tennis, and basketball and of course the much glorified football. With this in mind, we can safely say without dedicated running exercises every sporting activity built upon it will suck.
As a house without a strong foundation is destined to collapse in times of tragedy or crisis no matter how beautiful it is, so is every sports man without a good foundation of long distance running exercises. For example, sources tells us that CR7(Christiano Ronaldo) as known by football lovers, was not gifted in football as a kid but fate and passion for soccer caught him along his early life and through support from his father. A dedicated training life from the foundation of long distance running exercises gave him confidence and helped him to perfect his soccer skills and scoring instincts as one of the world’s best player. Who can match his pace after the ball, surely dribbling cannot comprehend it, only strong and dedicated running exercises does.
Long distance running culture is not a lucrative thing to admire as gold ore is nothing to admire to a first time apprentice miner. Most people consider long distance running raw and unorthodox but only the apprentice benefit from it and upholds it as precious rubies through the continual correct harnessing of its hidden value. Long distance running exercises are not only for physical fitness in sports but it is very much beneficial to everyone in mental and cardiac health. Health practitioners always say dedicated runners have low risk of contracting coronary heart disease, blood pressure and stroke. Socially, dedicated runners have a very high emotional quotient (EQ) and places them at a better advantage in gently handling social pressures and challenges, be it personally, at home and in the community. If you want to know and learn the essence of dedicated long distance running ask the Ethiopians and the Kenyans.
They will tell you why they are always the defending champions of long distance running on world platforms like the Olympics needless to mention the annual marathons like the Chicago, London and Vic-falls marathons.
In Zimbabwe long distance running have never been esteemed as a culture except to a very few known dedicated running zones I personally always give credit which are the; Zimbabwe Republic police, Zimbabwe National army and the Air Force of Zimbabwe. That’s why there is always a perception in the Zimbabwean society that every long distance runner seen doing street running is misjudged to be a soldier or aspiring to join the army. It’s a nightmare and a reality too that long distance running in Zimbabwe is now only affiliated to the force. Thus we see long distance runners like Mr Abel Chimkoko and Mr Cephas Pasipamire just to mention a few, who happen to be my coaches have been successful to be reigning champions in the Comrades marathon and participate in several international athletics championships. No meaningful support was given to them to rise to the top except from the force and from very few donors. Others who are dominating the international scene have succeeded through grants and scholarships from international schools and athletics clubs. This is a strong wake-up call to respective authorities in the field of athletics to create more efficient long distance running zones to harness more talent in the Zimbabwean community. Talents die in the community and none can notice, but only a few countable ones make it to the top arena like the Olympics with a great fight of course. Therefore it is my sincere plea as an emerging long distance runner and a youth to the responsible authorities to invest in long distance running at grass roots level and reward the practice of such a culture not only for the benefit of the sporting arena but for the health and well-being of ordinary Zimbabweans. It is only a shame for such a culture to be stimulated in citizens by the fear of the deadly pandemic Covid-19.
One great philosopher once said, “The greatest tragedy in life is not death but the greatest tragedy is living and dying with unrealised potential which is as abominable as abortion of an unwanted pregnancy in the sight of God.” With the pandemic restrictions still on hold of the sporting activities, talent is falling apart, injuries are becoming like food for athletes who are on the verge of preparing for races and matches that is promising to come not soon.
Online Reporter