When I teach I also train, however, that is not enough! Everyday I also self-train at least once (or attend another instructor’s classes). However, since the covid-19 situation, teaching has mostly stopped. Indeed, while I don’t classify ‘teaching sessions’ as my ‘main training’, it still accounts for a portion of my practice and conditioning.

 

In order to make up for this, I decided to add a ‘social distancing cardio session’; namely, a running program. I must say here that I’m naturally a sprinter, which coincides with my physique and the nature of karate training. However, I decided to take on something I haven’t done really intensively since my 20s: regular uphill and mountain running.

 

My target, since the start of the pandemic situation, was 500km of this training. Last month, I exceeded that and now (today, on December 6^th) I’m at 560km… So, my renewed goal (sorry, not ‘goal’ but ‘self-obligation’) is 600km by December 31^st. Remember what Yoda taught Luke: “Do or do not, there is no try”. This is not sci-fi folks, it is the reality if you want to achieve any goal. JUST DO IT…

 

For a long time, my wife has been telling me to throw out my running shoes, as the additional training in them had essentially destroyed them externally, but I have resisted as they are (actually ‘were’) still functional… Well, kind of…

 

It just so happens that today was ‘it’. Within a couple of kilometers of running up Akeno I could feel a nasty burn on the inside edge of my right foot. After karate earlier in the morning my legs were already ‘burned’ out so badly, but the burn on my foot was overriding the feeling of 'hot coals' in my quadriceps. But, of course, I kept going to get to a nice rounded ‘560’. Upon completion I could not complain about all the skin torn. Essentially, my running shoes had begun assaulting my feet, begging me to throw them into the garbage. Finally, I had to listen to the wisdom of Mizuho, my six-year-old daughter, and the metaphoric ‘voice of the shoes’ themselves…

 

HENCE, I POSTED THE VIDEO… (Featured below).

 

To conclude, away from my cheap and nasty running shoes, I thought it would be a chance to send some positivity in these times of Coronavirus. Stay positive, train hard and train smart. I am looking forward to seeing many of you here in Japan for training, also at the international seminars when they resume. All the very best from Oita City, Japan!

Osu, André

© André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2020).