The Running Mxxx

I am a runner. Yes, I run.

Notice the hype with running nowadays. Running is the new badminton. In fact, every weekend, there is an organized running event all over the country. Log on to www.takbo.ph for the race calendar and you’ll see what I mean. People actually pay somewhere along P300 to P800 just to join a race. Typically, one receives a race kit upon registration, which includes a nice race singlet (just like what I’m wearing), a race bib with a number, a timing chip, and a route map. Sometimes, you get to redeem some cool freebies onsite, depending on who is sponsoring the event. Running is a great way to promote health and fitness, not to mention, a venue for meeting new friends.

A Preview of My Lateness

My fellow Toastmasters and friends, I also run. In fact, I run daily. Run LATE, that is. I have been habitually late for my appointments since college. I carried on that habit to every job that I’ve been into…at the call center, at the bank, and to all other odd jobs that I’ve been into, till now at my current company.

During my college days at La Salle, I mastered the art of speedwalking. What would take 15-20 minutes of leisure walk for average people from our house to the nearest LRT station in Tayuman, would simply take me 5-7 minutes, if I’m in a real hurry. It’s like delivering Tito Sonny’s advanced speech projects on Facilitating Discussion within the time allotted for a basic speech project. Boy, I am gifted, huh? Mind you, my speedwalking also includes muscle toning components because I love to lug my heavy personal belongings behind. It makes me look busy and feel important, even if almost all the time, I use less than half of what I bring along. And as soon I reach Vito Cruz station, I would run all the way from McDo gate to the Engineering building which explains why I love wearing comfy shirts, jeans, and rubber shoes. It makes me portable, I mean, flexible.

During my good ol’ tech support days at Sykes, I would be seen running from Shaw Blvd. all the way to our office building behind Megamall. I would skip the elevator and run seven flights up through the staircase, quickly do my time in at the attendance system and another login at the callmaster unit. I could actually as the model of the shampoo commercial which says “Is it windy outside?” (In Tagalog: Mahangin ba sa labas?)

During my grad school days, I would be “Honda”...hon-the-dot! As soon as the clock hits 5pm, I would log off the call master and run towards Shaw MRT station, get off, ride a jeep to Ayala and run up RCBC building to catch my 6pm class, though I am late by 15-30 minutes, most of the time. I recall that during the final submission of our strategic management paper as requirement for our graduation, I was the last to submit and way beyond the due time. My classmates were all waiting for me because our prof made a rule that nobody leaves until all papers have been turned it. Oh boy, was I famous.

Sometimes, my friends taunt me as “The Late Mxxx”, coz I was always running late. And I was late for our club turnover ceremonies last month.

Why do I run late?

So why do I do this? Why do I keep running late? Why do I love cramming? Is it to test my stamina? Or how to see how fast our car can fly when I drive? Or is it to find out how cool it is to be “fashionably late”? Because running definitely do not make me look fashionable, with my hair running wild, my face taut, my body heavy, my sweat dripping, and me gasping for breath.

I figured I “run” because of 3 things:

• First, I love the adrenalin rush. It gives me last minute inspirations. I get to squeeze much in lesser time. Decisions that I have been postponing for days suddenly become clearer when the deadline is near (it rhymes), because my choices by then would have been significantly narrowed down.

• Secondly, I am a perfectionist procrastinator. Everything has to have a perfect start and a perfect end. If I can’t have a perfect start, I don’t start. If I do get to start and I feel that I can’t put a perfect end to it, I don’t end it. I have trouble letting go. So things are kept hanging until the last minute.

• Third, being late gives me a certain sense of control. When I’m late because I spent a few extra minutes getting ready for an appointment, I have “power” over the other party who waits on me. It’s a warped sense of pride. I also “save time” because I skip introductions and warm-ups since by the time I’ve arrived, the activity/event would have started.

The Prices I Pay

Having said all these, I’d say that the costs outweigh the benefits, because for all the last minute inspirations I get, quality is mostly sacrificed. I also accomplish tasks of the wrong priority and so I have to take on the consequences for missing the deadlines for items that are of real priority.

My postponing decisions till the last minute most often than not, leaves me with a less-than-ideal decision.

My being waited on makes the other party lose their trust and respect in me. My credibility goes down the drain. And oftentimes, I often have to apologize, which does no good to my self-esteem.

And…with all the CRUNCH TIME mode that I’m in, my body takes on the toll and my health suffers. I end up being unproductive and miserable.

Getting My Life Back on Track

I wasn’t this way before. I remember when I was in Kindergarden, I would prepare everything I need to bring, on my schoolbag the night before. I would inspect and ensure that my school uniform and accessories are in order. I was also organized and orderly in grade school. It was only in high school when things started to change. I was deeply disappointed when a person I deeply admire came a lot later for a scheduled event. I came early because I was excited, expecting her to be there, but it ended up with me waiting for her for a while. Having to wait for someone felt awful and somehow this programmed me subconsciously to shift to being a person who is waited on, rather than be the one to wait.

However, this destructive behavior has taken long enough and the costs continue to rise, to the point that it no longer serves me. Thus, I am making a commitment at this very moment…to conquer this weakness with how I treat time. May the “late” Mxxx rest in peace. For tonight, we celebrate the arrival of the EARLY Mxxx. A Mxxx who is fashionable early. A Mxxx who runs daily, with or without the race singlet.

Fellow Toastmasters and guests, good evening.


ACB Track Manual 1 of 2: “The Entertaining Speaker”
Advanced Speech Project #3: "Make Them Laugh"
Delivered: July 15, 2010