Tariq remembered he was in the bathroom this whole time he looks into the mirror rubs his eyes, he caught sight of himself in the cracked mirror hanging on the wall. His hair was a wild tangle of curls, his skin was dark and shiny with sweat, and his eyes were bleary and bloodshot, looking around and he sees a basin filled with water to the brim.
This was his mother's doing every morning she fetches water from the village borehole, there aren't many people in these parts so the line isn't that long. The borehole was his father's doing, something couldn't replicate his last life.
He smiles & takes a bar of soap and lathered it up, enjoying the sensation of the cold water washing away the sweat and grime from his skin. As he scrubbed himself clean, he thought about the day ahead. He thinks about the money he had been saving for years from working odd jobs, to smuggling candy to his boarding school and even scrimping every penny he could come across; 153,400 Ksh ($1534) to be exact.
This was his emergency fund. Good thing he didn't have to pay for high school.
He hurriedly puts on an oversized tracksuit takes 15$, takes his school bag and packs a clean set of clothes, eats a quick breakfast too bad he can't savor it for too long and rushes out of the house after promising his mother he'd visit his school and come back home with his K.C.S.E certificate and result slip.
He could only relax after finishing the daily tasks imposed on him by the system. He would never allow himself to lose his leg if he had an opportunity to do something about it.
It was 7 o'clock in the morning April 2nd, 2004.
Under the blazing son, dripping sweat Tariq was jogging at a steady pace to where, to Malindi town bus station which was 10 miles from where he lives it would cost him a 100 Ksh ($1) on a bodaboda (motorcycle) but he had to run, no excuses.
Tariq jogs along the dirt roads of western parts Malindi, carefully navigating the terrain as he goes. Despite the rough and uneven surface, he is mindful of the ever-present potholes and takes care to avoid them. He also have to contend with mud heaps left behind by the rain that fell the previous day, which have made the ground even more treacherous.
Despite the challenging conditions, he continues to jog, demonstrating both physical resilience and mental focus. His attention to detail and determination to overcome obstacles suggest that he is a determined and resourceful individual, capable of rising to any challenge that comes his way.
He begins to feel the rush of adrenaline and the physical exertion of running. The pounding of his feet on the ground sends vibrations up through his legs, and his heart rate increases as he picks up speed.
The cool breeze against his face and the sensation of the sun on his skin further invigorates him, filling him with a sense of vitality and freedom. Despite the occasional obstacles in his path, Tariq feels a sense of joy and satisfaction as he pushes himself to overcome each challenge.
As he continues to run, his mind clears, and he can feel a sense of mental clarity and focus that comes with physical activity, it has been a long time since he felt like this. Overall, the experience of running fills him with a sense of physical and mental well-being, allowing him to push past his limits and feel alive.
Tariq continues to jog along the dirt roads of the western parts Malindi; he reminds himself of his goals, he feels a deep sense of motivation and determination. He is not just jogging for the sake of exercise, but rather to improve himself for a future role as a coach to athletes. With each step, he focuses on his form, breathing, and endurance, determined to become a better athlete than the players he will coach in the future.
He draws inspiration from the challenges he faces along the way, using each obstacle as an opportunity to push himself to his limits and build his mental and physical resilience. He envisions the athletes he will one day coach, picturing them struggling with similar challenges, and use this mental picture as further motivation to push themselves harder.
As he jogs, Tariq reflects on the skills and techniques he will need to coach his future athletes, visualizing the drills he will run, the feedback he will give, and the progress he will help his players achieve. The thought of being able to help others achieve their full potential is becoming powerful motivator for him, driving him to become the best athlete and coach he can be.
Overall, Tariq's drive to become a better athlete and coach is a driving force behind his jog and with the system the sky is the limit. He sees each step as an opportunity to improve himself and his future players, and this sense of purpose propels him forward with determination and focus.
It has been 1 hour and 30 minutes, after the ten-mile run, he finally reaches the bus station. He is drenched in sweat, breathing is heavy, and muscles ache, but there is a sense of relief in their eyes as they reach his destination. Tariq is grateful for the opportunity to catch their breath and cool down after such a challenging jog.
It finally dawns on him he has to travel to Mombasa for his papers but quickly realizes that he is drenched in sweat and reeks of exertion. He knows that he cannot travel to Mombasa in this state and decides to pay a visit to his friend Kimani's Gym instead and finish the rest of his work-out there, he used to work there so there won't be any problem for him.
As he begins the rest of his workout, Tariq feels a rush of endorphins and adrenaline, energizing them for the task at hand. With each repetition of the 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and 50 press-ups, he feels his muscles working hard and the sweat pouring down his face. Despite the intensity of the workout, he is determined to push through and complete each exercise to the best of his ability, all this time he didn't even drink water.
As he move on to the 100 Burpee Pull-ups and four rounds of half a dozen Yoga poses, Tariq feels a sense of relief as his body begins to loosen up and stretch. The yoga poses help to release tension in his muscles, leaving him feeling relaxed and invigorated.
Finally, as the workout comes to an end, Tariq feels a deep sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. He has pushed himself to his limits and completed a challenging workout, leaving him with a feeling of pride and achievement.
He goes to the showers cleans up and wears his clean clothes puts the dirty ones in his bag. He leaves the gym, they buy a 1.5 litre bottle of water and a banana, refueling his body and takes a rest.
After completing his workout at the gym and rest, Tariq heads to the bus station and takes a Matatu (Mini-Bus) to Mombasa which was 2 hours away to collect his K.C.S.E certificate from school. As he travels, he reflects on his achievements and the hard work that has brought him to this point. Upon arriving at the school, he feels a sense of pride and accomplishment as he collects his certificate, a symbol of his dedication and perseverance.
Looks at the papers and smiles. "Mama will love this."
With the certificate in hand, Tariq sets out on the journey back to Malindi. Despite the long trip, he feels a sense of contentment and satisfaction, knowing that he has accomplished something important. As he looks out the window of the bus, he takes in the passing scenery, grateful for the opportunity to travel again.
It was true when he reached home, his Mama really loved it. She was jubilant; this made him proud and motivation for the future.
Six days have passed since the start of his work out. It had been tough at first but with him being consistent and dedicated he was determined to continue the tedious tasks imposed on him by the system.
The climb to becoming a legendary coach might be tough and challenging, but if he ever made it to the top of it all, the view would be worth it. So, he decided to work harder than any athlete alive and see if he could train and also become one of the greats. He would try becoming the best or die trying. With a cheat system aiding in his rise, he would not settle for less.
Tariq was in the zone and felt like running was a form meditation. He continued his steady motion at a steady pace pushing away the pain on his body and fatigue from his mind.
On the empty dirt-roads Malindi, he had no worries. Tariq didn't need to fret about high-interest loans like in his previous life, no problematic girlfriend, no gangs behind his back constantly trying to take his life. It was just him cutting across the warm breeze caressing his skin.
Stick sweat soaked his oversized tracksuit while his old second-hand Nike snickers were all covered in mud and grass. He panted as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve. He could only imagine how badly he stunk.
As he rounded a bend heading back towards his Mother's house, a Ding sounded in his head.
***
"DING"
CONGRATULATIONS FOR NOT BEING SO SHIT
***
"Looks too vibrant"
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#MISSION: Lead by example
*Task 1: Run 70 miles within a week. (75/70 miles completed; rating A+)
*Task 2: Complete 100 seat-ups daily for a week. (Av. 200/100 seat-ups completed daily; Rating S)
*Task 3: Complete 100 squats daily for a week. (Av. 124/100 squats completed daily; Rating A+)
*Task 4: Complete 50 press-ups daily for a week. (Av. 64/50 press-ups completed daily; Rating A+)
*Task 5: Complete 100 Burpee Pull-ups for a week. (Av. 100/100 Burpee Pull-ups completed daily; Rating A)
*Task 6: Complete four rounds of half a dozen Yoga poses daily for a week. (Av. 7/4 rounds of Yoga poses completed; Rating A+)
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Overall Mission Rating: A+
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CHECK YOUR REWARDS
*****