Seoul, February 29, 2024
13kg Weight Loss Secret & Shocking ‘Yoga Marathon’ Date(?)
Table of Contents
A game developer’s quest for fitness-and a date-takes an unexpected turn at an intense yoga retreat.
- A man lost 13kg while training for a marathon to impress his yoga instructor.
- He discovered a ‘yoga marathon’ isn’t what he expected-dominated by experienced practitioners.
- His attempt at a romantic weekend ended with a stranded car and a dose of reality.
Marathon training applications vanished from my weekends. My 10km record was shrinking at a frightening pace,and my body was becoming firmer with each passing day. The driving force behind this tearful transformation was one person: my ‘yoga teacher’.
from spring to the cusp of summer, I entered almost weekly, or bi-weekly, marathon competitions. It was all to prepare for the promise she made-“Let’s run a race together”-and the hopeful weekend that came with it.
A life of attending two yoga classes a day, hitting the gym, and running marathons on weekends. The game planner,once glued to a monitor during late nights,now lived like a professional athlete preparing for the Taereung Training Center.
The results were astonishing. Starting at 83kg in 2016, my weight dropped to around 70kg in just half a year-a 13kg loss. My body fat percentage remained between 12-15%. I often wonder if she had held off on fulfilling her promise a little longer, I wouldn’t have achieved such a perfect physique. (The power of love is truly great, and unrequited love is even more potent.)
the Opportunity: “Are You Free this Weekend?”
As the seasons shifted from spring to summer, I finally received a call from my teacher.
“What are you doing this weekend?”
“Uh… nothing. Absolutely nothing!” (I was desperately doing nothing.)
“Then, make some time this weekend. Let’s go together!”
My heart leaped. A date, finally! All the hard work flashed before my eyes. This weekend would be the spring of my life.
But the Excitement Was Short-Lived
That excitement didn’t last half a day. I overheard trainers talking in the locker room.
“We’re taking the teacher and members to Ilsan this weekend to promote the yoga marathon.”
…It wasn’t a date. I was drafted as support staff for the gym’s promotional event.
Disappointment stung, but I tried to remain optimistic.The ‘yoga marathon’ turned out to be a fully different beast than I imagined. It wasn’t a leisurely run; it was a competition filled with seasoned yoga practitioners performing incredible feats of flexibility and endurance. I felt completely out of my depth.
We skipped the last session and left the venue. No longer a teacher and student, but a man and a woman, we walked side-by-side to the parking lot, sharing where we lived, our work schedules, and small talk.
“Thank you so much for coming with me today.”
“No problem. Let’s have dinner together next time.”
It was a heartwarming moment as we prepared to leave. But as I turned the key…
Click, click…
the car wouldn’t start.The battery was dead.
Perhaps this dead battery foreshadowed the end of my unrequited love.
And so, my first yoga marathon ended. and sadly, so did my relationship with the teacher…
