A Different Kind of Winning

The second edition of Bengaluru Marathon saw a whopping 10,000+ runners. For some it was their debut half or full marathon and for some the number went into double digits. On October 17, 2015, Kanteerava Stadium was brimming with the enthusiasm and camaraderie of all types of runners — young, old, amateurs, and pros. Although some were aiming for a PB (personal best) and some were all out to have fun, the common goal of every runner was to finish strong.

Those were the runners, and I applaud their spirit. But it was the kind gestures all around me that stole the show. The people at the sidelines who were cheering nonstop were the good Samaritans. Every time a distraught, tired runner heard his or her name from the crowd, it brought an inexplicable spark in their eyes. It was beautiful to see how a cheer can act as an energy booster, a push to cross the finish line.

Among the cheerers were a group of runners, individuals who stood out as an epitome of kindness. One of them was Pani sir. Even after being unwell, with constant coughs and sneezes troubling him, he didn't leave a chance to pass on his infectious smile (pun intended :) to a struggling runner. His cheers were a breath of fresh air and electrolyte to everyone who knows him (I doubt if there's anyone in the running community who doesn't know him). I couldn't have been happier to have found him as a coach to start my running journey. Thank you, sir!

If you're a runner or happen to know one too many, you'll agree that it's difficult to keep them away from running. Talk about itchy feet! That holds good for my husband too. He was disappointed that he was not in the race. But the disappointment was short lived, and I saw it fade away completely while he was cheering other runners on race day. And then the itchy feet took over! He started with pacing a friend and ended up helping four or five runners see it through, finish strong, and win their medals. He didn't win a medal in this race, but he sure won their hearts. To quote him "sometimes, winning hearts is more valuable and more precious than winning a medal." True that.

These men are only a few of those I know who have won hearts and touched lives without realizing it. Kudos to all the people who came out early in the morning just to cheer friends and strangers, and made a difference. No podium for them, but this was a different kind of winning.

Do you know anyone like them? Have you made someone happy with a small, simple gesture? Feel free to share your stories in the comments.

Not Ready for 10

Those of you have read my experience at Ajmera Life Is Calling Marathon & 10K at NICE road in Bangalore would know that I run, well, on and off. It's been over a year since I started, and I still feel shy to call myself a runner when I see people flying past me. But I'm proud to have started at least.

This post is about my experience at the same course but a different event. The Bengaluru 10K Challenge, on 12 July 2015, saw over 2000 runners from different walks of life. There were the super-fast ones, the moderately fast ones, the slow ones, and then me too. I was surprisingly positive and happy for someone who hadn't run in a long time. So there I was at the start line, full of energy.

The run started quite smoothly on the rolling course, and the first 5K was quite comfortable. Adrenaline was pumping at the right quantity and going to the right synapses. The race was very well-organized, with volunteers every 100M and water stations at every 1K. What more could a runner ask for, right? I was enjoying the run.

And then, suddenly, at the 5K U-turn, my adrenaline supply stopped, or so I believe. Every step after that felt like torture with the sun working overtime. The weather in Bangalore is very pretentious. You would be happy in the morning with the cold breeze and all that, but soon enough it gets so sunny that you can't help but complain. For a moment I couldn't see anything and my legs felt like slabs of concrete. It was just like the time I almost had a baby.

Pushing yourself beyond your limits also makes you have funny conversations with yourself. Your heart and your mind are in constant conflict. My head would say "Why did you have to run when you knew how the course is" and my heart would console me with "Aren't you happy you're trying?" It's a mental game, but what do you do!

All these thoughts and not concentrating on how tough the uphill run was took me till 8K. Then there was this thought that made complete sense. I had not trained at all for this run and there I was at the 10K course. Shouldn't I have done the 5K run instead? Of course, I should have. It's foolish to be overconfident about your body and how much you can take. Training is the key to an injury-free way to fitness. There's no two ways about it.

"Oh wow, I've reached 9.5K. Oh my God, there's a full 500M left. And I struggled like I've never before and crossed the finish line. Someone wise had once said, " The first thing that a person says after crossing the finish line at a marathon says nothing but only the truth." It's so true! When I crossed the finish line, the first thing I said was, "I'm not ready for 10, but I'm ready to begin again."

With the best runner in my family

When I Almost Had A Baby!

"Push, come on! Push! You're doing really well, now push," he said. I say I want a break. He says I've got 5 secs... 1... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ... 5. "Push!" And I push hard.

But wait, I'm not in the labor room. I'm running in Bangalore's Cubbon Park on a pleasant Saturday morning! What you just read was a dialogue between my husband and me midway during my attempt to run an "easy" 10K. It sure was an easy run for my runner husband, but it was more of a struggle for me.

And I ran. Jogged. Crawled. But walking was something I could not ask for. "You're a runner. Did you get up so early in the morning and come so far to WALK? RUN." Every time I asked for a 5 sec walk break, his counting went from 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ... 5 to 1.2.3.4.5, 1.2.5, 1.5. Numbers started disappearing from my precious 5 seconds and the generosity came to an end with "not allowed to walk anymore." So I ran. Or I tried. And reached 9K. Somehow!

That "I'm going to die" feeling crept in. But with the constant "push" ringing in my ears, I pushed. Finally, husband said "Only 200 meters." Then "Only 100 meters." ONLY! These numbers look and feel beautiful in math, they make calculations so easy. But when it's the last bit left in a run, it's as difficult as remembering the value of pi, 3.14159 26535 89793 23846. Now you know what I mean!

My takeaway from this 10k run is that it's extremely important to run with someone. Even better if it's someone better than yourself. It might be painful, but it won't kill you! Otherwise it's easy to give up. Unless you have extraordinary will power, iron legs, and lungs of a blue whale. I don't. So I chose to run with the fastest runner in my family.

It was painful, no doubt. But as they say "No pain, no gain." Bittersweet pain, I shall see you again!

I Ran

"Am I climbing a mountain, only faster? Oh my God, look at that slope; I can see the whole world from here. And I have to run on THAT elevation. WHAT!" This is only a fraction of what was going on in my brain, which I'm quite sure was bobbing up and down in my skull with every step I took.

I ran my first timed 10k with Ajmera Life Is Calling Half Marathon & 10K. And I'm alive! Considering the elevation chart of the race course, I was quite sure I'm going to die running.

Having started running only in May 2014, thanks to my awesome runner husband for inspiring me, participating in this event was a big thing for me. A hundred different thoughts troubled me before race day. "Will I be able to run the whole distance? Will my ankles, the thinnest parts of my body, be able to take the whole, heavy 65kgs on them? Will I be the last to finish the race?"

While I was crawling, there were runners who were flying. I could see wings on their feet. Oh, wait, I must have been hallucinating seeing the slope ahead!

Although I hated the slopes, I loved the whole experience. It was most wonderful to see so many people, all ready to rock it and run on a Sunday morning when their peers must have been well asleep. The organizers had done an impressive job too. The aid stations were at every 2km, and the cheering group dancing to the drums did bring a smile to many a runners' faces. There were ambulances, internal medicine facilities with beds, and physicians and physiotherapists to help the worn out runners. And of course, the breakfast. It was the best I had after any running event. It was overall a great Sunday morning indeed.

Coming back to running. When you're running your first race, even if not for competing or a podium finish, doing it takes some self-motivation. And motivate myself I did, before and during the run! Finishing the 10K run in 1hr 21mins is one of my biggest achievements since I've ventured into the world of running. I've taken the first step. And I'm not going to stop.