2020 – Look back and Learning

Looking back at 2020, seriously? 

True! Year 2020 has been a difficult to most people, due to COVID19 pandemic inflicted hardship - to professional and personal lives.

There are many macro things to reflect upon, and learn from 2020, but would like to take up my micro activity of "10K run under 60 minutes in 2020" – every month!

Q1 2020 - Momentum and Early warning

Jan

January started well with couple of 10K runs in the very first week of 2020 including one inside the beautiful IIM Bangalore campus (5th Jan) on a pitch-dark cold morning.

It was building on from previous quarter’s momentum of, an under 2 hours Half Marathon and a personal best of 50:35 minutes (8th Dec 2019) in a 10K run.

Feb

Little was known, about an impending coronavirus pandemic, when an environment friendly 5K kere run (Lake Run) was held around Kaikondrahalli lake on 16th Feb, which had a hand woven jute bib and a small piece of wood, as a run finisher medal.

Had to push myself hard, to a 10K run for Feb’20, on the last date of the month - 29th Feb.

It’s not easy to do ‘a 10K run under 60 minutes during every month of 2020”, but second step was taken, against all odds of, going easy or being lazy. In the hindsight, Feb 10K run could have been a breaking point, which was overcome, by reiterating goals.

March 

On 7th March, 1st COVID-19 positive case from Bangalore was reported, at a nearby apartment, led to am initial panic, and scarcity of sanitizer and masks followed in our neighborhood.

Amidst scanning of passengers coming from abroad, thinning intercity travel in India, ran a a last organized outdoor running event of 2020, on 8th March - Kaagaz Women’s Day run (8k). Though HSR layout in Bangalore was a much frequented area, but the run still took to few unexplored places - that's beauty of running across Bangalore.

Meanwhile, Bangalore schools closed indefinitely, from 2nd week March, and a SMS received on 10th March, from our kids’ school was, short but ominous.

From mid-march, fitness centers started closing down, cult.fit which helped me with strengthening (cardio) and flexibility (yoga) closed on 17th March, as part of COVID-19 lock-down guidelines from government authorities. 

Though local Karnataka state government, started lock-down early, but nationwide lock-down in India, with strict restrictions on human and vehicle movement, came in to effect from 24th March.

Curfew zone came up – a block of ~5kms in our area, on a main road was barricaded on both sides and only very essential movements of vehicles and people (mostly health care workers), were allowed move beyond the barriers. But somehow, a March 10K run, was squeezed in within the curfew zone, during early days of lock-down, with a shopping bag!

Q2’ 2020 - Crash and Confinement

April 

Lock-down started getting extended every 15 days, and few relaxations were coming in.

Unlike the U.K and in few other countries, Indian government did not specifically allow, any “personal solo fitness” activity like walking or running, during early stages of lock-down, leading to limited movement, even with an adequate precautions of mask and social distance. 

With lessons learned from pushing Feb 10K run to end of the month, did a 10K during second week of April, when a morning walk turned in to 11.3Km run, due to beautiful Bangalore weather.

May

From mid-May, states were given a larger say, in the demarcation of Green, Orange and Red coronavirus zones (most activities allowed in Green and least in Red) and provided with local flexibility, on the implementation of lock-down guidelines and relaxations.

Effect of lock-down and confinement, without physical exercise was showing up in the weight and movement, making May 10K a very difficult one on 23rd May.

After a long gap and running in humid summer was difficult. But again, "if you can't run with legs, then run with your heart", was in play, to scrape through.

June

Most people and business, started adjusting to a new normal, of a various outbreaks of coronavirus pandemic and varying degrees of lock-down restrictions.

Looked for motivation, to push myself for June 10K run, to complete half the target and found it on 21st Jun - Father’s Day Run.

Luckily June 10K run happened, before our residential lane got marked as "containment zone" (27th June) and barricades on both sides of a narrow lane, by government authorities, restricted movement of our family and neighbours - within 50 metres.

Running is difficult, and doing it solo amidst lock-down could be daunting, but keep trying to find one reason or another, helped to to stay on track. 6 months done and 6 more to go. Somehow, completing 50% mark turned as a big booster.

Q3 - Unlocking and Slow start

July

Unlocking started taking shape in July, with many activities permitted with strict guidelines in place. Running is inherently a solo activity with a social distance in it by design, so the pandemic threat is limited, during any personal run.

However, using a mask or not, while running was debated for weeks, with World Health Organization (WHO) issuing guidelines with a recommendation of not using mask is not during running or any high intense activity.

Magical monsoon morning helped to push, a run which started as a 5K to 10K, by focusing and covering 1 km after another, past 5K mark. While sun was harsh towards the later part of the run, but neighbourhood trees, and a mild Bangalore breeze, kept me going!

Aug

Aug 10K run was on a humid morning, and around a lake (8th Aug), with thoughts and hope of seeing some running events happening soon in Bangalore.

Sep

After 7 months, did couple of 10K run - in a single month of September! After 200 days, fitness centres started opening up in Bangalore. 25th Sep 10K run was also to, gear up and get fitter, to a new professional assignment, which started few days later.

Curiosity, Energy, Endurance and Excellence are greatly enabled by wellness. 

Q4 - New Normal and Next steps

Oct

Bangalore had regular rains well past monsoon in 2020, so it was a rain 10K run for the month of October (24th), on a cloudy day, by jumping over puddle of water - all through the course. 

A late start (7:15 am) to a run, meant more traffic on the roads and large vehicles coming too close, but it was worth it, when a slow rain stayed as a company. 

Nov

While October run was hopping over puddle on a rainy day, Novembers’ run (7th Nov) was with few stray dogs chasing. Though the stray dogs were menacing on the road, but like traffic on Indian roads, one gets used to it - but heart races, when a stray dog chases.

Second 10K run of November came in, when another 5K run planned, was nudged to a 10K run, by riding on a sunny, but cool morning weather.

Dec 2020

With previous 11 months out of 12 done - with an under 60 minutes 10K run, TCS World 10K run (25th Dec) was the fitting way to finish 2020.

App based TCS World 10K run was nicely organized and with a window of 7 days given, for a runner to choose, their place and time - to complete their run, while app automatically captures the results. 

Running events experience of 2019?

Last year Bengaluru Marathon had, running tracks across Bangalore CBD, with crowds cheering, pacers motivating and fellow runner inspiring. 

Each running event helped to explore a new location in our city. A fitness warm up or a zumba session, before a run and an awesome south Indian breakfast after the run, was great experience.

Looking at photos captured during the run, after the event was a great way of reliving it, while most of 2020 runs were captured as selfies.

Learning from 2020

Going for solo run is tough and can get boring, hence being part of a group of running enthusiasts and having a personal goals in terms of - events to participate, number of runs, improvement in running time, and more help.

Do regular runs (preferably a 5K run every week), but stretching 5K in to 10K when in the "zone" or weather conditions are good, is a huge motivational factor, keep the streak going.

Need to subtly differentiate between soreness or niggle and sprain, soreness could be an indicator of using some muscle after a gap. Running without headsets helps when there is soreness as, one can find out whether something is serious to stop or postpone the run.

For me, there are No stake zone or No Stop Zone (after ~20% of the running target) and High-stake or Don't Give-Up Zone (after ~70% of the running target) in any run.

For a 10K run, distance between 2-3 kms is a "no stop zone", as a minor soreness to shoelace coming off to chasing stray dog to menacing vehicles to inclement weather or any other small thing will play a big role to stop the run, since it’s in "no stake zone" any urge to stop the run, must be resisted. There were many times, when i had struggled to get off from the bed or walk down the stairs at home, but complete a scheduled run.

After getting through “no stop zone” mid portion of a run, normally goes through. The real test comes up, while starting around 7th Km, when stamina is tested and one must move to "No Give-up zone", which is a high-stake zone, where most of the run is behind us. With the goal is in sight and the body may be weary, but heart and mind need to kick in to keep running.

Moving on from "don't give-up zone", it's a battle within self to to maintain or improve timing and to aim for runner's high to take the whole running experience to a dizzy level.

Committing to a run target (minimum kms is a very important) is key and one should complete the initial target distance and should try to stretch it. One thing which works for me is, to do an up-down run (running one side till the mid-point or more of the targeted distance, away from starting point) and not a “loop” run. Up-down method forces to complete a run, as one need to get back and running is faster than walking back!

Lucky to have done, "15 timed 10K runs under 60 minutes in 2020", with at least one in each month, which initially looked very difficult. Also, there were over 25 timed runs in between, which were less than 10K but helped to prepare to meet monthly 10K run target.

Commit to a running routine and share it with people close to you, who will be cheering up and help to keep going during difficult days. Even kids asking the timing of the run, when one comes back, will help to push a bit more.

Motivating fellow runners or running enthusiasts, who are about to start their running routine or struggling to continue with run plans is a must. Do not forget to smile at a runner on the road, even better is to give a thumbs up.

While most business moved from yearly/quarterly commit to monthly/weekly commits, now is the time for a monthly/weekly commit for our wellness – Lets go Agile with health!  

Happy New Year!