Joy Of Running!

“Running is a road to self-awareness and reliance-you can push yourself to extremes and learn the harsh reality of your physical and mental limitations or coast quietly down a solitary path watching the earth spin beneath your feet.” – Doris Brown Heritage 

I enjoy running.

The best part about this sport is that you are competing with none, but your internal demons. There is a point while running when your mind takes over your body. Many endurance runners will agree with me that they go through a series of thoughts; a kind of squabble in their brain and of course questions and doubts. It is just your mind in desolation. When the endorphins start kicking in and you get that chaotic rush to come out as a winner or even finishing your run; that feeling is ineffable. I have learned this the hard way. I ran my first Half Marathon in Hyderabad and the target was 2 hours and 15 minutes. I ran tense, kept looking at my watch and counting the miles. All I was doing was to compete with the fellow runners. That's it. I was not really enjoying the run. So...where did that land me? I was uncomfortable, in pain, trying to fit into that time frame. I didn’t meet my target and finished the run in 2 hours and 17 minutes instead.

I dwelled upon something that made no sense. Whom was I running for?

Myself.

Keeping that in mind, I ran my next two half marathons, in Bangalore and Delhi, without any target in mind. And finally, I realized that I started enjoying this sport because I then began to have my own internal running ‘practice’. I ran for my reasons, for my health, for my family, and above all, to inspire others. I had finally started enjoying and appreciating this incredible, fascinating endurance sport, and since then there was no looking back for me. There are some things that you have to do for yourself. These are the things that set you apart and set you free, don’t you agree?

My father was an excellent sportsman. He represented his state in Volleyball, played Hockey, and was a remarkable ice skater and roller skater. My inspiration comes from him. At the age of 75, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and went through two brain hemorrhages. Being a sportsman his entire life, this was the first time he was admitted to the hospital and during his first brain hemorrhage, the doctors had advised to put him on a ventilator. I remember signing the waiver forms and other documents at night in a dreadful state, but miraculously, the next morning, I saw that he could recall his younger days and also had been talking to the staff the entire night about his endurance experiences. The doctors didn’t put him on a ventilator, and he recovered all by himself. His endurance, his courage, and his dedication to his health when he was young was something that made an impact on my life. If I can inspire my children, peers, friends, family, and community in any way to lead a healthier life, like the way my father has inspired me, my existence in this world will be worth it. There are so many things around, that inspires us in a number of ways. You just have to find them and make them your own. So far, I have completed several 10K runs, 75+ Half Marathons, with a Personal Best of 1:39, 5 Full Marathons, 25 plus Grand Fonda, and more than 5 Brevet rides (long-distance endurance cycling). Yes, I am a Randonneur! On the 26th of July 2015, I completed my maiden 300 KM Brevet ride. Riding in India is tough since you have to be alert at all times and look out for the autos, buses, trucks, two-wheelers…oops, I forgot to mention the cattle, dogs, pigs, and above all, potholes! It was an experience of a lifetime and while looking back, I realized what I had conquered and what I grew up from. I managed to pass by the heavy traffic, the speeders, and a downpour of rain which had led to an accident of one of our fellow riders. We were on a highway with zero visibility and strong crosswinds were slowing us down! My fellow riders said that this was the true spirit of randonneuring, you should not give in to your fears. And they were right. Once you overcome your fears and trust your fellow riders, you manage to do things you can never even imagine. It took 18 hours, but we did it. We were champions in the truest sense, completing our mission and emerging strong. One of the volunteers wrote this beautifully, “What makes you go when you face difficulty in each step that you take? I still do not have a clue, but I salute the unwavering and indomitable spirit of the BRM-300 riders, who made it to the finish point despite a hell-like path. They braved the rains that poured the whole night, fixed multiple flat tires, bore incessant pains, dared cold wind that was determined to blow them off their path, and looked for direction in an impenetrable forest. Thanks, everyone for showing sheer grit, raw courage, and true spirit of endurance.” 300 km BRM. 

You may be wondering how my fitness regime helps me at work. I get a lot of time to reflect now. I am more conscious, more aware, and more alive. This built an immense focus on my work and personal life. This sport teaches you a lot of discipline, patience, self-awareness, mental toughness, and positivity in anything that you do, and don’t we all like to hang around with people who are always positive in life? Life is a series of long runs. Education, Career, Marriage, parenting, are all life-long runs. Always remember, that it is the journey that matters. If you enjoy the journey, you will surely love your destination.

I am not the first one to run nor I would be the last man running. There are better athletes out there that are more dedicated than me. This post is to share my journey, the things that I learned, and my experiences as a Marathon Runner. Misery/Injuries are inevitable, it is how we deal with them, counts.

Some Tips to start your Fitness Journey:

1. Eat the right foods: Listen to your body, follow the clock 6 AM to 6 PM food habit. It's okay to eat all different kinds of food but in the right quantities. Not too much and not too little!
2. Stay Hydrated: Water is a very important part of staying healthy, drink even more in summers. Water, Milk, fruit juice, vegetable juice helps you to stay hydrated
3. Sleep: When we sleep well our cells renew themselves and the body regains energy we need during the day. Avoid late-night dinner, read a good book before you sleep :-)
4. Try some exercises: Keep moving through the day. At home try Jumping jacks, Squats, side bends and toe touches, or even yoga or Pilates. If you have a toddler at home follow his/her moves for 30 mins is good enough.
5. Be disciplined and never give up: 15-20 mins of Cardio daily is good enough to keep you fit, dance is a good way to get into a rhythm. Don't be a weekend warrior, be consistent. If you don't see results, don't stop but improvise if its food, sleep, or your schedule which is coming in a way to stay healthy.

"People grow through experiences if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how the character is built"

My Journey through years - A picture is worth a thousand words

2019 - Optum lifting Corporate Trophy for consecutive 6 years at Airtel Hyderabad Marathon for maximum participation. Privileged to be part of this journey, the strong running community at Optum!

2015 - Optum Lifting Corporate Trophy in Airtel Hyderabad Marathon for maximum participation

2017 Epic Sri Lanka Tour -20 Riders take on 7 days of an unforgettable experience

Colombo to Chillaw to Anuradhapura to Rideegama to Kandy to Nuwara Eliya to Ella to Uda Walawe to Mirissa - 780 km with 7263 meters ascent.

UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation 100 Mile bike ride in Minneapolis Helping kids changing lives. Pic with our CEO Dave Wichmann