Milder Version of Forrest Gump

Quick Story of my Running Journey

It was 2nd half of 2008 and I was doing terrible towards my preparation for 10th board. My mom was worried because I was clocking long hours at sleep, waking up late and not at 5 AM, as she desired!

I simply couldn't wake up at 5 in the morning and jump straight into the books. She thought my energy levels weren't good enough, so she suggested that - she will wake me up at 5AM every morning and I should go for a small run and then study for few hours before going to school.

I thought to myself - this is doable. I have never shied away from any type of physical activity and have been super active throughout my childhood. So, the daily routine of 3km runs started, without fail whether its raining or its cold.

I kept running 3km daily throughout my school days. When I went to college in 2010, the routine continued. Almost doing 300+ days out of 365 in a year. I had never given a serious thought to the Purpose behind: why am I running? It had kept me fit all through the years and that was the only underlying reason I could recognize for why I should continue it - I want to be fit and maybe build a muscular body.

In 2012, IIM-Indore hosted a 10k event on 2nd Oct and pasted a poster in my college. I decided to give it a try and for the first time in 5 years thought of running beyond 3kms. I successfully completed it without a stop and felt confident about the new capability I had unlocked. For next 4 years, routine was: doing 3k daily, calisthenics and running 10k once in a year.

In 2017, first half-marathon event was organized in Indore and at that point in time I got to know the next levels that exists in running, as a sport. I prepped a bit, came home an evening prior to the event, dipped my legs in salt warm water and ran 21k next morning. This was again a Eureka moment as to what new possibilities are!!!

Did 4 half marathons plus few cycling events and in 2019, I took a significant leap and participated in Tata Mumbai Marathon 42k event. For the first time in my running journey I had an element of fear in my mind, it was like walking into the dark woods with no idea as to what lies inside of it. I had made a point to myself that - I will never quit a race unless I collapse. With lot of pain and perseverance, for the first time I completed 42k and could call myself a marathoner!

In 2022 I resumed my running post COVID break and thought to add a new challenge to myself and signed up for Dubai Marathon, my first international event. Also, this was the time when I started to take my running more seriously and focused on technical and other metrics involved and not just run with the intent to complete. I finished Dubai Marathon with my personal best timing of 4hr 53 min. Just a month ago in Jan'23, I had completed my Mumbai Marathon in 5hr 45min.

Building on the confidence I had gather, I signed up for Ladakh Marathon. The first high altitude run I was going to do. I stayed in Leh for 3 weeks training and acclimatizing. In the meantime, I cycled all the way from Leh city (11,000 ft) to Khardungla Pass (18,000 ft.), a distance of 40 km in 8 hours. This was a long held dream, which I first came across in 2016, my first Ladakh visit, when I saw folks cycling on this route. I remember, I thought to myself, how is that even possible in this low oxygen environment, harsh weather, rough terrain!

When you go and try to punch way out of your comfort zone, its natural to feel fear. I felt fear in few instances, I won't say I didn't. But you counter fear with confidence in your preparation, your foundations and having a deep understanding of the act you are doing and of self as well! I actually did a Whatsapp call on my family group while cycling up, to see my folks and let them know what I was doing.

On 10th Sep'23, I completed the Ladakh Marathon - one of the World's toughest marathons, held at 11,500 ft with a timing of 5hr. Wish, I could have beat my Personal Best timing here. Maybe next time.

Building on the endurance discovered so far, I'm preparing for Triathlons, somewhere down the line.

The story continues.....