TMM - Most people I know have run a marathon, but I ran….

33.14 Kms. Did you read that title? It says “Most people”, nope you didn’t read that wrong, I do have some amazing people in my telephone directory who have, are, or will run a marathon, that’s physical or mental. 42.2 Kms is long and tedious, I don’t have to tell you that, just putting it out there because we run these marathons in both literal and metaphorical ways.

Before you switch windows thinking this is one of those long rants about how one did not finish a marathon and how disappointed one is, or even wonder if you accidentally opened strava instead of linkedin, hang on…. nope, not a rant, not even a overwhelming “Oh, am so grateful blah blah blah, I’ll be back again, and in form” nohope, nope! ok, a wee bit of gratitude…. I mean, if you know me…you know I am Ms.Gracious Curvaceous. Back to this whole Tata Mumbai Marathon…. I sign up with all gusto early or maybe mid 2024 and kinda, sorta start my training…. many audio books and countless podcasts later, the farthest I have run is 21 Kms in February of 2024 and 15 Kms, two weeks before attempting a 42’er. Nerves, plenty! Brazen, I’ll wing it confidence… oh! plenty too. When one of the pacers on a group asked “What is running to you” my recently plant journeyed mind said “A meditation, a connection with the divine” Boy! was I in for some connection with the divine. Through the months of training for this Marathon, I’ve come to learn many lessons…

I stepped out for a run when I had run out of ideas for breakfast for the family, I stepped out for a run, when I grudgingly disagreed on something and instead of clarifying, I chose to train. I stepped out for a run to clear my head when some tough decisions had to be made. I stepped out for a run to see that one gorgeous tree in the outskirts of Bangalore that I now fondly call “Amma”, I stepped out for a run when my mother died and being home was excruciatingly painful. Oh, I also stepped out for a run when some good looking runners made my route their “usual”. I stepped out for a run to occasionally find common kindness, to greet a random stranger, compliment a well dressed woman, do my usual salute to the old man who wears an army cap and thinks I run 10K every day and flicks his fingers signalling a 10 and I assume he is an ex army man! I stepped out to run to sometimes harshly judge a dog walker who left poop on the road and ofcourse to meet that stray that runs up to me for a pat and a game of fetch. Through “training” for this run I have most certainly run a whole lot from myself and a lot of things I should have sat with but I chose to run.

And isn't that the beautiful irony of running - how in trying to run from things, we somehow end up running straight into ourselves? I had a plan when the legs gave up, I said, “Tej, connect with the divine” Nope, couldn’t do it, no divine, no nothing. My eyes wandering toward the lovely cafe’s, the Kaali Peeli’s flaunting empty backseats, coffee! I saw the endless line of buildings, traffic, blazing sun, achey legs and a run pace that felt like “on the spot running” and I told myself “alrighty, wrap wrap time” I even did a mental double clap signifying the end of that run. Picked up the phone and called a friend, and that’s when the real lesson of running arrived for me, the intention was not to weep, oh! but that ocular salty discharge flowed through, snot and the works. I did connect with the divine, not just when my legs gave up but I connected with the divine in everything I ran to, the tree, the faux/real army guy, the dog, the rather lazy and reckless dog owner, the thousands who stood at the start line hoping to cross it back up in a few hours, the mini conversations, micro connections… I did connect with the divine when that friend I called at 30 Kms switched cabs and trains and got to me. Seeing my friend from across the barricade felt nothing short of divine. Calling it in when things get achy and hard may sound like “giving up” to some, it sure is… there is gold in perseverance, sometimes! but please, can we not vilify the wisdom in knowing when to step back and redefine success. To find joy in not wanting more, the thrill of “This is enough”

I lately find myself drifting away in gratitude, I catch myself smile or grin, sometimes rather cockily... just deeply grateful for all that I’ve experienced in this little life. Knowing that the wind blew as it did for me to be here and the stars aligned as they did, and the Earth shifted as it does just for me to live this gorgeous life.

So there 33.14 is my gratitude station…I disembark here and I wish we saw more beauty, delight and love in friendships just as equally as we do in romantic partners and I wish we celebrated these friendships a lot more often. Lastly, I wish we each saw our destinations and appreciated our journey, wherever and whenever we arrived.

That’s that, You stay awesome and yes…I’ve been slacking on the newsletter updates with all the “Things that blow my mind” but… stay tuned, coming up is how “Chance” has played a huge role in shaping this planet we call Earth and to the minutest things that we believe we “earned”. I hate to break it to you, luck can be engineered. No! not through chanting/spotting 999 or 111 you manifestation maamis… or maamas! just keeping it… well, you know. Nevermind. Signing out!