Whenever I stumble upon runners who finished half-a-marathon
or marathon, my admiration for them soars to the skies. How on earth do these
guys run such long distances? Besides, facebook sure has a way of rubbing salt
into wounds -since most relatives or friends, who finish these races;
subsequently post their marathon-participating pictures on facebook. This is enough for me to instantly turn from red to green.
Some time ago, a close aide completed half-a-marathon and
marathon. On a little bit of prodding, he enlightened me that preparation is decidedly
crucial and a defining factor in such events. Thoroughly inspired by his triumphs, I decided to
participate in a 10k run. With the word ‘practice’ constantly echoing within
the head, every day, I would return from workplace early to jog on a long
stretch of road. On completion of that stretch, I would catch a bus back home. Not that I
couldn’t choose a shorter route and jog up and down, but I believe a long
stretch delivers a huge feeling of accomplishment. Believe me, it worked magic.
A week’s running had put me in a good stead, and I felt
confident I could take on the world, leave alone the 10k run. Consequently, I participated
in the 10k, which had Milkha Singh delivering an inspiring talk, underscoring
the significance of watching movies like ‘Bagh Milka Bagh’. Since 10k was quite
a distance, I was under the impression only a handful would complete the race.
To my utter disbelief, I saw a few women race past me. For a moment, I didn’t
know where to hide. Moreover, the long stretch of run offered no proper hiding
places. So, despite tragedies such as woman overtaking me, I stuck to my routine
and finished the course.
But, what comes as a cherry topping is that the run was well-organized
as the entire length was dotted with medical teams and volunteers. They doubled up as
cheerers, who lent an additional flavor to the otherwise daunting routine. That
apart, there were live rock bands performing, school children playing bagpipes,
excellent Karnatic singing… you can say the run turned out to be a colourful
affair although. I was elated that I could finish the whole thing without any
trouble.
With a 10k run under my belt, I now have my eyes focused on a
half-a-marathon, which is scheduled to be in August this year. I sincerely hope I won’t take a flight looking at the distance…
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