RUNNING IT MY WAY

So when are you going to do a full ?

Do a full, its high time. 

Those were some of the sweet words which were often uttered by my running buddies every time after I finish a half marathon.

My heart always wanted to go for a full, but my mind said no until I finish a half marathon in Sub 2. I was expecting a sub 2 finish at Bangalore city marathon but the traffic chaos at MG Road junction ensured that I finish only at 2:05 hours.

The next scheduled full marathon was the Wipro Chennai marathon. With just around 40 days left for practice I registered for a half marathon. Few days before the race fever & body pain ensured that I skip it. Towards the fag end of December the Thanjavur rural marathon excited me. Without second thoughts I registered for the marathon with the hope of finishing at a sub 2.

The race was flagged off at the outskirts of Thanjavur. The first few kilometers were on tar roads. As soon as we entered a village I felt like as though I was running over green carpets as the route was surrounded by lush green fields on both the sides. Puzzled innocent children from the nearby villages were waving at us. At the end of the village we were greeted by the Grand Anicut canal.

Running alonside the grand anicut canal

The grand anicut canal was built by Karikala Cholan of the Chola Empire during the 1^st AD and has the reputation of being the world’s oldest dam still in use. It was a treat to run across the silent canal under the shades of tall coconut trees with the chirping sound of birds.

This time I was confident of finishing the marathon in Sub 2 but the last 2 kilometers were really treacherous. It had its own ups & downs and ensured that I finish the marathon once again at 2:05 hours. Nevertheless Thanjavur marathon gave me a special kind of feel good factor which no other marathon has given me.

The Grand Anicut Canal

Back home I was still racking my brains on registering for a full or half for the upcoming one at Auroville. After charting a little training plan by myself I decided to register for the full.

I began training immediately after New Year but once again work pressure ensured that I skip few sessions. As the long Sankranti weekend turned up I rushed off to Bangalore. I finished a half marathon during my training at Bangalore as the early morning cool weather made my run easier.

The following week I ran the Cool Runners Half marathon. It was a run which I will cheirsh forever as I accomplished my goal of finishing a half marathon in Sub 2.

I was very eager to do the Full Marathon and trained really hard.

The D-day arrived finally on February 8^th. I was all set to run the race of my life. The race was flagged off at sharp 5 am.

It was pitch dark. As luck would have it my torch light did not work and I had to borrow my fellow runner’s light by running alongside him. The dawn broke much to my relief and I was on my own.

I was ecstatic on crossing the halfway mark at 1:59 hours. However on completing 29 kms I realized that I could hardly run any more. Heavy work, driving the previous night continuously and little sleep for about 3 hours ensured that I get muscle fatigue. Heavy sweating clamped down my run. I started walking to avoid losing the momentum of the run. The heat started setting in and I couldn’t take it anymore. I desperately wanted to finish the marathon since this is my maiden full marathon and giving up after crossing 32K makes no sense.

I made friends with the fellow runners and we ran in groups encouraging each other. As the finish line slowly started getting visible I got very excited. I badly wanted to take off my tees and swing it in the air like how Sourav Ganguly did after winning against England at the NatWest Series.

On crossing the finish line I felt like a dream come true. I finished at around 5 hours and 35 minutes. Even though I was ill prepared for the race it made me realize how tough a full marathon can be. It also taught me myriad lessons on pushing limits come what may.

2014 was the year where I completely unearthed my passion for running. I was running throughout the year. It all started in 2012 where I use to run little in the open grounds near my home just to stay fit. I am indebted to the inaugural edition of The Wipro Chennai marathon in 2012 which sowed the seeds for the runner in me.

To all my inquisitive friends who still ask me why I run:

Running isn't a sport for pretty boys, it’s about the sweat in your hair and the blisters on your feet. It’s the frozen spit on your chin and the nausea in your gut. It's about throbbing calves and cramps at midnight that are strong enough to wake the dead. It's about getting out the door and running when the rest of the world is only dreaming about having the passion that you need to live each and every day with. It's about being on a lonely road and running like a champion even when there's not a single soul in sight to cheer you on. Running is all about having the desire to train and persevere until every fiber in your legs, mind, and heart is turned to steel. And when you've finally forged hard enough, you will have become the best runner you can be. And that's all that you can ask for – Paul Maurer, The Gift – A runner’s story

Namaskar