The practice runs over the last one and half year culminated with Airtel Half Marathon on 20th August 2017. While this by no means is an end, running has just become a life style. However, the race this year was far more inspiring than last year, for this brought Hyderabad to a standstill for 6 hours. The twenty thousand runners ran for Redemption, Charity, Social Cause and what not. For once you could gather all the emotions Joy, Pain, Courage, Triumph, Perseverance, Defeat, Support, Determination, Exhaustion, Team Spirit. For me it was much more than a run as i could see a tapestry of events that happened over the last one year in the last seven kms of my run. As the great man said, you will connect all the dots in the end and will learn from it. Here are some life lessons that running gave me...
Always Find A Partner In Crime:
When you want something or someone, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. Its those cohorts that will help you push forward. Always surround yourself with positive, like minded friends or someone who is better than you. They will ensure you have progressed in many ways. So many runs with Sandeep, Venkat, and Tej over the weekends helped me gain that stamina and ensured the spirit to compete in a race never fizzed out.
We ran in the sun, in the rain, on the beach, with shoes, barefoot. We've run in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening and in the night. Running is a sport where human being does not flaunt his gadgets or brands. One is at his own comfortable demeanor when running, because its much more than a run. For me its pure meditation after the first KM , where my heart, mind and body actually start talking to each other
We ran in the sun, in the rain, on the beach, with shoes, barefoot. We've run in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening and in the night. Running is a sport where human being does not flaunt his gadgets or brands. One is at his own comfortable demeanor when running, because its much more than a run. For me its pure meditation after the first KM , where my heart, mind and body actually start talking to each other
Friends living in different cities, overseas keep inspiring everyday.
Leave Your Ego And Express Yourself:
It is absolutely fine not to be decent. All through my life i have been told not to show off. Infact i didn't even know how to market my post graduate convocation, because it was just another event. After all it was a success of three consecutive CAT failures :-). But when Sandeep and I started running, i posted our pictures on social media. Week on week the number of kilometers we ran increased and it was something i wanted to show to the world. In the beginning people made fun of us, slowly as posts increased they realized we were serious about our running. We had small targets, appreciated someones brilliance, sought opinions, expanded our horizons and started running with Hyderabad Runners Club. Every Sunday we woke up at 4 AM to drive to the outskirts of the city, just for the love of running. Infact all the schedules fell in place when we really got serious with running. In life, when you fall in love with somebody or something, you will automatically make time for everything.
Find Inspiration When The Going Gets Tough:
At the end of 14th Kilometer, cramps hit my muscle on the right leg. Ignoring the first cramp, i continued to run at the same pace. By the end of 15th KM i could sense adversity was to hit me soon. As my intensity reduced, i was looking for an inspiration to push through. A glance to the left, my eyes did not believe what was happening. A 95 year old gentleman was pursuing a 10 km run with ease. The very sight killed all the thoughts of giving up. Similarly there were so many instances in my life i sought inspiration from. It worked wonders for me.
Don't Quit, Persevere, Finish Hard:
I was well on-course for completion in 2 hours 20 mins. As soon as i hit 16th KM, both my legs started cramping severely. I was looking for inspiration again but could not find anyone around, sipped water at the station near by. For the first time in the race, i wanted to give up. My resolute mind was crumbling and was breaking apart from inside. Bearing the pain, i garnered all the strength to walk to completion in the last lap. By the end of 17th KM, it was evident, i was staring a defeat. Even my ears were not receptive to the music despite 100% volume. When life was about to dust, a pat on the back made my senses alive again. It was Sandeep who uttered golden words of my life " Dude, lets do this, lets hit the finish line together". For the next 4Kms we did not utter a word to each other. He took charge, running 10 mtrs ahead and asked me to follow. I could trust him for my life to take me to completion even if i felt unconscious. He was my brother, savior and inspiration. Eventually we ran through the finish line together.
I could have put my pic here, but this one touched my heart.
Embrace Failure, Learn To Let Go:
It is said every setback makes you mature. The biggest lesson of my life is to embrace those hard situations, savor those little joys that life gives you. The very sight of not hitting my target in an intended time was just an iota of a feeling, when you saw those gleaming faces around. A lady in saree running for a cause, a gentleman in dhoti, an old-man running for life time, an amputee running with a support system... isn't that enough for me? Over the last one year a lot of my friends took up running. I get multiple questions everyday asking for help and what started with two of us last year is just growing.
I am a person who still believes in "Yeh Aukat Se Bahar Hai, at the first sight ". If you feel like giving up, remember why you started it at first place.
Savor The Moment and Envision The Next Wow Moment In Your Life:
It's all about how you stick to your principles and conviction, because there is nothing that is impossible. Any thing is possible as long as you stay focused, love what you do, remain truthful to yourself and act on it! Set yourself those small goals, savor those small accomplishments, remain in the present and do not worry about something going wrong in future. FUTURE is not in your hands, so why give a shit about it? For once even my orthodox uncle, who wrote me off was proud to see my pic in the news paper :-).
To conclude i don''t know what's in store for me. I will pursue in silence until the last moment, whether it be running or life. Over to my next goal, for an adventure in Himalayas. Wake me up when September comes!!!!!!!!!!!
PS: I Couldn't resist myself from using the above pictures. I was very emotional when i saw those pics initially and decided to use them in my blog. Apologies for copy rights.
You can follow us on strava
Kaushik : https://www.strava.com/athletes/15821503
Sandeep: https://www.strava.com/athletes/22447165?oq=sandeep%20
Venkat: https://www.strava.com/athletes/12306794?oq=venkat
Tej : https://www.strava.com/athletes/13718091?oq=tej
Ankur: https://www.strava.com/athletes/15797241?oq=ankur
