A hectic work trip on Friday.
Slept at 3 am on Friday.
A Ridiculously packed Saturday.
Slept at midnight on Saturday.
Slept 8 hours in 48 hours.
Paid the price on Sunday.
I head out for my 20 km run at 5.30 am. Amidst self doubt I plod along. I was sure that this was one run I would not finish on my feet. At the 3.5km mark, Vishal and me passed by Reshma, Jasmine and Pankti. Jasmine reminded me of my previous blog, where I had ignored the weather and had just run. Today, I had forgotten my own words , as I looked for excuses. Humidity. Heat.
Thank you Jasmine. Your words took me far. I kept repeating that mantra in my head, as we reached the 10 km mark. There we met Rahul, who pushed us both, at in incredible pace. Soon enough, I ran out of wind. Memories from SCMM 2012 cam
e flooding back as I felt my legs solidifying and I walked up 400 m on Peddar Road. There at HSBC, Rahul was waiting to pull me along. And then there was no looking back. We raced back at a sub- 6 pace……I overcame a few moments of complete breakdown, as my running partners did not let me stop!
65 mins to go 10km
59 mins to return…including walking and all drama!
20 km.One of the hardest runs of my life.
All these days, I was confident and self assured. But today a small crack allowed the flood gates to open! The wall came crashing down. Weather and incline became factors in my life again! I allowed it all to get to me. I created room in my head for doubts to creep in.
After this crackling finish, Vishal and I walked back to car, ready to crash. But not Rahul. He went back for another 4km, after his 21 with us, to pace Abbas and Dev who completed a whopping 60 km run in this treacherous weather! These stalwarts completed an Ultramarathon! Hats Off!
Every day can’t be a good day. I know that. So I hang in through the bad runs,hopefully my next run will erase this memory. Reflecting on the Sunday run, I look for positives. Alteast I was out there. Running. I fought the exhaustion and my ghosts. Post run, I was on top of the world, floating, as my legs were numb!
I learn, on the days when you don’t feel like a run, are the ones when you need it the most. There is a different sense of accomplishment we feel when we complete something which we never thought is possible.
“Your body will argue that there is no justifiable reason to continue. Your only recourse is to call on your spirit, which fortunately functions independently of logic.”
– Tim Noakes
Professor, runner in more than 70 marathon and ultra-distance event
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