Each of us ,in our daily lives struggles, for things small and big. Some of us invite some struggle by setting goals for seemingly difficult events like the Marathon. Following is the story of a man who has seen the face of death, and emerged a winner.

It all started from the battle field of Kargil War in 1999, when Major Devender Pal Singh suffered heavy injuries in direct action with enemy to the tune of being declared dead on arrival to the hospital. Luck favoured Maj Singh to revive him from the deathbed but not without taking away his right leg. As per medical authorities he stands to be 100% disabled.

Major Singh had the option of leaving himself to destiny or to choose to fight back the situation and lead by example. The fighter in him chose the latter. By successfully completing numerous marathons, Maj Singh has substantiated the fact that what matters is not the disability but your ability to change the challenges into strengths.

With his maiden efforts, Maj Singh became the first person in India to run Marathons on Artificial limb and first ever to run on Blade prosthesis (a type of running prosthesis used for professional amputee athletes). He owns two Limca records for both the achievements.

Major is a man of modest means and a trip to the States is no doubt expensive. At this juncture it is possible only if there is a sponsor for this. We request you to come forward and support Major D P Singh to keep the Tiranga high and flying. Meeting with Hanger Inc is confirmed for July 22nd at Oklahoma city.

With the prosthesis that Hangar will provide, not only can he better his marathons, but also participate in other athletic and adventure activities. This will also pave a way for him to represent his country in the Paralympic Games.

click here for his Facebook page…https://www.facebook.com/MajorDPSingh/app_194572280701686

A 40,000$ fully equipped running prosthetics will be sponsored by them. He needs sponsorship for Travel, Stay, Extra Socket and Prosthesis accessories which will approximately come to 20,000$ ( roughly 12,00,000 INR)

Read more about Hanger Corporation:http://www.hanger150.com

You can make your contributions via cash- Savio can collect it- or I can on Sunday.

OR

online transfer.
Name: Devender Pal Singh
Account number: 016301002194
Bank: ICICI Bank Ltd

Key words: “ Real” or “Imagined”

The perception of reality is only in the mind. It needs to be strong enough to recognise it.

Last Wednesday. Another scheduled hill run. A sense of dread overcomes me. as much as I enjoy and look forward to my looooong Sunday runs, I HATE the hill Workout.

As I started my workout, my goal was only to run it non stop, however slow that would be. I ran with Rajesh, at a pace which was more like a fast walk. Rajesh is a steady runner. I have never seen him give up or speak in a defeatist tone. Once he sets his goal, he rests only once it is completed. He always runs with a heart rate monitor. For a little bit during the hill run, Yash A
sher was with us. His advice to Rajesh was, to ditch the monitor, because it plays with your mind! The mind is very fickle!!! Anything can scare it!!!

TRUTH.

Our mind determines our actions. The more we fear failure, the greater the chances of failure. I realise my mistake . The repetitive statements about my intense dislike of the hills has actually fuelled my negativity.

It reiterates my fear.

It haunts me when I run.

It makes each step harder.

It weighs me down.

I need to tackle this head on. As Rajesh said at the beginning of the run, that I should be saying “ I love hills”. Now I understand why. I need to make the enemy my ally.

I need to change my beliefs regarding pain and fatigue. I view these feelings as feelings of failure. Instead, they are an opportunity to experience a breakthrough in my personal level of achievement. I am feeling pain and fatigue because I have pushed myself closer to the perceived limit of my ability. How great will it be to push through these feelings and come out on the other side, now with limitless possibilities? Shift my mindset from the negative to the positive and all of the sudden pain and fatigue are no longer enemies, but friends. Friends running with you on your way to achieving your goal. Pain is weakness leaving my body.

I ran the hills. All 12 km. I was steady in the first half, but i wanted to give up in the second half. I went ahead only because Savio said that I could leave out the last hill. Relieved that my agony would end early, I went on. Upon reaching the last hill I went ahead and finished that as well. I just Could not bear the thought of giving up.

I finished it. But I walked a lot. I have up at many points instead of staying and fighting it out.

Post run, Savio had very encouraging words. After two weeks he says, when you’re stronger, you will be able to complete the entire 14 km circuit with ease. I look forward to that.I let my fear control me. My fear was controlling my mind. Now my mind will control my body, as will have the will to conquer the hills. I need to empower myself.

The first time I ever ran the hills- 3 years ago- my reaction was: “the hills are alive, and my legs are dead!”

Next week, I hope to say, “Thank you, for the hills, and strength for climbing.”

“Hills. We love them. We hate them. They make us strong. They make us weak. Today I chose to embrace hills.”
-Hal Higdon, running writer and coach

Last Sunday( 9^th June) , the energy of the group was amazing. It was drizzling as we all gathered to start our run, and everyone was keen to push the mileage up. It was a beautiful first run in the rain!

This was followed by a crazy hill workout on Wednesday. I think even Savio got carried away because of the fabulous weather , and upped our workout from the usual 10k to 12k. In general, I hate hill workouts, but on that day, running down hanging gardens it felt like I was flying. The wind was whispering sweet nothings in my ear as I went downhill.

Friday saw another run in the rain, and I was even tempted to run on Saturday! Albeit a very short one, which was more like a stroll!

Come Sunday( 18^th June).

Another dark, rainy morning.

We headed out as a large group with a lot of camaraderie, tom foolery, and careless abandon. It was going to be a breeze. The usual 15 km. Out we went at an easy pace, but on the return, it seemed as if the devil got into us, as we all flew, one faster than the other! As we started from Nariman Point the iconic skyline was set against dark grey clouds, but on the return, there was only blankness as heavy rain obscured the vista.

Somewhere along the return, near the BabulnathTemple, at about Kilometer 8 or 9 I felt raindrops falling on me.

Each drop entering my subconscious,  awakening me.

My heart was beating steadily.

My feet moving rhythmically.

My breathing was regular.

Lush greenery surrounded me.

I was in perfect harmony with all around me.

I smiled.

It was a perfect moment.

This is what I live for. I have learnt, that it is not possible ( or should I say –it is very difficult) to have a perfect life. But life can be a collection of “Perfect Moments”. These can come at the most unexpected time, all we need to do is recognise them and capture them in our memory box. They become ours to treasure forever!

Much to my surprise, Porus finished ahead of the pack and I was second in line! What a run it was….incessant rain, vacillating between a gentle drizzle and pounding sleet. After we completed the stipulated 16 k- and on a whim Porus and I decided to run home! This would add another 5k to our bag. 21k!!!!It would be our first half marathon of the season. We trotted along at an easy pace, chatting about life and things like that.

Each raindrop reinforcing our insanity.

Each raindrop etching this Perfect morning in our memory.

We had a great day. We made the most of it.

Carpe dium…………….

On googling it, I discovered that it is a 92 year old race, which has been run 88 times, all years except World War 2, since 1921 ( with only 34 runners) from Durban to Pietemaritzburg, with alternating up and down runs, beginning on a road and ending in a stadium, with a total elevation of 810m. It has 5 hills along the course, known as the Big five. The race is capped at 18,000 entrants and a 12 hour cut-off.

This is probably the only race in the world where the spectators care more about the last person to finish than the winner! As I watched the live telecast I could feel the deafening silence. I had goose bumps as the look of despair on the runners who remained on the other side of the line. I cannot even imagine what it feels like to having come this far, and then being unable to complete the race.

It is arguably the world’s greatest ultramarathon where athletes challenge their mind and body over approximately 89 long km.

Most of us who know Sushant (a national level 800m champion), know that he is obsessed with discipline in food and exercise. Maybe that’s the kind of commitment a race of this calibre demands. We have seen him work single mindedly towards his goal. Talent, ambition and dedication. Unbeatable.

Neepa Sheth. I have known her since I was a child, and a couple of years ago, my mother told me that Neepa and her husband had run “some long race”. From what I knew of Neepa, she was never an athlete in school. What she has accomplished today is purely an outcome of her and Amit’s choices. Their hard work has brought them on the forefront of the Indian running scene.

Amit said,” 4 years ago when I went to run the Comrades Marathon, I had taken a risk, a leap of faith. I had ventured into an area unfamiliar to me. I had moved outside my zone of comfort. I have become more comfortable with the Certainty of Misery while I run the Comrades.”

We learn……these are ordinary people, people like you and me, who have chosen the extraordinary path. This is where their greatness lies.

A runner develops quiet resolve as he commits himself to a distance. Any distance. It is a challenge either by way of pace or distance.

The faith that he puts in himself will help him to overcome his fears. Self doubts will not disappear but they will minimize as training will make confidence grow.

“ It is very hard in the beginning to understand that whole idea is not to run to beat others. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.”

-Dr. George Sheehan, Marathoner, author of

 8 running books

I am running only for myself. I need to be completely honest with myself. I need to strip myself bare of all pretences in order to connect with my inner strength.

The core of my being will take me to the place I want to reach.

“Pushing your body beyond what you thought it was capable of is easy, the hard part is pushing yourself even further……past what your mind wants to let you. That’s what Ultrarunning is all about; introducing you to a self you’ve never known.”

– Rex Pace 

-Rex Pace, Ultramarathoner.

On my way back, as I passed by chowpatty beach, I saw fluffy white
clouds set against a deep blue sky, the sea was glimmering against the
soft lonely sand. I was seeing my city for the first time. But the
sights, sounds and smells seemed so familiar. Déjà vu.

Maybe this was a part of the effect of the hiatus.

That morning, as I set my usual 5.15 am Sunday alarm, I looked for one
valid reason for why I should run. Just because I was back in Bombay,
it hardly meant that I should traumatise myself again. Yes, I was
killing myself pre- Goa, (and loving it!) but that could remain a
memory. As I looked for reasons not to wake up, I could not find any
reasons to sleep in either! Habit got the better of me and the memory
of the sanctity of a Sunday Run egged me on. And there I was…………….

Little waves of joy ran through my body as the endorphins kicked in.

I was happy……
Glad that I gave up my sleep…..
Delighted that I was foolish enough to attempt a 13.5 km circuit run
post a week of lethargy.

Thrilled to meet all my friends, as positivity radiated all around
with words of encouragement mingled with mindless banter.

I was back to the place where I belonged.

Come Wednesday, it was the dreaded 800s workout. Logic tried to get
the better of me as I made a mental list:
Savio was not there- he’s on his break in Goa!
It’s the worst workout in the world.
In the most sweltering weather.
And
Rahul gently reminded me, it was the night of an exciting IPL semi final.

I look forward to days when I will breeze through my run.
But I also know that every day cannot be my day.
I am happy to Persevere.

Hard work is the only thing that will get me through this. Plodding through the forest one day after another, I move by putting one foot in front of the other. As I enter the forest the journey seems mildly challenging. The terrain is simple and the path is straightforward. Of course it’s harder than travelling along a straight road, but that’s the joy one gets while facing a challenge! Adding the Tuesday and Thursday track workouts to my schedule doesn’t seem daunting, and the strengthening post workout gets easier with each passing day and in the long run I envision myself flying across the finish line on race day.

As I ramble along amidst the trees and the occasional upturned root, my senses become keener, as the increasing foliage dims the light. This is when instead of the easy run; I take on savio’s advice and do fartlek. As these workouts become intense I make the most of any clear area which allows me to sprint.  The easy 300s I do really easily and conserve my strength for the tougher days which require my entire being to focus and not give up

IT IS ONLY DETERMINATION THAT IS ABLE TO VANQUISH PHYSICAL EXHAUSTION.

The hanging garden hill repeats came in the thickest of the thicket! As we ran up the grueling 900m slope for the fourth time, my quads screamed for relief. Only dogged determination took me through my last rep! Now I am in the middle of jungle. No light, no path, only oppressive heat. A long fight ahead. Suddenly gnarled roots appear, tangled vines surround me and it becomes virtually impossible to move with the same tempo as before. . I need to keep moving in the right direction, be it small steps, but steps all the same. These moments of despair give one courage to withstand difficult days, build endurance and forge ahead towards the light

I will soon approach the mountain from where the real climb will begin.

As with learning anything new, be it music art or a sport, the beginning seems simple and fun, giving an illusion, that mastering it is within striking distance. Slow and steady progress clears the mist off this as reality stares me in the face…crystal clear…

HE CONQUERS WHO ENDURES…

In theory, we think that we know exactly what we need to do to improve, as a runner, at work or with any other skill. Talking about running per se, for me it includes:

1. Tempo Training
2. Core Workout
3. Negative Split Theory
4. Cross Training
5. Yoga / Stretching

This is a starting list, and I’m sure more experienced runners have one that is much more exhaustive.

The point remains, that in order for me to better my eventual result I need to change my training. Intensify it. I cannot continue doing what I have been doing for the past 2 years and expect a dramatic change in my skill.

Yesterday (Sunday) I ran with Mulraj and Rakesh. Both of them experienced runners, who are a notch above me. As I started, I thought to myself, I only need to keep up with them till halfway. Then I can fade away………further they planned to run 15km which was a bit much for me, so I simply planned to ditch them at the 6km mark and turn around and run  back at my slow easy pace.( This is a complete deviation for the training plan that I should be following as per above!)

With friendly banter we reached the 6km mark. As I said good bye, they surprised me and said that they would return with me!!!! There went my escape plan……..

Along the next couple of slow easy kilometers , they discussed various strategies on how to pick up pace for the last 4km. Fartlek or Indian File….??? My heart just sank!

My trial had begun.

My head was trying to work out the most feasible way to evade this trauma……my defense was -“I am a frail woman”! This was shot down in one second by Rakesh who said that hence they as men, needed to escort me till the very end…..DOOM!

I was leading the first leg of the Indian file from Mafatlal Bath, and was out of breath by the end of my kilometer at the signal. I slowed to a walk and told them to carry on. BUT NO!

Past the flyover, Rakesh lead the pack. Huffing and puffing I managed to keep up until the last 20 m, when I gave up. They slowed down as well…….allowing me to catch my breath. Then Mulraj shifted the gears into cruise control for the last kilometer. Oh my! I felt my lungs would burst as I followed Rakesh’s advice to lengthen my stride and Mulraj’s to move my arms vigorously! What a finish! I was dead! I had an out of body experience……the pace was unnatural…..my mental state was surreal. I was in a new place. An unfamiliar place. I have to visit this place often and make it my own. This is where I need to be.  A place which is bang on my path to a new training plan.

Post run breakfast was in the honor of the 100 length swimmers at CCI.  5 of them- Byram, Zarir, Rupali, Vidhi and Rajesh, swim as well as they run, or maybe better! They swam 2.3 km in under an hour. A place where I want to be. A group I aspire to join.

Rakesh and Mulraj- runners I aspire to keep up with.

Motivation , hardwork and DIScomfort will get me there.

I have used this graphic before, but this seems to exemplify the current phase of my life.

BUT

DoorStepSchool needed funds- so we decided to help them.

We thought of the one thing that we know how to do. Run!

Fall back on the one circle that has become our family. The Runners!

We run every Sunday- just one Sunday, soon, would be different as we would all contribute….and run for a cause. This simple thought spiralled out of control once people started pitching in in various ways. Our small thought multiplied manifold!

So many of you showed up for the spirit of it…changed plans, got out of hibernation, the injured ones came as volunteers just to be apart of the event, and some spread the word so far that we struggled with the numbers! It has been a humbling experience.

For so many years now we have run for ourselves, for the joy of running. We drive ourselves crazy over hills, over timing, over pace and of course trying to beat the clock for the elusive sub 2 or sub-4! This time it would be a little different! The motivation was something bigger.

We got so many good wishes. I guess the beauty of it was that we did what we enjoyed, and did good at the same time.

I new thing I have learnt from a wise runner:

Make Every Run Count.

Yes, we did make it count. We did make a difference.

            Run to Make a Difference : 9k / 15 k : NCPA

First Edition

Rs. 2,61,000

92 runners

1217 km

It’s a question I’ve asked myself often.

There comes a point in every marathon, usually around km 30 when I start to ask myself why I’m here, doing this to myself.  At km 36 start promising myself that I’ll never do this again. Its hard work, its not fun, why would anyone do this to themselves, and no way, not ever again, will I do another one of these.
So far I’ve run 2 marathons, and 11 halfs.
Are we just gluttons for punishment?   Or are we just plain crazy?  People who don’t run, or have never run the 42.2 k monster, don’t get it.  Before I ran one myself, it wasn’t so much that I didn’t get it, but it was more that I didn’t think I would ever be able to run that far.  I didn’t think I was physically strong enough.  At the time, I didn’t understand that physically it’s simply a matter of training and building up to a certain endurance level.

But I also know that it’s much, much more than that.  In fact, I would say that running a marathon is actually more mental than physical.  For me personally, it’s about 99% mental.
It takes a certain type of person to run marathons. We are obsessed people who read everything we can about running and improving, and we’re tough.  We do what it takes, and not crossing the finish line is never an option.

Karen Armstrong, a historian, has the following theory  The mythology of the hero most probably began in the paleolithic age, and was part of the Indian subconscious from time immemorial. Rama, Krishna and Arjuna. All seemingly ordinary people, put in an extraordinary situation. All cultures have developed a similar mythology about the heroic quest.  The hero feels that there is something missing in his own life. So he leaves home and endures death-defying adventures.  He fights monsters, climbs inaccessible mountains, traverses dark forests and, in the process, dies to his old self, and gains a new insight or skill, which he brings back to his people. They rise to the occasion.

When people told these stories about the heroes of their lands, they were not simply hoping to entertain their listeners.  The myth tells us what we have to do if we want to become a fully human person.  Every single one of us has to be a hero at some time in our lives.

There are parallels of a hero’s journey and running a marathon. You cannot be a hero unless you are prepared to give up everything; there is no ascent to the heights without a prior descent into darkness, no new life without some form of death.  Throughout our lives, we all find ourselves in situations in which we come face to face with the unknown and the myth of the hero shows us how we should behave.

This is where the entire idea of running a marathon as a hero’s journey comes together for me.  Even when we train for 4 months and do a couple of 30 km runs, we don’t really know what lies ahead when we stand at the start line of our first marathon.  We’re embarking on a road we’ve never travelled before.  There’s the reason people say “The race begins at 32 km “.

For most runners, going beyond your previous longest distance is uncharted territory, your very own personal “descent into darkness.”  Even if you’re running your 5th marathon, something happens to body and mind around the 34 km mark that pushes you into a place you don’t often visit.

But when you persevere, when you go beyond the parameters of your old expectations and abilities, when you cross that finish line, you truly do die to your old self.  The person who wears the medal at the finish line is not the same person who stood nervously at the start line.  Sure, afterwards, life goes on, you go back to work in a few days, but you’ve changed.  You’ve learned something about yourself that can only be experienced by going farther than you’ve ever gone.
This journey is nothing less than the adventure of the hero–the adventure of being alive.
It’s a journey of your own making, and the only person you can trust to reach the end is yourself .  You have to trust that everything you’ve taught yourself up to that point is going to work, and that everything you rely on will do its job successfully:  your legs, your mind, your strength, your endurance, your focus, your spirit, and your belief in yourself.  When it all comes together, when you finish the race, no matter what metaphorical monsters, inaccessible mountains, or dark forests you had to travel through, or all the years of being nonathletic, unmotivated, lazy, or whatever shadow chases you, no matter how long it took you to get there, you become a hero to yourself.

SCMM 2013- 4 hours 33 mins.

However, Savio has changed the strategy. Distance is not a challenege anymore….he says, its about the Time! There is no need to run long. Instead, run Fast!

We, who are used to chugging along at an easy pace, kilometre after kilometre while solving the world’s problems and cracking bad jokes, are now forced out of our comfort zone. Wake up and smell the coffee!!!Oh no!

Question :

Will you run 30 km at the pace of 6.5 min/km or 10km at the pace of 5.30 min/km?I pick 30k anyday………

So here I was on a Friday morning with Sunil, Rahul and Ninad. As per the new mantra- I was keeping up with them. Faster pace, shorter distance and my mind was in a place it had never seen before. Huffing and puffing. It was so hard. I struggled with a protesting mind, but kept going.

I could see the end of my 10k run, a kilometre down, where I would make a right turn and head home. Thank god! Suddenly, Rahul tells the others to make the turn with me! Huh!!!! NO! I possibly couldn’t continue beyond the point….a point where I had said I would stop! i told them all to carry on as per their usual route so that I could get a breather.

Obviously another kilometre at that pace would have not killed me – as I did run the last 200m at killer pace. It was my mind that had given up. I was craving to be back in my comfort zone. I “jogged” home- slowly.

I was reluctant to run beyond my predetermined point, and worse, lazy to run at a pace where I needed to put in effort.

Mulraj, a superb Marathoner, who has knicked 15 minuets off in each race- over the last 4 runs, has some advise for me.

In Thane, its only a half- so either it should be  sub-2 ( my dream finish) or it should be 2.45- as you killed yourself trying. So run like hell, run with discomfort, that’s the only way to achieve your target.

This is the truth.

“Long is the way, and hard, that out of Hell leads, upto Light.”

– Milton, paradise Lost- Book 2