My first serious run ever – at 29 – like they say better late… 🙂 I registered last year and was running for Kilikili. We participated in the costume thingie last year and we won a 2nd prize. That was the high and running with the costume was out of the question. I am not sure I would have been able to run in any case in the shape I was in! 😉
This year the focus was to run and I did. Yay! 🙂 I had a sprain in my left foot coz of a broken byke pedal and was really not sure I could do it that too with zero training. Wanted to sleep on time but was doing this article for Citizen Matters on the run and it kept me pretty bizy last 2 days. Woke up at 5:30 and yet managed to get late for the Open 10K run. I chose to run for Saahas this year and possibly participate for the costume thingie again with Saahas. Was looking for the team first thing I reached the place and I was shocked to find that entering from one gate gave you access only to a few sections of the stadium unlike the last year. I was a volunteer with Bangalore Cares last year and was able to move around pretty freely – was disappointed with the unecessary restrictions this year – when one of the volunteers told me one of the gates was entry only I almost lost it. Couldn’t meet anybody in the chaos so went to the Gate 5 for the run. Joined two friends and started off at 8:30 – too many people and 20 minutes past the start time only half the people had started running! 😀
As soon as I began to run I remembered I need to answer some call – had taken a good deal of water! 🙂 Thought would stop at the first loo on the way! Started with an easy pace as was suggested in a workshop organized by Rang De. Was hoping the legs won’t hurt with light steps and did pretty well for first 5kms. First short break for water after 3kms the next one on completing 5 kms with some glucose. The loos had long queues in front of them. Looked like I was not the only one who taken too much water! 😉
Each km after that was an effort. Surprisingly I was not out of breath just that my calf muscles began to hurt. I was taking long breaths and only throught the nose which helped – something I learnt from the yoga at Art of Living. I belive the regular byking of 15-20km helped and so also the Kalaripayitu lessons – all the while I wished my swimming was on!!! Why it is off is another story we can save for another time! 😉 The legs gave way simply coz they have never been trained for a run! 😀 I have them dipped in hot water even as I type this… 🙂
I took several breaks in the 6th through 8th km during which I did use the loo (wat a relief! :D). I bumped into the friend who had sped off during the begining of the race! 😉 Was out of water but din’t want to touch the god forsaken KINGFISHER bottles which like last year were again out on the roads despite our many efforts with the organizers not to use them but I guess sponosors have all the say!!! Arrived back at Kanteerva in around 70 minutes. Not bad for the very first run ever! 🙂
I had to rush to another workshop so couldn’t help the Saahas team that was working on clearing up the streets and the refreshment counter asking people to use the bins (hard to believe u need to educate people about such simple things!!!). I even missed the costume thignie but I am just glad I ran for them with a lovely T shirt! 🙂
All in all good fun except the plastic bottles which have been dealt with this time by Saahas despite the COLD response for volunteering for the same. Hoping this issue is taken more seriously next year. Have begun work on that! 🙂
A friend had shared this inspiring quote –
“Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must move faster than the fastest lion or it will not survive. Every morning a lion wakes up and it knows it must move faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn’t matter if you are the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up, you’d better be running” – Roger Bannister.
Personally, I would neither be the lion or the gazelle but the good old dodo who would rather continue to sleep! 😀
I m glad I ran – now I m thinking of the duathlon in June but irrespective will consider running more often seriously. If a dodo such as me can do it so can u! 🙂