Just like any other goal in your life, the shorter milestones are to be met to have long lasting impact. The story with endurance running needs to built and short distance running shows you the path to long distance running. My story of converting myself from a casual runner to some serious running began by not being selected for corporate relay team and the only reason was for not making the 50 minute cutoff for a 10km run.
The picture explains how underprepared was i to qualify the prequisite of the team.
I was heartbroken for sure and that made me realise that taking up running to tone your body can do wonders but you dont make the cut to the top pace runners and so the journey began of some serious running. Personal Best (P.B) was the term often overhead post evey run, where runners either happy, unhappy, disappointed, elated etc.. you name it and the emotions were right around the corner. Chasing somebody else’s goal can make you the victim, hence the path to fix any imperfections had to be chosen wisely. Fast running isn’t a day job as the much needed strength and dedication needs to be put in consistently to make that P.B count.
After a thorough thought process and N number of practice runs coupled with strength workouts and efficient diet plan, I could make it to the core corporate relay team and yes, this was indeed a effort put right to ensure every minute spent is accounted for.
While the journey continued and chasing podiums became the immediate goal while being in the team, the stress levels were rising as you had to balance between your professional, personal and your passion for running.
5km runs graduated to 10kms to 21kms to 30kms to 42kms and the momentum continued.
One fine day it made me feel that the love for running isnt always beating your personal bests but to be able to continue running at a joyful pace and still be able to meet your targets consistently. Now, that had to come naturally without bearing any kind of pressure.
Again comes a thought process, revisiting your learnings back and forth, knowledge sharing with fellow runners, constant lookout for motivation to find an approach that could lead to unbiased achievements. I came across a read that running can help you meditate and at the same time keep your happiness at par.
ULTRARUNNING had the answers to my questions. A lone survivor in the battlefield is a feeling that you tend to coin in your life when it comes to long distance running. This had to be carefully curated and the time on feet was going to drastically increase by many folds. I attempted and finished my first 50kms run and the utter experience of it gave me the lesson of lifetime. Since then, challenging myself became a hobby and goals being set were not hollow. It was backed up taking up the passion of running to the next level. Some people call it the Beast mode. This harmony of exploring different terrains and farther the distance is the answer to my NEXT BIG WHAT. And to my consciousness, the After-party had to continue.
“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must, just never give up” – Anonymous