Leap of Faith

One of the reasons I signed up for a 42.2 Kms at the Inaugural Bengaluru marathon was traveling to Electronics city at 5:00 am did not seem appealing!

Kanteerava stadium was close to home and getting there at 5:00 am just proved logistically simpler!

So I did it!

That was one of the reasons!

The main reason was of course to meet one of the goals I had set for myself!

Running a 42.2 Km full marathon before I turned 42

The years passed since I started with my first official 10 K in 2009, the 42 still seemed elusive!

21.1 happened, a 25 happened, a 35 in training too went by, even registered for a 42.2 a few years back, but it never did happen!

And so with the passing years, mind and body started giving up!

This year was different, I took a vow to get back to pursuing goals!

Easier said than done.

The year did start well, with the Oxfam trailwallker and sporadic running to stay fit for the walk.

Pinkathon in February, Contours womens day run 10 K in March, TCS 10 K in May.

This was not enough to meet a 42.2 km goal.

Registrations for the Bengaluru marathon started in April/May and I registered for it, hoping that would get me moving beyond 10 Km runs!

I read about how to run a marathon and if the time left was enough to run the distance injury free and comfortably.

All negative....

It did seem like I had missed the boat!

Not one to give up a good opportunity to run my maiden marathon on home ground, else the thought of traveling to Chennai in December was not so encouraging, the next one was Auroville in February, which would be too close to the Oxfam trailwalker and may not have been possible.

So I set out! On my own!

To do it!

I had to get to a 42.2 from a mere 10 Km running!

Which was not an easy feat, because this required more determined, disciplined and focused work outs!

Not easy on your own!

First things first! I signed up with the Reebok Running Squad at  Cubbon park for weekend work outs!

Was not easy, the waking up in the mornings was easy, but the working out was not!

I decided after 2 weeks I was not a “lets do this together” person!

And I needed my weekends for long runs!!

I reworked on my strategy.

Made an announcement to a few close friends in July that I had decided to go the whole distance this year!

June and July were my dry months! Runkeeper really missed me and it lacked recording any substantial distances!

My friends started questioning me, I kept putting it off!

But, I had a reputation and they believed in me more than I did in my abilities and to many I was their role model! I could not let them down!

Mid July saw a worried me!

I created my training plan. Crash course, I knew it was not enough!

The goal: 42.2 at 41.1

Time: 3 months!

Strengths: Determination!

Weakness: Indiscipline

Opportunity:3 months

Threats: irregular, heavy premenopausal bleeding every 22 days!

I spoke to friends who had done a few full marathons and decided to work out my own schedule.

This is how my training went:

Day 1 -abs, squats and lunges for 1 hour

Day 2- intervals- school day, so had only a one hour work out time

Day 3 -rest

Day 4 - 10 Km or 1 hour run

Day 5- Suryanamaskar for about 30 mins

Day 6 -long run starting with 12 Kms to be built to 35 kms

Day 7-cross training for 1 hour ( cycling)

Did I stick to this schedule?

I tried! I did!

I felt my body responding to the work outs, but no weight loss at all!

The beer and socializing was minimized to only absolutely necessary levels.

The journey was tough, weekends were about me, I avoided all motherly, daughterly responsibilities and felt guilty.

My parents and kids were extremely supportive though I had not disclosed that I was doing a 42.2 kms which would involve 6 hours of running!

I had taken the support of one person I trust most and had helped me when I had wanted to move beyond running a 5 km.

Having gone through an ailment, which had him indoors and out of the running circuit for the better part of the year, he was my strength.

He and his family were so strong this past year and I drew strength from them and I wanted to run this marathon for him!

There were other friends whom I could talk to and tell them I was scared about it and they would listen to me and never judge the fragile and weak me! Instead slowly pushed me to just do it!

Then there were my girl-friends, amazing bunch who were my cheer girls! Every weekend after a long run, they applauded!

And then it happened!! A 41^st birthday, a sudden week long travel to the US and throwing your whole body rhythm out of place!

Took a week to get back on track and again the fear of was it too late!

5 must haves a month before a marathon:

Good shoes- don’t change or think of changing them now! It’s too late!

Confidence- atleast one good strong long run of 30 Kms

Positive friends- who can tell you that you can and believe in you

Confidants – someone – runners-you can talk to about your fears and let them guide you

Clothes- the right clothes makes all the difference- do a test run of your clothes including undergarments atleast on 2 long runs.

I was happy.

I had done quite a few long runs, was eating right, was mentally ready.

I was slow, but completing the run within 6 hours was my goal.

A few days before the D-day were my most stressful days at work.

Late nights, calls, excel sheets, unable to wake up early, weak runs.  Stress eating!

The week before the marathon had my biggest fear- would I get my periods on time!

I had calculated and re calculated the dates- but with all the stress and hormones fluctuating, it seemed like I was in red zone!

The week of the run saw me giving up!

My biggest fear had come true!

Spotting since the previous Saturday, for 3 days, to a 2 day delay in periods and all my hopes and dreams came crashing.

A whole week of inactivity and cramps.

Work stress making things worse.

On Wednesday evening I gave up. Completely dejected I shunned all friends as well and ended up just sleeping.

Thursday saw a tired, upset me with no energy left to even wake up and move.

I went through the motions of going to work, not talking about the run.

I even collected the bib on Thursday with very little hopes left. I was in a bad shape.

Friday, had me rush through work since I had plans of taking the whole Diwali week off from work.

I decided to put my faith in the powers above and prayed! And told my friends to pray! I knew that was all that would help now.

I wanted to run. I had a goal to meet, I had a passion to fulfill.

That was when I checked out the Adidas pacers.

Not being a runner who ran with any trained groups, it becomes difficult for me to run at their pace or carry on  conversations.

But this situation demanded support.

So I mailed the pacers and decided to meet them on Saturday.

If I did decide to run, if I could, I would need support. It was no more on my own.

That was the best decision I had taken in the months leading towards running a marathon.

Saturday was a rushed day, 18^th October was one rare Saturday that my alarm did not wake me up at 4:00 am in the past 3 months!!

I had music class, shopping, trying to eat right, meet the pacers and conserving energy.

I could not eat, still unsure of running or not the next day.

I stayed away from talking to people save 2 or 3 close friends who message me to wish me and were willing to come and cheer if I did run.

There were others who were willing to run alongside me if I needed it!

 With so much of positive folks around me, I had to do it!

I willed myself to wake up just fine to run...

At 3:00 am, I felt good enough to take the leap of faith!