"Am I climbing a mountain, only faster? Oh my God, look at that slope; I can see the whole world from here. And I have to run on THAT elevation. WHAT!" This is only a fraction of what was going on in my brain, which I'm quite sure was bobbing up and down in my skull with every step I took.
I ran my first timed 10k with Ajmera Life Is Calling Half Marathon & 10K. And I'm alive! Considering the elevation chart of the race course, I was quite sure I'm going to die running.
Having started running only in May 2014, thanks to my awesome runner husband for inspiring me, participating in this event was a big thing for me. A hundred different thoughts troubled me before race day. "Will I be able to run the whole distance? Will my ankles, the thinnest parts of my body, be able to take the whole, heavy 65kgs on them? Will I be the last to finish the race?"
While I was crawling, there were runners who were flying. I could see wings on their feet. Oh, wait, I must have been hallucinating seeing the slope ahead!
Although I hated the slopes, I loved the whole experience. It was most wonderful to see so many people, all ready to rock it and run on a Sunday morning when their peers must have been well asleep. The organizers had done an impressive job too. The aid stations were at every 2km, and the cheering group dancing to the drums did bring a smile to many a runners' faces. There were ambulances, internal medicine facilities with beds, and physicians and physiotherapists to help the worn out runners. And of course, the breakfast. It was the best I had after any running event. It was overall a great Sunday morning indeed.
Coming back to running. When you're running your first race, even if not for competing or a podium finish, doing it takes some self-motivation. And motivate myself I did, before and during the run! Finishing the 10K run in 1hr 21mins is one of my biggest achievements since I've ventured into the world of running. I've taken the first step. And I'm not going to stop.
I know exactly what you felt Deepti. Wow, what an experience - for body, mind and soul. My first ever 10 K run ever! With just one 5 K practice run, after a decade of indulgence, inactivity and sloth, I somehow managed to displace the distance between my dangerously comfy couch and my rear on that historic Sunday morning! The first 2 kms were pure bliss. After that inhuman slope, I felt that my legs were going to fall off, and that my flat treadmill runs were an utter waste, especially after seeing a 8 year old and a 80 year old pass me! I thought I was pacing that 8 year old when in fact after a few kms I realized was pacing me! Mrinal was his name. And I owe this time and run to him. He ran all the way. 10 kms. We both finished together. 1 hour 24 mins. When every other runner was cheering him, I re directed all that positive energy for my personal motivation as well. Was that selfish? The famous laws of conservation of mass and energy don't apply here. More positive energy breeds even more positive energy snowballing into an upward spiral. Catapulted into a universe where your body doesn't belong to you anymore. It is uplifted and spurred on by your fellow mates and their unbounded energy all around you. :-)
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