Yesterday I ran in the 10k category of the Chennai Half Marathon and I finished 8th in women! I mean my timing was not great (just about 60 minutes) but the city boasts such terriblly humid conditions that we were all struggling to push past that heaviness that envelopes you through the run.
I was out of breath at the 3.7k mark and had no idea what my timing was but the marathon itself was so brilliantly organised and the atmosphere was so amazing that I genuinely wanted to give my best. Honestly it was one of the most organised runs I have been to so far. Everything from collection of the bibs to the goody bag was so brilliant that I was simply impressed right from the get go.
But then the night before the run, the city saw heavy heavy rains with thundershowers! I was really worried that it may not stop raining but thankfully it stopped around 11.30pm and I got a few good hours of sleep. I woke up at 3.45am and ate a banana. Then stretched really really well for a good 20 minutes. I wore my socks, my shoes and I wore my running belt too because I wanted to carry my cellphone during the run. My MP3 player was charged and I was as ready as I could be. Reached the venue at around 4.30pm and the atmosphere was electric.
The organisers had thought of everything and while they were showing the crowd to do the Zumba (I HATE Zumba), I went off with other regular runners where we did our own set of warms up and stretches...no matter what kind of warm up these events boast, most runners I know prefer their own routine and generally chuck these Zumba warmups. Stretched again and that's when I noticed that I was already sweating and thirsty.
The problem is that I run in Bangalore, where the temperatures are low and boasts almost no humid conditions. The only problems I have faced are my knees as the roads go up and down quite often and I am already recovering from a knee injury. But when I started running, I knew that my knees were going to be just fine and I just had to run the best I can but the humidity (which was really high thanks to the previous night's thunder showers), made it so hard. At around the 6k mark I felt like I was wearing another human suit that was hugging me around my chest. But I knew that half the battle was won and the sights were beautiful. Besant Nagar beach is one of the most beautiful beaches ever especially in the morning and Chennai looked so beautiful that day.
I was simply determined that no matter what, I would have fun because there is no way you can run long distances without enjoying the experience. I cracked jokes and ran at a good pace and kept up with the runners but it was at the half way point when I realised I was actually passing people by and that I was running ahead of most. And thanks to my training so far, I did not stop really until I reached the 8k point. Now I regret having stopped at all because otherwise I would have cracked 60 minutes. I smiled and made funny faces every time a photographer was nearby. But in the last 2k I was all business. I kept with the fastest runners in my near vicinity and they were all men. I was the only girl for a long time (I knew there had been more than a few that had already surpassed me but behind me I did not spot too many). In the last 1,000 metres I honestly just wanted to give up when this guy behind me shouted - "come on now! keep going". I took that as a sign and kept putting one leg in front of the other at a good pace despite the fact my chest felt constricted.
In the last 500 metres something wonderful happened. I was nearly at the end when this woman who had already finished her run, yelled at me - "Beat them all....just keep running!" Something about the way she said it and how she said it, spurred me on. I suddenly increased my pace and beat two other guys in front of me. And then, the finish line. I had done it in 60 minutes. The same girl who could not run 17 minutes because of a knee injury a few months ago had finished 8th in women and 120 overall out of 1,000 runners.
It's not much but it's a high you get from knowing that you ran a race quite well. I know I can improve my timing now and do better and now I am all the more looking forward to my first half marathon in September because with training and enough sacrifices, anything is possible. And for some reason even now when I remember that moment when that woman cheered me on, I almost well up. I guess that's the kind of spirit and human connection you find at these events. People are willing to push you and push themselves and I have not found that in any other facet of my life. Anyway, I am off now. I have to get to my gym tonight and then a 15k run either on Wednesday or Thursday and my friend has promised me to hook me up with a running group near my house, so I can train for good time for my half marathon. I am just really happy.
Oh and I stretched really well right after my run and got to meet loads of dedicated and wonderful runners. It really was a wonderful experience and I can't wait till my next run. Happy running because if it's not happy, then it's not worth it.
I was out of breath at the 3.7k mark and had no idea what my timing was but the marathon itself was so brilliantly organised and the atmosphere was so amazing that I genuinely wanted to give my best. Honestly it was one of the most organised runs I have been to so far. Everything from collection of the bibs to the goody bag was so brilliant that I was simply impressed right from the get go.
But then the night before the run, the city saw heavy heavy rains with thundershowers! I was really worried that it may not stop raining but thankfully it stopped around 11.30pm and I got a few good hours of sleep. I woke up at 3.45am and ate a banana. Then stretched really really well for a good 20 minutes. I wore my socks, my shoes and I wore my running belt too because I wanted to carry my cellphone during the run. My MP3 player was charged and I was as ready as I could be. Reached the venue at around 4.30pm and the atmosphere was electric.
The organisers had thought of everything and while they were showing the crowd to do the Zumba (I HATE Zumba), I went off with other regular runners where we did our own set of warms up and stretches...no matter what kind of warm up these events boast, most runners I know prefer their own routine and generally chuck these Zumba warmups. Stretched again and that's when I noticed that I was already sweating and thirsty.
The problem is that I run in Bangalore, where the temperatures are low and boasts almost no humid conditions. The only problems I have faced are my knees as the roads go up and down quite often and I am already recovering from a knee injury. But when I started running, I knew that my knees were going to be just fine and I just had to run the best I can but the humidity (which was really high thanks to the previous night's thunder showers), made it so hard. At around the 6k mark I felt like I was wearing another human suit that was hugging me around my chest. But I knew that half the battle was won and the sights were beautiful. Besant Nagar beach is one of the most beautiful beaches ever especially in the morning and Chennai looked so beautiful that day.
I was simply determined that no matter what, I would have fun because there is no way you can run long distances without enjoying the experience. I cracked jokes and ran at a good pace and kept up with the runners but it was at the half way point when I realised I was actually passing people by and that I was running ahead of most. And thanks to my training so far, I did not stop really until I reached the 8k point. Now I regret having stopped at all because otherwise I would have cracked 60 minutes. I smiled and made funny faces every time a photographer was nearby. But in the last 2k I was all business. I kept with the fastest runners in my near vicinity and they were all men. I was the only girl for a long time (I knew there had been more than a few that had already surpassed me but behind me I did not spot too many). In the last 1,000 metres I honestly just wanted to give up when this guy behind me shouted - "come on now! keep going". I took that as a sign and kept putting one leg in front of the other at a good pace despite the fact my chest felt constricted.
In the last 500 metres something wonderful happened. I was nearly at the end when this woman who had already finished her run, yelled at me - "Beat them all....just keep running!" Something about the way she said it and how she said it, spurred me on. I suddenly increased my pace and beat two other guys in front of me. And then, the finish line. I had done it in 60 minutes. The same girl who could not run 17 minutes because of a knee injury a few months ago had finished 8th in women and 120 overall out of 1,000 runners.
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| Me with my fancy medal right after the run! |
Oh and I stretched really well right after my run and got to meet loads of dedicated and wonderful runners. It really was a wonderful experience and I can't wait till my next run. Happy running because if it's not happy, then it's not worth it.
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