RUNNING - MY TEACHER

Yes, I’ve got obsessed with running lately. Now, after running 2 half marathons in a DEC & a full in JAN, I m still hungry for more...

Running for me started off late when I ran 10k at Pune Marathon, which was quite ok! Then, half marathon in Feb’10 year at one of the best townships –Auroville! Practice for Auroville was so desperately low that after I came back I was totally handicapped for around 10 days. After I took a vacation due to the other reasons in mid this year, I started running quite regularly. Though not specifically training for marathon, but I loved running those 5-6 laps of 450m ground. Given the holidays, I wanted a get-off activity daily and running truly helped. Only after a couple of days, did I start realizing that it had become an integral part of routine. Now, it really didn’t matter whether I get to meet & socialize with friends at grounds. 2010 has been a slack year overall for me! Given to failures and no-so –expected outcomes, running is what gave me enough boosts to keep going!

I can vouch anything to say that when I don’t go running for continuously 2-3 days, I can feel restlessness.  And the only way to get off is go run or swim! Though I have never been on any kind of training plans for marathons, but still was able to chop off Goa Half marathon easily in sub-2 without any injury. No doubt it has been the result of cumulative effect, over last couple of months, if not streamlined but sporadic runs. Running sounds so easy but it teaches me every time I hit the road. When things don’t go right for long, when there’s void-ness, running reminds me that it is only the consistency with practice that will brings out the best eventually. Not a day of practice can increase my pace from 6 to 5min/km. It needs days’ practice and keen observation to bring down the time even by 5min looking from half marathon perspective. Again it’s a cumulative effect of each 1km. Even 10 sec gain for each km can bring down timing by 3 & ½ min for 21km.

And I don’t how but whenever I get back after a good long run say more than 5 kms, I’m calmer! The restlessness that had built over the day just fades off. I become more tolerant to others and can bear listening to the critics and pessimists. May be there is some kind of positivity that running brings onto me. We happen to do things quickly, want results in quick second but after running you realize more the quicker you try, more often you injure yourself. There is certainly a growing curve but there isn’t any shortcut when running long distances. Any distortion you bring to the curve to succeed faster, you end up injuring leaving no scope for success ultimately. Running being the hardest hitting sport, there is always a danger looming up for an injury to develop. The calculation must go on, and more than anything else the patience to carry on is what is required. One need to listen to one’s own body and plan accordingly.

Some pointers I m reminded of after a run.

- Despite much practice, I m still going to take a while to complete a 1 km. Its not a super machine to make you a transcend into a jet

- Faster I get on, more faster I may give up

- Just keep going on is the key! May be its monotony for some, prayer for others.

-Time is crucial commodity, learning happens slow; with every little experience you become wiser

- Perseverance is what you need even when things don’t seem rosy & cheery.

- Patience to carry on in spite of thousands of not-so-good activities is what ultimately gets you the goal.

- When low on energy, saving energy for the right moment keeps you going for long, eventually helps you strike the target.

LEARNING BY RUNS......

Deriving my A B C..Z of running! Thanks to my practice sessions. 
Esp. meant for long distance running >=10k , marathons!


PRE-CHECKS: 
- Drink enough water before run 
- Check the shoe laces before you venture out running; silly but necessary!. 
- Tie shoe laces firmly to avoid any mishap during running as also to check the time loss while running 
- Do a quick warmup of atleast 500-1000m before actual run 

WHILE RUNNING: 
- Start run at easy conversational pace, it'll increase gradually. Don't Fret! 
- Never compete with anyone else but oneself if at all you want to. Remember long run awaits, strategy is what you need!
- Little loose Hand movements while running helps! 
- While last few miles, little effort/trigger to mental makeup required to avoid any major hit/injury/accident. Most of the times, runner runs way-wardly given to tiredness/lack of concentration. 
- Have a mental map of short goals (like 5k..8k..12k..15k..) of total distance rather than one single final goal (say 21/30/42k) 
- Apparels: t-shirt/shoes/socks/knee support - one which is best comfortable & light. Do remember running is heat generating activity!
MUSIK: Won't stress on this fact, but listening to fast paced music has helped me gain pace overall. But I did run without listening to music earlier & must say liked it. 
But my take esp. for long runs would be to have headphones attached; you can always pluck them off ears whenever leg work needs concentration otherwise pluck them up while running alone or on boring patch! 
(PS: Though if you're not for any quantified goal, I suggest no-musik-run is the best while observing the buzzing activities of the wonderful environment in & out esp. during mornings!:) 

- 3FHASE TECHNIQUE: Talking about the leg work or "3fhase" technique as I say while landing/staying/taking off foot while running: 
--: LANDING: Rear side of foot first then front >>> Easy Landing on ground 
--: STAY: Total foot(one foot) in contact with ground kind of have a feeling that you're slapping earth by full face of foot :P 
--: While TAKING OFF, apply effort in a kind that you're pushing earth behind, while taking off the foot rather than just sliding(normal mistake) 
(PS: Every now n then put conscious effort to rectify esp in start/after pit-stops, though after glycogen takes on charge, rhythm can be maintained easily) 

- BREATHING PATTERN: inhale-exhale-inhale-exhale 
Usually it goes small inhale-small inhale-exhale-..... 
If consciously looked upon, right rhythm can be developed early on that carries on without effort further on! 

- PIT STOP: Do Hydrate yourself after couple of miles(depends person to person) Helps in gaining pace further-on. Usually I go for it around 10k mark & spend less than a min! 

- POST-RUN: 
- Small Stretches esp leg/foot related. 
- Hydrate yourself 
- Eat Hard..:) 
- Even if you feel stiff & hard, do have short runs; it helps in recovering fast


(PS: Derived out of my experiences while running! )


Feel free to contact me & add your comments/suggestions!

Its Cruel sometimes..

I just cant forget the time when I met Jai, possibly my first friend in engg class. This person so decent, clean, simple without any loathed attitude. A gem of a person he was indeed! And I still remember the last phone call I had with him. This time, he being a Infosician vying for a onsite opportunnity while at the same trying to settle down, looking  to purchase a house. It doesn't matter how many years you know your dear friend, what matters is the relationship truly. Today, however even when I try to recall life, things will keep going! It's just as impossible for me to pause as stopping a fast paced water stream!

It makes me think once again as to what is really my goal. And really how much should I ever try to be within constraints of practicalities & procrastinate all I want to do. How am I really supposed to get off from so-called comfy position and set my foot to do something a little good for people around without being really selfish. Am I really lucky to have some time still left for myself to do something for mankind and people around? Is this a learning point really? How am I supposed to bring in all those juggernauts and fix up ever so complex puzzle? Lately, this incidence has torn my mental energies and I m yet another time forced to rethink and re-strategize my way forward. It says to me "Enough of this life, get off, do stuff, have fun, meet people, make things & importantly spread goodwill". Now, here comes the real question that is how to accomplish such a simple sounding yet a complex set of activities. Saying in my IT jargon form, I dont have an alogorithm or workflow.

Well. the more I think, more I introspect, it makes me feel creegy. Today, I stand such a face of realities, where activities happen and consequences are ingrained as cruel realities. I cannot realize that its possible! Life can be unpredictable, cruel, unstable sometimes. What we need is goodness and that alone will help you drive yourself way forward to your destination. Destination sometimes becomes vague for such unpredictability, leaving no formidable destination for yourself. Truly, one need to sit back and focus.
Today, i realize this and I will sure do this to-do. And to-dos are not only to be written down but actually to be done.

As said, "Live today as if it were your last".....So.....................

May Jai, my dearest friend rest in peace!

Have You Ever...

Have you ever walked in the air?

Have you ever written with the mind?

Have you ever cried without tears?

Have you ever laughed without a sound?

Have you ever listened music without playing it?

Have you ever thought of someone no-existent?

Have you ever forgotten your name?

Have you ever had your lunch at midnite?

Have you ever timed yourself without a watch?
Have you ever smelled fire?
.....

...

.

Have you ever, have you ever........??

I wonder! I wonder!

"

Sometimes it is so void that I wonder whether anything is for real or not!

Otherwise when I venture into the nature, it brings me,

The hues and moods that are infinite to count on...

Wonder whether it is a wonderland!

Ask thy birds, what it feels to .... experience infinity!

Playground for them is infinity for us!

HE who gifted us the nature...

Full of colors, hues and moods..

Is indeed Great!

Makes us go void or completely infinite otherwise!

Is it but natural or part of HIS game?

I wonder!! I wonder!! 

"

Experience at Ignite Pune

Recently, I presentated at Ignite Pune on my favorite topic "Travelling the different Way" !
And, I must tell you all, its such a wonderful feeling, speaking about the topic you are so passionate about! Though I am not still satisfied by my speech; could have done much better!:)
Met loads of passionate people up there from varied fields be it medicine, IT professionals, entrepreneurs, even a 10 grader ... speaking on topics still more varied and exotic like tribes from Karnataka and their plights, about Groupism-how groups form etc, about meditation, or a simple story about the idea of togetherness or be it about call-centre exchange similar to stock exchange or about gaming consoles or glory years of Indian Hockey or about bikers' Lord-Lance Armstrong n many others.. !

Traveling the Different Way

Thanks Ignite for providing me such a platform to speak and share my thoughts!
My sincere thanks to the organizers ThoughtWorks who stepped in and provided the right infrastructure for such a fantastic world wide event -Ignite to be organized in Pune.
Last but not least thanks Pankaj on whose insistence, I participated! Thanks a lot, biker!!!

Restrengthening Beliefs!

Sometimes it feels so great! I can't believe it ! HE has once again strengthened my belief that perseverance pays off always!

My belief in 3P’s is just getting stronger and stronger day in day out! Well 3 Ps are Perseverance, Patience, and Practice in same sequence. When I was just about to lose faith, HE somehow gets things in place and showers up with some pleasant outcomes of activities which I didn't expect that straight! Thanks! Thanks!

It’s indeed a test- a rigour, one doesn’t like to go through! But somehow, the obsession to get what is sighted is so vigorous that no amounts of failure can budge. I guess! Though after upteenth number of not so  good outcomes, I got the feeling to let off ....but HE stepped in somehow...don’t know! Things fell in place...dont know how?  Everything looked perfect...how? I wonder? Everyone appeared so nice..Are they really? But they seem to though! Wonder world Indeed!

Well, I’d not go in fine details for some details are fine just for oneself! But definitely would love to freeze this moment! Choww!

By the way, Don’t forget...

 - Perseverance pays off!

 - Insanity is good! Definition of insanity changes perpetually!

 - Obsession yields!

 - Being foolish is best thing!

 - Hunger is what is needed!

 - Intuition is interface to you, so just keep listening hard!