If You Want To Run, Run A Mile.If You Want To Experience A Different Life, Run A Marathon

If you are a runner at heart, enjoy pushing your limits andthink and plan about new ways to challenge yourself. Here was the most thrilling marathon that you must run once in your life time. This race categorized as full marathon, half marathon, 10 Krun and 5 K run, for enthusiastic runners. The best and excited runners descended on to the ground, giving it a festive look, what else you expect. There were other excited participants and age is just a numberrunners like me and inspiring cheer leaders boosting the morale for themselves and for other participants too. When people read the name on the bib and call out, you feel proud that you are recognized and well known and it feedsone’s ego and confidence in a strange way. Though it was a city run you still had and enjoyed the incredible experiencefeeling and thrill for being a part of the event, and the glory was all yours. It was, a WoW feeling. Inever thought If you run for a cause, in this case, raising awareness to,‘World Suicide Prevention Day,’ that is observed each year on September 10th,it is all the more satisfying.

For many runners, the desire to do a marathon is about personal challenge. You might want to,test, your limits or prove thatyou can go the distance. I for one having not experienced any marathon and never imagined in my wildest dreams that Iwould participate, wanted to test my stamina and will power.So, for this exciting and thrillingmarathon,I registered myselfin, The Hans India Marathon, in the 5 K category along with my samdhan and dear friend Dr. Anjana Surath, both septuagenarians.We bothpracticed in the KBR park for full 15 days to tone ourself to be fit as a fiddle. Initially it was tough on me as I was not a regular walker or a runner,unlike Dr. Anjna, but later I got acclimatized to this hardship. When you participatein a run of this kind, you wouldrealize that it was almost once in a life time achievement and experience. Participating and reaching the finishing line was an incredible treat and was an inexpressible joy. Inever thought there could be an event where people would pay for just running and they would laugh andenjoy, run together. Whatever you think either the rush of feel-goodhormone dopamine after the run or the togethernessof so manypeople, Istarted liking it even more.

Running around the Gachibowli Stadium was a smoother experience. You can run for sport or you can run for fun. Infact, I insist that I had fun while I ran.Being a first timer, Ienjoyed the electrifying atmosphere, thecheering and applaud of the crowd, specially, for the senior citizens, Who saidold are not loved and respected! It was a proud moment that would be cherished for life. It was a great opportunity for me to challenge myself, even more, meet inspiring people. The thought that you are a part of a fund- raising unit for a cause pumpedmy adrenalin level.Though it was a 5 K run it was OKto walk.The run-walk-run method, taking walk breaks during the run to pace yourself really worked for me. Sometimes I really wondered, ‘Why am I doing this?’ But when I took a drink of water and was around the next bend, Igot my wind back, remembered the finishing line and kept going.Iknew it was a competition with myself to beat my limits, my pain and to become a better you.Life and completing your racehave many similarities--like pain, difficulties and adjust the pace of your life according to your own self not by looking at others.

In a run like this you are guaranteed to take back sometales to tell and memories to cherish. Running in a sport that brings out the best in people unlike organized sports, where there is a team, a runner is completing forhimself or herself win or lose.Unlike other sports it is not always the completion that pushes athletes on, sometimes it is the will and desire to achieve a goal like running a marathon, participate in a run or overcoming adversity. When you run the marathon you run against the distance, not against the other runners and not against the time. Running a marathon is an admirable feat. You expand a lot of energy.As I was plodding along after the run, Ifelt a heightened sense of euphoria. When I look back to start, I see lot of things have changed.Everything looked clean you become confident and have lucid thoughts and life looks more worthwhile. Psychologically Ifelt fantastic. It is a coping mechanism to deal withlife’s stresses,a journey to a better health, may be, a way of trying to find God. I did not compete with anyone. Ihad a single goal: No Injuries and Finish with a Smile.Having completed the run successfully I celebrated my victory.I had joined the community of marathoners.When I received the finishertrophy in Non elite group, I was beaming with pride as it was ahard-earned, well- deservedreward. I knew,I ran to add LIFE to my days.