And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” – Paulo Coelho
I don’t really know which figure of speech I should use to describe my association with running. I didn’t find running, it was the other way round, running found me with all its glory!
I started working out religiously in June 2014 @Fitness First. It was my last resort, in an effort to make corrective measures to repair my body, which was suffering (for almost nine years) from the after effects of crash dieting, starvation for long periods and the like, undertaken to lose weight in my teens. I had shed 25 kgs before marriage ,adopting faulty methods because of which I had lost all the tone and considerable muscle mass from my body. ( two deliveries and one miscarriage further complicated the matters ) and it didn’t look any easier as I was not into any specific physical activity since long.
It needed serious strength training .I was not a big fan of this pain but had to take it up to make amends to my folly.
I met many compassionate people as I embarked on my journey through sweat and tears.
I took personal training for lifting weights under watchful eyes of my personal trainer, Loringail Almeida, the more I say about this sweet girl the less it is. She would hear incessant complaints about my body, areas that needed special care, my erratic behavior pattern, and mood swings et al.
We would have endless meetings on how to keep progressing without getting disheartened even if the results were not forthcoming.
Each session with her would be damn challenging, a mix of cardio, strength, agility and functional work out to bring out the required changes and in no time we had become great pals off sessions also. Our camaraderie struck beautiful chord and we valued each other’s presence in our respective lives.
With this was the emotional turmoil ,for the pain which the body had to bear and no imagery can ever bring to life the series of ups and downs ,the love- hate conundrum , I underwent to finally become a happy slave of the iron(the weights).
Weight training had tamed me big time!!!
And the gain was all mines.
My skin started breathing with life, the muscle mass was on the up, with corrective nutrition the fat% went down and it is not long before I started feeling good about life and its bounties!!!!
But as they all good things of life come in small packages so was it.
In pinkathon 2015 with Gail
Sweating it out in gym under Gail’s watchful eyes.
Loringail divulged to me that she will be moving to UK permanently to pursue higher studies. All hell broke loose and I felt bereaved as we were still working on our target. The loss was twofold, losing a trainer who would understand me in and out and definitely a friend always each time I would think about her departure coming near, it would send shivers down my spine. The thought of being handicapped without her would plague me endlessly but I had to deal with it and take things in my stride.
Before bidding adieu, she gifted me something and I hold it closest to my heart.
In one of her sessions with me she asked me something to which I couldn’t believe my ears.
She said “Sapna, I want you to run the Pinakthon 2015 edition with me , a 10 km ONLY race for all women and it is about creating awareness about Breast cancer” . She said, you are very dear to me and I want to take this as a sweet memory forever in my heart that I ran with you.
I was appalled and fumed “u must be out of your wits to suggest me something like this”.
Running was never my forte .She knew it clearly in her books. Even a five minutes jog as a warm up before the main work out would have me gasp for breath .In fact to escape that I would intentionally reach ten minutes late for the sessions to skip the dreaded treadmill warm up but then the heart took over and I thought I will definitely go (read run) ahead and gift her this memory if that pleases her.
One week before the race(22nd February 2015) I did some so called practice of running 5 km and 8 km twice on that same treadmill…
Come race day and boy I was nervous to the hilt…
Because as I stood at the start line, the whole past flashed across my mind. I was wondering, is this really me?
Half of my life I had been a nerd, a hopeless moron,digging my head into books endlessly, struggling to even keep pace with my friends in the college corridor. I would always miss the laugh, the hearty banter.
The contrast made me feel weak in my knees because deep inside u remain your same old self!!!
All this while in the gym endeavouring to break the shackles, my sweat had been my electrolyte, shedding an occasional tear or two for the pain the body had to entail. I t is really catharsis for me.
The cheer from the crowd, the essence of the moment, the ecstasy of running, and the love affair with pain gave me a reason to smile and there I hoped that this is the beginning of umpteen races I will participate in future and bring some kind of glory to myself that I have not lived in vain.
I finished the race in 53 mins and stood 18th amongst all females participating the10k race.
Many people from the running community who worked out in my gym as well were amazed with my timing and I on my part had no clue as it was my first official race. The experience was exhilarating and I was happy to be bitten by the running bug!!!!
Thanks Loringail Almeida for infecting me!!!
I could not have been for happier.
I needed to get into the thick of things, follow a structured regime to take stock of what running is actually all about. I was a Layman and just knew how to put one foot ahead of the other!!!!
What I did was catch hold of all the literature available online, like face book pages related to running, join FB running groups and the stuff.
Then it occurred to be of no help. I got confused with all running related jargon. The tempos, intervals and fartlek would seem alien terms and I had understood it was in the end not as easy as it seemed whilst running.
One of my friends had made me join WhatsApp running group which used to operate in kormangala, the Daud group.
Some serious dedicated runners would log their running work out and I would meekly read and sulk!!!
My know how left a lot to be desired.
One fine morning on 17th march 2015 .I read a post from fellow runner in that group.
“Did 10kms tempo @ 4.24 pace in 44 mins, training hard to do sub 40 in TCS 10k 2015”.
He is Mr. Asif Ahmed for all of you.
I was like , is he a human being or some stuff from a different planet!!! I happened to drop him a personal message with no intent of getting a reply back. I asked him for some help to bail me out of utter confusion which I was carrying in my head regarding running and its various terms. (I had briefed him about my Pinakthon score and that I was a newbie)
I was beside myself with joy when I saw my mobile flashing a reply from the speedster and he was more than eager to help me(to my utter joy).
What followed was a series of phone calls to him to make way for a better understanding of the subject. One thing which I remember very distinctly is he giving me an analogy of Oreo biscuit for tempo runs.
All these seemed futile as I was incorrigibly bad in comprehending his explanation until one day I asked him to meet me for some charcha over some chai!!!
He obliged and my joy knew no bounds!!
I don’t know how people can be so compassionate in helping others; their hearts must be made of some special stuff and that too so selflessly and unconditionally. He was one such person and I was lucky to have found someone who I had intuited…would help me in the long run both literally and figuratively.
As we kept in touch on a regular basis, he offered to help me with my training and would make small running work outs which I would try and execute it in my apartment’s 300 meters loop.
It was not a cakewalk (read run) doing all sorts of work out and I would sometimes squirm why I am making my body suffer by running haplessly to no end, what do I really get doing this? I would feel reflective??
“Running is the greatest metaphor to life because you get out of it…what u put into it”. True that!
I would talk about my daily struggle
whilst running and post it to Asif. And he would always lend his patient ears to my endless lamenting.
He observed that I had troubles executing intervals and suggested I should come one day to National Games Village and train with him the day I started running in NGV I didn’t look back. Thereafter I started executing all my training runs there and he would pace me diligently and it did my confidence a world of good .God bless the helping soul!!!
Gradually took baby steps in the humungous world of running. Progressed from Nike+ application to Garmin all under insightful guidance of Asif.
He is a class apart in terms of his vision towards the great concept of running and I would happily grasp everything like a dry sponge in thirst of moist knowledge.
Amidst my training, I participated in TCS 10k 2015. My score was 51:52, came third in my age category.
Running was unfolding its new face to me day in and out and I was happily enjoying the new lease of life it offered.
After TCS 10k, Asif suggested that he would make a structured training program for my maiden HM in October, the SPBM.I quickly laughed off his idea and joked around saying he must be out of his mind to even think that I can run 100 meters beyond 10 km mark. I said I am good for 10 ks that is my threshold, would not mind continuing it for the time being.
He said u can very easily progress to HMs and will surely do a superb Job.
I remember my first long run of 14 km.
He paced me in the beauty that Cubbon park is and it was a feeling I can never put into words to step out of your comfort zone and explore your limits. I couldn’t thank him enough again. Once again!
First run in Cubbon Park beyond a 10k , paced by Asif
He instilled in me the confidence that I can run longer distances, of which I had zero conviction.Under his foolproof guidance and selfless training, I took part in many races over a period of one year. All prestigious events in and out of Bangalore.
Our relation moved from strength to strength. Behind all the trivial arguments, fights and difference of opinion we had there was an inherent and mutual love for running as a sport which binds us together. The passion is devoid of words for expression!!
I had completed my training for my first HM, when Asif suggested I should participate in Spirit of Wipro run 21k to get a taste of what it actually feels to run that distance on a race day and that he would pace me there too. I was nervous but had Asif for my security cover. The SOW second place is very close to my heart.(thanks Asif for making me taste the fruit of success, it was as much your hard work as it was mine if not more)
It was my maiden HM.
I was paced by Asif.
My maiden HM podium and we reached the target 1:50 with evenly distributed laps considering a tough route that it was!!
SOW run paced by Asif
As I write this to share my experience on my eventful journey, full of adventures and learning, I would like to mention that I feel privileged to be a runner and in turn be associated with the esteemed community at large.
I am now an active member of Team Miles Ahead, a passionate running group which operates inWhitefield. We have stalwarts in the group who are FMers with good running credentials and experience. We log our daily work outs and that surely inspires one and all. I feel privileged to be one of the active members there.
Each day is new and there are new facets to grasp, new adventure to challenge new people to meet and share that you fall in love in with the journey and not the destination per se.
Recently I concluded one year of running on 31st January 2016 at Pinkathon.
Did my fifth HM with a score of 1:49:28 and stood fifth amongst 60 odd females participating. It was like home coming and what better way than being paced by Asif himself.
Pinkathon finish line sprint
Here is a brief snapshot of the races I took part in and the hard work’s rewards which followed through. Pinkathon (February 2015) 53 mins – 18th in open category.
1. Rupee for humanity 10k.( April 2015)-53 mins – first place in open category
2.TCS 10k (May 2015) – 51:52 mins -third place in my age category.
3.Life is Calling 10k ( June 2015)52 mins.-First place in open category.
4. Bangalore 10k challenge (July 2015). 50:48 mins- third place in my age category.
5. Snap fitness run (10k) second place in open category.
6.Spirit of Wipro (September 2015) HM- 1:50 mins.second place in open category.
7. SPBM (October 2015) – HM 1:51 mins – second place in my age category.
8. ADHM (November 2015) -HM- 1:49:10 mins- third place in my age category.
9.SCMM (January 2016) -HM-1:49:55 mins. fifth in my age category.
10.pinkathon (January 2016)-HM-1:49:28..fifth in open category
I greatly value the presence of all the people in my life, who made it all possible along with my hard work it is their support as well which made my running see the light of the day.
This whole narrative would lose its purpose if I don’t mention the unconditional support I got from my husband Rakesh Agarwal.
Who always believed that I had the potential, mettle and grit to pursue my aspirations? He always stood look like a rock and had unfettering faith in me as woman to take my dreams to a level up always, if it was not for him, I would not have been able to materialize my dreams (still doing it.) The long runs have me leave home at pitch darkness in the morning and by the time I come back he takes care of the kids. Sometimes on week days when I rush late he packs them off to school as well.
What more could I have asked from life?
It is imperative that I mention to all the females that u have to dig deep into your soul , find your true calling and live by it, everything else will definitely fall into meek submission if your resolve to see yourself up there is strong enough. We are all equal and if I can do it for myself, so can you!
Just keep reminding if you can’t do it for yourself- no one else will!!
On Podium in SPBM 2015
Life is calling 2015 with Asif .
TCS10K 2015 , with Loringail , Asif and late Sunny (May his soul rest in peace)
With none other than Rakesh Agarwal (My husband) in ADHM 2015
Happy running!!! Happy life!!!