I completed my first official 10k last Sunday the 26th of March 2017. I ran it with trepidation. Not only was I not prepared physically, I wasn't in the best shape mentally. The end of March is usually a nerve wracking time. To the outside world we're all hot shot entrepreneurs with no-one to answer to but the fact is that's far from the truth. Atleast for me.
The mental stress brings other challenges. Bad diet. Smoking. Drinking excessively. Semi-sleepless nights and a guilt that comes from not being able to achieve any larger goal in entirety, whether it be in time for family or in complete focus to the enormous expectations at work.
Be that as it may, I woke up at 5am, strapped on my under armor kids, donned my mumbai city fc jersey and drove down to BKC for the KISNA Half marathon - sponsored by some random jeweler who in my mind had no business being associated with such an event, but then who am I to judge?
The run was a beautiful one. For someone with serious lack of preparation and only 4-6 km runs in the past 3 months under his belt there was no reason for me to finish the run. My Mapmyrun app was on full flow and I set training mode to 5:59 per km as the speed I wanted to achieve. That was it. No other guiding force.
The result? No guiding force beyond that was required. I powered through the 10k on a hot pre-summer day like a legend. I must have finished in the top 10% of runners as I could see the numbers that had come in before me. It felt brilliant. I felt strong. I realized, this was it - the 10k was the perfect test for my fitness levels on a regular basis. All I needed to do was sign up for every 10k over the course of the year and ensure that I keep myself ready and waiting for each run - the results will let me know where I am , emotionally and physically.
I let out a lot of rage in this past run. I screamed in my head, I screamed out loud, I pushed my legs and body at the 8k mark where everything went to lead. I did mini internal races with other runners and smiled to myself as I saw them wane after a grueling 600-900m stretch where we would go pound to pound, almost knowingly in a manner that only male egos can justify.
This is a drug. I am hooked.
What's next?
DC Runner's log March 26th 2017: 10km in 59:39. Average speed: 5:57km/hour
27 degrees Celsius, Hazy/Windy conditions/74% humidity
Stats courtesy: Mapmyrun APP
