The Lamp-post runs!

The thoughts soon gave way to action. 

What got me running? Honestly! I don't know.

It just started one day. 

Oh man! I couldn't even last the distance between two consecutive lamp posts on Marine Drive. That's just a distance of approx 33 meters !

My lungs felt as though they were about to burst! My lower body was heavy as lead!

The weight of the bag with the change of clothes for swimming.. I felt like "Apollo holding up the Earth!". I just wanted to fling it into the sea.

My husband, Kartik usually ran upto the NCPA end (distance of 2.15 kms) before hitting the pool and I would walk behind with friends. 

Each day, I tried increasing the run distance by one lamp post ahead. This became our standard lamp post run! One at a time! At least one more each day! Every lamp post crossed felt like victory!

After a slow and painful 3 weeks or so, I could finally walk-jog up to Churchgate signal which was 1km from our house. I was still doing only 200 meter runs followed by 100 meter walks.

Soon enough, I decided to surprise my husband, Kartik by walk-jogging up to NCPA.

It was mid Feb 2012 and a day before we were to leave on our family trip to Africa.

As Kartik started his run, our friend Ajay & I joined him. He was surprised to say the least! Here was his wife who "hated" running in her own words, trying to keep pace with him till NCPA.

I was out of breath at NCPA. My lungs went to another world! I couldn't feel my legs either. 

But I was elated! I finally did the distance of 2.15 kms in a mix of walking and jogging and with plenty of prodding from both of them.

My mind worked overtime. Maybe once we return from the trip, I should just try and run the whole distance of 2 kms. 

Running & Me? No Way!

15th Jan 2012 :

I was holed up at home in Marine Drive watching the live telecast of the 9th edition of Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon since 6:00 a.m. At some point I decided to step out and watch the action live on the road.

The Elite Runners breezed past like the graceful gazelles in the African Savannah.

Lean, sweaty bodies, running in tandem as though it was the easiest thing to do!

One of them dodged a dog which decided to give chase for some distance till it was shooed away by the volunteers. But even that didn't break their beautiful synchronized rhythm.

Several other runners, Half and Full Marathoners, some running, some walking, some limping past with one GOAL in mind - "The Finish Line at CST".

The Dream Run crowd had just begun to come onto Marine Drive amidst the lively music by the Navy Band. Thousands of people on either sides of the road, cheering the runners! A colorful jamboree of people, all having fun supporting a cause dear to them!

I Thought!

What the heck am I doing here watching this for the past 9 years right under my nose? Why am I not there among the runners?

Running!! Are you out of your mind? You hate Running!

I think I can do it !

Don't be Nuts! It's crazy!

I let the thoughts fester in my mind as I came home and watched the medal distribution and the interviews of the podium finishers as well as other celebrities.

The next day was spent poring over the papers reading every single line about the Marathon that had gripped the city of Mumbai like a fever!

What am I doing? Should I ? Can I ? Will I ?