The last minutes...

Had it not been for the last 9 months of my Marathon practice, I might have missed some of the most wonderful learning opportunities in my life...

The first day when I did a run for 200 Mtrs...as I was exulting to the fact that my feets were still alive !!! 200 Mtrs looked a long - a very long way...it was not like pumping iron in an air-conditioned gym. I came back home telling myself people should be mad just running without a purpose, let people who want to run - run, am working out in the gym, am already FIT. (I did learn - I am lying to myself...)

Dreaded those phone calls & reminders from my running partners (I am sure they hated what we were doing as much as I did...). I suppose they were looking for cross motivation !!! (I learnt everyone needed someone to push...)

Week 2 - it looked as if our Coach had identified our concern for all work & no play - so he introduced Beach throw ball on Sundays. Sundays suddenly became exciting - we started looking forward to the play...it never pained to wake up by 4.30 on a Sunday morning - why - because we were playing !!! (Learnt that all work & no play pertains to play too...reinforced my belief that variety is the spice of life...always mix it up)

2 months down the line when I did my first complete round of the Mahalaxmi race course (2.4 Kms) I felt on top of the world - my coach officially permitted me to have a beer !!! I was never made to realize that it was not the actual running practice which had made me accomplish the task - but all those days when we were not running but preparing ourselves to run for that one day...(Learnt it the hard way - Practice makes a man - an IDIOT...its the RIGHT practice which makes him PERFECT...)

5 Months on & suddenly one of the Sunday evenings (Sundays  used to be the long distance running days...Monday, Wednesday & Fridays were the practice days. Mondays were the softer run downs, Wednesdays were the mad regimed power trainings & Fridays were the dreadful hill runs) I realized - I was discussing with one of my friend that I am planning to do the Marathon...THE MARATHON ??? Did I say that - I questioned myself. But that morning I had done for the first time 10 Kms non-stop so I felt I was eligible to speak about long distance running... (Reinforced my belief - you are limited only to the limits of your thoughts...you expand your thoughts & you overgrow your limitations...)

7 Months on & the 18 Kms nonstop mark was no longer looking distant...I cleared it in 2.40 Mins. That was an achievement for someone who couldn't imagine beyond 200 Mtrs. But was the achievement mine??? I seemed to acknowledge the fact that as much an achievement for me it was personally, it was an achievement for my Coach - who till date disagrees to believe I cant do the 42 Kms mark within the next one year...it was an achievement to a few of my friends who knew if they pushed - I would do it...it was an achievement to my commitment too...

Today, as we near the last minutes for the D Day...I look back to myself with pride & admiration. I have always been someone who loves me the most...today I know I have fallen in love with myself all over again...

One of my friends was mentioning that this year we should plan to do 4 marathons...we should become "Marathoners"...He also mentioned about the wild Morocco Desert Marathon which is run for 7 days covering 240 Kms...Jokingly I said - "Dont think its madness - who can do that???" But somewhere inside me I know - if I want it, I just have to expand my thoughts !!!

Destiny is not destined - it is - DESIGNED...