Sanjay Tripathy,
Senior Executive Vice President, Marketing, Product, Digital & E-Commerce, HDFC Life
“The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” ? John Bingham
I was never a runner. During my early years, I played cricket. Though I was a good player, running was a challenge for me as I had asthma and in those days, that kept you mostly grounded. Practising yoga during my MBA days helped me ride over asthma, but even then, running was never on my mind. I took to running only in 2004, after I met with a serious road accident and spent almost a month in hospital. It was a near-death experience, good enough to shatter my confidence. Once I was back from hospital, I thought of taking up a higher level challenge to prove to myself that ‘All is Well’. Coincidentally, that was the time I saw the advertisement for the first Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM) and decided to do the dream run. To my astonishment, running 7 km was easy. Running, until then, was unthinkable because I did not have self-belief. That first dream run boosted my confidence. I realized that running and finishing can earn you self-respect, and the esteem of others around you.
Running a half or full marathon is one of the most challenging and rewarding things that any of us will experience. The human body imposes natural limitations on the distance we can run easily. A marathon takes us beyond our comfort zone, into a realm in which we confront the limitations of our bodies and minds. It helps us discover our inner strengths and limits.
Since 2008, I have participated in the half marathon of SCMM every year. However, I was not serious about training until a couple of years back. Any runner who attempts a long distance race without preparing for it invites disaster. So did I - sustaining injuries almost every year. Now, I train for the marathon and it helps me avoid injuries and finish the race well. I have improved my timing; and am motivated to come back as a better runner each year. Apart from long runs every Sunday, I have added weight and cross training to my regimen. Joining a running group has made a huge difference due to close monitoring by coaches and proper stretching before and after the run, hill and interval training and motivation to run on alternate days.
Running helps you to keep fit, increases your endurance, makes your heart stronger, improves circulation and strengthens your muscles. It reduces stress, elevates the mood, and helps you experience the “runner's high” in the long run. The added bonus - I have made many new friends who share the same passion. Training for a marathon with friends is always easier and fellow runners help you achieve your goal. There's nothing more rewarding than accomplishing a big goal that you have set.
I am not a great runner. But running gives me an opportunity to raise the bar for myself every time. I run and compete against myself. I run to breathe the fresh air. I run to explore. It is empowering and fun. It is about finding your inner peace. Eventually, it changes you as a person. You set a new goal for yourself every year. For 2015, my goal is to train for a full marathon!
Feedback: sanjay.t@hdfclife.com
