It's a sunny Sunday, around 9 am, 13 November 2011. Srini P and I are running together. Yes, you got it, it's the B'lore Ultra '11 and we're doing our first 50k. Srini says, You know (hey, cut me some slack, poetic license and all), this is jack shit. We do this, then train for and do 75k and then train for and do a 100k (!!!) and Then we can call ourselves real runners. Hm. I was a teeny bit too flabbergasted to reply.
(Disclaimer: all you folks are real runners indeed, please don't get too carried away with our BS).
But life moves you along, more so when the passion to run (fast, slow, walk, crawl, it really doesn't matter), a community called RH and a gentleman named Santhosh P is deeply involved.
So, fast forward to 2013 and we're living this dream (Srini lives it even bigger with a 24hr run at that! Bugger :-) ). Yeah, it rocks! It's still sinking in.
Cliched as it sounds, the real experience was the incredible training we JLBR'ers (that's the aptly- named-by-Chief Jobless Long Boring Runners. I know, you've heard this too may times already; it's really for my future reference when I'm an old bugger and can't remember) received via Chief Coach Santhosh. We more or less still followed the hallowed "4 days in the week" training regimen, a hallmark of RH, with the wee difference that Tuesday tempo runs were usually for an hour, Wednesdays' tended to begin at 4.50am at Kanteerava stadium running (or trying to) up and down the big steps, Saturday's were Adieu family, so sorry and all that, but am not goin' to be around too much today (4 hour runs became 6 hours, then 7, 8 and culminating at 10 - 12 hours, followed by a decent amount on Sundays).
Life was hectic. It's too much. Stop. Says the body. Says the mind. Says the spouse. Say the children. Say the parents. Says Us.
But. We go on. Idiots.
Oh, almost forgot. RH's Superwoman (yes, Chandra), literally kicks the sh*t out of us on Thursday nights (starting at 9pm) and Sunday evenings for fun. Boot camp she calls it; I privately called it a lot else and frankly did not turn up as often as the rest, what with family commitments, work, etc. It paid off though, big time.
To add to the fun, am running through a PF injury (the heels and feet hurt, like heck at times). Running the rocks (believe me, am not kidding) in Billekal Betta does not do wonders for my PF. Ah, Billekal Betta. I also had the dubious distinction of trying out outdoor toilet facilities on a 40 degree slope at the same wondrous location, sans modern luxuries like soap, etc. Yuck. I know. Joy. Manju's tablets saved me that day. Or, at Thulir, running under a decidedly hot sun, Santhosh takes his merry gang up a hill that has stones ranging from the size of pebbles to the size of one's head, strewn around in random disarray, and does not seem to have a summit. The one time I curse the boss out loud. The stream at the top (tales of with which he lures us up there), is just not all it's cracked up to be. :-) (Yes, Chief, I remember.)
In July I fall ill with a pretty bad virus (emergency room and all). During my recovery at home, I succumb to self-pity and telling Dilshad "I'm useless, I can hardly walk, forget running. I don't want to run again" etc etc. She says, Darius says, No, what rubbish, but am happy being morose. Santhosh, speaking with me on the phone, realizes that am physically much better, and comes over. Over breakfast he coaxes, cajoles and is stern - "Run/walk tomorrow, even if for 15 minutes". I agree, but halfheartedly. I do it though, the next morning. 45 minutes on Tuesday. Confidence returns. The fellow's caring and a genius.
Don't get me wrong. It's not just me; all of us suffer through, and enjoy, stuff like this when we run, especially the longer distances. Am just more noisy and cranky about it. It does become part of the beauty of the process, it does make one stronger.
"That’s what running does to lives. It’s not just exercise. It’s not just achievement. It’s a daily discipline that has nothing to do with speed, weight, social status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, where you live, what car you drive, or whether anyone anywhere loves you. It’s about the slow and painful process of being the best you can be. That’s why the first step out the door is always so hard. That’s when we choose between settling for average and being a superhero version of ourselves.
– Martin Dugard (To Be A Runner)"
"Call it discipline, determination or whatever you want… the means to long-term goals is one of running's great life lessons. Running has taught me that adversity is better faced head-on than avoided. The hill in front of you won’t go away, but it’s easy enough to put it behind you if just press harder for a while. That lesson isn’t taught enough, and too many people never realize that sacrifice is a requirement of life. You either sacrifice today to reach tomorrow’s goals, or you give up your dreams in favor of the fleeting comfort that’s distracting you. Call it discipline, or call it determination; without it you won’t get very far.
- Dave Griffin"
"If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they ate gone,
And do hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
- Rudyard Kipling, "If".
---
From "Open", Andre Agassi:
--- There's a lot of go waiting for you on the other side of tired. Get yourself tired, Andre. That's where you're going to know yourself. On the other side of tired.
(Pg 155)
This is why we're here. To fight through the pain and, when possible, to relieve the pain of others. So simple. So hard to see. (pg 256).
A poem : pg 298
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved heaven and earth, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
- Dave Griffin"
The camaraderie we share is just amazing. It keeps us going, moving forward. Thick and thin. You know. I feel lucky, very lucky, to be a part of this awesome bunch.
Race Day
Not too much to say here, you've heard it before.
I do want to mention a few things: first, as has been pointed out by all the others as well, without the meticulous planning and support from our amazing RH support crew, we just could not have pulled this off. Santhosh's parents, Rashmi, Asha A, Anupama, Susmitha, Shyamala, Shalini, Dilshad, Siddharth, Anish - wow. Hats off!
Same goes for our brilliant pacers - Navin Thangaiah, Paroma, Ravish, Kanishka, Rajeev, Pani, Siva Paturi - wow again. Heartfelt Thanks. The Physios - Susan and Shobha; I was stretched and made whole again!
The RH folk who kept turning up on race day to encourage us! you guys perhaps don't realize just how uplifting it is. Superb. Thanks. Ajay G paced me too for a while, Sourav massaged my shoulders. Ahhh. A shout-out to RFL's A2 (Arvind Bharati) as well! He stood alone at the 1k turn-around point for a long while, noting our names, etc.
Rahul Warrier, Jay, Bipra, Ankush, Madat (and, am sorry, sure am forgetting so many more), encouraging us on, bringing a smile to our fatigued bodies. In fact, Rahul's email ("Ultra-ness") was so impressive- I forwarded it to family to give some measure of why we do stuff like this (can one really explain it?).
Another funny thing: on race day, my PF injury actually seemed to diminish! A large part due to the physio's and Vinay's timely advice (just 3 weeks prior): strengthen those calves and stretch 'em. Helped so much. But guess what: the Gods decided to challenge me some more: not 15k into the run and I get ITB pains; it moves from one leg to the other, happily (!?) toggling between them. WTF. Anyway...I just followed Asad's amazingly strong mindset and ran/walked/crawled regardless.
Chandra, of course, was just so strong. Consistently stronger than the rest of us 100k'ers. Covering the first full (42k) was quite hard actually. Around 50-odd km down, Vinay slows. But we know; he's a deceptively strong guy! And, no surprise- by 75k he's well ahead and finishes before us (I finish last among them in fact, taking a whole 19 hours!). Santhosh, we know, he's stronger than strong; it helps so much, we can literally draw strength from him. Mani. OMG. He's a seriously good runner and proved it beyond all doubt. The same goes for Srini P of course. Inspiring, Brilliant stuff. Privileged to run with all these guys (and gal). Abhineet speaks with me on the phone (Anish's) at around 10pm; thanks dude, very helpful.
It goes without saying, Dilshad being there the whole day! helped so much. (In fact, she stayed well beyond her allotted duty time.) Every time we turned into the start/finish area, their cheering lifted me. Not to mention the hot food, etc. My folks, Darius and kids turned up at around 6pm; simply awesome to see them all. My 10 year old, Sheroy, say Why are you so slow?? Gulp. Kids. Darius runs with me for a while...it's great to chat.
Paroma paces me for so many of those loops. Keeping up a lively conversation, making me run when I feel I cannot, shining her torch so I can see the rocky road in the darkness, reminding me to open my eyes! So does Siva P! Priceless. Thank you.
Finally. It's 4k to go. Dilshad, Santhosh and Siva drag me along. I'm so grateful.
Last loop! Around 800m from the finish I pick up speed...faster faster faster! I sprint through the finish line, Santhosh, Dilshad embraces me. Glad. Very glad. And tired.
I pay for that mad dash 20 minutes later; shivering and a touch of fever. But two Crocin's later am okay. Vinay helps me so much...the fellow can still drive back to the lodge after all this! Whew.
The whole season: an experience to cherish, one I'll never forget.
To serve your turn long after they ate gone,
And do hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
- Rudyard Kipling, "If".
---
From "Open", Andre Agassi:
--- There's a lot of go waiting for you on the other side of tired. Get yourself tired, Andre. That's where you're going to know yourself. On the other side of tired.
(Pg 155)
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved heaven and earth, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
