My First Run

Our group of runners readying before the run
It was in my mind to run a Marathon someday. I am not a runner except those athletic run of 100 m or 200 m in schooldays. As time flew, years mounting to age, my lung capacity was getting bad so was that I started weighing heavier. These were all signs to let me back out of the wish to run. Well, when the opportunity comes knocking, it's always the will to go for it or not. I decided to go for it...

It was too short a period for practice or to get trained for a 10 Km run. I just had two weeks. A run of 10 Km needs both endurance and speed. Like always to find a solution, I started to Google... :). Every article mentioned at least ten weeks of practice. My group of friends had been running for over a year. I did a slow trial run with them. But to my disappointment, I really couldn't catch up with their speed or endurance. Now it was, should I join the Race for Cause or leave it. My spouse was apprehensive knowing the bad lung capacity, I have. One of my friends told me that I was too bold to take up a 10 Km race, without a prior running stint. My daughter too cautioned me that 5 Km would have been better to start off... This life as me is just once and to live it through, is my choice. I took the plunge and decided to run through with all my limitations.

 I started my practice, 2 Km run in the morning and evening. I searched Google for the best guidelines. The best suited for me with just two weeks ahead was the cutoff pace, to run at a slow pace and then to add speed, taking care lest the body doesn't go to a comfort mode, though. With a week ahead, I cut down outdoor activities and just went with running to the maximum distances and paces I could. All my focus was not to injure or strain my muscles in any way.

And the day dawned... A bus ferried us to the venue and we reached there on time and all set. We took pictures of our group of runners and the first batch of 15 Km runners took to their start line. After 15 mins to their run, we, the 10 Kms, were called to the start line.  After a start of Warm-up, we were flagged off for the race. I took a moderate pace, soon I saw my group of friends taking a faster pace. I did exactly what I planned to do, the cutoff pace. I went a little slow at hydration points, though. I watched the fellow runners, some so committed, some looked so stressed, some talked all the way. There were many morning activities along the shore of the East Coast Park. Tai Chi group was in full swing, so was the fan dancers. With morning Cyclists, other runners, skaters the Park was buzzing with activities. It was almost 7 Km and I put in the maximum speed to catch up the lost pace. The beach breeze was slowing my efforts but put myself back to the cutoff pace. I reached the finishing line. After collection of the medals and the goodies, I headed to be with my group. My run time was 1hour 25minutes. Though not that great pace compared to many good runners. I was happy about my completion of the 10 Km race and happier that I was not the last of my group of 10 Km runners from our building. It was a mission accomplished.



At the finishing line

10 Km Medal


It was a motivation. Many of my relatives and friends cheered me. Above all, some of my friends who are not into running, have started putting their racing shoes for any opportunity that is coming by. So this wouldn't be my last run. I would run again. But next time I certainly would like to improve my pace and speed. I have to put in a lot of practice for it... and I would... It's wonderful to do it now than 10 years before or 10 years after...

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