'Respect begets respect'. I experienced this during marathon training in
a very different way. During training, my body and my mind became two separate
entities supporting each other. My mind had dreamt of running full marathon
(FM). But until body too agreed with it
I could not say 'I' want to run FM. And my body was skeptical, very very
skeptical! So we made a deal - 'Let us try!' - if any one of us feels it
enough, we will quit. Then started the training building up - step by step,
minute after minute, mile on mile. We realised how much efforts and commitment
each of us was putting in. When, anytime, body said that lets not run today, I
am not feeling upto it. We respected. We had come to differentiate between
lethargy and fatigue. We had come realise that lethargy has become thing of the
past. After grueling hours of last week or for no reason at all, body may feel
tired. I am much past the age when I could run couple of hours more after
getting dead (I mean getting dead tired). So when body said no, it was No. Body
reciprocated this respect with grace, During the final run when each and every
muscle was tired, it still kept moving. It held all cramps waiting at doorsteps
till I reached my hotel after the race.
It was new to me that I could stay off my scotch and desserts, and enjoy
it too! I also owe it to all my kith and kin that they aligned all our
get-togethers. Parties, late-nights to my training schedule. As the training
progressed I started feeling lighter. Not that I had lost much weight but the
feeling inside has changed. It was a satisfaction to try to live a dream, when
many people felt I am past the age to dream. But the dream has seeped in every
bit me. The 'why' was there and 'how' automatically followed. I did not need to
push myself into training nor did I need to hold myself from overdoing. I
respected my age, my health, my abilities - both in capacities and limitations.
Then came the day! Mumbai Marathon 2013. A beautiful route along the
sea, cheering crowd, wonderful weather. I was actually doing what I had
visualised so many times. Miles were building and I was steady. I reached half
the distance. I felt that I have covered half the distance but have taken only
one third of efforts. Two thirds are still remaining. But, fortunately now, the
count down has started. 21, 20, 19,..,15,...
Remaining. Only one third distance remaining. My legs are going heavy
and mind light. There were runners all around. Some surging ahead, some slowing
down, some stopping to rest. I was reminded of the movie scenes from World War
II. Allied soldiers all over - tired, ragged, hungery, injured - but still in
high spirits. They knew that the was is theirs to win.
Distance remained is in single digit now. There are still people
cheeing, there are still co-runners encouraging each other. But all this is
getting hazy. All I am doing is talking to my legs. A muscle is feeling tired,
shift the running posture. Another one feeling thirsty, drink in water. Each
muscle is vocal and my mind is talking to each of them. Ok, ok, its time to
take it easy. We have eased to walk-trot. After this rest muscles take charge
and prod my mind. And so it goes on. Distance is getting covered. Step by step,
literally step by step. I am in a movie scene being filmed by myself. Only my
legs are in focus and a foot of road. Hard road. Some of my muscles have gone
as taught. But they are still moving. I don’t know how much distance is
remaining. I know its not long but it does not matter. We have to keep moving
till the finish line. Oh, the camera now is focused more sharply. I can not
feel whole step at a time. Its only movement. Lift, forward, forward, forward,
down. This lifting is getting heavier and forward is getting longer. But
thankfully stepping down is much much lighter now. All of myself is completely focused on this
movement - an inch, a millimeter. This and now, is what the world is. This and
now is I !
Suddenly there is pat on my shoulder. I friend is running along. He is
going to run the last mile with me. Oh my God, the LAST mile! And this dear
friend running next to me. My eyes get wet. Tears reach my legs and magic
happen. My legs have gone easy. I am running again.
