Running Therapy

I never thought I would need a race, let alone a 10k. It’s not that I am trying to sound like a long distance running snob, which I am not, but somehow never did quite run a lot of 10k races.

Still here I was signing up for a 10k, breaking my cardinal rule of only three races a year (yep I have my NEB Mumbai Half Marathon coming up, and I’ve already done three), I found myself registering for a 10k because I needed to race, I needed to see the progress I’ve made, I needed a confidence booster, a shot in the arm, get my head back in the so called game, to have something to look forward to, to be excited for.

2022 has not been quite kind to me so far. Through the loneliness and the heartaches , the heartbreaks, the disappointments, the stress and the anxiety, I knew I needed this. I needed to get out of the rut I found myself in. So I registered.

People go to parties to meet friends and socialise till late mornings, I on the other hand prefer to wake at the ungodly hour, dress in my running gear (which need to match or I’ll look like a clown) and go out for run.

Races is where I meet my fellow runners and my run buddies. It’s where I go to socialise. My kind of socialising. You may call me a Runnaholic, and I maybe one. But it’s just that thing I do!

So it doesn’t matter that the route has more twists and turns than any Bollywood film, or the weather is awesomely humid (my drenched shorts made be feel like I’d peed in them), or that I am no where near my best (not even close, this is what you get when you get your PB (personal best for the uninitiated) early on), I just needed to go out and run.

So through the twist and turns, the cheers and the hugs, the sweat, the smiles and the high fives, I run with music blaring in my ears, some good old fashioned rock music, that keeps me pumped. And though I constantly remind myself that I need to take it easy and not push the envelope (not sure if I could even do that), I can’t help myself wanting to speed up a wee bit, especially when you have your fellow running buddy right there with you.

It may have not been my best (though post pandemic, I am not too sure what’s my best), I may not have ran to a plan. But what  I did manage is run a strong and steady run, completing within my target, minus any aches and pains and soreness, I completed my run in my lowly target time. Thus getting the much needed shot in the arm, that boost of confidence, that therapy session on the road.

And the cherry on the cake was to see your running buddies win podium (so damn stoked that my Neeru Ma’am and Akanksha got their podiums) and then you get to enjoy being part of the post run shenanigans with you fellow crazies!

So where to from here? Maybe another race (the NEB Mumbai Marathon is coming up)? Maybe back to drawing board to train and get better? Maybe to dance classes and do some Salsa? Whatever May come next I know I got that much needed confidence booster, and all I know that life’s gonna get good from here, no matter the situation or curve  ball thrown at you.

So here’s to running, and racing, and therapy on your your feet. Always remember no matter at what stage you are at life, your best is yet to come!!