Balancing Acts: The Resilient Runner's Tale of Life and Fitness

Why does fitness take priority for a person in their 20s?

Is it to shed weight? Overcome depression? Address health issues?

 

The reasons can be many. One of these reasons prompted me to choose running and begin my fitness journey.

 

I have written much about how I started running in previous articles. Today, I want to write about the ups and downs of this beautiful journey and the blessed life I have.

 

Disclaimer: Weight is not the only factor to assess fitness levels; it is used here solely as a reference value.

My weight was 33 kg when I was 15, a lean guy who spent more time on the ground than indoors.

I was 63 kg when I was 21, playing cricket occasionally and reduced outdoor activities, just like any other engineering student engrossed in computer games and movies (screen time).

 

I maintained a healthy weight range of 69-71 kg from 23 to 27 years. I did my first 10K in 2013, a half marathon in 2014, and a full marathon in 2015. I ran, cycled, and worked out in the gym.

 

I got married at 27 and hit 76 kg at 28. Then life happened, ate more outside (junk food) and I hovered around this weight until I was 31. I would work out a bit and bring it down to 73-74 kg, then it would rise again to 78 kg. This cycle happened 3-4 times, and eventually, I gave up.

It peaked at 79 kg in 2021. 

My wife and I were expecting, and this was the time we changed our lifestyle. I realized that letting go makes you lighter (mentally and physically). We started letting go of many things. The first thing we let go of was eating non-vegetarian food, followed by sugar, white rice, junks etc. While we were in Japan, meat was a part of our diet 2-3 days a week because it was easily available and finding vegetable options was challenging.

 

It wasn’t hard, and it has been 3+ years since we made this choice, and we are happy with it. Thanks to my wife for sharing eye-opening documentaries about the harm to animals, the health issues it can cause to humans, and how we are naturally designed to lead a whole-food plant based lifestyle.

Although my contribution to cooking hasn’t been significant, I don’t demand specific food items and eat whatever is offered. This is the only fact I am proud of... haha.

During pregnancy, we attended classes on holistic development, which significantly changed our lifestyle.It was more about child-like learning for both of us and the start of a beautiful journey of parenthood.

Our champ was born in 2022.

 

She committed to breastfeeding from day one, even when many were not supportive. Comments like "Milk is not enough for the baby," "It takes a few days for milk to generate," and "You should give formula/animal milk" were common. Again, all I did was support her. This would need another day to explain how we triumphed during this challenging phase.

 

For our son, we followed baby-led weaning, and he can eat by himself most of the time. I am happy to say our son hasn’t tasted sugar/junk yet and has no screen time. We get comments everywhere about how long we can hold this, but we are happy with how far we have come. He is more active, it takes a lot more energy from us to keep him engaged, but it is a good phase to be in. 

My wife follows the Satvic movement, which brought about a dynamic change in our lives. A typical day starts with fruits, nuts, seeds, and millet malt or sprouts. Breakfast includes millet or South Indian dishes. Lunch features ragi balls or red rice, lentil and legume curry, and mushroom or tofu with veggies. In the evening, We have soup or corn, and dinner consists of various rotis with plenty of vegetables.

 

I never knew we had so many options in vegan food. People think diet is about staying hungry or cutting down on food. It is just mindful eating to your stomach's full. Cutting down on dairy took a while. I have stopped having milk-based coffee at home and have it occasionally when I am outside. We are yet to completely stop curd (Again occasionally). Over time, we will let this go as well.

 

I was astonished to see that my weight dropped from 79 to 74 kg without workouts, just by healthy food habits and mindful eating. I wish we had followed this 10-15 years ago.

I would wake up early most days but wouldn’t move myself to work out. I would read a book, prepare coffee, watch something, or start office work early. If my son was up, I would play with him.

 

As my son is growing up, I want to set an example for him and make fitness part of his routine. This triggered me to wake up, show up, and restart my fitness journey—not like the previous times without a purpose, but this time with a renewed focus.

I am happy to say I have dropped to 69.4 kg (went back by 12 years) with workouts over the last 4+ months. I aim to stay consistent on this journey and committed to making healthy choices every day.

Tough-21 Season 3

RunAddicts Tough-21 Season 3 Experience Sharing

Splendid! This is what I can say about the awesome event I was part of. Having volunteered for the last two editions, I chose to run this one to experience our own event. The previous editions were organized in RR Nagar and had their own course of fun and good experiences with elevations as part of it.

 

During one of the book distributions at Maralwadi, Harohalli, we passed through the picturesque location and the runner's brain decided to explore this one. The main road is a popular stretch among cyclists, and exploring the suburbs on foot is even sweeter. We are thankful to Simha Estates and Connectivity Solutions, who have partnered with us for the rural education initiatives we carry out. We have successfully collaborated to uplift rural children by supporting their education. They helped us with space and connecting with locals for this event.

Being runners, we know what to expect from an event. When runners become organizers, even the minutest details are taken care of. We have been organizing events on a scale of up to 4000 runners. We also have the experience of organizing Ultra runs (3 editions of RunAddicts Ultra). Unlike other events, in RunAddicts everything is taken care of by the runners; we do not hire anyone to volunteer. This adds a sense of inclusiveness to the event.

 

The idea of providing a nature feel away from the city triggered the thought process of taking the event from RR Nagar without compromising on the ‘Tough’ part.

 

I myself was doubtful if runners would turn up if they needed to drive an hour and a half in the morning and do a HM. Mahesh said, “Let us do this even if only 50 runners turn up.” This kickstarted the proceedings for the greatest 21K we have done.

 

I had the opportunity to visit the place once but, in a vehicle, and knew of the hardships a runner must go through while running here. I had a taste of this when I did the Anchetty 115K cycle ride around the vicinity.

 

This being a RunAddicts exclusive event promoting the causes of “Educating a Rural Child” and “Fitness for All,” this is another non-commercial event, all the event organized from the registration cost. A few partners did their services without charging us for the great bond we have developed over the years.

We followed the “Vocal for Local” in the true sense by sourcing local vendors for the event breakfast and other needs.

 

The localities were supportive of our event and there was excitement all around us.

 

Event Day:

 

 

August of this year has been particularly blissful with the rains and good weather. We couldn’t have asked for a better day for the run.

 

We had a great response from RunAddicts and their friends in registrations for the run. This one being an exclusive RunAddicts event, our team didn’t disappoint us and registered in great numbers. Although we had another event coinciding with ours, we had ~150 registrations. The ones who didn’t sign up would have surely regretted it.

 

The parking was carefully planned and had sufficient space for everyone.

As usual, this was a green event with only reusable items and no plastic whatsoever.

 

The setting had all the sense of an Ultra; we were pampered with pre-race delicacies of toast, coffee, tea, etc.

 

0 to 5km: Don’t fall for the bait!

 

The race began promptly at 6:30 am. The race took us off-road. The air was clean, and the sounds of the birds and steps of fellow runners were a treat to hear. It took us through a rolling terrain with overnight rain causing a few slippery stretches. We navigated cautiously through them. I had the company of Yash, who promised to stick together the entire run. Also, the likes of other amazing runners. The legs were fresh, and we decided to either not over speed or be slow. Just take it km by km. We had an aid station at 2.5 and 5 km.

 

At the 5th km, the climb took the better of us, it was time to walk. In a road race, some of them usually run fast initially and tire out but here the race director didn’t give that option. He tired out everyone. This gave us a trailer of what to expect for the rest of the run.

 

5km to 10km: A 10K run would have been good?

 

Searching for a target was the tough part of this run, it was just about enjoying what shows up. The route was beautiful, passing through a couple of villages, fields all across. 

A few occasional dogs showed up and reminded us to speed up. The 6th and 8th km were probably the toughest, thanks to some juices left in the legs and the aid station at the 7th km, we could climb these and sweat out.

 

10km to 15km: Calm before the storm!

 

This was probably the best part of the run with good drops and lungs took a break from the huffs and puffs. It was a well-tarmacked stretch with villagers cheering us and every 2 km served with the best of delicacies any run would offer. The natural protein bars and laddus were mouthwatering. The photographers stationed at strategic locations made us climb up a few hills to show up a good pose. The route marking was top-notch with no incident of any runner wandering away.

 

15km to 21km: Your ego takes a break and the run makes you grounded 😊

 

This is the point of time, you are not sure what to expect from the run. Your legs are crying but the mind wants to finish it. A good part about this run, it makes you cautious, you know you do not want to push as a hill might be just around the corner. This is what makes the runners fall in love with distance running, it is all about strategy and having a great day out there. You pass one runner, another passes you, you cheer both. That’s the beauty of RunAddicts; we celebrate each other’s success and take pride in each other’s victory.

 

The 18th and 20th km felt like they would never end but again we were blessed with an aid station at the 19th km. 

The volunteers are the first winners of this run, followed by the runners. Showing up early and cheering from the first to the last runner is not an easy affair.

 

The last km was a drop and brought a smile to everyone’s face. It concluded yet another RunAddicts run but etched in our memories forever.

 

This run reflected where we stand physically and mentally. It was a good pause to reflect on the journey of the self and appreciate the beautiful life God has given us.

 

Post-run included a sumptuous meal and nothing short of an extravaganza with a few singing and entertaining. Thanks to every volunteer and runner who helped us pull this off.

 

Thanks to all our partners who supported us.

 

Social Cause Partner: Connectivity Solutions

Location Partner: Simha Estates

Medical Partner: PES Institute of Medical Sciences and Research

Energy Partner: Fast&Up

Time Partner: Racetime India

Event Partner: Maple Events

Physio Partner: Wellness Sports Inc.

FITNESS: A way of life (Part 1)

 Introduction to Aerobic running.

 Hey, in case you are new to my blog, Welcome!!

By the time you complete reading this post, you might find similarity in batman begins (for the lengthy background) but I feel this is a necessity to convey my message in the second part.

Fitness activities have been a make and break relationship for me. Last 3 years were blissful, with minimum focus on running and cycling, and maximum focus on exploring other interests, it has been an interesting journey. I can recall a beautiful quote from Ramakrishna Paramahansa: Experience is a hard teacher. She gives the test first and then the lessons. With experience, I have learnt to balance professional and personal interests. It would be unfair to say that I am good at this art but I strongly believe it is always about doing what gives you satisfaction. Job is a basic need to survive, personal interests are various ways to keep ourselves happy.

A good run uplifts your spirit, your brain functioning is sharper than your colleague who comes straight out of bed and sits next to you in a meeting. A bad run still does the same, it makes you work on it and improve, nevertheless in either case; you will enjoy the rest of your day.

Once you get used to this routine, you can easily make out the difference between a run day and a non-run day. One the lighter side, if you don’t run, you will end up cranky in your house or at office, A bad feeling haunts you. You may call it addiction but all of us are addicted to various things in life, so be it; I am a RunAddict (:P)

What is the fun if you are not good at what you are doing? Well, let me avoid this question for now. I will come back to this sometime later but do not let this question drift away from your mind.

Frequently questioning your decisions makes your next action better. Do not fall into the trap of half knowledge, there is always a better way. Having spent a year in Japan, I was fortunate to learn intermediate Japanese and explore a part of japan with my wife. We spent a fair share of time traveling on our bikes, experienced the rich culture and made a few good friends too. I will save this for another day. In Japanese, Sensei means One born before the other or the one more experienced than you. It is an honorific term for teachers and doctors. It is a general assumption that they are more knowledgeable than us and should be revered. Their experience helps us make less mistakes and learn faster. We pass this on to the next generation; whatever mistakes we make, we learn from it and share the experience.

In summary, trust your teacher or coach blindly. It is their job to lead you in the right path. As Roosevelt said it “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself”. To do it the correct way in the shortest time possible, it is better to stick to the proven ways so that you do not have to put in the extra effort of unlearning the wrong things and learning the right things. This is the common mistake of most beginners. I have finally reached a stage wherein I have stopped correcting their mistakes unless they approach me.

Introspect honestly, have you adhered to what an experienced runner says? The most common mistake a beginner does is increase the pace exponentially or increase the distance and get injured. You would have saved the injury, had you listened then.

Probably this is the longest prelude I have explained before a topic. This highlights the importance of the subject I am going to discuss now.

I am not suggesting that there is one best method to train and achieve your running goals however there is one good method you can follow to experience the bliss of running, reduce your injuries, reduce your weight, and of course increase your pace and distance!

I have around 8 years of experience in running, was fortunate to meet the right people at right times and they have shaped me to who I am today. I do not have the fastest times to boast about, but I have the best intents to learn about things which interests me. I love researching and enhancing my knowledge, aerobic running is one of my interests and proud to say this has immensely helped me. There is one common trait among the Endurance athletes: Least effort, Maximum speed. Does it surprise you?

Mark Allen is a 6-time Ironman world champion, prior to that he lost 6 times to Dave Scott (their rivalry is one of the best in sports history known as Iron war). He says that when he first started, he was running 8:15 mile pace (5:09/km) at 155 bpm. After a year, he was running 5:20 per mile (3:20/km) at the same heart rate.

Is this magic?

Following is an excerpt from his site.

Credits: Website: http://www.markallenonline.com /Default.asp?partner=dua on January 7, 2002

 “During my 15 years of racing in the sport of triathlons I searched for those few golden tools that would allow me to maximize my training time and come up with the race results I envisioned. At the top of that list was heart rate training. It was and still is the single most potent tool an endurance athlete can use to set the intensity levels of workouts in a way that will allow for long-term athletic performance. Yes, there are other options like lactate testing, power output and pace, but all of these have certain shortcomings that make them less universally applicable than heart rate.

 

A man named Phil Maffetone, who had done a lot of research with the monitors, contacted me. He had me try one out according to a very specific protocol. Phil said that I was doing too much anaerobic training, too much speed work, too many high end/high heart rate sessions. I was forcing my body into a chemistry that only burns carbohydrates for fuel by elevating my heart rate so high each time I went out and ran. So, he told me to go to the track, strap on the heart rate monitor, and keep my heart rate below 155 beats per minute. Maffetone told me that below this number that my body would be able to take in enough oxygen to burn fat as the main source of fuel for my muscle to move. I was going to develop my aerobic/fat burning system. What I discovered was a shock. To keep my heart rate below 155 beats/minute, I had to slow my pace down to an 8:15 mile. That is three minutes/mile SLOWER than I had been trying to hit in every single workout I did! My body just could not utilize fat for fuel. So, for the next four months, I did exclusively aerobic training keeping my heart rate at or below my maximum aerobic heart rate, using the monitor every single workout. And at the end of that period, my pace at the same heart rate of 155 beats/minute had improved by over a minute. And after nearly a year of doing mostly aerobic training, which by the way was much more comfortable and less taxing than the anaerobic style that I was used to, my pace at 155 beats/minute had improved to a blistering 5:20 mile. That means that I was now able to burn fat for fuel efficiently enough to hold a pace that a year before was redlining my effort at a maximum heart rate of about 190. I had become an aerobic machine! On top of the speed benefit at lower heart rates, I was no longer feeling like I was ready for an injury the next run I went on, and I was feeling fresh after my workouts instead of being totally wasted from them”.

Magical, isn’t it?

Some of you may have this question now. He is a world champion, he could do it! But How can I?

Practice what you preach is a famous idiom. Let me change it to- Practice before you preach.

Let me share my tryst with aerobic running.

Background:

Really, another one?..

Oh, please! Now this is my story :)

It is difficult to convince an Engineer without logic. If you do not believe me, ask my wife! I have shared some of my running journeys in the previous posts (http://saigiri7.blogspot.com/2015/11/marathon-debut.html ). I had a good share of injuries in my first 2 years of running. 

There are a few stupid quotes we take pride in: No pain, No gain. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. In the initial days of my running, I assumed everyone undergoes some sort of pain during a run and it is quite common. Mind you, running is not painful. There is gain without pain and there is no suffering in running, in fact the feeling is relieving and transcendental. There is a difference between pain and fatigue. Injury is painful and pushing body beyond limits is fatigue.

Do not run when you are in pain, do not fatigue yourself by doing a pace/ distance which you are not ready for yet.

The Fall:

My first 10K was with a timing of 49:09. I can bet you cannot find a maniac worse than me (In case you skipped the link above, go back). And I was out of running for a few months post this adventure. I rehabilitated and returned to the field. The speed bug would not leave me. I used to do 2 runs of 10km each (which I called them tempo) at 46-47min, 1 speed workout in the range of 3:45 to 4:00/km for close to 7 or 8 kms and a long run covering 32km in around 2:30~2:40hrs (Marathon pace). It was shin splints first, followed by knee pain, then the achilles tendinopathy, swollen toes, twisted ankle etc. I am not exaggerating, let me tell you a secret here. Very few runners come out in the open and confess that they have/had injuries. Most of them feel ashamed to acknowledge , I was one of them.

 Do you want part 2? Comment below.

 

 

Malnad Ultra 2021: Pause and continue

Best things in life come unplanned!!

After a devastating year, having lost known ones, It’s tough on the mind than the body. Running is a good companion to hurt physically and relieve mentally 🤪. We try many things for peace of mind yet forget simplicity is the best medicine for calmness. This was a run that calmed my mind. Yes, it came unplanned.

 Prelude:

A plan does work!

Long story short; The year started great, observed a phenomenal improvement in aerobic running.

Lost 3 months of training due to 2^nd wave, Vaccination, fatigue, weekly B12 shots, loss of confidence made me wonder if it was really required to participate in this run.

Thanks to the Doctors in our group- Dr Madhu, Dr Girish and Dr Anuradha helped me assess the situation and decide. I registered for a 200k cycling event to check if I could combat 10hrs on the road, this was a success, thanks to Mahesh for enduring me  🤪 It is not what you do 1 month or 3 months before the run. Our muscle memory is more than what the mind remembers.

I had participated in the 2018 edition of Malnad ultra. The pre-race briefing made me deduce following points.

                            

                            

1.       The elevations were lesser than the previous editions.

2.       Heat will compensate for the elevation loss.

There was hardly any sun during our training runs, one of the weak links in the chain.

Race Day:

            

                                

There was a stark difference in the weather as compared to my previous ultra. The cold chilly weather had given to cool breeze. I had breakfast 1.5hrs before the run and enjoyed the company of fellow runners.

0-10km: A strong start is a recipe for Disaster!

Most of my runs in first year of running involved a strong start which ended up with me limping to the finish line. The best habit I have developed in running is consciously slowdown in the initial few kms. The positive splits to negative splits to even splits is a journey I’m glad about. Of course, trail running requires a different strategy altogether, Respect the hills, Always!

                                

                                

It was a smooth start in the company of my friends, probably one of the best views I had in the morning weather.

10-20km: Do you have patience?

We were drained with two 250mts climbs over a short distance of 2-3 kms.

                            

                            

 Legs were fresh, they were ready for the shocks. Well, this was not a half marathon! The Race begins at 40K, I kept reminding myself. Most of us were together, with a gap of around 200-300mts. It already felt quite long on the legs but the view from the top is always the best!

20-35km: Sun and Me!

A big fall into the wilderness of ombattugudda and a never-ending climb summarizes this journey. Ravi makes any run easy for you, I was in the safe hands. The sun was out, ready to play his role. A stream of water was a blessing to cool the legs and head. We spent some time playing in water and continued our arduous journey. The group had spilt by now. I was in the company of Dr Anuradha and Ravi Yajaman, strategizing, fighting with Ravi Y :P We met Dr Girish and stuck together for a while.

                                        

                            

 

35-50Km: Expect the unexpected, that’s life!

                 

Empty streets and 37 deg. Couldn’t even find a dog on the street, let alone people :P. Is this all worth it? I am not sure if there is one correct answer but, in the end, it makes me happy and accomplished.

We found it unwarranted to push in the heat and relaxed to our walk-run strategy. Yet another run completed, a brief stop in the journey of life.

Epilogue:

Last couple of years have changed my perception about many things. Adaption is key to live life. Excited about the surprise’s life has in store for me! I thank everyone who have crossed paths with me. Always indebted to RunAddicts and Burners- Running groups. 

(PIC courtesy: RunAddicts)

My Odyssey with La Ultra (55km Journey)

The experience of a lifetime!

The irony of life is that you get the best high after an ultimate low. This journey to the mountain makes you respect life and humbles you down. I have always wondered the purpose of life, sometimes it makes you wander places, other times it comes to your place.

So far, I have deduced the purpose of life to satisfaction in our tasks and calmness irrespective of the situation. A bad thought can take life out of a human being while a good thought can protect one. This reminds me of a verse from Bhagavad Gita.

2.62 “While contemplating the objective of senses, a person develops attachment to them, from such attachment lust develops, from lust anger arises”

2.63 “From anger complete delusion arises and from delusion, confusion in memory occurs, with this intelligence is lost and man becomes immoral”

My tryst with running is since 4~5 years. Of late having prioritized other things, I have been running without targets, just going with the flow. Running long and slow has helped ditch PB’s and injuries. Most of the runs are with the groups practicing for ultra-marathons. We have developed a good camaraderie and hang out often.

During these hangouts, they constantly discussed about La Ultra. I wasn't interested in these conversations and remained aloof. This continued for few months. However a month ago, I’m not sure what bit me or if it was the subconscious mind which woke me up. I remember the day; it was a Sunday evening and they were discussing about the hotel stay. I suddenly decided to register! I checked with the organizer and he said he can allot a slot to me. My wife felt I was insane.

Once a thought is planted in your mind, nothing can stop you from converting it into action. We decided in the next few days to go ahead with the plan. This is when I started researching about the La Ultra and its history. It felt like digging your own grave, at the same time there was a bit of excitement about running in the hills. I discussed with the group about gear required and did the necessary shopping.  Having done a few long runs, we decided to pace our friends at the TRORT 50K ultra for 6.5Hrs, this went as per plan.

If you want to listen from an amateur on how to train for an ultra, my answer is there’s no good training plan as such. It’s all about how long you can stand on your legs. If you can run for 3hrs, spending 4hrs on the road. It’s good. Irrespective of the distance or speed, more the time you spend on the road doing easy Zone 2- Zone 3 runs, better it makes you prepare for an ultra.

All that we did during training was hold a water bottle in hand, stop at the roadside shops to eat and just do the walk-run till we reach our destination. My body has adopted well to both speed and slow runs, thanks to Maffetone’s method.   

We were six of us from RunAddicts going to Ladakh. Unfortunately, my wife (Divya) had injured her leg in an accident and is still recovering, so she would be crewing with us. Rest of them are Srini, Ravi, Mahesh and Saritha who will be running alongside me.

Srini and Ravi had traveled to high altitude regions multiple times, their experience came handy to us. We just listened and followed their acclimatization plan.

Having spent all my life in low altitude, I had no idea how less oxygen would impact my body. Acclimatization might sound funny for many of us but dying isn’t funny. 
Respect the hills, Always!

Race day – 7 days

We landed in Leh on 12^th Aug’19. Our stay was just 20min travel from the airport. It was quite chilly but nothing else. Don’t fall for the bait, it’s a trap. Bangalore is at 3000 feet above sea level while Leh is at 10500 feet above sea level. In simple words, the higher you go- lower is the oxygen and humidity. Therefore, it will be difficult to breath and you are directly exposed to UV rays of sun. We stayed in the hotel all day and strolled in the market in the evening. I could feel my nose acting cranky already.  

Race day – 6 days

My team decided to go to South Pullu, which is at a little higher altitude and is on the way to Kardungla. We had planned for a walk-run of 8km. 1km uphill walk and 3km downhill, again a repeat of this. It felt good during the practice. As the day progressed, my head literally burst. Had a terrible headache, maybe I should have just skipped this. I underestimated the hills, even a walk wasn’t necessary. Remember, each of our bodies behave differently to nature. Kindly rest even if you’re comfortable, you won’t lose anything but if you risk it, you’ll lose everything. I took a tablet and slept, having decided not to run the next day.

Race day – 5 days

I had a good sleep however when I woke up, my nose had bled in the night and this continued everyday till I was back in Bangalore. Today was drive to Kardungla (17,582 feet). The scene had completely changed to what we saw yesterday. Warm weather gave way to rain and then snow. I saw snow for the first time in my life, it was crazy!! Few of them who had earlier planned to run had to skip and all of us were flabbergasted by the turn of events and were confused of the gear to choose for race day. We had a briefing by the race director in the evening and we also met our fellow runners. It was a good day of recovery with sumptuous lunch and dinner.

Race day – 4&3 days

We recced the race route. It was worse than what we had anticipated. A climb of 31Km and a big drop of 24K. So, it is tough either way. Weather was good in Wari La; there was no snow, just chilliness in the air. Thereafter we traveled to the beautiful Pangong lake. The journey was rough, however huge respect to our Border Road Organization. They have done a marvelous job in these inhabitable conditions. It was a delight to see so many bullet riders.

          

We crossed the Chang La pass (17,590 feet) en route; I could feel the dizziness in my head. The evening was very cold, I had to wear 4 layers and sleep. Next day was again strolling around the lake. We returned to Leh by evening.

Race day- 2 days

It rained and rained and rained! That's the day’s summary. We couldn’t venture out at all. I learnt how to play rummy and of course, lose money too.

Race day- 1 day

Nervousness finally kicked in and our faces conveyed a million stories. The 111K runners would finish at the Shanti Stupa soon. We went and cheered for the runners. Some of them could finish while others couldn’t. Each of them is a winner.

We received some useful tips from Taher and other runners. We were eager to know what to do but they explained more about what not to do. It was good to learn what to avoid. Most important of all was to respect the cut offs, they are set technically and to plan our runs as easy as possible and not seize the engine revving up in the initial few km’s. We made a few changes to our earlier strategy. Deciding the race gear drained our brains, we concluded to carry everything.

We had a drop bag facility, that could be accessed at 18K and 45K.  My plan was simple, not over burden myself by carrying a lot. I decided to run with my barefoot decathlon aqua shoes till the 18^th Km mark, even in case of rain, I wouldn’t have to worry about the wet socks. Thereafter I will change to Merrell Vibram shoes, as I will have to walk a lot and snow would be my company.

I carried 2 pair of socks; I wanted to change back to aqua shoes for the last 10Km. I chose top and bottom full-length inners, shorts, Full arm tee and my group tee on top of that. A windshield cum light weight raincoat on standby. Gloves, Goggles, Bandana, Cap, 500ml water bottle and a mask (I got this from market yesterday to avoid the cold hitting my nose as bandana was rendering me breathless) and a hanky (Of course, to wipe my running nose!).

A Pant, few tees, socks, Shoes, Jacket will be in my drop bag. Divya helped me with all the packing, without her I would’ve needed 2 bags to carry the same number of items. 

 I was all set!!

Race day

I woke up at 3:30am instead of 4:30am and found it hard to sleep thereafter. We had bread toast for breakfast and reached the venue at 7am, an hour’s drive from our hotel. The race would begin at 8am. We were having fun, deep down we knew we had to do this no matter what.

 

We had 4 cut offs. First one at the 8^th km (1hr 45min), 2^nd one at the 18^th km (3hr 45min), 3^rd one at the 31.5km (6hr 30min), 4^th one at the 44.75km (9hrs) and finally complete the 55km race within 11hrs.

0-8Km: (All that starts well….)

The race started at 12,514 feet and Ravi moved ahead as usual. I was with Srini and Mahesh. We did the run-walk as per terrain condition, It went smooth. It was in fact warm, I had to remove my jacket. We covered 8km in 1hr (45min before cut off). Divya was at the aid station, helped us with our need. Ravi was waiting and joined us now.

8-18Km: (A Bumpy ride)

It got cold and windy. Snow fell for a while. Ravi and Srini were in the front doing walk-run, followed by Mahesh steadily walking at a good pace. I was occasionally running and walking at an easy pace. I wasn’t interested in walking at brisk pace to conserve energy. I was behind them by 50mts. The distance became 100-200mts as we started moving up. I was feeling dizzy and a mild headache cropped up which increased as we moved up however it wasn’t bad. We reached the aid station at 18^th km (15,371 feet) in 3hrs, was surprised to see Divya here too.

She knew what I needed and helped me. I changed to shoes and wore a pant assuming things won’t be same moving up. All along I was sipping water every 2-3min and refilling at the aid stations. I complained of headache and took tea to make myself better. We started the Journey UPwards....

18-27Km: (Say Jullay to God!)

Jullay is a Ladakhi word. An all-purpose word for Hello, Please, Goodbye, Thank You. It is pronounced as Joo-Ley. We started together now. 0.5km into the run, I felt breathless, I ran again, and felt the same. This problem was unique, my legs and body felt fresh however there was no fuel (Oxygen) to move me. I looked behind, the aid station was in my sight. I informed Srini to move ahead and that I didn’t have any hope of continuing. He was surprised and didn’t tell anything. Maybe he thought I was joking. I had to tell him again, I will STOP now. He said walk and you will be better.

I walked and I wasn’t better, it only got worse. They moved ahead.

I looked back again, contemplating jogging down a few meters, meeting Divya and support the runners. It’s hard to determine the breaking threshold of a runner. Am I underestimating myself and stopping now? Or is it an excuse to escape from this ordeal? What if this was MY threshold and something adverse may happen if I continue? I was looking for a medic vehicle just to check on myself. There were none. I walked ahead, lost like a kid and sat on a stone pavement. I looked in the front and my friends were quite a distance ahead. I looked behind, another runner came and sat beside me. He was panting!

He complained of less oxygen; I realized the problem wasn’t only with me. If the problem is not unique to me and faced by many, I’m still normal and just had to overcome this. We started walking together now. It was difficult but we stopped every few meters, breathed and moved ahead. It felt like recharging dead phone, make a call and recharge again. This was bad and we were badass!

 I was chanting my prayers and moving at a snail’s pace. The snow fall was increasing. It’s fun to play in snow, not run.

By now, there were many runners around us. Most were facing the same difficulty while a few went ahead of us. The road was like zigzag drawing. For every two lines, third line was slightly flat or downhill and curve to next line was too steep. I kind of understood the game plan and walked with breaks on this uphill stretch and relaxed while I was on the third line.It was too tempting to run on this downhill stretch. I did not fall for the bait and just walked.

Well, this stretch was killing me and then giving me some life and killing me again. This went on and on as if there was no end.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Really?

I had 1.5hrs for the next cutoff and 6km to go. My mind was working on the arithmetic. 15min per km would do. I was oscillating around 13min/km to 19min/km. I knew I can make it somehow in time to the cut off, just that I should HOLD ON for few more minutes with patience. As I was nearing the ‘4km to go’ mark and meanwhile, having saved 5-8 crucial minutes, they had blocked the route further due to heavy snow. We had to take a U turn here (and complete the remaining distance near the start point). So, the last 4K will be an uphill finish. I wasn’t sure if this is a blessing in disguise or another attempt for a kill in the end. I met my friends who were returning from the U turn, it was a happy sight to see them going strong.
5hr 15min had elapsed and I was at 27^th km (16200 feet). I took a mountain dew and could feel my taste buds waking up. I refilled my bottle with dew. The gas and sugar would help me deceive my mind.

27-36Km: (Purpose of this run?)

I started the downhill; it was nice to see a few 222K runners. They’re a different class apart. I was walking down, too steep to run. A few ahead of me, a few behind and some of them coming in the opposite direction. After a while, it was just me and the hills.

Breathing was better however sight of a slight uphill sent shivers. I would again lose breathe and slowdown. This was way better than the earlier trauma. Many questions ran in my mind, is this run worth it? What am I doing here, in the middle of nowhere? Lost in thoughts, I was still covering distance at a steady walk pace. After a while I jogged, I didn’t have the energy to continue. So, I walked and walked and then jogged and walked again to reach the camp at 15,371 feet.

Divya was happy to see me. I was shocked to see Srini there. He had completed the devilish part of the run and had decided to quit. He had a neck and shoulder pain. Knowing him quite well, he wouldn’t take this decision without thinking. I still persuaded him to join me till the next aid station. He didn’t want to risk. I respected his decision and decided to move.  I refilled mountain dew in my bottle, this was helping. I didn’t want to change any clothes or shoes. I had very less time. All that I had done so far was 36K in 7hrs. I had 4 Hrs to complete the remaining 20Km. Approx. 12min/km, same pace I had taken to cover the current distance.

36-55Km: (REDEMPTION)

I started to jog; I had to save time which is crucial in case of any cramps towards the end. This is the longest time on my feet; otherwise it was on my bike. There was no snow now but it started drizzling, I wondered what else I will have to experience today.

2km into the run, I bumped into a student volunteer.  He asked if he could pace me, I said sure. He was 16yrs old, Pattrick from Spain. We introduced and hit a conversation. I apprised him of the stats and time left to accomplish my task. He was more than happy to accompany me in this journey. This was his longest run; he had already covered 20 odd km and now here with me to run 18 more. He was running with his trekking shoes and it was hard. 

 I felt better now, so we increased the pace. We ran faster and walked every 600mts. We spoke during our walk and understood each other’s interests. Sailing and football were his hobbies. I was getting better and better now, without any breathing issues.

As we ran close to 8km together, he developed cramps. I requested him to rest and walk slowly. A km ahead and I saw him behind again. He wanted to run with me. We ran for a while and I forced him to stop. I assured him that I will meet at the finish line and continued my last part of the run. I reached the start line having covered 47km. We had to run 4km ahead and return to make up for the lost distance at the top.

It did start well; it didn’t kill me, and I was running strong now. I reached the 4km U turn and was continuing ahead; I was in a different high. The volunteer stationed there stopped me and guided to turn around.

I returned but there were a few uphills, last km was a killer, too steep. I was wondering if I was in the same route, doubts were cleared when I saw the finish line around 300mts away. I met Pattrick again, thanked him for his selfless support.

 I sprinted to the finish line. 
I completed the La Ultra 55K, toughest run of my life in 9:22Hrs. It was good to see Divya and my group, without whom I wouldn’t be here.

I want to congratulate all the participants of 55K, 111K, 222K, 333K and 555K categories. Each of you are very brave.

Big kudos to the volunteers, support crew and organizers for your selfless service.

Alone, one can achieve a little. Together, we can achieve a lot.

I would like to thank Divya for being my pillar and supporting in all my endeavors,

thank RunAddicts: The group is big and so are your hearts,

also thank Burners: The mother who teaches a kid to walk, always remains special.

finally Lord Krishna: For letting me serve him this way.