Dark pre monsoon clouds were hovering in the sky and the air was thick. I had reached NCPA and was already feeling sweaty. I had decided to run to Haji Ali and back clocking about 15k. So I started running at about 0525 am after a little bit of warming up. As I started I was feeling good and was trying hard to maintain my "form", my recently acquired knowledge from a guru of the " Free Runners" group at Pune. As he says, I started trying to feel my form, now I was focusing on my hips as the hips are to lead the legs as if there is a rope tied around the hips and someone ahead is pulling you. This consciousness does help in keeping your back straight and lessens the strain on the legs as it ensures equitable distribution of strain on entire body. But since the old running style is still there as a memory of the muscles and skeletal structure, as the fatigue sets in, there is a tendency for the body to go back to the old form. So, this is a battle where perseverance and consistent efforts are the only key to achieving victory. It was important for me to keep my consciousness alive even when fatigue sets in, so as I ran, I tried to focus on my form and run tall. After a few moments I would feel that I am slouching or looking down and then try to correct my form and this continued throughout the run. As I was chugging up Peddar Road, I felt strangely tired and was wondering that I had not even run 07k and this was my state. Terrible state of affairs. Then I remembered another mantra of the guru: "breathing": body needs oxygen, so breathing has to be efficient and this is achieved by breathing through the stomach using the diaphragm. Breathing through stomach does help and I was telling better. Ahh.... Finally the down slope of Mahalakshmi began and I cruised to the Haji Ali fruit juice shop. Now I had reached my planned point but I was fully drenched in sweat and feeling dead tired. I realised that I was dehydrated and needed to take a swig of water. Now, this is an experience that the taxi drivers near Haji Ali are thorough gentlemen and very considerate towards runners. Twice I have asked them for some water and both times, they obliged me with a chilled bottle of water. I have tried this near cuffe parade and I have not been so successful. The swig of chilled water rejuvenated me quite well, and I started my return leg. The return leg was not at all difficult and I guess by now the body had got used to its state and I was gliding smoothly. This is the best part of a long run when you are just gliding and your body has started responding to your demands. As I turned into marine drive, and reached near "Choupatti", I saw a fit guy just starting to warm up and take off on a fast run towards NCPA. I again brought my focus onto my form and decided to run smoothly but correctly. After sometime, I noticed this guy running almost same speed but ahead of me. I was on the main road and he was on the pavement. Near 'Hotel Marine Plaza', I went onto the pavement and started running with him. I realised that I was actually competing with him, and to my amazement, I found that as I increased my pace, he also did and tried to go ahead of me. Now, this was a challenge and we were only less than 1k away from the end, so we raced and near Trident, I was totally drained of energy and about to give up when I heard and saw this guy slowing down. Sudden boost of energy came from somewhere and I focused on my breathing and sprinted from there till the end of marine drive. What a feeling of victory! I asked someone the time and it was 0650am. Not bad at all, I had clocked 15k in 85 minutes in this weather. I was dripping wet but was feeling good. Every day that I run and meet my target, the day begins with a lot of positive energy and vibrancy. Running also releases hormones that make you feel on top of the world especially immediately after the run.
Another point to note is that how thoughts can actually dissuade you from achieving a set target, but consciousness can overcome those thoughts and with perseverance and consistent efforts, you can definitely achieve any goal that you have set in your mind. So running is a form of meditation where you come in touch with your body and mind in totality and become conscious of your mind's strength and weaknesses and using your consciousness and observation, achieve victory.
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