Gun Makes Sound and I Fire !!!

I close my eyes for a moment… Take a deep breathe… My toes and fingers grip hard on the ground … I turn deaf for all the noise around but could hear my heart thumping loud… My eyes stare at a distance but stopped seeing everything… brain concentrates to the maximum it can and listen only to the ears… Gun Makes Sound and I Fire !!!

I never experienced that thrill again in my life. I can’t explain in words - how thrilling it was being at starting line of state level high school sprint track. I can very easily go into that moment even now and feel high about it. After so many years, slowly I am understanding - what it means to me.

  

It all started with… Running from school to home and who will reach home first! It was my regular game with my schoolmates who were my neighbours as well. From the school which was almost a mile away from my home; I played this game for at least five years till my 8^th standard. While zipping through my home-town main street, all of us possessed an amazing skill of not crashing with anybody in crowded market.

I started running for my school when I was in 9^th standard. We practised bare footed at least two hours in a day.  Our sports teacher and one of my friends who was self-appointed coach made us run every day on hard surfaces with small pebbles, on the tar roads, on the beach sand, on the rocky mountains… with one goal of 'Finishing First'. Probably those were my first lessons to focus and determination.

I represented my school for two years in sprint section at Town, District and State levels. Every time when I was at starting line… I learnt how to handle pressure and keeping me cool. Every time I set off… I learnt importance of speed and how important it is to give my 100%. Being starter of our 4X100 relay team, which also made it to State level… I learnt handling the responsibility of handing over the batten first. Every time I won a race… it boosted my self-confidence.  Every time I lost... it taught me how to accept failures. Every day training sessions brought so much of discipline into life. Volleyball was my another passion around the same time I was sprinting, which taught me being a true team player.

My 10^th standard academic scores were not very impressive after so much of hard work on the grounds. When I stepped into Pre University, priorities were different and I left sprinting forever. Engineering was all about coping up with new world. Except few amateur Volleyball sessions, irregular jogging and few trekking adventures; it was coma period for my body.

When I started working in Mindtree, I started running again. This time I picked up long run and my lead was pushing me to run Bangalore 10K that year. It was very easy for me to getting back to run... It is in my soul ! I managed to finish 10K that year and got addicted to long runs. Long running increases temperament of mind and sense of achievement for every extra mile covered. If I am bored/stressed I get out for a run, Long run is a very good stress buster. Sweat drips from body… Joy fills within!

Around last year this time, I realized I was completing 5 years since I started long runs; but there were no traces of improvement in my timings because of the lack of disciplined schedule. I came up with one year plan which was not just about running, but improving overall fitness. I am satisfied with what I have done in last one year and feel fit than I was ever before. Group Cycling, Boot Camps, Boxing Circuits @ ‘Nuffield Health’ dramatically improved my overall fitness. I ran 6 km in 25 mins last week and finished a 20 km run recently after long time. In last one year I am getting addicted to Badminton as well. After every Badminton session I desperately wait for the next one. My Badminton game is improving as well. This Blog is part of my Celebration of successfully completing one year fitness plan !

Rule to be regular is very simple. Getting into sports shoes is first priority in daily task list; all other activities are planned after it!

When I was sprinting during school days, it was all barefoot. During State level meet is when I borrowed a pair of torn out spikes from one of my friends’ brother and patched it with rubber of cycle tube pieces.  It was heavy like hell when I was running because of my patch work. In the same meet, one of the long runners from Bangalore we met was wearing a pair of Asics shoes. He told us - his uncle brought it from US for him and shoe is not available in India. He was generous enough to allow us to try those imported shoes. I remember, we were talking about those shoes for months. I never even dreamt of owning those shoes in my life. Price he told was way beyond my imagination. What I remember is - it was costlier than bicycle I was dreaming to buy!

Photo Curtsey - Jagan

Today I am running @ canal side with Asics shoes on… Lush green around, spreading calmness… Cool breeze, filling me with pleasure … Rising Sun with a generous painting of red and yellow shades,  bringing boundary less joy … I close my eyes and Thank God for blessing me to be so privileged. Sense of ‘having everything in life’ liberates !!!

Cheers!

Kiran