An incredible journey for me. From Zero to Three Zero

Each one of us experiences something out of the routine.
Last few months I experienced something unlike no other for myself, and now feel much better.
This year I was keen on running a 100km run in Nov and as a run up to that I thought I would break myself in, with a marathon end August in Hyderabad. Shimla trips as a precursor to our Sept Half there, bummed me out of that Marathon and I was a bit disappointed, but there was always another one- the Heritage Marathon in Hyderabad on Oct 9th.
Chest congestion the week after Shimla got me coughing away and unable to train and not yet cough free post Oct 9th so that went out of the window too.
Then there was the 30 miler at Bhati on Oct 22nd. So no worries. Signed up for that one on the 13th of Oct and then went to Panchkula for a run we were organising there on the 15th. On the return on a recce run I got a pull in my back at the 6km mark and hobbled back to the hotel room. Iced, rested and barely able to move- so I cancelled my Bhati regn.


On the 15th at our run, I could barely straighten my back and after a 15 minute ordeal of putting on my jeans and socks, made it at 5am to start the set up for the run on Karwa Chauth.
Sun, Mon, Tue rested and iced and was flat out for the most part at home and a couple of meetings.
Wednesday went out for a 3km run - tentative and careful with an extra insole in my tight shoe to balance my gait - since one foot due to hip twists or whatever, is usually longer that the other!! And then Trips called me about a run on Thu for a recce for the others for the Bhati trail since I had been on that the year before and I don't know how or why I agreed , but I did.
Thursday then- was a reasonable 8-9k on the trail starting with a 430am meet up at Galleria market - there were 9 of us. Princey and Trips were planning to run the 50 miler 2 days later.
The sunrise, the company, the wind in the face, and the back holding up all made me feel good, and then I decided to register for the Bhati 30 miler.

Slept in late on Friday morning and got up only at 8am. But had a friends Diwali party to go to and I thought I wd go early and come back early - So I went to Sandeep and Richa's place- as the usual early bird - at 8pm since that is when they had called everyone. Soon - I was in the swing of things and meeting old friends and making some new ones, and with my carbo loading comprising 3 beers and 3 glasses of wine, I went to sleep at 130am.
DEFINITELY NOT WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED, OR WHAT ANY SENSIBLE RUNNER WOULD DO.
 

But then I know I am not a role model for sensibility, definitely not for myself.
Alarm goes off at 330am and I am out with my soaked almonds and gatorade with electral, and salt added, and my camera and cell phone - I am all set.
The merriment with the other runners at the start and thereon with my camera clicking smiling faces and with the trail and the lovely lakes and sunrise and.....kept it going. Ran with Barnali for a long time and then Ankush joined us and on my last loop walked with Milind for 4k and that did it. In between I tried my best to tempt folks with the soaked almonds and found a few takers.
I crossed the finish line - delighted that I had finished - with a smile on my face. No cramps and opting out at 38k like the previous year. No back ache. And a few new friends.

I was back into the groove for doing a bit of long distance running again.
For more sensible training schedules please check our running and living website
:-)

Rahul Verghese
www.runningandliving.com