Runners can be irritating at Times to many people..
However, they are at their Irritational Best to their
Partners…..
My Wife was totally Irritated when I told her what I planned
to do on 15th August.. At first she though I was kidding and ignored
it, as I am used to sign up for an event and
Then if I do not feel like going for the same or due to my
travelling it gets cancelled.
However, this time was different. From 2nd August
itself I started Tapering. Not that I was totally Trained and ready to do a 12
hour Event.. but I did few 25ks and a 30km run in 4 hours.
Besides that the only
other advantage I had with me was doing a Comrades so I knew what an
ULTRA Feels like.
Basis the above Assessment, I proceeded towards giving the 12 hours Run at Mumbai Ultra a TRY.
When I discussed this matter with my coach, they took an
assurance from me that Only IF I DECIDE TO STOP THE MOMENT THERE IS A SINGLE
SIGN OF DISCOMFORT, CRAMP, SPRAIN, or
Any such thing and I was of the same Opinion.
At the end of the day, you run for FUN….and there is NO FUN
IN RUNNING WITH EITHER OF THE ABOVE OPTIONS..
As I came closer, the night before the event, it struck my
Wife that the next morning I shall be on my Feet for 12 hours… and she asked me
again..
“PRATIK…. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO DO FOR ALL THE 12
HOURS????????”
The question was followed by a complete SILENCE in the room
as she was waiting for an answer and I was only Smiling…
I was quite Cynical in my Smile as at the back of my mind I
was thinking…. WOW…I shall be doing what I love doing the best for all the 12
hours and no one to Disturb me.
No office calls, No House Duties, No Worries of life
Whatsoever…. BUT HOW CAN I EXPLAIN THIS TO HER….
However, I am pretty sure that she got the answer through my
SMILE, that how badly I wanted to get to the START LINE.
The Same question was asked to me by many seniors of my
group and other people who got to know that I am attempting the 12 hours
Run….and I had no answer.
The Reason I had no answer to this question…was because the
ANSWER I could only get by actually finishing the Event and earning the medal
for the same…
So I got up on the D- Day and took a Shower and approached
the START LINE..A lot of planning had been done by my Group who is my extended
family to come and support me in
The morning in Large numbers..but then the Organisers were
not wanting the same and hence, had to request all of them to cancel the plan…So
some people from TG Who could make it in the noon came and walked with me when
it mattered the most. Madhav Joshi,
Chitra Nadkarni, Kaushik Mukherjee & Chandani my wife were there in
different hours right from 12 pm to 5 pm…
The first 7 hours were indeed a Fun moment and literally a
chit chat conversation with fellow Comrade PUSHKARAJ KORE.
When I reached the Holding Area, I was a bit nervous… I was
a bit nervous for many days before 15th August. But this feeling was
a bit different…
I was more nervous even then Comrades.. as for Comrades, I
was confident to put up a good show. Reason, I had Trained with the best of the
best and I knew the Medal was mine for the Taking.
I had visualized the finish line, the emotions, every single
Night while I was in Durban.
But here, if you ask me my feelings the Night before, were different.. I was down with a slight Viral Fever on Friday and So entire Saturday I rested. I had a slight pain in my Left Gluteas Medius which was not ready to go after ample of stretching, Foam rolling, etc.
So my strategy was simple… To start easy and keep going easy…
At no stage I wanted to Push my body and if I happen to get even a slightest
level of Discomfort; I shall hop in my
Car and head Back home.
There was no shame in Backing out from an On-going event….
There is a quote which says like this “HE WHO SAYS HE CAN
& HE WHO SAYS HE CANNOT ; ARE BOTH RIGHT”
I couldn’t agree more… and this time rather the Very First
time I went into an event thinking of Backing out first then Finishing First…
After meeting the Who’s Who of ULTRA RUNNING which includes
names like Arun Bhardwaj, Dharma, Satish Gujaran, Amit Seth, Neepa Seth, Apurba
Das, Kavin, Indira Ghosh,Piyush Shah and Many more…The FLAG OFF Happened. Amit
Seth did the honours and we started…..
I saw many people speed up just like a half Marathon or even a 10k start….But I had decided that I rather be the TORTOISE TODAY then the Hare…. A story I learnt well while reading out to My kiddo Rivaan At times J
I took my first Walk Break as Early as at 2.5 kms and so
almost more than 50 people crossing me over. At no point I felt bad, or
insecure that so many people are overtaking me..as at the back of my mind I knew
that at the 12th Hour, if all goes well as per my plan, I shall be
SMILING without any Aches, Pains, Cramps, and I shall see the same people Limping
or pushing to the limits and in the process not experiencing the JOY OF
RUNNING.
The Rule for being qualified to receive a medal at Mumbai
Ultra was simple, Run a minimum distance of 43 Km and cross the finish line at
5 PM.. you are allowed to receive a Medal…..
1 Loop was of 11 kms and at end of completion of each loop
every runner had to pass urine, weigh himself, get their Blood pressure checked
and then after Doctors’ permission proceed further.
Over and above this there was a BIG Team of PHYSIOTHERAPISTS
from various fields and it was so nice to see all the physios from different
clinics to unite together to ensure no runner suffers from any Injuries.
I have done a lot of rounds at many Physios… Thanks for my
Spine Surgery and belive it or not, every person who would have checked me,
treated me before and after my surgery were there..and were having the Same
expression as my wife….That WHY AM I DOING THIS….and my reaction was simple..
THE EVIL SMILE…..
Hence, I lied down and asked one of the Physios to give me a
Stretch and his question was…”WHAT HAPPENED? WHERE IS IT PAINING? AM I
CRAMPING? “
I did not know what to say… I said I am perfectly alright
and just want you to confirm the same by checking if I am not stiff at my SPINE….
So he did and he said no need to come again and proceed
further…
I kept doing the above for Each loop for all the 6 times and
trust me, I was same as far as stretching and flexibility was concerned when I got
myself Stretched at the end of the 6th Loop.
Luckily I have Learnt to run by activating the Core and
running through it so that no strain or pain comes on the BACK Whatsoever.
I do not wish to write and make this write up boringly
length by mentioning Each hour..as frankly speaking it was never a mind game
for me at any hour as I never Pushed my Body to that limit that it will need
the mind to motivate and push the Body….
But again, many might ask….if I did not want to challenge
what was the reason to do this….
Frankly speaking I still don’t know…..but one thing I had at
the back of my mind…which is
GOD WILLING IF I DO COMRADES AGAIN, IS MY SPINE GOOD ENOUGH
TO HOLD ME STANDING ON MY LEGS SMILING AROUND, FOR 12 LONG HOURS??
I had to overcome the fear....
I simply had to CONQUER THIS UNKNOWN FEAR WHICH WAS WITHIN ME... as If I sign up for another
ULTRA, Will I Last…
So I did get answer to these questions…
There was also 1 more question which I got an answer to
again… Which I thought while running…
DO I WANT TO DO AN ULTRA AGAIN ?????????????
THEY SAY NEVER SAY NEVER….. SO AT THE TIME BEING…MY ANSWER
WILL BE NO.. BESIDES COMRADES, I DO NOT WISH TO DO ANY OTHER ULTRA, AS DO NOT
FIND IT WORTH IT( No Disrespect to any Event or Ultramarathoners)..…AND ALSO
ITS TOO MUCH FOR THE BODY, MIND AND ALSO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO CARE FOR YOU
SO MUCH……
So for some time ahead, I am going to be extremely Happy
doing 10ks, 21ks, a few 30s which will eventually lead me to SCMM and then if
all goes well…then WHO KNOWS…..WHAT NEXT ?????????????
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