Why Do I Run ?

In 2013 the best thing that has happened to me is long distance running. But then one question has been always haunting me ever since. Why am I Running ..?.

So this post is more of reflections of my thought process which I am putting it in here in the hope that I will have an answer to the above question.

I took up long distance running around 3 or 4 month ago. It all started off when few of my friends pushed me to join "their SiMPLiRUN club " for the practice session which they were doing for TCS 10K. These guys were into their 3-4th week of their training and the first session that I attended with them they were doing their first 10k. I thought I will not even do a 2 km on that day and just went to their practice to be around and have some fun. But then when I started running I was not able to believe that I was able to do what I was doing. After covering first 4 kms, my body was still ready to take more & on that day along with all the other folks I did a 8K. That day I realized one thing about me, I understood that there is a lot more to me than what I knew about me. I was feeling happy that there is so much un-explored in me & I was sad that I had taken so much of time to realize that. This feeling didn't come because I finished the run in any decent timing. Actually if I think of the run it was pathetic, I completed it in some 1hr 25 minutes or something but then what I was thrilled about, was the way I did it without quitting. I just liked that part in me which just refused to give up. 

Above all these, what I really enjoyed about that day was that I was in company of guys who were common people like me who were running for first time who were apprehensive of running, people who felt bad about looking fat like me, people who were common, I was feeling that I was running with a lot of other "me's".

In no time the "their SiMPLiRUN club " became mine. 

Nowadays I cannot even imagine a week without running. I have started postponing my other schedules to include running on a daily basis. Thinking of it I am amazed.

Couple of weeks before one of my close friends asked me over a drink  "Do you run because it is your love. or is it just an infatuation? " I didn't have an answer then...and I still don't have one....Whether its love for this sport or is it a just a infatuation ?

Yes i didn't pick this sport on my own.It was my friends who pushed me into this & ya that gives a lot of room for some body to think that i never did it for the love of it in the first place. But am i not liking it then..Hmmmm..no I like running..Then that means i am liking the sport right..Does it mean that..I don't know..I think when we say we love some thing i think its a big statement to make. That means we are ready to give it time,we are committed to it and ya not for one or two days but for a life time. That's when according me we can say that we are in love with something or some one. 

So me to know whether i love running will take some more time.But ya..as of now.i am giving it time..I am giving it complete commitment..and i am in the phase were you are doing it do just because you like do it and I am enjoying it.

So do I have answer for the original question ?

No not yet.. I have more thoughts..

Actually when I recollect the time we are running..   Its about basically spending 1 to 2 hours of solid time with yourself.  Man!!!...isn't meditation. .You know what, I feel Running as an extended tooth brushing session. If you have observed, you will realize that the 2 minutes that we spent brushing in a day that’s where you are with yourself .some days you are like blank for that 2 minutes. Some days you get weird thoughts. Some days you plan your day.

Just imagine spending 2 hours on a deserted road with yourself.

I remember one of the runs I recently had which was around 14 kms, I never realized when the run was over. I was so into myself. During that run I recollected the good things that I had done till date.Felt bad about some mess up's..Felt good about few achievement’s  in my life. Felt good of being lucky to have whatever I had. Felt good about photography. Felt good about falling in love. Felt good about marriage. Felt good about the food that was waiting for me at home. Thought of some pending stuff’s in life, and above all dreamt a lot about things which I am not even able to recollect now. That’s what happens when you have two hours of time with an empty mind on an empty road.

Oh! It just stuck me ....i picked up running for loosing weight...

Hmmm..Probably yes..That was one of the reasons to start but is that the only thing..

NO.

If that was the only thing then probably I would have picked up any other sport. But then why Running.

Let me tell you one thing. The feeling that you get when you get to know that you can do stuff that you told yourself cannot. That’s something worth dyeing for. You change as a person. I remember one of the initial runs that I had with the group were I was running with people who were at least double my fitness level.

I was still able to pull it off. Those kind of moments give you a lot of confidence and makes you realize that the actual race is not with the guy next to you, but its with the guy inside you who want you to quit. That’s the guy who you have to beat. No one else.

Ok..So back to the question. Why do I run ?

Ans 1. I Like the people in the group with whom I run.

Ans 2. I am in love with running

Ans 3. I get to spent time with myself.

Ans 4. I wanted to loose weight.

Ans 5. I wanted to prove myself wrong.

Ans 6. I wanted to feel more confident.

Ans 7. I wanted to beat the guy inside me who told me I was a looser.

Ok so now ..What Is the answer.. Oh man..I was better off without this write-up. This has confused me more. Or may be the answer is “all of the above”. Or may be there are still some more thoughts which are yet to occur to me. Any ways as I said before I am giving it time & whatever is the reason for me to pick up running, I am enjoying it as of now.

I cannot mention my gratitude in words to SiMPLiRUN and its founder  Jaikanth Kumaran  for allowing me to be part of this entire journey and for making me part of this experience.