Testing the deeper waters. .! Gulped a bit, swam a bit.! And tugged out at last.! (Running long along.!)

Testing the deeper waters. .! Gulped a bit, swam a bit.! And tugged out at last.!
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I am feeling blank right now. Feeling exhausted and with a slight head ache, things today at office were simple..! I just went through the motions. No creativity, no commitments. Just let it flow sort of a day…

I am not at all like this. Am hyper-active my friends say to me, and are amused at the speed I answer back the texts, and talk so much on calls, but all of them found me different today. It was simple for them also.! Just points, straight forward. Issues at work first time faced a flat “first things first approach” from me, as generally I do try to make things easier for everyone. Well, to the close ones, perplexed by the blunt answers, I had to declare softly that I have ran a 20k in the morning so just leave it for some other day ..! Yes it was the day when I tested the deeper waters for the first time, in running terms, it was that milestone of 20k run which I very frankly had never imagined would come so early, just in 2 months time since taking up running.!

Woke up beating the alarm as usual I am doing since my first day at Core sessions workout started in November 2015, and swiftly went through to prepare and out for the start point. With the last week’s 15k exuberance inside me, and then the elation of the Republic day run of 6K, I felt confident, if not excited. Picked up Nish Desai , my Towing Van, who already walked up to half way to warm up, we then drove off to that start of the Bridge start point. This particular start point of this running route is by the way having very interesting psychological effect. Will explain it a bit later, as I don’t want to get lost in the short and full description of the run I had, but to those who can connect to that, may agree that it is like that.!
Crossed Jignesh, who was also driving to his first run in 7 months, after undergoing rigorous and religious trainings with Ashish bhai, and smiled at his tense looking face..! Aaha, that feeling of being ahead in the “running journey”..!

What I see is as usual, Nipun bhai, warming up, returning towards us, and that feeling of safety immediately filled in. Though I was not thinking much about today’s run, as Jignesh was also with us and did not know the plans, so there was not much anticipation. Reeling in that last 15k bliss, I actually did not even realized that I had picked up my water bottle right from the fridge and it was damn chilled…the realization came when the point came when I came out of the car and it struck my mind that I will have to hold it throughout..! at least half way till we finish the water up.! Last Sunday was chilled as we entered the country side and I recollect myself and Amarbhai both feeling the chill when we started to cross that patch back.!

Still I had no idea, that I was being over confident.! With having Jignesh to cheer to, we all just started quickly when Ashishbhai came around on bike in his “psycho” outfit which he will definitely mutate or evolve in his next life..!! Hardly had I realized, that this quick thought of fun was going to be the pivot of the biggest lesson that today’s run had in store for me.!
All started well, Jignesh looked happy, and we all were for him as he was on the road, running after a long frustrating period living with an injury that occurred due to ill-informed start of his running.

Walk, run and here we were on the 3 k mark with all cheering Jignesh and how can I forget the super-runner Preeti ma’am who accompanied us after finishing their running of may be an hour or more with Nipunbhai.! They were there since 4 am working on their run, to do the 20 k coinciding with us.! Well…It was not told but what was told was that it will be the same longer bit.!

Reached the start of the country side road, and Jignesh was happy to return and it was still dark, and the bus went ahead.! He offered me his water bottle, and I jokingly said, “yaar, you will need it more”..! Was it to be..??

Chatting all along, it was easy time till we hit the trail on the canal bank, and it was a super sight to discover that Canal was not empty and the water was gushing touching both banks to the brink!

They say that “Water is the elixir of life..!” And instantly proven as the flock of egrets just glided past us on eye level, landing in the field which was a food festival for them as the irrigation water had propped up all the insects for them to munch on..! A huge Purple heron just took off from the next tree and Ashishbhai and I were instantly enchanted by the thought of seeing a lot many birds !

Trail was the best part as the flow in the canal was in the opposite direction, and just chewing on the sentence told a moment before by Nipunbhai, how he was the first runner in his family, pulled out words from me…”Go against the Flow”..! Well I was not the first in our family..! The first runner in our family Nish, was just running ahead of me, clearing his mind of the fear of injury by instantly applauding the minimal running shoes that he had on .! It was my first serious run with him, barring that symbolic run on the republic day which I did half, my “towing-van” looked happy and confident.! It was surely the effect of running with Ashishbhai of course, may be for all the runners running in that flock.!

Trail just went by and we stopped at the returning point taking pictures and just bracing for a nice soft organge tinge of Sun coming up from the two high water tanks far in the field, It was just the most easy feeling for me so far.! Even had some knick-knacks on the way as Nipunbhai and Priti ma’am had come prepared with some good food with them.!

On return, I wanted to run a bit alone on this trail, reminding me of our early morning bird watching trips since we were in school. I wanted to realize that I was running more than 10k for the third time and wanted to pinch myself for it.! But I guess the birds morning calls did the trick.!
The bird check list grew in numbers with each kilometer passing by, and Ashishbhai started anticipating the birds on the next part of trail as may be the birds also anticipated Ashishbhai and started coming out on the path in groups to cheer .! The check list is a separate affair and will share with my birding pals for sure, but what I had in store ahead may interest the runners here. Ravi Sir was to join and couldn’t and I really thought he missed this one because of the birds we saw if not the super run we were having.!

Then we all saw a man in a red cape coming towards us gliding..!
Was it a bird..? Was it a plane..? No it was Nehal bhai.! Our own Super-man who does not feel any gravity since long.! A small chat and expressions of pure joy, as if they were accidently meeting on a long flight to some new-found land.! I managed to click one picture and he had a usual smile and a stare at me.! Well, I walked ahead and the legends stopped by to have air of some different chemical composition as they had a bit of oxygen overload may be..! My list of moments to day –dream about was growing day by day and this was the one of them..!

Anyways, all happy and well, we hit the road side, and while my rescue calls for animals and birds started coming and I realized that the city was just waking up now.! 13th kilometer on the route and we were running on the main road to Olpad, and I did not even realized when I was nearing 15th Kilometer, answering the rescues phone calls and delegating them into our unique rescue management system..!

A pause, I put my phone in my pocket, and I saw that at that very moment, Nipunbhai and all were a bit ahead of me, and I was going on the same distance. I wanted to catch them up, so leaned forward a bit and started to run a shade faster, and I just couldn’t.! Immediately in a few seconds, I had to slow down, and then walk.! I actually felt alone for the first time in the whole run, earlier when I had taken ahead in the positive way and this time in a not so positive way. I just could not increase the speed.! It was surely not the niggle that I used to get in the knee as today it was faint, and started only after 12th km I guess, but it was the breathlessness. This was a new feeling. I immediately took to walking, and caught my breath, and the stomach actually started showing signs of uneasiness. I slowed down more, walking trying to look around and divert my mind, but this feeling was there to stay.! What had gone wrong suddenly.? Well I immediately realized that I was feeling thirsty and the water was not around.! My bottle was in Ashishbhai’s back pack..! I managed to reach to the flock ahead when they already had started their return and joined them, taking the bottle and having that couple of sip back to life feel.!

I was out I thought.! Before the flock vanished, I shouted to Ashishbhai, “Is that okay if I come behind at ease.?” He waved both his hands up and sort of communicated…”You are on your own kid.!”
Aah, is this what is like in the finishing zone,? It was so easy for me to cheer the Summitters last month, when I was not a runner..! Oh man, I needed the cheer badly I thought.! No one was around and the feeling of suddenly going in to bottomless river while swimming for the first time in the deeper waters was there real.!

Just as we do in swimming, we take a deep breath, calm the nerves and started the slowest speed mode on.! I had some solace when I found the bikers and commuters passing by crossing me from front, looked at me in an curious and respectful way, the exact way I used to see the pilgrims walking on the road side bare foot, to their endless journey of faith.! Well that though gave me some refreshing energy and I managed to catch up with Nipunbhai who was taking it easy after his even longer run and only an hour of sleep may be .!

I needed a tug-boat badly and I got one. I was in deep waters for the first time, and all along the long hard climb of the Saroli bridge on the return, I was just being pulled by his sight running with a cool determination.! Applied the technique Ashishbhai taught me last time to negotiate the climb and it was through.! Trucks had started roaring past and it was all hot, humid and dusty and suddenly I was in the “finisher” phase of my run..! I can clearly now imagine the plight of the runners nearing the finish line .! Apurvabhai…I remembered your frankness when you described your experience exactly as you felt when we had met before and it was tough.!

Nipunbhai was the man of the hour.! We started talking and it diverted the mind and then I could feel that I was at last nearing the finish of this never ending last lap of 5 k..!
Finished with him in steady pace, I clearly feel I mentioned Amar bhai, company last time, and we agreed in no time that the running buddy is so important in the last laps.! Lot’s of emotions, but cant express as this sharing is now getting to a marathon length.!
Finished, oh it was not me, it was my newly found TUG-Boat in the form of Nipunbhai who talked me out this time! Can’t thank you enough Sir.!
Not as invigorated as the 15k last week, it was a happy feeling to finish 20k, but with a load of fatigue.!

Water was finished and we actually had to stop for water like thirsty deers to fetch some on the way back home.!
Since I reached home, it’s all going slow motion so far as I at last finish this sharing, by concluding that I am surely the fatigue was due to the dehydration.! Badly done.! You need to plan your run Man.!
All well’s that ends well, and it ends well when there is a lesson learnt.! Know, Plan and seriously prepare for any longer run you take, whatever the speed may be..! The distance will have you down on your knees, and in this case, I had my trekking stamina take me through, but I did felt that shudder for sure, the same shudder that a swimmer feels when he or she is in the deeper waters for the first time.!

Testing the deeper waters. .! Gulped a bit when I was struggling on the start of the 15k, , swam a bit with a swimmer by the side And tugged out at last by Nipunbhai.!
Swimming legacy that runs in Ashishbhai’s family has made him a great coach, just pushing kids having reasonable promise, in the deeper waters and then saying “ you are on your own kid..!” and surely knowing that the lesson will be learnt.! So it is Sir.!