Hi Bhumika
It is a Great pleasure and I get Excited when somebody asks me “did you complete a marathon”?
My Inspiration to run long distance is none other than M K Gandhi (Father of our Nation) He traveled The Length and breadth of our country on bare foot, He has commented in his Autobiography the best Way to see the city is to “walk and know them”, which he did in London and Johannesburg. I follow the same concept of seeing the city at least to the possible extent by running whenever I visit a new place.
My Running expeditions are (Unquote)
15kms in my 8th grade in a local place called tiptur.
Ran in Nagoya (Japan) in year 2000, 2006 by running, when the temperature was -4deg centigrade
50Kms Trek “walking on the Railway track on the Shiradi Ghats before the trains where launched”.
BTM to Bannerghatta and back.
Once got Traffic cleared which was piled for more than 10kms on the Shiradi ghat section since nobody could reach the place and nobody was aware why there is a traffic jam in 2006
Completed 30kms in the Runners for life marathon race in 2002
Completed a full Marathon in 2005 in 4.45 hours.
Descended & Ascended the Nandi Hills (20kms) Multiple times.
Cycled Bangalore – Mysore in 6.5hours
Given an Opportunity I would like to Run be it a Beach, Snow, Desert, Valley, My Village, still many more to go.
I used to Walk to office in South Africa (Boksburg) 10kms one side, with such a picturesque environment and with no traffic, I was Wondering can’t we have this in Bangalore?
Lalbagh , cubbon park, GKVK and UAS society have been seeing me run from last Millennium.
Activities
I am into Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Squash, Tennis, badminton, Cricket, Swimming, long distance running and Cycling and last not last but not the least, Workout in the Gym and some Gyan sharing with the folks
I have been running marathons for quite some time and I am flat footed, my strides are good but not my Cadence, Which I need to improve, I try improving each time I run.
Training the VI Runner
Bhumika, posted for a requirement of Guide Runner in “IBM runners group” in Whats app.
I accepted with Willingness to see what I can give and learn.
The first day in Kanteerva stadium I was Introduced to Other members and we Started the Run with VI girl called Renuka and subsequently on the next day I was reassigned to a girl called Kavya.
I used to pick Kavya and Nandeesh and Ajay from Samarthan in HSR layout
Kavya had never done long distance running prior in her life. During her Initial days in training in Kanteerava stadium, I noticed she used to get pain in her chest, since her breathing was not in Sync to her running style. I did a course correction of it, but it still required lot of practice, since her lungs are still not blown to the full extent.
Kavya a very shy by nature, agile and slim body if trained properly she will be able to make wonders. She always used to ask me “Anna, you don’t get tired while running ahaa”? my answer was a “No with a Smile”.
I was more tensed then Kavya for the race day on 21st October 2018, always had a doubt, will she make it or not? She had no idea what Full marathon meant to her.
Lap 1 (21kms)
On the race day, she started well, she started pulling other VI runners by cheering and made a steady progress. We ran like a pack of wolves under Bhumika’s guidance, 16th km she started slowing down near MG road near Kumble circle, she started walking and I had to motivate her to climb the slope and then slow down. She managed reaching 19th Km and started complaining of the Leg pain, Hip bone pain, so we went to the nearby Medico for a Spray. She was steady, but her body was not made for such endurance test. I knew if she could do a 21km, she can complete 42, “fingers crossed”. We reached our base camp of 21kms around 7 am.
Lap 2 (21kms)
I checked if she can make the next, she had no answer. I said let us do it, she wanted to walk, and I gave her an Option (1:2) 1 length walking and 2 Lengths running, I tried my all means her to run, but she could hardly go.
I had to convince her like my kid (Chiranth 10 years of age) feed her, with the protein drink, fruits, she is a poor eater and does not take the water in time.
She complained of a leg catch and I made her stand on the foot path and gave her a massage to the calf muscle, I know how the pain feels.
At the 33rd Km, she wanted to take skip a path and go to the other road, I told her even if cannot run, we will walk , if cannot walk , we will never take the short cut , realized mind playing the dirty game of taking the short cuts, it is not about winning the race or going ahead of others, but it is winning the mind with your body. I don’t know how many times I have said this to Kavya, “You can do it”, her answer was, “Sir I cannot run”.
Once she was about to sit down, So I had to hold her hand and run for a certain distance.
It was like training my son for running and cycling, I cannot lose hope, give up or get angry or frustrated, it is all about completion and seeing the 42kms mark completion.
We reached 41kms of running and Walking and now I asked her, let us complete it with style, she agreed for it, she completed with style and I was behind her seeing a girl running her first ever competitive run and that to 42kms.
I felt emotional and was with Joy, making her complete, Was she capable? Answer is Yes and No, she would have given it up in between, but she is the one who ran the race, so the answer is “Yes”. I was a part of her mind and made her move.
I learnt how not to give up and take the righteous path with whatever difficulty it might be, no short cuts in life, Practice makes person perfect, A great satisfaction of teaching and implanting the seeds of experience.
Seeing the VI girls and boys running and being with them I am extremely honored, and a sense of completeness comes and urge of doing it more prevails.
Thanks for providing the unique opportunity to train and run along with the VI kids.
Preparation
Marathon is not like a normal race it needs a thorough preparation of 18 weeks at least if one needs to Compete Professionally. The Regime is as below.
If we can inculcate this to them , they can not only complete but also do it like a pro , specially (Nandeesh , Sunitha, Kavya and Ajay)
Warm regards
Nandish Kumar S
See Also:
http://bhumikarunner.blog/2018/10/24/indias-first-visually-impaired-girls-to-finish-a-full-marathon
Empowering VisuallyImpaired & Beyond 