Its been just two weeks since I started training with TnT. The hardest part so far is to keep up with the schedule of training 5 days a week and still find time to do fund raising for LLS. This apart from the fact that work cannot suffer and I am there to help Stuthi as much as needed.
My schedule so far:
Monday - Core training in the gym
Tuesday - Track workout with TnT
Wednesday - Free Yoga at work (Yay!! Salesforce) for core training
Thursday - Buddy runs with mentor (I better sleep and get some rest now)
Saturday - On Your Own run and the dreaded long runs with the team every other Saturday.
Friday and Sunday are Rest days.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Portola Valley
Today was my first long run with Team in Training. An 8 mile long run in the hills. The first hill was at one mile marker and it was quite steep. I didn't even notice the serene environment, beautiful green hillside and gorgeous houses as the only thing that mattered was to breathe and get over that first hill. Almost at the top of the hill, when I was completely out of breath and trying to catch up with my super fast group, I see a big smiley marked on the trail. It brought a smile to my face and I crossed over the hill. From then on, I got in the rhythm and continued. Second hill was a little more gradual and the water station at 2.5 mile was a welcome break. The rest of the hill was very gradual and the trail was just beautiful. I had the time to absorb the lovely environment. Out in the open, in the woods, greenery all around, and beautiful views of the bay re-inforced my love of trail running. The hills are hard no doubt, but the ups and downs work different muscle groups so you never over work one muscle group. The views from various vista points along the trails do not let you get bored. I prefer the soft trails to the unforgiving pavement.
When I looped around and reached the first water station the second time, i was expecting it to be at a 4 mile marker and to my surprise, they said I had run 6. That gave me a mental boost and with the energy of the powergel, I ran back at a good pace. That it was all downhill also helped a little. :) At the end of the run, I was greeted with the cheers of my team mates. Nice..
After the run we had an honoree picnic at a church. A leukemia survivor came and shared his story with us. He said that in 1995 all the people who were diagnosed with the kind of leukemia he had did not survive. It was because of the cure found as a result of research that now, the rate of that kind of leukemia survival is 4 out of 5. It was with passion that he said, that because of people like you, there was a cure for the kind of leukemia he had and he was alive and with us. That drove the point home that the hardship that we were going through, that we will go through, is not for nothing. Its for a very important cause and it will help save many more lives some day.
Go Team!
When I looped around and reached the first water station the second time, i was expecting it to be at a 4 mile marker and to my surprise, they said I had run 6. That gave me a mental boost and with the energy of the powergel, I ran back at a good pace. That it was all downhill also helped a little. :) At the end of the run, I was greeted with the cheers of my team mates. Nice..
After the run we had an honoree picnic at a church. A leukemia survivor came and shared his story with us. He said that in 1995 all the people who were diagnosed with the kind of leukemia he had did not survive. It was because of the cure found as a result of research that now, the rate of that kind of leukemia survival is 4 out of 5. It was with passion that he said, that because of people like you, there was a cure for the kind of leukemia he had and he was alive and with us. That drove the point home that the hardship that we were going through, that we will go through, is not for nothing. Its for a very important cause and it will help save many more lives some day.
Go Team!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
First week with TnT - Why am I running?
Today I started training for my first Marathon, Seattle Rock 'n Roll Full Marathon. Yes, that is 26.2 miles. I still can't believe that when this is over, I would have run that much in one day, and in the process collected $4000 or more for finding the cure for blood cancer.
How does one get inspired to run a full marathon? For one, if you have many friends who have already crossed the finish line (some multiple times), it makes your job easier. They share their experience with you.
Secondly, I have been running pretty regularly with my running buddies, Shiva and Samir (who have run multiple marathons), on the weekends, but whenever it came to running a full marathon, I always said to myself, that is a huge comittment and I would do it some day when I get the inspiration. My friend Rohit helped me prepare for my first half marathon, but I knew that when I prepare for my first marathon, I would certainly prepare with a team working to raise awareness and money for some worthy cause. Team In Training is one such great team of volunteers who work to raise money to help find the cure and help others who are battling cancer. This cause connected with me personally as well when my Mother, after battling brain cancer for about 11 months, passed away in March 2005.
Third inspiration came from my friend Sai Gopalkrishnan. Just a few months ago he had a beautiful baby girl. He decided to run his first marathon with Team in Training this year and he has been training since January. So, when I was talking to him on the phone to wish him luck, it occured to me, why not run the same marathon with Sai. I would have a great friend to run with in Seattle and he will show me the path to be disciplined, as he always does.
And finally, my wife, Stuthi. We are expecting our first baby this August. I can never feel what Stuthi will be going through, but I thought, if I run a marathon, I would at least come closer to understanding her discomfort and she would feel much better knowing that I also have gone through at least some amount of hardship and have achieved something that I have never achieved in my life.
So here I am, preparing myself to be disciplined so I can train myself to run 26.2 miles and in the process raise funds for a worthy cause. This is for you Stuthi, my mom, and for thousands of people who fight their personal battles with cancer everyday.
Go Team!!
How does one get inspired to run a full marathon? For one, if you have many friends who have already crossed the finish line (some multiple times), it makes your job easier. They share their experience with you.
Secondly, I have been running pretty regularly with my running buddies, Shiva and Samir (who have run multiple marathons), on the weekends, but whenever it came to running a full marathon, I always said to myself, that is a huge comittment and I would do it some day when I get the inspiration. My friend Rohit helped me prepare for my first half marathon, but I knew that when I prepare for my first marathon, I would certainly prepare with a team working to raise awareness and money for some worthy cause. Team In Training is one such great team of volunteers who work to raise money to help find the cure and help others who are battling cancer. This cause connected with me personally as well when my Mother, after battling brain cancer for about 11 months, passed away in March 2005.
Third inspiration came from my friend Sai Gopalkrishnan. Just a few months ago he had a beautiful baby girl. He decided to run his first marathon with Team in Training this year and he has been training since January. So, when I was talking to him on the phone to wish him luck, it occured to me, why not run the same marathon with Sai. I would have a great friend to run with in Seattle and he will show me the path to be disciplined, as he always does.
And finally, my wife, Stuthi. We are expecting our first baby this August. I can never feel what Stuthi will be going through, but I thought, if I run a marathon, I would at least come closer to understanding her discomfort and she would feel much better knowing that I also have gone through at least some amount of hardship and have achieved something that I have never achieved in my life.
So here I am, preparing myself to be disciplined so I can train myself to run 26.2 miles and in the process raise funds for a worthy cause. This is for you Stuthi, my mom, and for thousands of people who fight their personal battles with cancer everyday.
Go Team!!
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