5 life lessons I am learning through running

Couch to 5kms. This has truly been my story for the past 3 months. From someone who used to stealthily carry a notebook in the uniform pocket to read for class tests or just play the sport of ‘tennicoit’ (Assumed and seen as the easiest of all games) during the ‘physical education’ hours in school, I can actually run now. And I can see it changing the person that I have been.

I started running 3 months ago. I recognised a personal milestone in my running today. It could be a miniscule one for proper marathon runners. But for me, it is huge. Till now, whenever I ran about 5 kms, I used to take a break with a brisk walk after every kilometre. But today, I managed to run my first 3 km without a break. I took a brief 30 second walk after that and continued to run the next 3 km without a break.

I have covered only about 35 kms through the total number of runs I have done in these 3 months. Yet it is so amazing how much running can teach you in such a short period of time. For me, every run is a different kind of experience. It has been teaching me something new, about life, about people, about myself, about staying motivated, about pushing myself further.

Here I want to capture 5 life lessons that I am learning through running.

You are capable

Running has made me believe that I can set new goals for myself, work on them and also reach them. I have started to believe that I am my own competition and I push myself further in every run. On an everyday basis, it strongly activates the brain for the rest of the day.

You have no reason to be lazy

If you ever feel low in life for a steady phase, start running in your nearby park or even better at the beach. People start thronging these places as early as 5 in the morning. I realise there is no reason for me to stay in bed around that time at this age when septuagenarians and octogenarians are out there exercising every inch of their body.

I see women in their 60s doing yoga, a 70-year-old gentleman doing reverse walking, 50+ women running in their sports shoes. I have no reason to complain or crib that I can’t do this. There is inspiration all around. Once you start running, you begin to see them clearly.

You can regulate your eating habits

Yes, I indulge in oily bajjis but I know when to stop. Running has actually improved my appetite. Even if I ignore my breakfast on a given day, my body reminds me that I need it no matter what else is on priority in life. You begin to love eating for yourself and to keep yourself healthy. I have started researching more on what is healthier to eat, how to balance out my meal. When I miss out, the guilt instantly crops up and I get conscious about my eating. I find it easier to say no to a lot of junk like chocolates or chaat when I don’t need it. Running develops a proper discipline in your eating habits. However I am still working on my sleep patterns. I will get there soon!

You grow with gratitude

I believe that each person who has started running has had another runner as their first spark of inspiration. And then, there are those who run with you, the friends you make while running who help you stay inspired. You take tips from them, share inspirational videos, you literally surround yourself with people. That is when gratitude begins to develop in you.

And apart from this, running on the beach has opened my eyes to different kinds of people. The gypsy who I saw today morning brushing her teeth in charcoal, the numerous men and women who sleep on the platforms, the make-shift tents where hundreds of children sleep through their night, the policeman who reports to duty on the beach so early in the morning, the fishermen who are out in their motorboats in the sea, the soup seller or the fruit salad seller who is ready to serve you hot soup and salad as you finish running (imagine the number of hours and efforts these people put in while you were sleeping through the night and morning, right from sourcing the ingredients and preparing them), the young lad who sells tender coconuts.. they all impact you like nobody else. The impact can only be felt and not spelt out in words here.

So next time you feel that you have nobody or nothing worth in life, start running and make sure you run atleast once on the beach. You will not go anywhere else to run the next time.

You can adapt to change

Every run is unique. There are days when my body truly talks to me saying I can’t run more than 3 kms today. And there are other days when I can clearly differentiate whether that voice is from my body or from my mind. I have started listening to my body and also understand it better.

Remember that for every 10 people out there who question you on what you will achieve by running, there is one person who is inspired to run just by looking at you. That one person is worth it. And that one person is only the second one on the list because the first one is you. You are worth it. To run and transform your own life, you begin one day. That day will sure make a huge difference to your life.

Just give it a try! 😊

And I want to leave you with this video which one of my friends shared with me during the time I started running, which I am sure is inspiring:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Z0l-E8Qxk

Much love,

Haripriya