Time to STOP making excuses…

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Wakeup Call

It was time for the annual health check-up, and I was nervous of the outcome of the series of tests. With a near sedentary lifestyle over the past 30+ years, I had managed to gain weight (read as Fat) and a few ailments. The thought of adding a series of medications to keep vitals under control was a scary thought that gave me nightmares.

It was time to decide and do something seriously about the situation I was in… at the age of 50+, with a history of slip disc, high BMI, and a long duration of non-active lifestyle, it was very difficult to imagine changing to an active lifestyle. Also, these were a good set of excuses to maintain Status Quo.

Call for action … first step.

Social media can be a boon or a bane. I used to see many of my friends posting pictures of their achievements – running Marathons and Ultra marathons, which kind of made me jealous. I happened to confide in one of my team members who had participated in the Malnad Ultra Marathon. He was enthusiastic in wanting to help and introduced me to the RunAddicts club in RR Nagar, Bangalore.

Overcoming the fears

I was skeptical and the fear of failure was in the back of my head…. However, I told myself, that there was nothing to lose, and I should give it a try. I decided to dive in, with an open mindset to see how far I could go.

The most difficult part was struggling to get out of bed every morning….. I had told my family members and several of my close friends that I am starting to exercise. To avoid having to cut a sorry figure and to avoid making an excuse for not exercising, I started to force myself out of bed. It worked as a motivator too and helped cross the first hurdle.

The next big one was, fear of being ridiculed or laughed at. When I got off to the roads and noticed people of different ages and physical capabilities active, it worked as a strong morale booster. By now I had gotten to doing a 60 to 90 min walks and on occasions run/walk 2 to 3 times a week.

The new Routine

Over the course of 4 – 6 weeks of regular daily activity – changes in sleep pattern, ability to wake up early without an alarm, better metabolism and some weight reduction were observed. This was a very big morale boost. By now, the decision to stay active was made and my family and friends played a vital role in keeping me motivated. The RunAddicts family were a great source of inspiration and motivation. The daily whatsapp messages from several members of their achievements and informational tips played a vital role to keep me going.

First Big Leap

On Nov 17, 2019 I participated in my first RunAddicts group run, which was also a promo run for the Thump! Celebration Bangalore Marathon and was very happy to have been able to complete my first 5K. In the excitement, I registered for a 10K run for Thump! Celebration Bangalore Marathon, however, was a bit skeptical. I was not sure if I did bite more than what I can chew. Since the decision was made, and did not want to hurt my newfound confidence, decided to complete the 10K come what may, even if it meant walking some of the distance.

 

I had never participated in a timed event in the past, so when I got the race T-Shirt and the BIB with my name and number printed on it, the mind was all set to get going, but was a bit nervous as well. With tips from veteran runners and a little apprehension, got to the race venue to participate and viola…. I Completed the 1^st timed 10K on Dec 1, 2019. I was super excited that after over 30 years of not being active, I was now bitten by the running bug! I now had the opportunity to post my own “Finisher” pictures on social media, received a lot of motivational messages and many were pleasantly surprised.

 First 10K Finish Dec 1, 2019

Self Discovery

My Race @ My Pace is the motto I follow to help me stay focused, not overexert myself and ensure that I can take care of my commitments to work and family.

The journey had begun with a desire to keep going and scale newer milestones …. With the Pandemic in 2020, several virtual events were being organized across the globe, including the RunAddicts very own 8-week challenge. With restrictions across the city to venture outside, the apartment terrace was put to great use. Participating in these virtual events helped stay committed and enabled me to cover over 2600Km on feet in 2020. It has played a vital role in overcoming the biggest mental block of “I cannot do it.” I am now looking forward to newer milestones in 2021 and graduate to a Half Marathon!!

Not forgetting the medical tests …. my personal trigger, all the critical vital parameters are now under control! While I may still not be at the ideal BMI, slowly and steadily my weight which I had piled up has started to drop. I feel lighter, happier, and clearer in my head, and have become a lot more active and healthier.

If I could do it, you sure can. 😉 Looking forward to hearing more stories of folks inspired by my personal journey!

I will post how I overcame my excuses in my next… Keep running, stay safe, stay healthy.