DR S CHAKRABORTY( MD-MEDICINE)DR S CHAKRABORTY( MD-MEDICINE)Finally I completed my first ultra marathon run of 80 km organized by Tuffman at Coorg, Karnataka. It was very tough to say the least but the end result was really sweet. I ran along with my wife who did her first 50km run. We are happy but whomsoever hears about it ask some common doubts. Some are;1) WHY DO YOU RUN SO LONG DISTANCE; only a long distance runner can feel the reason to run. Everybody has their own explaination. Personally I can’t meditate for 12 hrs continuously. So running, being so simple of putting one step in front of other and nothing else, gives me enough time to focus and do meditation equivalent. It may look like a physical sport but after some time, it’s all about perseverance, patience, ability to withstand pain for long duration and yet not quitting, focusing for long time by having a tunnel vision of the goal in hand, not getting intimidated by a huge task and doing it one step at a time etc.2) ARE YOU ALIEN; Of course not. Just because it’s tough and you have not done it, doesn’t means that it can’t be done.3) I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME ; I work almost 10 to 14 hrs per day,6 days per week with some or the other emergency coming at night. If I can make it, why not you? Even 30 minutes of running per day will accumulate over a period long enough to give you stamina to run longer distance.4) I AM TOO OLD FOR RUNNING; I covered 80km in just under 12 hrs and yes I was the last to finish. Other runners who were in between 50 to 70 yrs young, finished earlier than me.5) MY KNEES ARE BAD; a participant in Coorg walked all the 80 km and finished ahead of me.6) WE DON’T HAVE SAFE PLACE TO JOGG; running could be done in loops of as small as 1km by just repeating it again and again. I am sure 1km loops could be easily found.7) I NEVER RAN BEFORE; My wife never ran in her school and college days and so are my two staff but both after some months of training completed 50km. Of course you might have 100 genuine reasons not to walk\run, but it won’t take you far. Sooner some or the other life style diseases will catch up with you. So pull up your socks and get ready to run. On February 2018, tuffman will be conducting the first ultramarathon of islands( 30,50 and 80km). Lets start preparing for it. I am sure the preparation will make you healthier, race is just a excuse.
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