Life as we know it for a new mother is all about issues from breast feeding probs, diapers & diaper rashes, to no sleep ever and to top that up thanks to the hormonal havoc there is the constant emotional roller-coaster that a new mommy goes through, from image insecurities to “Am I being a good mother” to what not.
Motherhood not only gave me the cutest baby but also the piles of fat that just doubled to my dismay thanks to the ‘no workout’ put across by my Ortho since I had developed severe calcium deficiency and it was bad for my knees. So here I was a new mommy learning how to live a new norm struggling to find anything that could fit me in my wardrobe and then one day there was the epiphany ...the biggest gift I could ever give my daughter is a healthy fit happy mother and It had to happen now.
I have always dreaded the gym..never been a loner when it comes to workouts...I'm a group kinda gurl...Aerobics, Zumba and Dancing as always been my mantra, I love the energy and enthusiasm in a group exercise. It's still not clear to me why I decide not to do what I always loved but to challenge myself to something out of the box...maybe I wanted to come out of my comfort zone and my mundane life ....and voila there it was, in my mind I could see those big fat letters MARATHON ???
Knowing that I would back out from it eventually because at that moment it sounded drastic for person who hasn't done any "actual workout" unless you consider lifting my baby, cooking cleaning and other household chores a workout ( which I do like so many other mommies) I quickly moved that butt and Googled the next marathon and bought my ticket, that's how the Bengaluru Midnight Marathon 2013 became my next focus apart from the dealing with a toddler with temper tantrums.
The Preparation :
The Midnight Marathon in my city Bangalore was in December and I had a good ole two months to prepare . It had been months (whom am I kidding) actually years since I had a decent workout, due to my weight and knee problem I couldn't even walk a km without getting out of breath or having pain in my knees and heels. So first things first I realized that I would have to take my calcium & vitamins regularly if I was going to succeed in this. There had to be a change in food habits as well…you can’t put a cheesy chicken burger or pizza inside you and expect your body to run a 5k. It's all about eating right as well.
So supplements- check, balanced and healthy food- check, I was now good to go.
Geared with my Nike running shoes, I decided to take it slow. First I did only brisk walks covering only small distances, I just kept the pace up and as the weeks progressed the small walks became longer stretches covering at least 1.5 to 2 km. I started feeling quite confident in a months’ time I was doing 3kms without feeling tired. I remember never actually running a 5 km during my preparation it was always a brisk walk or a jog, I did what I felt my body was comfortable doing and went by my instincts. I prefer the jog/ run technique versus just running entirely.
Preparing for the 5k was like my ‘Me time’ away from my mommy duties listening to my favorite songs and walking with purpose I felt in peace, I felt…healthy.
Judgment Day:
On 14th Dec 2013 I finished my first 5k in 50 mins…it was exhilarating the fact I did it and actually finished it within an hour I was proud of myself . It was tiring especially after the 3km mark, my legs started to feel heavier but it was mind over matter and the training that rescued me.
I went into this thinking it was a one-time challenge but on 23rd Feb 2014 I did my second 5k in 40 min at Pinkathon Bengaluru. For me running a marathon became more than losing weight but to push myself from the ordinary!!!
Well this mommy is now hooked on to it…my eyes are already set on my next one....many ask me why do you run….I simply reply why don’t you run???
