Home Fitness Things I Did in the Last Week Leading to My First Full Marathon

Things I Did in the Last Week Leading to My First Full Marathon

by Tanya Agarwal

Am less than 24 hours away from running my first full marathon. I’ve been running half marathons for 4.5 years now. It was only last year that the idea of doing a Full Marathon genuinely appealed to me. Of course, there is no dearth of influences in the running community to keep taking our running to another level all the time. I just had to time it right in my life. I wanted to ‘choose’ running a full marathon and not at the cost of everything else.

Having stated my inner voice, here’s how I have been inching towards it in the last 5 days:

Monday ( 18.02.2019)

The first full marathon and all the nervous excitement in the days before it. That is exactly what this blog is about - the last 5 days before the big race. Meeting Parul Sheth - the Running Soul
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Woke up in Bombay. Sick of Delhi Winters, I was here to spend sometime by myself and my husband who was already there on a work trip. Left my kids behind with my parents for three days to soak in some sun.  I met up with the running soul and blogger Parul Sheth who is a book on tireless inspiration herself.

I am regular reader and a fan of her blogs. She recommended – How Bad Do You Want It – by Matt Fitzgerald. Am on the 60th page and I would say – go get your copy!

I went for a long walk at Haji Ali. I was there in 2003 last – the stench, the muck, the endless crowds, nothing has changed and yet you can overlook all of this easily and enjoy a breezy walk. (ok! yes, I am a biased and true Bombay lover)

I went for a long walk at Haji Ali. I was there in 2003 last - the stench, the muck, the endless crowds, nothing has changed and yet you can overlook all of this easily and enjoy a breezy walk. (ok! yes, I am a biased and true Bombay lover)
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Tuesday (19.02.2019) – An extra hour in the bed is sooo good. An 8k run on the treadmill and some stretches later, met a friend from 18 years back. My senior from Business School. He knows me from my yore of singlehood. He has nothing to do with my world of running – that made for different conversations. We touched upon our dreams. He is still chasing his dreams to produce a movie. Dream discussion – am always on!

My mentor – Alfredo Miranda (warmly addressed as Alfie) urged me to go easy and stay hydrated everyday from now on. Having mentored me last 2 years now, Alfie knows where I need an extra push. (more on this and mentoring in the next blog)

Wednesday (20.02.2019) – Back in Delhi. It was a home full of things to do. After I sent my kids to school, I did take a nap, totally forgot about my upcoming marathon. It was an evening full of homework, and things that kids keep you busy with.

Open - By Andre Agassi.  can’t promise you that you won’t be tired, he says. But please know this. There’s a lot of good waiting for you on the other side of tired. Get yourself tired, Andre. That’s where you’re going to know yourself. On the other side of tired.”
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But just before sleeping, I open my bible of motivation – OPEN by Andre Agassi and flipped through few of my favorite pages:

“I can’t promise you that you won’t be tired, he says. But please know this. There’s a lot of good waiting for you on the other side of tired. Get yourself tired, Andre. That’s where you’re going to know yourself. On the other side of tired.” 

Thursday (21.02.2019) – Another schooI morning and then a painful session at the physio. I have developed a right calf tendenitis. Needling is painful and the soreness later is another thing to deal with.

What I did in the last few days leading to my first Full Marathon - WellthyFit
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3 weeks of twice a week physio did help me. More on this later for sure. I wrote a blog on ‘home remedies for building immunity’. And after my baby hugs and sleep time, Gully Boy happened!

But before that, a 3k evening run as advised by my physio and approved by Alfie. I came out for this run with Malti – the one who actually literally pushed me into running in September 2014. She’s back to running after almost 5 years. A crazy needs another crazy to maintain the sanity! Life has some really fun ways of taking you back to priceless memories. I finally end the day with some very relaxing yoga stretches.

Friday  (22.02.2019)– 5k early morning run with Sumeet. My last training run. My mind automatically went back to Nov 25th 2018 when I reached out to my mentor – Alfie for a FM plan.

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Physically and mentally down the dumps at that time, I decided to distract myself with a personal goal. I needed to get resilient. Alfie did send me a plan. He was sure that we were late in starting. And very politely (almost wanting to tell me to not to do it), he said – “Try to finish the kms”. It was a 5 day running plan – one that was impossible for me. Will I be able to do this?How?

And today I am doing the last training  run with Sumeet. We have been running together for about 2.5 years now. He is the most effortless runner I have met and has been a quiet motivator in my journey. He’s also a dawn runner like me.

And just like that – with all these thoughts – my 5km is over. Next stop – my son’s sports day. And then the Bib collection – Where it finally begins to feel REAL!

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I come back home a bit sleepy. I hydrate little more than normal today.

My whatsapp buzzes with best wishes for my run. My group ‘Runbugs’ ( Did I ever mention that I belong to the most fun, motivating and crazy running group?They won’t let you have a single dull run) has constantly been rooting for me during my training. They’ve applauded every training run of mine and done their best to make me feel at the top of my game.

Saturday (23.02.2019) – I’m spending a quiet saturday morning writing this blog. It’s a crisp day and now all my thoughts are about the run tomorrow. Like many others running the Full Marathon tomorrow, I will be waking up at 1.30 am to leave Gurgaon at 2.30 am to reach Delhi in time to start running at 4 am. Am hoping it’s not freezing cold.

Today I plan to watch one of my favorite movies ‘Chak de India’ with my kids, relax and get my k-taping done on my right calf.

Sunday (24.02.2019)– Let’s do this! Apna Time aaaa…..gaya!

Now after reading this blog – if you get the feeling – ‘How Do I Care’????, then….. I don’t blame you 🙂

And btw how beautiful are these lyrics from the famous Gully Boy song:

Gully Boy - Apna Time Aayega. this has inspired me beyond words! WellthyFit - Full Marathon
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Jitna tune boya hai (As much you have sown);
Tu utna hi toh khaayega (Only that much you will get in return to eat.
Aisa mera khwaab hai (Such a dream I have;)
Jo dar ko bhi sataayega (Which would frighten the fears itself.)
Zinda mera khwab (A living dream of mine;)
Ab kaise tu dafnayega (How are you gonna bury it?)
Ab hausle se jeene de (Now let me live with courage;)
Ab khauf nahi hai seene mein (Now there are no fears in my heart.)
Har raaste ko cheerenge (I shall get past through every path)

Author

  • Tanya Agarwal
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    Welcome to Wellthyfit.com! Wellthyfit is my ‘writing venture’ on health and wellness and a constant reminder that health is our only everlasting wealth! Who am I - you can read here. But at the core of it all, I’m a mom who loves to run!

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5 comments

Madan February 23, 2019 - 11:57 am

Beautiful…. Every bit n byte of it…all the best

Reply
Tanya Agarwal February 25, 2019 - 6:14 pm

Thanks Madan!

Reply
Rukhsana Haque March 2, 2019 - 1:06 pm

Loved to read every word…..true blue Runner…YOU!! ROCK ON Tanya✌I crown you The Yoga & Running PrincessAdmirable..

Reply
Tanya Agarwal March 7, 2019 - 11:03 am

Thanks my eternal motivator, Rukhsana!

Reply
Madhu August 9, 2019 - 11:44 am

One blog which I read through without skipping a word. Very inspiring!

Reply

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