When I flew back to India after a trip to Redwood City, California on Nov 18th, Jaya had introduced me to RFL (Runners for Life – a group of hardcore runners in Bangalore) and pointed out the upcoming Ultra Marathon on December 16th. Ultra Marathon has runs in 3 categories – 26k, 52k & 78k. Having never run more than 5k (although in a respectable 30 minute pace), I decided to plunge in and take the challenge – for Jaya had also pointed out Mitra Jyothi (http://www.mitrajyothi.com/) to me and her desire to do a fund raiser for them, I decided not only to run but also raise funds for Mitra Jyothi with the run.
Before enrolling, I wanted to do at least 10k in 60 minutes – I comfortably got past that point on Sunday, Nov 25th. I registered & set about raising 1 lakh for Mitra Jyothi – I quickly got to Rs. 30k in a week and on Saturday Dec 1st, did a 12k run in 75 minutes. Everything was looking rosy except for some mild knee pain after runs. Optimistic, I went for a run in Bellandur organized by RFL on 2nd and wanted to do 13k in 85 minutes. Disaster! Within minutes of starting the run, my knee gave way and I ended up almost walking all way in 2:36 – the only saving grace was that I did 16.8 kms (6.46 km/hr or 4 miles/hour). I nursed the injury and started “tapering off” the aggressive 4 week training instead of the time tested 12 week program for such runs.
In the meantime, the fund raiser was coming along nicely. It was a challenge to make people open up their heart and wallet, especially in a timely manner, but by December 15th, I had far exceeded my goal, having raised 1.5 lakhs. My sincere thanks to my friends in India, US and UK who made this seemingly impossible task possible. My fund raiser page http://www.mitrajyothi.org/Suresh-pledgepage.htm will be active in Mitra Jyothi's website for some time.
16th December! I barely managed restful sleep on 15th night – and woke up well before the alarm was set to go off at 3:30 am. I had to catch a bus at 4:30 am to reach the “Our Native Village” or ONV, where the run was organized, about 2 hours away from Bangalore. We reached ONV just after 6 am, in time to cheer the 52k and 78k runners whose race was flagged off at 6 am sharp. The 26k run was flagged off at 7 am sharp with Queen’s “We will rock you” playing in the background to get us going. I quickly fell in step with Noel, a fellow runner who had intended to follow the 4:1 strategy – 4 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking. It was a scenic run, almost fully in dirt track with ample greenery all around. Even the 40m incline we had to negotiate on the way out did not seem difficult. The run was set up 6.5kms out and back making one loop 13kms. I’d covered 6.5kms in little over 40 minutes and completed the return in about the same time to make my 1st 13kms in 85 minutes.
Mentally, I was feeling good, but both my knees were beginning to bother me. I had a brace around my left knee, but not the right. I slowed down in my 2nd lap and felt that I had to run more than do the 4:1. For, every time I started after a walk break, it was getting progressively difficult to get into a running rhythm. The next 6.5kms took 55 minutes. I knew my 180 minute goal was shot by now and the best I could achieve given my knee condition was 195 minutes. I took up the offer for medical help in the aid station located at the 6.5km turn around. I will never know if it was the best decision or the worst! The aid looked at my knees, both of which were having issues, and sprayed a pain killer and massaged them slightly. I was supposed to feel better. When I placed my feet on the ground, my left leg which I’d already protected with a tight knee brace did not protest as much as the right leg where the pain was excruciating. The final lap started with me limping and I knew running was simply out. I had spent 7 minutes at the aid station and had to hit a rhythm in walking fast. My left leg was the stronger now and using that as the anchor, I found a nice swing to the right leg with less impact. I had to shut the pain out of my mind and started figuring out mentally what could be my best time to complete the race under the circumstances. 1st 13 kms in 85, next 6.5 in 55 and 7 minutes lost in the aid station meant that if I did a brisk walk at 3.5 miles/hour (5.6 kms/hr) I could complete the remaining 6.5 in about 70 minutes to make an overall time of 217 minutes (3:37).
Shutting the pain out, I went about doing this, passing on any medical help or avoiding stops at any aid stations. Earlier during the run, I was cheering runners racing faster than me and encouraging others who were slower. It was nice to have so many folks who had a word of appreciation on my last lap when they saw me walking with a weird limp: anchor left leg, swing right forward; anchor left, swing right.
3:37 it was when I pulled past the finish line!
Run Statistics
Before enrolling, I wanted to do at least 10k in 60 minutes – I comfortably got past that point on Sunday, Nov 25th. I registered & set about raising 1 lakh for Mitra Jyothi – I quickly got to Rs. 30k in a week and on Saturday Dec 1st, did a 12k run in 75 minutes. Everything was looking rosy except for some mild knee pain after runs. Optimistic, I went for a run in Bellandur organized by RFL on 2nd and wanted to do 13k in 85 minutes. Disaster! Within minutes of starting the run, my knee gave way and I ended up almost walking all way in 2:36 – the only saving grace was that I did 16.8 kms (6.46 km/hr or 4 miles/hour). I nursed the injury and started “tapering off” the aggressive 4 week training instead of the time tested 12 week program for such runs.
In the meantime, the fund raiser was coming along nicely. It was a challenge to make people open up their heart and wallet, especially in a timely manner, but by December 15th, I had far exceeded my goal, having raised 1.5 lakhs. My sincere thanks to my friends in India, US and UK who made this seemingly impossible task possible. My fund raiser page http://www.mitrajyothi.org/Suresh-pledgepage.htm will be active in Mitra Jyothi's website for some time.
16th December! I barely managed restful sleep on 15th night – and woke up well before the alarm was set to go off at 3:30 am. I had to catch a bus at 4:30 am to reach the “Our Native Village” or ONV, where the run was organized, about 2 hours away from Bangalore. We reached ONV just after 6 am, in time to cheer the 52k and 78k runners whose race was flagged off at 6 am sharp. The 26k run was flagged off at 7 am sharp with Queen’s “We will rock you” playing in the background to get us going. I quickly fell in step with Noel, a fellow runner who had intended to follow the 4:1 strategy – 4 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking. It was a scenic run, almost fully in dirt track with ample greenery all around. Even the 40m incline we had to negotiate on the way out did not seem difficult. The run was set up 6.5kms out and back making one loop 13kms. I’d covered 6.5kms in little over 40 minutes and completed the return in about the same time to make my 1st 13kms in 85 minutes.
Mentally, I was feeling good, but both my knees were beginning to bother me. I had a brace around my left knee, but not the right. I slowed down in my 2nd lap and felt that I had to run more than do the 4:1. For, every time I started after a walk break, it was getting progressively difficult to get into a running rhythm. The next 6.5kms took 55 minutes. I knew my 180 minute goal was shot by now and the best I could achieve given my knee condition was 195 minutes. I took up the offer for medical help in the aid station located at the 6.5km turn around. I will never know if it was the best decision or the worst! The aid looked at my knees, both of which were having issues, and sprayed a pain killer and massaged them slightly. I was supposed to feel better. When I placed my feet on the ground, my left leg which I’d already protected with a tight knee brace did not protest as much as the right leg where the pain was excruciating. The final lap started with me limping and I knew running was simply out. I had spent 7 minutes at the aid station and had to hit a rhythm in walking fast. My left leg was the stronger now and using that as the anchor, I found a nice swing to the right leg with less impact. I had to shut the pain out of my mind and started figuring out mentally what could be my best time to complete the race under the circumstances. 1st 13 kms in 85, next 6.5 in 55 and 7 minutes lost in the aid station meant that if I did a brisk walk at 3.5 miles/hour (5.6 kms/hr) I could complete the remaining 6.5 in about 70 minutes to make an overall time of 217 minutes (3:37).
Shutting the pain out, I went about doing this, passing on any medical help or avoiding stops at any aid stations. Earlier during the run, I was cheering runners racing faster than me and encouraging others who were slower. It was nice to have so many folks who had a word of appreciation on my last lap when they saw me walking with a weird limp: anchor left leg, swing right forward; anchor left, swing right.
3:37 it was when I pulled past the finish line!
Run Statistics
Lap(kms)
|
Lap time(minutes)
|
Lap Speed(kms/hr)
|
∑distance(kms)
|
∑time(minutes)
|
Speed(kms/hr)
|
6.5
|
42
|
9.28
|
6.5
|
42
|
9.28
|
6.5
|
43
|
9.07
|
13.0
|
85
|
9.18
|
6.5
|
55
|
7.09
|
19.5
|
140
|
8.36
|
6.5
|
77 (7+70)
|
5.06
|
26.0
|
217
|
7.20
|
