An interesting information that I came across recently was that the first lady to go across the world in a bicycle learnt to ride it only two weeks before her trip. As apocryphal as it may sound, I refused to verify its authenticity because I loved its sheer audaciousness. Not everything that is achieved need to be pre-mediated or planned; some things can always happen by chance.
With little over a month to go for the Coimbatore Marathon, why not let running or walking a 5K happen to you, even if it was not one of your resolutions for 2018? Willing to go for it? Read on:
Let’s begin with a caveat. Your health is of utmost importance. Running is not a panacea for any existing ailments or complications. If you have been advised against walking or running by a medical practitioner or suffer from an ailment that can be made worse by running or walking, adhere to the advise of your medical practitioner and seek their inputs. If your doctor clears you, here’s a crash course to get you going in the next one month to participate in the Coimbatore Marathon.
Register for the event
Registrations for the event close by September 7 and it is advisable to register early to avoid disappointment. Also, by registering, your resolution will be stronger since you will have made a financial commitment.
Sleep early and rise early
The most difficult distance to cover is often the distance from your bed to the shoe rack. It is always best to choose mornings over evenings, especially when you begin to run. The freshness of the morning air easily gets you going. Running in the evening is often difficult due to vehicle movement, pollution, tired days and require additional motivation to get started. The initial few days may present new challenges like feeling drowsy during morning hours. Usually one gets over it over time.
Get your friends and family on board
Reach out to friends and family and rope them in your adventure. The best, almost certainly, doesn’t come alone. If you do not find any, there are always Coimbatore Runners with whom you can get started. It is perfectly fine to start and finish your run with them, even if you cannot adhere to their training programmes.
Download an app
If you have a smart phone, download one of the many available apps to help you keep record of distance, time and maintain a diary of activities. Many are simple yet addictive, and possibly help you encourage yourself. Should you prefer peace over complexities, go with a simple notebook.
Well begun is half done
The actual act of running or walking is definitely not rocket science. It is all about placing one foot after another and repeating that till you feel like stopping.
Take it easy and do not exert any pressure beyond what you are able to. Do not get into running to prove anything to anyone. The journey is a reward by itself as you will soon find out.
Baby steps
Take small steps each day and progress gradually. You are the judge of your capabilities. If it is 1 km on one day, do not rush to two or three km on the next. Just increase it by 100m on the next day and see how you feel. Similarly, do not try running the distance all out in a single stretch. Alternate running and walking and slowly increase the proportion of running.
Reward yourself
The race day brings its own set of entitlements that will make your run unforgettable. Then, there is nothing stopping you from rewarding yourself. A new apparel for the first five days of training or a new gadget for accomplishing a certain distance is not a bad idea to start with.
Look forward with excitement
Do not see the event as an examination. Instead view it as a celebration of your effort over the next one month. Attending the pre-race event expo is another experience where you get a chance to meet runners in plain clothes and listen to their extraordinary stories. No matter the time of your finish, when you cross the finish line, each one of you will be a winner with a lovely medal that will have stories of one lifetime.
Finally, participation in the Coimbatore Marathon should only be a beginning in ringing in a new lifestyle. The real joy of running is not about participation in one event but making it a habit. The event certainly acts as a catalyst to set the new lifestyle. As Ajay Varma, finisher of the 89 km Comrades Marathon in 2017, says, “My running started with the Coimbatore Marathon in 2013. I registered for the 5K and, in fact, tried to prepare for the event only the evening before. I have not looked back since.”
Want to train?
Here are the starting points at different locations in the city. Training begins at 5.45 am everywhere.
Race Course Road: Outside Income Tax Office
Codissia: Outside Jenny’s Club on the road leading to Codissia
Saibaba Colony: Children’s Park, opposite BSNL on Alagesan Road
GV Residency: Outside the Vinayagar Temple
Saravanampatti: Outside Lisieux CMI Public School, Sahara City
Kovaipudur: Q Block Park
Contact 8939801188 for details or write to coimbatorerunners@gmail.com or info@coimbatoremarathon.com
When, where and how
The sixth edition of the Coimbatore Marathon is on October 7, 2018
Last date to register is September 7, 2018
Registration fee is ₹800 for 21.1 and 10K and ₹550 for 5K. Students get a discount of ₹100
To register, visit www.coimbatoremarathon.com
