A run to cherish

It was 5 am, too early for a Sunday morning, right? I probably must have waited for this event for last 2 months. After all, it was a challenge which I had to complete. But being a master procrastinator, I started practicing a week prior to the event day just so that I don’t screw up anything.

Finally, the wait was over. The day of the 10K run arrived. It was the most awaited day of the year for me. The run was scheduled on Sunday but my nervousness started to take it’s toll on Friday itself. The feeling was just like exam jitters. There was nothing to be nervous about, it was just a marathon. But my mind considered it more than a marathon. It now became a challenge which I had to complete. A challenge that motivated me to try to break my own record from previous year. So with all the mixed feelings, I coaxed my mind and somehow managed to fall asleep.

The next morning was worse than I expected. I couldn’t eat anything thinking that I may not be able to run which made me feel more hungry. It was a 45 min journey from my house till the event location and my stomach was already growling from hunger. Somehow I managed to divert my mind to the pre-run events. The run was preceded by a Zumba session but due to lack of time, the organizers thought of cutting down the Zumba. Now, along with hunger, I was also not properly warmed up and there was no option but to run through the race.

It was March and the heat started to show its magic on everyone. Distance by distance, it was getting difficult to run. But somehow, I covered 9 km well in time. Exhausted and out of breath, mind completely focused on finishing the race. That last 1 km was going to be difficult. But then something unexpected happened. A 10 year old kid who was stalling on the marathon track with his friends approached me and said, "Come on didi, aap hi 1st aaoge!". That kid's enthusiasm not just brought a big smile on my tired face but it also gave me the nudge required to finish the race.

That one small moment of happiness made me realize that these moments just make the tiring events memorable, it also gives a sense of satisfaction. I may not have won the race or broken my own record, but that one out of the blue moment made my efforts worth the pain. That one sentence made me forget all the efforts that I had to take to complete the 10K challenge.

Life may be difficult with its unexpected ups and downs, but these are the few split-second moments that make all the pain go away. They turn these moments into memories and that’s why life is so interesting and beautiful. It gives us pain, sometimes puts us through hell, but it makes sure that the path that we follow has few of the life-changing moments that we can cherish for a long time.