The Why - Part 1
Dear runner,
Each one of us has an origin story, going back in our lives, a trigger or a pivotal point in time, when we first stepped out for a run.
For some it may have been the physical challenge of an impossible-sounding distance on foot, for others an effort to gain control over and reduce weight, yet others may have started after a minor health scare.
This week, in a world surrounded by Covid-19 and locked-down at home, we at team Weekly Carb-Loading chose to dive into our past, to reflect on the points in our lives when each of us began running.
This post can also be found on our website on Substack. Our previous posts are here and here.
We want to hear your origin story too, so write in to us (in reply) or drop us a comment! (click the ‘heart’ icon below, or head to our website)
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So let's dive in then, back to the past.
“I grew up a sporty child, most school days were spent on the cricket field and summers in Shivaji Park. In higher grades and through college, badminton became a regular sport.
It was then that I started running, initially to improve stamina and be able to last three exhausting games in the sweltering summers of Mumbai. Runs back then were just a few loops of the neighborhood park on alternate evenings, no pace target or distance in mind.
2008 was a pivotal year in my running journey, with my father in the grip of late-stage cancer.
Evening runs morphed into an hour of escape from the realities of his deteriorating health, from thinking about the immediate and impending future. Round and round the park till my legs and stomach hurt, sweating out the hate and injustice of it all. (“why him, and why so early?”)
Yes, I started running in anger, and was back home every night refreshed, ready for a new start, ready to face the next day.
Somewhere along the way, the distance my body allowed before the legs and stomach hurt, increased. Every evening in the park became a reaffirmation to stay healthy and not put another family through the same experience at a later stage in my life.
Somewhere along the way, an educational and professional world of entire days spent on laptops and in commutes, with sedentary lifestyles clawing away at us, fueled the drive further.
This newsletter, Weekly Carb-Loading was a natural progression for both Benny and me, to write and share our running experiences, and inspire as many as possible to take up a physical activity, stay fit and lead healthier lives.
Looking back, there have been very few occasions since 2008, when I have run in anger. Yet, even now in times of stress or anxiety, heading out for a run clears my mind almost instantly, to come back refreshed, a clean slate. Running is my meditation, my retreat.”
- Kushal
Race Calendar
Last Friday, Dubai Sports Council and ASICS Middle East took indoor running one step further, hosting the world’s first ever “Marathon at Home” on Strava, a 42.2 km timed virtual run between 8 am to 6 pm! The event drew 749 registered participants, included prizes for the podium finishers, and T-shirts & medals for everyone else!
In the United States, the organizers of the Rite-Aid Cleveland Marathon 2020, scheduled for the weekend of 16th - 17th May, have converted it to a virtual run, for runners to log their miles in a location of their choice between 15th April and 17th May, while also allowing confirmed participants to defer their registrations to next year.
For those of us hoping to register for a timed event soon, worry not! We might be seeing more virtual runs in the months to come!
Home Workout
Continuing with the Home Workouts rage right now, we thought of sharing this with you, via @subtle.strength on Instagram
Your birth-date is your workout for the day! Why don't you give it try, and drop us a line with your birth date in the comments section below.
Inspiration
“Running is something we all can do and relate to globally. A language we all understand” - via @officialleighholland on Instagram
We hope you enjoyed reading this week’s issue. Until next week, stay fit, stay indoors and stay safe. Cheers!