Today is the 2014 Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. I am sure you know someone who is running. If you are like me, you would have looked at them and been inspired in that moment, thinking “I want to run the marathon too!”. So what is stopping you? Is it the fear of failure? Or do you believe it is an impossible challenge? According to my friend and business school classmate Siddharth Goenka, who recently ran a half marathon, running a marathon isn’t as hard as you think it is. It is about commitment, discipline and pushing your own boundaries.
Disha: What inspired you to start running?
Siddharth: I wanted to push myself outside my comfort zone, increase my mental toughness and get physically fit.
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Disha: Was there anyone that inspired you? Siddarth: Yes, a close friend of mine. She had a target of running the 42k London Marathon and successfully achieved it. I also drew inspiration from 2013 Nike TV spots such as “Just Do It. Possibilities” and “Endless Possibilities”. Quotes such as “The world has limits. It’s time to break yours. Run Free.”, “Pain is temporary. Pride is Permanent” or “Quitters never run. Runners never quit.” truly resonated with me.
Disha: What’s the biggest thrill you get from running?
Siddharth: The biggest joy of running is completing something you once thought was impossible. That opens up a world of opportunities. The same principle can be applied to anything you wish to accomplish in life. Running is like meditation for me. It has taught me to focus my energy on a specific task and has made me a more self-aware person.
Disha: When did you sign up for a marathon?
Siddharth: I signed up a month before the December 2013 marathon because it was on my bucket list for the year. It is amazing how your entire mindset changes once you sign up. You suddenly become more focused and disciplined. The clarity of the target sets all the training in motion.
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Disha: Were there any tools you used to train? Siddharth:
Here’s a snapshot of my practice runs and the race day run. You will notice that my final run was much faster than my previous practices even though it was almost twice the distance.
Disha: Was this your first marathon? What advice would you have for anyone who wishes to complete the half marathon?
Siddharth: It was my first half marathon, but I have done two 10k runs prior to this. My advice, at the risk of sounding clichéd, is “Just do it. Don’t over think it. One km at a time will get you there.”
Disha: What was the training experience like?
Siddharth: Intense. Even though I trained for only a month, I was able to squeeze in 9 runs. The key is not to put pressure on yourself. Find the joy and relaxation in running. Once you are in the zone, then distance does not matter.
Disha: How did it feel to cross the finish line?
Siddharth: “Hell ya, I did it! This is just the beginning.”
Disha: You have spoken about physical and mental preparedness. What would you recommend in terms of diet?
Siddharth: Two days before the race, keep hydrating and eat a lot of complex carbs (brown rice, oats, etc). During the race, drink water at every stop and keep having bananas, oranges, glucose to keep your energy level high.
Disha: I know this has inspired me to sign up for a marathon this summer and am hoping my readers feel the same!
Siddharth Goenka is a consultant turned entrepreneur who discovered his passion for running 2 years ago. He completed the December 2013 Bangalore Half Marathon in 2 hours 25 minutes. Siddharth plans to run a few more half marathons before setting his sights on a full marathon.