Varun Prabhakar's Journal

Why do I run?

So, I got into running some 5-6 months back and people often ask me, why do I run? I am not sure what would qualify me to be termed a “runner” but the fact that I love it and I am pursuing are reasons enough for me to think of my motivations for doing so. Here are some initial thoughts…

First, running is the only time when I am completely with myself so it the perfect time to think. I am not the person who would “sit down and think” or have a dedicated focus time for thinking ; there are far too many distractions or involvements to prevent that from happening. While running, you don’t have much bodily functions to take care of besides breathing and running(of course) and you might wanna refrain from thinking too much about the act of running itself because that makes the destination seem longer and harder to reach than it actually is. So, you have ample opportunity to think about things you want to think about, things you have not thought about because they are too difficult or uncomfortable or emotional or deferrable or simply require great concentration that you haven’t achieved at other times. The meditative bliss of running is the perfect opportunity to delve into your inner self and be together with your spirit, mind and soul. I have never been more clear headed than while running.

Second, running is hard and it’s painful and you want to quit every mile, but when you don’t and reach your destination, the sense of achievement is one of the most amazing feelings in the world. I have felt more pride in huffing and puffing to the end of my 6-8 mile stretch than most things I have done in life. It is fascinating to see your body develop or adapt to the pain of training that it is being put through. Five months back 2 miles seemed like a lifetime, on Friday the 7 miles I did almost killed me but if I keep going, four-five months from now 15 miles will feel the same. It is incredible how the body reacts and develops to the challenges thrown at it, people always talk about adaptation and development in corporate terms but the transition in that sense is too slow or too subtle to capture or document; running is one activity where you can see this theory in action. It is not only rare but fascinating to witness it firsthand. It is great to continuously test yourself and surprise yourself by going farther than you thought you could!

Third, running seems the best way to keep fit while enjoying doing it. I don’t have to “work” to gain or maintain my fitness levels. Running has increased my confidence levels not only in my physical abilities but I think it transcends into my communication and interaction with people as well. Maybe it is not running but the increased fitness due to running that has increased my self-esteem. I have a better appreciation for my limitation and better tools to gracefully handle and utilize them with a zest for overcoming them or keep trying to do so.

Fourth, running requires no preparation, no special equipment (other than a pair of running shoes), no special location etc. It is something you can do alone or with like minded people, any time of the day, any season (I have run in the winters and it is hard but completely doable). I love this quote from Jesse Owens:

“I always loved running. I wasn’t very good at it, but I loved it because it was something you could do all by yourself, under your own power. You could go any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind it you felt like it, seeking new sights just on the strength of your own feet and courage of your lungs.” – Jesse Owens

Last, I have not had much chance to run outdoors due to the winters but I love being outdoors and breathe with nature and running seems the obvious choice for easy access to nature and the outside world. I am not sure if these are the real or strong enough reasons why I run but they seem to be good enough for me to not let go of it in the near or extended future .I am not sure if I am clear enough but hey I am just getting started…

Ever since I landed at the Delhi Airport late on the night of 12th January, I’ve been absorbed in the chaotic brilliance that India promises and never fails to deliver! This continuous riot of color, taste, smell and sound knocked me off my residual “westernized” reservations in a matter of hours after being here.

From that point onwards, I have felt at home and haven’t looked back. I have had amazing food from the streets, traveled around, heckled over prices of shirts, debated politics with people I barely know and even driven a bit…and driving in India being what it is, it is no mean feat.

The primary reason for me being in India was to attend a very close pal’s wedding, as opposed to the stereotypical bachelor Indian’s trip to India for bride hunting! I’ve known Yogesh for over 4 years now and our friendship has grown a lot over the years. Things have changed in the last 4 years but so many things are still the same. There is no more bunking classes at Infosys in Mysore and going off for endless sessions of Pool but more of sipping wine at Signature Room in Chicago…but there still are endless sessions of discussing music or Calvin and Hobbes. So, it was very important for me to be there for Yogesh and Rashmi and I am glad I could make it. There was no way I was going to miss another close friend’s wedding because I am still regretting missing at least one important one last year.

Also, I could catch up with friends I had not met for a couple of years now. I am amazed at how things remain the same between close pals even after a gap in communication over time. Silly jokes (pretty much bullshit), discussions/debates about subjects across the spectrum, ranging from completely senseless to politics, catching up on events that have occurred since we’ve met etc…it was minute after minute of bliss! I also made some very interesting friends at the wedding and the comfort of a friendly atmosphere made it conducive to meaningful exchanges between these new friends and I.

The Marwari wedding style is an elaborate affair, much like the Punjabis’ but it is less noisy and more based off Mumbai Movie Music as opposed to folk music or Bhangra in a Punjabi wedding. The food ranged from the traditional rajasthani delicacies like Dal-Bati-Churma to Pizza. All in all, it was a very grand affair and a very warm one. Everyone I know felt at ease and enjoyed every moment of it.

Here are some of the pictures…For more, look at my Flickr Photoset

We ended up going biking in the rain today because we couldn’t go skiing. I know it sounds insane but it wasn’t that bad with the gear we had. Running tights, layered upper body cold weather gear, gloves, ski masks, sub-zero caps etc were good enough to keep us warm (not dry though!). It was around 25-30 degrees and the first weekend after a snow storm but thankfully the sidewalks were clean for the most part. We did about 13 miles in and around Auburn Hills. I should probably mention that I tumbled from my bike on an innocuous stretch being careless with my brakes, just using the front one (dumb!). It is not one of the proudest moments of my life but was funny. No harm done, i.e. if you think broken ego is no damage .

This guy in the picture above, Vikram, seems to have no appreciation for nature’s whims and keeps me surprised with his crazy ideas all the time, the funny thing is that I am getting hooked on to such stuff and completely enjoying it, we’ve already done running and biking in extreme weather and who knows what’s in store in the coming weeks. I’ll be in India for 3 weeks starting next week so these adventures might pause for me for a while but I can’t wait to be back and hit the roads, trails, slopes again!