#RunnersTheseDays

Saw this via fb.

Hi Hi Hi... Wish time again!

Here's what I had said last year, the year before and the year before that.

The last year just whizzed past me. Can't believe it's been 11 months since a bit of unexpected change in our lives.  The spouse and I are trying to cope with the change and hopefully this ain't permanent.

Practically did nothing or attempted anything big in the last one year except the to and fro office trips which in itself is strenuous considering how I "love it". Made quite a few whirlwind trips to Chennai and Delhi which was fun.

One thing I have learnt to practise is gratitude. To be thankful for what I have. Thanks to the job, the lifestyle, the friends, family, home and happy people around.

A small vacation is coming up after a gap of three years and we are totally looking forward to it. As always have a dozen+ friends to thank for the support all through the year.

Wishing this year to be stress-free, happy, healthy and fun!

Hi, it's time to make a wish... again!

Here are my posts of last year and the year before last.

The year that went by has been pretty much summed by me here. Happy to say I'm much better than what I was a few months ago. A permanent job has made a huge difference.

I'm glad to be among happy people at work and the atmosphere is quite stress free. Hope this continues for the years to come. The past year has taught me a huge lesson on how to deal with the downward trends in life and that life is indeed filled with such moments.

Praying that this year be stress-free, happy, healthy and filled with travel, running and swimming.

Picking up the pieces....

The last 8 odd months has been an emotional roller coaster ride of sorts for me.  The present was miserable and future bleak.  Days of unhappiness and months of gloom.  Extreme stress had taken over my life. Had forgotten how it felt to be happy for a good 6 months. Not sure how I'd have handled it had my spouse been in such a state. Must give it to the husband for putting up with a bundle of stress a.k.a me.

I must thank a whole lot of friends who did help me find a way out. SG who I’d speak to almost every second day was of great help. PR who I’d randomly whatsapp at odd times has been of great support. I am not one of those who’d confide in friends to ease out. Help came in the form of other friends who I’d randomly speak to on the phone, meet for coffee or lunch rarely or chat on whatsapp. Extremely grateful to friends who (even without knowing what I was going through) took time out to respond to text messages or pick up the call or return the calls. 

Regular exercises took a break and it did take a toll on my health too. The month of January 2014 was spent visiting three different doctors, umpteen tests, surgery and so on. Thanks to an extremely supportive husband and timely help, I am thankfully out of the stressful months. I have come to realize that a full time occupation is what I enjoy the best. The focus is now to get our lives back in order. We should bounce back soon.
{Thank you for reading and thank you for not asking me more details on the above :-) }

PS - Thought I should put this down - The next time a friend calls or texts, please take time out to pick up the call and if you're busy do reply to him/her and call back. And make that effort to connect with your friends atleast once a month. When I say connect I mean call or meet. Your facebook 'like', comment to a random selfie can wait.

Time for a break

For most people, exercising reduces the stress level and improves the overall mood. For me, I've realized.  to run or swim or walk I need to be in a good frame of mind. Things aren't looking great now. The last thing on my mind now is regular exercise.

Everything in life now has taken a break including running, swimming, walking etc.

I should hopefully be back on track soon.

I have chosen to be happy...

Last couple of months haven't been particularly great. May was slightly stressful and I had just started work on something new. Running, swimming, walking everything took a back seat. The swimming pool was shut the whole of June due to "monsoons-contaminated water-blah and blah". So June too was gone. And I'm aware these are stupid excuses but it was my decision to put swimming and running on hold for some time.

Not working out had taken a toll on my health. With the increasing stress levels the neck pain was getting more and more unbearable.  I've just resumed swimming and it's amazing how it has managed to take off the stress just like that.

The stress levels are not likely to come down at least for the next couple of months. Brooding and staying unhappy ain't going to achieve anything. And I cannot brood or be upset for more than an hour at any given day. It tires me. Have been blessed with this amazing thing of forgetting what I was upset for within the next 24 hours. I get bored of being upset too easily. The mind is constantly looking for things that'll make me happy  - food, friends, swimming, running in that order. 

With more than the required quota of food being consumed every day, it's time to swim and be happy!

Will resume running in the next week and hopefully the health situation should get better automatically. 

Making yet another wish

Had posted this last year.

 

It is that time of the year when I look back and feel good about the year that went past me and thank the Almighty for a happy and healthy life.  It has been a great year fitness and health wise. Despite a not-so good year where the family has been battling a crisis, I have the running & swimming to thank for helping me overcome it.

May the coming year too be fantabulously awesomatically super duper good like all the years that have gone by.

Sooooper Ottam doi!

Congratulations @_viju a.k.a #10247 on your TCS 10K. And thank you for the mention in your 10 K post .

Fantastic this is! Here's wishing @_viju many many more Ottams !

#ARRRockzzz

Toughest Foot race on Earth

The Marathon des Sables is a six-day, 251 km ultramarathon which is the equivalent of six regular marathons. This multiday is held every year in southern Morocco in the Sahara desert. It is considered the toughest foot race on Earth.

(Pic courtesy- Marathon Des Sables photo archives)

Girish Mallya is one of the many runners I follow on twitter for inspiration. He's running this tough race in Morocco from the 6th to the 12th of April. This post is to wish him good luck for his run. 

For those interested in following the run (between Apr 6th & 12th), do click here for real time updates. The hashtag on twitter is #GM4MDS

Go on Girish!  We are cheering you all the way!

Treadmill Hahaha hohohoho

A runner from Mumbai tweeted this and thought I'd share this on the blog. Loved the "We eat whatever we want" bit. The best line however is "We openly mock treadmills". Whenever I see someone walking / running on the treadmill, the title of this post is what I hear in my mind. The most boring activity for me is running or walking in the same place staring at the wall / mirror / glass and ofcourse the treadmill next to you not to forget A/C in full blast. Seriously , don't people get bored running at the same place?