Can Reading help in Running?

I like marathons. Though the max I have done is 15 kms but I like them.

I like the feeling of being by self, on track, interacting with nature, smiling and running 😊.

I remember the first marathon I ran was ~5 years ago and while I went there for marathon but the real reason was I wanted to see my inspiration Sachin Tendulkar from close. Eureka moment: I didn\’t just see him closely but also got an opportunity to shake hands with him 🙂 .

That was a 11 km run and I completed in ~1 hour 15 minutes. Good or bad, I don\’t know but that was a day to remember. While I went to meet Sachin but I came back as a different person who since then started believing in the power of running.

No, I am not a full marathon runner. I haven\’t done any 42 km run yet. The best I have done is 15 kms (as mentioned above). Yet, I believe in the power of running. Be it few kms or a long stretch, I like those minutes and the feeling post that. Feels as if I have achieved something. Feels like I was able to push myself par my limits. Feels satisfied.

However, for the last couple of years, when there were no marathon being organised, the habit got subdued. Walking a few kms was there but running took a backseat. But, somewhere down the line I wanted to get back to running. I knew, I would.

They say, only doing something can help you achieve it. Agreed. But in order to do something, sometimes you need a push. A little push and you are back on your own.

Now this push, can be in any form. This could be a movie, a documentary, a photograph, a painting, a friend or EVEN A BOOK. Yes, reading too can provide the push needed to act on something as much as a movie can provide. Happened with me many a times. This time, it was for running.

So before getting to the track, what I did was picked up a book called “The Running Soul” by Parul Seth and started reading it. It’s a short 4.7 (5) rated book. Not one of those “must read” books but one of those which can surely give you the push needed to be back on tracks. While I finished the book in few days but I was on track 3^rd day of reading itself.

Started running for few days a week and am still continuing the same. Working on my speed and timing, with the help of simple ways mentioned in the book. It helped me become a a structured and organized runner. How to begin your run? What to eat before that? How to continue in the middle? How and when to pick up the pace and most importantly, how to finish your run?

I haven’t grown much. Just started I would say.

But recently, participated in a small run. Did 3 km in ~14 mins. While the kms and time didn’t matter much, what mattered is “Me saying to myself: I am back.” What mattered is how READING helped me back to RUNNING!!

Through out the race, I was remembering the book and how she (Parul Seth) made it through 42 kms so many times. How satisfied she was at the end of it. Each time. Kept me on track and on a non-stop running schedule.

But why I am posting about this today?

Because today marks the 100 days of our \”Readers Club\”.

Today, the first 2 members (i.e Agnani Deb and Trisha Khan) have completed 100 days of reading (25 minutes each day – minimum). Happy for them and looking forward for much more reading encouragement from the entire team of Reader’s Club, which is now a 19 member team reading for almost half n hour on a daily basis.

Thanks to them as they keep me encouraged and well read 😊 .

\”When you come out of the storm, you won\’t be the same person you walked in. That\’s what this storm is all about.\”

– The Running Soul