How Do You Run A Marathon? The starting pistol was shot and the congregation rushed through the rutted roads of Mumbai like a downward-flowing river.
Before I knew it, I had taken the initial few strides of my very first marathon. I had always considered running a marathon a challenging task, but here I was, challenging myself and my preconceived notions. However, I was still uncertain of covering the entire ten kilometre stretch. I could barely run five kilometres during practice sessions at Juhu beach!
The race started off smoothly. Passing through rows of cheering onlookers and synchronizing my steps to the beat of Bhangra music playing through my headphones, I was motivated to push myself at each stage. However, at the three kilometre mark, I began to feel a tingling sensation in my right ankle, which eventually exacerbated into a distressing cramp. I started to limp and eventually stopped in my tracks. Furthermore, the intense morning sunlight hit squarely on my head. My body was completely dehydrated, disheartened and hopeless, I felt like all was lost.
Education
While resting on the footpath, I noticed a man, probably in his seventies, jogging through the road alongside the Arabian Sea. Seeing me in pain, he approached me.
“Come on, young man! Don’t worry about the pain. Just enjoy the run!”
The man was missing an arm and had three stitches on his face. His words and optimism inspired me. Running alongside him gave me the motivation to successfully finish with an impressive timing.
Had it not been for the minor injury, my first marathon would have been rather run-of-the-mill. The obstacles I encountered during the race facilitated my encounter with a personality who gave me the courage to confront a challenge and to achieve a far-fetched objective. Overcoming my impediment made my first marathon the most memorable of all.
