When the going gets tough, the tough get going strong.....

 

Lioness Leaps, Once Again

Jan,2020 I had written (Lioness  Roars Again) a blog.  This was about , win of Mind over Body. My tribute and salute to my mentee Surekha Kulkarni, and her win over Osteoporosis, to come back from hell and complete Tata Mumbai Full Marathon in 1st attempt.

Flashback:

Jan,2020 Tata Mumbai Full Marathon. Fighting just recovered from Osteoporosis, Mumbai hot and humid weather, resistance from all. Surekha completed Full Marathon, in 1st attempt 6.15hrs. Well history was created, for her self.

They say, once is an accident. You need to seal it at least 2 times to prove the supporters and critics.

Present:

Surekha completed Coimbatore, Full Marathon on Dec,24th 2020 in Sub 5 hrs, during the catastrophic pandemic of Covid-19.

Running a FM within span of 12months and slicing 1.15hrs is no easy task to describe or dare to dream, for someone in early 50s and fighting multiple physical medical challenges.

Well as a Coach , I will attempt to pen down the Sweat Story for the benefit of supporters and critics, also to inspire those who wish to dare to dream.

Road to success is never bed of rose petals, but of thorns and pebbles. 

If it was easy to repeat, everyone will do it.

From the Beginning:

I will skip some painful details between post TMM to Corona Lockdown.

March, 24th 2020 the nightmare and catastrophe of century hits all of us, complete Lockdown is announced. The world is the grip of microscopic virus Corona, and death is just a breath away.

Surekha had to move to Mumbai. 

The lockdown, the uncertain of future , news of deaths rising all over the world was playing on everyone's mind. All were under strict house arrest. You could not step outdoor.

Mission, Keep Sane in Insane Times.

April, 2020 my mentee, has conversation on Lockdown and its Impact. Amongst them was re-lapse of deadly Osteoporosis with vengeance.

With no chance to get out of house, fear of death every day, total dead end of future, I articulated a plan.

Mission : Keeping Sane in Insane Times.

She was hit by the relapse with vengeance. Extreme pain to walk, sit or squat. Keep aside, dream to run.

Lockdown means shutdown from her vibrant social life of fun and frolic.

Let me share the journey of hell, April-Dec,2020 , to achieve the win of No-Mind over Mind.

So let me spill out the beans and infinite beads of sweat to wear the rose petals on Dec,24th after sprinting the last 100mtrs to zoom and complete the FM in Sub 5hrs with a smile and huge Lioness leap.

Step 1: April, Week 1

Accept reality. You cant run next 100 days. In fact don't even dare to dream to run. Once we accept few things, the No-Mind sets to work in very positive way and rides over the Intellectual Mind.

Step 2: April, Week 2

Plan to focus on Keeping Sane, in Insane closed doors lockdown times.

Total discipline to not exert on lower body, and complete rest to lower body bones.

Custom Plan to build strength.

Focus: Upper Body and Core strength development.

Step 3:

No-Mind for next 100 days

The next 100 days journey was walk thru hell. No run. Only build slow steady, Upper body and Core Strength.

Lesser said the better. 100s of dips and 100s of  crunches and minutes of planks became the routine for physical preparation. This was like starting from ground Zero.

Taste of Success.

Patience pays, and success kisses the feet of those who sacrifice with infinite drops of sweat.

End of June, Surekha is the Winner of Plank Competition. Record 13 plus minute hold of Plank.

Well for the world, it looks like cake walk. But behind the scenes , following the routine, the plan and gruesome schedule is treading over burning coals.

Step 4:

Plan to dare to run again.

Post medical reports and approval from experts, plan to dare to run.

It sound very easy to dream, but to execute when awake is nightmare.

Step 5: July,2020

Custom Plan to Dare to Run.

Back to basics, build lower body strength.

Back to Squats.

Let me share , when we do not use certain body parts they get stiff and when we progress in age, the lubrication in joints diminishes. It was like starting from ground Zero. Back to baby steps of walk run.

The Mind comes to play, inserts fear of past, the collapse the relapse and the bed.

Jul - Dec,24th 2020 was 80% No-Mind grooming and 20% Body tuning.

Surekha subjected to back to basics plan with 120% commitment. 

Slowly and steadily, balancing between Pune-Mumbai, personal and professional/business challenges due to Pandemic ....survival was the high priority, keeping sane was the goal and having Joyful Run became the Lakshya.

Glimpse of her  Workout plan will send shivers the spine.

500 squats

200 Lunges

300 calf raises

100 Dips

100 Crunches

Planks

followed by 5km Run.(To awaken the No-Mind, and train the win over Mind).

Executing all this in Mumbai, hot and humid , with no running buddy group is a mental workout.

My tip to her was when you feel, I cant do anymore, I feel it is enough....That's the beginning.....

It is not the workout of 2hrs which will set us good on the d-day, but the mental no-mind trng, body can move and do after that 2hrs of the gruesome workout.

July to Sept, was focus on lower body strength and back to slow steady walk-jog-run.

Since due to Pandemic, no group activities or events, it was all solo, self goals and self discipline drives.

Daring the Mumbai October heat, began adding run mileage every month for that dream run again of Full marathon to prove self Jan,2020 was not accident.

She used to keep sharing the progress and daily tracker of her work-out and run plans.

End of October, I was confident the Lioness was ready to take the strides again. It was her time to take vengeance on the Osteoporosis, the win over the mind and take that leap of faith.

I recommended her to register for the Coimbatore Virtual Full Marathon. Dec, 2020.

Her Success of winning Plank competition, record fast running of several Half Marathons during this period added abundance of confidence and over-confidence.

Added to this continued pandemic shocks surprises kept impacting the mind and body in worst way.

November was the month of extreme peak of preparation in the toughest humid weather of Mumbai, which also set her good on her home ground in Dec.

Dec,24th 2020 the date is set. Venue Pune. Virtual Run.

The body follows the no-mind, and mind plays wicked to be spoil sport for both.

I had to prepare her for that play of mind. I was very confident of her physical preparation.

When records happen, success happen we all envy the achiever. I had to share this behind the scenes, turmoil, the infinite sweat, the countless cries of pain to execute the plan and adhere to completion.

This is not to put her on pedestal as demi-goddess but a human with bones and pain. It is to inspire, those who are de-motivated by many not to dare to dream. This is an example to of role model, rising like Sphinx from ashes to claim the crown of thorns and petals.

The Final Countdown: 

4.00am Start time.

In the pitch dark of night and early wee hours of morning, daring the lonely roads, protecting self from the friendly groups of dogs and fighting the loneliness.....journey to claim and repeat history is set.

Fighting various challenges, including not so friendly weather after 7.30am. Crazy road traffic and awesome, pollution she completed the Full-marathon.

Of course behind every success is a team, self-less support by her husband Mr.Vivek who used to keep the necessary stuff ready, motivating support by her bestie Dr.Manisha was the key to keep sane during those crazy alone running for 5 hrs. 

Yes, in less than 12 months....she did not run FM...she leaped in less than 5hrs to cross the FM.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Achievers work in silence.

Success is never a bed of roses for humans, it involves infinite sacrifice and sweat.

Adhering to daily regime with rigor of discipline is the key.

Keep inspiring.....keep achieving...

Miles to go before we rest....and she took the road less travelled....