My Ultramarathon Experience @ GR Bhatti Lakes 2013

I would like to start by saying that I completed these 50 kms for you all. I was injured, thought will do it next year but I wanted to be back with helluva story for everyone  . Here it goes…

I got a chance to interact with Mr Arun Bharadwaj , the legendary runner of India, in one of the events of Adidas. We became friends on fb. And one day randomly I asked him if he knows of some good squash coach in the city. He asked me why don’t you get into running? There are hardly any female ultramarathon runners in the country. There is no female ultramarathon runner who runs international races to represent the country. I told him sir, I have run just one long distance race (The delhi half marathon) till now and my timing is very poor. I am not a speed runner but I can endure. He said, let us start the training and see .. And there it started.

He gave me my first target race: The Bhatti Lake Race, which is organized by Globeracers. I was on it, I shifted to Delhi and started to train like anything. I decided to take care of all parameters of fitness. I did cardio/endurance training (running, spinning, body combats, crossfit, rowing). I did strength training (body pumps, crossfit, yoga, pilates,TRX). I worked out for 4-5 hours in a day to make my body used to the challenge. It was tough and painful. But after I survived this rigorous training months, I thought now I have to anyhow get through this race.

The race had several categories: 50km, 80km, 100km, 240km etc. I had chosen 80kms in 14 hours. I did my running practices on the treadmill or in the parks and stadium. On treadmill also I trained on the incline. I was literally living, breathing for this race from last 2 months.

I reached there at 4:30 am yesterday. I found the terrain of bhatti lakes deadly. It has steep, uneven, muddy, rocky roads which went through the jungle. And thorny bushes to block the way. I met with the most seasoned runners of our city. They were people who had been running from long and to whom running was love, madness, passion or whatever you may call it. There were people above 40, 50 and even 60 years of age running this tough race. All of them were use to running 40-50kms generally  . I guess I was the only amateur there. But I felt so so inspired to meet these people. They were engineers, business men, lawyers, MBAs in their normal life but here they were runners. I have never seen before this show of passion. I mean people chose to run for 24 hours to finish 240kms. And there was a girl too in this category. Beat that! She ran the whole night on this terrain, fell 7 times, bruised herself badly yet continued to run.

This race made us come out of our skins! Literally!

The race began at 5 am. All of us had torches in our caps. All of us started with a strategy of slow running (7 to 8 kmperhour) pace so that we do not exhaust ourselves soon. Since, it was dark so we were all running in groups. I was listening to the stories of great runs of my fellow runners. They knew I was a beginner so they kept telling me so many interesting things about running. They were really very very encouraging. I found myself in a new world. Then suddenly, I placed my right foot incorrectly on a steep rock, twisted my leg and hurt my right knee. It was the 6th km.

I could not lift my knee. Everybody moved past me and I saw myself losing it all. I dragged myself till the next station which was at the 10th km. They gave me ice packs, sprays and asked me to rest. 15 minutes went into that still I could not move my knee. I was sent back to the starting point via ambulance. They gave me all possible medical aid and suggested me to discontinue the race if the knee does not feel alright, just to avoid any further injury.

THAT WAS THE MOST SPECIAL MOMENT OF MY LIFE

At that time, this went in my head, I am in pain. I have a knee injury, so thinking logically, I should not take chances and I should quit. But then I thought of the hard work that I had put in from last 2 months for this race. I thought of all the failures that I have had in my life. My 10th board result, my JEE mains result, my CAT results and some other things..I know how much time, I took to overcome these failures of my life. I said to myself this time I will not fail you. I believe in you, take pain killers, remove your attention from the pain. If you cannot run then go walk at a pace of 7km/hour. You have stamina and strength enough. Don’t quit!

I went ahead, cried like a baby, did not want to lose it all this time then watched the jungle, the lake, the greenery and rocks and said to myself that it was your dream to run in such a terrain. Be happy, you are living your dream. Not everyone get a chance to live their dream. You are living it, lucky girl:). Also it was a big deal to be mentored by someone like Mr Arun Bhardwaj himself. He also came all the way to bhatti lakes to cheer me up. I thought, don’t be mean, don’t blame life. Life has been so kind to you Just keep walking 

I walked with my left leg and used the movement of my hip joint to move my right leg. I walked, walked and walked. Did not stop. Stopped at the 3 stations to apply sprays on my knees and to eat and drink something to refuel myself. No rest! When I had to climb or come down a rock and I did not have my right knee to support the movement then I crawled  . I kept telling to myself that it is just this one day of effort. You have the whole life to take rest. I say girl, inspire yourself today.

After 30kms, I got a proper physiotherapy treatment. It made life a little easy. They asked me not to go any further but by that time I had told myself that you are not coming back without the ultramarathon runner (minimum 50km) tag. Everybody on the track cheered me up so much for my spirit that I felt all the more confident to carry on.

When I was reaching the end of 50 kms I had blisters in my toes and my right knee was numb. I knew I had missed my medal, which I would have got on completing 80 kms within 14 hours. But I was happy for making it till here. I saw a new Nidhi in me yesterday. I mean it! It was the best experience of my life.

You know, when I went there I was wearing pink shirt, pink shoes, white watch, brown glittery nail paints, kajal, and was carrying gel based and cream based sunscreen with me. A typical girl, who would think of all these things before she thinks of anything else. But when I came back, my clothes were muddy and torn. My hands had scratches. My skin was tanned golden. My knee was hurting. And I was proud of it all 

I realized that running, dancing, fitness is the love of my life. I want to do these things all time. I live and breathe them. And I will chase them all my life. And as for my injury..Don’t worry, I will be soon back with my regular workout updates  . Although, I have been partying with my friends from last night. Sitting and dancing 

Btw, how many of you are participating in this year’s Airtel Delhi Half Marathon? I will be there. Let us meet for the run in our city  Also I will share my pics of Bhatti run as and when I receive them.

Find your true love and chase it! It feels awesome  Thanks for all the love and support.

Love to all 

Nidhi