Training for a full marathon taught me how to look at life differently
Seven years. One brother-in-law. Several start lines. And one finish line in Mumbai that changed everything. I did not decide to become a marathoner. I was not a natural runner nor did I run regularly. I was active, and went on hikes, and occasionally played sports. But in 2017 as I was about to return to India from the USA, my brother-in-law urged me to join a jolly bunch of runners near our home, with a lot of conviction, and very little patience for my excuses. His pitch was simple: run a 5K. Just that. He shared with me a training plan and took me along on runs. Nothing more. So I did. And something strange happened at the finish line of that first 5K. Not in my legs - in my head. A wall came down. Some quiet internal voice that had always said you are not a runner went silent for the first time. That silence was addictive. The 5K becomes a 10K. The 10K becomes a habit. With the 5K barrier gone, my brother-in-law showed up again. Same conviction. Same plan. This t...
