~ Ajay, Sundaresan, Sandhiya.B, Rajesh, Murali, Premkumar, Preethi
One of our values is responsibility. This includes taking responsibility of our life and health. Few of us decided to participate in the Auroville Marathon event. While most of us participated in a 10k run, Prem did a half marathon (21 kms). Some of us prepared leading to the event a few others did a bit of a warm up for a week leading up to the challenge. Here are our reflections.
The Auroville Marathon was held on Sunday 18th February 2024. In addition to the marathon and half marathon and a 10k run is available. It is one of the largest and most popular running events in India, with participants from all parts of India which is publicized by past runners through word of mouth or blogs like this.
The event is non-commercial and organized purely for the joy of running. It considers all the finishers as winners.
This year our team participated in the marathon. For that, our steward Sanjeev Ranganathan encouraged us to be physically fit to do the push-ups and sit-ups during the morning meeting every day for a week before the run. This helped us to stretch ourselves as physically fit. It helped us to complete the marathon without any physical injuries.
Insights
Ajay– My name is Ajay, and I stand for happiness and self-awareness for myself and others. I noticed my ability to overcome my fear of not being good enough to complete the marathon. Somehow, I was motivated by the senior people who ran alongside us. This boosted my morale and helped me complete the 10K at the marathon event. It also motivated me to participate in more marathons with proper training.
Sundaresan – I regularly practiced running 5km to prepare for the AV marathon. This practice helped me during the actual marathon. I learned that I can keep going even when things get tough. Finishing the 10km race without stopping made me feel confident. Even though my legs hurt halfway through, I didn’t give up. I realized that pushing through the pain is important to reach my goals. I want to keep this determination in my life. The marathon brought people together and allowed me to meet new friends.
When I reached the 9km mark, I felt a burst of energy that helped me run faster. Finally, I finished the marathon in 1 hour and 10 minutes (1:10). Now, I want to try a half marathon (21km) next time. This experience taught me that taking small steps can lead to big accomplishments.
Sandhiya- My name is Sandhiya Bala, and I stand for courage, care, and happiness for myself and others. I have learned that by consistently practicing activities such as exercise and walking, the discomfort associated with them diminishes over time.
Taking this initiative, I gained more confidence and completed 10 km marathons after my delivery. I felt a sense of achievement, and I’ve realized that regular practice empowers me to accomplish anything in life.
I acknowledge our steward Sanjeev Ranganathan for encouraging us to maintain physical fitness by incorporating push-ups and sit-ups into our morning meetings every day. This practice has helped me to improve my physical well-being, and I intend to continue using it in my life.
Rajesh- My name is Rajesh and I stand for care and integrity for myself and others, I learned that before leaping into anything the preparation part is important. My organization played a vital part in preparation as we spent a few minutes in sit-ups and pushups every morning.
I also learned life is a long journey like a marathon, which has ups and downs. What matters is how equanimous I am, and how determined I am to explore the journey. Also, in the long run like life or organization or say marathon, Partners play a vital role. Where they encourage courage throughout the hard run. When I am completely down, they give me that inspiration and a positive mindset to continue. I noticed this when I was running with a person throughout the marathon.
Murali- My name is Murali and I stand for happiness and Equality. I noticed that after completing my 10 km marathons, I noticed how I was physically fit.
Premkumar-My name is Premkumar I deeply care about courage and equality for myself and others. While running the 21 kilometers at the beginning I felt I couldn’t finish it but seeing every other person passionately running towards the goal inspired me to finish the marathon. I felt like I was challenged and motivated. It was a great journey that created a meaningful impact on my life.
Preethi –My name is Preethi. I stand for courage, kindness, and perseverance for myself and others. While participating in a marathon, I get to know how tough I am by not giving up when I’m tired or facing challenges. Running a marathon helps me realize how strong my mind can be when I need to keep going. I understand more about how my mind and body work together and how to take care of myself. Staying focused and determined during the race helps me understand how determined I can be. I ran the marathon along with my friend. When I felt tired, he encouraged me, which helped me complete the marathon. Therefore, I acknowledge Ajay for his support and care, and I will carry it with me in my life. Finishing a marathon makes me feel proud of myself, which feels awesome.