100DOR

Just like that my 100 Days of running came to an end. Two and a half months of daily workout was unimaginable for me. But, with dedication, self-discipline, and strong determination I did it. I would not say, I became a better runner. To be frank, I am still far behind to call myself a runner yet. But, I definitely gained a lot of strength and stamina. On the first day of this journey, I could barely walk for an hour, I can now continuously workout for almost two hours. That feels like a pretty good achievement in itself.

What motivated me to keep going?

There were many things that kept me motivated. The most effective of all was the weight that I had lost. It was a wonderful feeling when I would stand in front of a mirror, and I would see a leaner and fitter woman. I still remember that day when I easily wore the jeans which was too tight to button up before. One of my friend had truly said that the best way to check if you have become leaner is to rely on your clothes. They never lie, she had said. So, when my clothes started to feel loose, I knew I was losing weight. It gave me the push I needed to put on more effort in my workout.

What do I do when I don’t feel like going out for a run?

No matter how much motivated you are, there would be days when you would just want to sit back at home and relax. I felt so too, and often. I knew I had to do something about these pangs of demotivation. I did a few things. First thing that is known as social-media-obligation. I started uploading post-workout pictures as my daily WhatsApp status. It kept me in check, and helped me in continuing my exercise routine without missing a day. There were of course days when I couldn’t go out either because of the weather or due to time/place constraint, on days like that, I either exercised indoor or ran on the treadmill. I missed working out for four days during Eid holidays. I was 8 hours away from my hometown, at a friend’s place, and there wasn’t any ground where I could run in. I felt so guilty that as a punishment, I added 8 more days to my 100DOR target.

Second thing that I used to do was to call my closet friends on days when I don’t feel like working out, and they would give me an encouraging pep talk. My mother helped me a lot in this journey. She pushed me harder than anybody else.

Third trick was to put on my workout clothes and shoes, and walk around until I would feel motivated to eventually leave the house. This is something a lot of workout motivation videos on YouTube say, and it is super effective.

The last thing was to watch running videos or fitness channels on YouTube or Instagram just before going to bed. They helped me become a fitness-enthusiast.

One could also try making a workout buddy, who is as determined as you are. One could get bored of the same exercise routine, so I would suggest to mix it up a bit, and try different activities to make it more fun. One could also document their journey in the form of videos or blogs, to keep track of the work in progress.

Is this the end of my fitness journey?

A lot of friends have been asking me about my plans after completing this 100DOR. They want to know if this is the end. They want to know what is going to be my next challenge. And my answer to everyone is- NO. End of this challenge is not the end of my fitness journey. This was just the warm-up. There is a lot more to follow.

Did I control my diet too?

The answer to this one is ‘yes and no’ both. Because, no, I did not deliberately controlled my diet. Yes, because, I worked so hard on the ground that it was almost heart breaking to ruin it with the over-eating or junk food. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. So, I did not try to eat healthy. It just came naturally.

What did I learn from this challenge?

Nothing is impossible. All you need to do is to control your mind, and be consistent in your work.

Day 90

It is easier to meditate when on a bicycle. It is easier to meditate while running. In fact, it is easier to meditate anywhere, anytime- if you just know how.

I have been juggling between cycling and running from last one week. Running becomes monotonous after few days, if you keep running on the same track again and again. So, when I got the opportunity to bring in a different form of workout in my routine, I embraced it whole-heartedly. It was 8pm when I was heading to the grounds for my run after a meeting, when my friend offered me his bike. I beamed with happiness holding the handles. The prospect of roaming around my hometown aimlessly was delightful.

I cycled for around one hour that night. I went to all those places which I otherwise avoid to explore on foot. The weather was damp, and the probability of a light drizzle was looming in the air. The roads were deserted. There was this silence all around, a comfortable one- like when you are home alone but not scared. As I was roaming around the residential area, something warm memories engulfed me, and took me to those teenaged carefree days, when me and my friends used to cycle around cheering and laughing.

Day 70- what running taught me?

More than two months ago, I took this resolution of 100 Days of running.

Last 70 days were amazing. I never thought a resolution as tiny as running could change me and my life in such tremendous way. I didn’t know running could be my savior on bad days. That I would fall in love with it completely.

Of many things that running taught me, the ones written below are my favorites:

1. Beginners: We all were beginner once at things at which we excel now. In fact, each one of us are/were beginner somewhere. And, to excel we must repeatedly keep moving forward. Everything looks challenging at the beginning, but as we go on learning, things start to look easy and enjoyable.

2. No shortcuts: There is no shortcut to success. In fact, there is no shortcut to any goals. To get full result, we should give our full effort. Working on self is a long process. One needs to be patient for that. One cannot expect a great result, with minimum work done. Nothing works that way.

3. Convince the brain: Whoever had first said, “It’s all in the brain”, had summed up life’s greatest lesson. Our brain tricks us in believing that we can’t do challenging things. Every negative, discouraging thoughts are born in the brain. If we keep listening to it, we can never succeed. So, instead of being tricked by our brain, we should trick our brain into believing that we can. Because, when our brain says ‘yes’, our body says ‘yes’.

4. All adds up- good and bad and the worst: No one can be a consistent performer. But, anyone could be a persistent performer. It’s not necessary that we would do the same amount of work everyday. Sometimes, we outdo ourselves. Sometimes, we under do ourselves. We shouldn’t get dishearten by the bad days. Because, good days, bad days, and the worst days together make the journey worth cherishing. It’s all adds up at the end.

5. You respect it, people respect it: This one is as simple as it reads. If we respect what we are doing, others will respect it too. If we respect our goals enough, we would do everything to accomplish it. When we respect our goals or work, others will too. No one would ever tell us that our goal is too insignificant or too big to achieve. People will trust our hard work and resolution, and will have faith in us that we can complete it. No one would ever try to talk us out of it.

And the last one is, there is nothing that we can’t do. It’s just a matter of putting our heart into it.

Day 39

The sky was beautiful today.

Day 38

This was Day 38. My body has well adjusted to my workout regime. My pains have gone. My sore and tight muscles have gone. Even my feet uneasiness have disappeared. I now feel light and quick on my feet. The distance which earlier seemed threatening now looks doable with minimum effort. I have now completed shifted to running. I can now run fast and for longer. I get immense satisfaction from the workout these days.

Working on one’s body is a continuing process, just like eating. You just can’t overfeed yourself for one year and try to sustain without food for the rest of your life. Similar is working out or exercises. You must start and you must never stop. When I had just started running, many people would come to me and tell me that I mustn’t stop. I can’t figure out why they thought I would stop? No one can stop once you get the taste of working out. Once you get the benefit you are getting for grinding yourself an hour daily, you won’t stop.

I am glad it has become a habit for me. I just cannot imagine my day without it. A slight delay in my running routine makes me restless now. It’s given me a new and better way of life, and I have embraced it with open arms. Wish I had started earlier! 🙂

Day 37

Me, after my 37th Day.

Morning runs are definitely better. I wish I could wake up early every single day. My paternal grandma would have been very proud. She always wanted me to become a ‘4-5am person’. “Xui thoka hiyale haan dhoribo nuware”, she used to tell me regularly.

Day 35 and why our reason matters?

In last 7 years, slowly and gradually I started putting weight. From a lanky teenager, I became all curves and fat. Sexy prominent jaw line became double chin. One kg here, one kg there, and without even realizing I reached that point where it was hard for people to imagine that I was ever slim.

First of all, I was in denial. I was too confident that my body would lose the extra fats as naturally it gained them. I was wrong. So, when I realized that, I started exercising. The reason for me to start is to lose weight. And nothing more than that. I wanted to lose weight for a friend’s wedding, to fit in my birthday dress, for that dream vacation, for that perfect date, and so on. I was willing to put in my minimum effort, but I wanted results too quickly. My reasons were always short term.. In such short duration, it was not possible for me to reach my ideal weight. Thus, I would get demotivated when nothing works. And, I would give up trying.

In March this year, when I took my father for an annual routine body checkup, I checked mine too. When all my reports came normal and good, I felt eternally grateful for my body and health. That’s when it striked me that I should start working on my health (and not on my weight) more. After I came back, I decided to do this 100 Days Running Resolution (100DOR). Without any gaps in between and without any excuses. It’s been more than a month, I am still going strong.

Now I know, why all these years I never felt motivated to do any type of physical exercise. Because, my reasons were all wrong. My reasons demotivated me, so I couldn’t continue. There was no joy in continuing. There are not a bigger goal in view.

That’s why, this time brought in a bigger picture, a bigger goal, a bigger motive. I decided to feel great about my workout. First of all, I set a time, long enough to achieve what I want to achieve. Because, all good things take time. Second, I decided to do something that would make this running a habit instead of ‘once in a year’ thing.

Today was my 35th Day.

#65DaystoGo 😀 and so many people are inspiring me to go on. So many have come out and confessed that I inspire them. It is really making my journey more exciting.

Day 33

I always had this assumption that losing weight is easy. I never sincerely tried losing my extra kilos before. So, I had absolutely no idea as to what one needs to do to lose weight.
I had this notion that one needs to work their ass off. Something, that I have been doing from the last one month. Maybe, that’s why I was all disappointed when I checked my weight yesterday. The scale showed 5 kilos less. While my sister was elated, I was going, “5 kilos? Only? After all 32 days of hard work?”.

I shared this news with a few fitness freak friends of mine, and to my utter surprise, they congratulated me. One of my friend even asked me if I am starving myself to death? I said I am not. In fact, I feel hungry every few hours and feed myself well when I do. He said that 5 kilos is a good achievement then. Their responses made me very happy and motivated.

Today, I worked harder. I didn’t let my brain make any excuses. I pushed my body to the edge and was surprised to see how it adjusted itself. I have a new goal now- to be able to run continuously for 5kms. I am super positive that I can achieve this by my 80th Day. I now can run 2.4 km with only few stops in between. So, 5 km looks very doable to me.

April was easy. May looks challenging, because summer is here. And, I have tons of other works in May. I may have to juggle a lot of things to make room for my running. A few journeys is also on the cards. I have even started googling for good grounds in those places to run. Come what may, I am not quitting. I want to see what happens if I don’t quit.

Day 32

Some days, I will feel motivated. Some days I have to drag my feet. The days when I am jam packed with plans, my brain tries to trick me to miss your workout is more. It requires an extra effort to design your day in such a way that you are able to make time for your priority. These days running has become my priority.

Today was a long and hectic day. From 8am to 3pm I had the last session of the Art of Living Program that I was attending. And later in the evening I had a movie plan with my sister. We would have to leave for Tinsukia at 3.30 pm, for the 5.40 show. I knew we wouldn’t get free before 8pm. So, my Sunday was already booked from 8 to 8.

I was really worried thinking about my run amidst all these plannings. Night run was not possible, because I didn’t know any good ground or stadium in Tinsukia. Also, it was highly possible that I would be tired by night. And, I didn’t want to carry all my running stuffs to Tinsukia. The only option I had was to go for an early morning run, so that I come back by 7am. That would give me an hour to get ready and have my breakfast before the AOL class.

Now getting up at 5.30am is not a cake walk, especially for someone who generally sleeps at 1-2am. I knew I couldn’t afford to not wake up. I didn’t want to miss running. So, I ate early and slept around 11pm the night before, to get the required 6 hours of sleep. Which, I know, is a pre-requisite for a good workout. I am proud that I woke up at 5.30am, that too even before my alarm rang, and was able to pull my running.

Today, it was easier for me to make an excuse and not go. But, I refrained myself. I know I wouldn’t be able to handle the guilt of not going. This running, which I started as a challenge, has now become a commitment to my body. From which I cannot return. Correction: I do not want to return.

I clicked this after an hour of workout.

This was while returning home.

I clicked this to remind myself- that mornings are beautiful and I should wake up at 5.30 am often.

Day 31

Thank God for enthusiastic kids who listen to anything you say. There is this kid in my neighborhood, who has just taken his class X exam. I came to know that every morning 6 to 8 he plays football in the stadium. So yesterday, I fleetingly mentioned that I would love to go with him. I asked him to wake me up before he goes. Today morning at 6am, he was there at my door. I was very sleepy, but didn’t have the heart to dampen his spirit.

The kid told me that he needs to wake up one of his friends who stays closer to the stadium. He said they are going to play football together. This reminded me of my childhood, when I had a close gang of friends. We used to be excited about morning walk or cycling. One of us would take the responsibility of waking the whole gang up early morning, and then we would all set out on our little cycles. While our parents slept peacefully, we were outside in search of adventures. I had this believe that we need to be on the roads for new adventures. Aah, such good times!

This is me after my one hour running. Do you see some change in my body? I see. I find myself very tall and handsome in this one. I am so excited that my legs are getting lean. I used to love my lean and strong legs.

The next 30 days, along with my regular running, I am planning to add 40 minutes of yoga and pranayam. I am also focusing on controlling my diet and completely avoiding sugar. And, I have started to drink lots and lots of water.

Let’s see if I can keep up with all of these goals. Will keep you updated. Till then, work on that ass you always wanted.

Day 30- one month anniversary!

I snoozed the alarm twice. I clearly had no intention of getting up at 6 either and go running. “I can always go at night”, I told myself, “let’s just sleep now”. I pressed the ‘snooze’ again and slept some more.

When mom came to wake me up at 7. 30am, I told her, “It’s anyways too late, the sun would come up anytime now”. I turned the pillow upside down, and put my cheeks on the cooler side. Before closing my eyes, I decided to check my phone for any new notifications. There is a new message from my aunt, “OMG, you have lost weight!”. Something that my ears were literally dying to hear. I read the message a few times. It made me so happy and excited that I decided to screw my sleep and grab my running shoes and hit the road.

I jumped out of my bed, and rushed to the balcony to analysis the weather condition first. My years of experience and best judgement told me that it’s a cloudy morning and wouldn’t be too hot until 10-11 am.

And, I was correct. I got a perfect blend of warm and cool weather to run in. At one moment I even thought it’s going to rain. But, Thank God it didn’t. I had an amazing time.

This is me after my running. Sparkling with all the sweat (read diamonds) on my face!

Day 29!

My first morning run in the last 29 days, and I see hope in myself.

In the month of February, every night before going to bed, me and my sister would decide to wake up early the next day and go for run. And every morning we would laugh at our audacity to make such a plan.

Waking up early when I do not have an important purpose (like a job or a schedule flight), is almost impossible for me. I am not a morning person. So when I set the alarm yesterday night, to wake up early to go running, no one in my family gave any reaction. Because they are used to it. When the alarm rang in the morning, my sister looked at me with an amusing smile on her face and asked, “So, are you going?”.

Only when I got dressed and stepped out of the house did she believe that is was actually happening. When I started walking towards the stadium, I believed that I am going to do it. And, when I returned after an hour with sweat dripping from my whole face, my mom accepted that I did it.

Thanks to my Art of Living classes, that is taking up most of my evenings. It is only because of it that I am compelled to go in the morning. It is because of it that in the battle field of my mind, exercise won over sleep. And, I got the after taste of a morning workout.

I really see a hope in myself.

Day 27

When I was in class IX, I did this Art of Living programme in Duliajan. I didn’t know then what’s AOL is all about. It just came from word of mouth from a friend of my father’s, and he insisted that I try. I learned a lot of valuable things from that first session. I loved it so much that I did another programme when I was in class XI. I religiously used to meditate and do pranayams till class XII. But, when I moved to Delhi for higher studies, I couldn’t continue my meditations. I got so busy with classes, friends, new adventures that I completely lost touch with AOL.

A couple of years back when the thought of reconnecting with AOL occurred to me, I started looking for available programmes in Delhi. But, something or other kept happening and I kept procastinating. And thus, more than a decade just passed without me doing anything about it.

So, the first thing I did after coming back home was to call up those people who are still connected with AOL. There is this brother of mine who knows about my inclination towards spirituality. He encourages me all the time to meditate. He thinks by meditating I can unleash more of my hidden potential. So, when he came to my place two weeks ago and told me about an upcoming programme I got really perked up.

I wanted to enroll, but was very dicey about it, because the programme’s timing is 4.30-7.30 pm, which might extend to 8pm. That would mean I wouldn’t get time to go for my run in the evening. And, I would of course not compromise on my run. But, on the other hand, I really didn’t want to miss this opportunity. It’s not every day that a programme like this gets organised in my hometown. After much debate and discussion in my mind, I eventually decided to join it with a promise to self, that no matter what I wouldn’t miss my runs.

Today was the first day of the programme. It’s a 6 days programme. I met people from different age group. We all were there for different reasons. Some came to learn AOL to get rid of medical ailments. Some came looking for a cure to their depression. Some came to find happiness and peace. And for me, I went there to have another life changing experience. They conducted a wonderful session. We exercised, talked, learned meditation, played games, and laughed a lot. The programme got over at 8.30pm.

I was really upset thinking that I might miss my run today, because it was seriously too late to go out for run. But, I didn’t think much. I came back home, changed into my running wear, and was out on the road by 8.50 pm. The roads were deserted. There weren’t many people too. I just saw a few shopkeepers, who were closing their shops. But, there is nothing to be scared of as such, no matter what my mom says. So, I decided to do two quick laps around the Zaloni Club and come back home in 30 minutes.

I am grateful that mom understands my obsession with this 100 Days Running Resolution. And she allowed me to venture out at 8.50 pm. But, she may not allow it every day. So, from tomorrow, for the next 5 days, I plan to go in the morning. Let’s see how that turns out.

Day 25

I am so so thrilled that I already covered the first quarter of this journey. I am glad that my 25th day happened on the same day as 2018 London Marathon, one of world’s premier marathon. I couldn’t have asked for a better coincidence!

When I had just began this journey, I thought 25 days is a lot. I thought I would quit within a week. But, I didn’t. In fact, the thought of quitting seems absurd now. Making time for my run feels like the most easiest task in this world. I have really fallen in love with it.

There are moments when I become so lost in my run that the world around me cease to exist. All I hear is the sound of my breath. All I feel, is the magical way in which my feet take one quick step after another, making my run effortless. At such time I feel I am floating in the air. I have started calling this experience as ‘in the zone run’, where I forget about every single thing on this earth and concentrate on just moving forward. I love how my heart beats fast and loud after every ‘in the zone run’. I haven’t been this aware of my heart before. I cannot help but keep my hand over it and feel it thumping. I find this spontaneous gesture of my hand very sacred. It’s the only time I interact with my heart, and we share a mutual feeling of gratitude.

I had never thought that running would help me in practicing mindfulness so beautifully. It helps me to be aware of my entire being. It helps me to be in the present moment. It helps me in clearing my mind. It helps me in getting rid of all the toxics from my body. It helps me to become a better version of myself.

Day Twenty-two

I am grateful to those people who have shared their workout journey with me, someway or the other. Even though, I wasn’t instantly inspired, and didn’t jump on the bandwagon with them, but their stories helped me imagine mine. I thought if they can, why can’t I. And, that’s the beginning point of my journey. So, I am grateful to all those who motivated me to begin my story.

These days I am working out together with a friend. He is helping me a lot with my after run exercises. Today, he made me do push ups. And, I realized soon that I cannot do push ups. That’s a new revelation for me. I couldn’t believe that an exercise which looks so easy on the outside could actually be so tough. After a few failed and funny attempts, I decided to learn it through YouTube videos as soon as I reach home today.

Day 21

Annnnddd, that’s how you successfully complete three weeks of running.

When I started, one week seemed like a long time. One month felt like an unmountable work. 100 days felt like forever. And here I stand today- tall, proud, happy, and much lighter- on the threshold of 3 successful weeks. Three damn weeks completed. Three fucking weeks. I would have to say it over and over again to let it sink in.

These three weeks have made me a totally different person. A person I admire, respect, and once dreamt of becoming. Something which I started only as a way to test my self determination have become something I have fallen in love with. When I am on my heels, I feel I am running towards my goal. I feel I am running over all my problems and worries. I feel like like a bird, running above everything I ever was; and the feeling is so liberating.

But it’s not as rosy as you may think. The journey hasn’t been easy. There were times I would go out of breath. My knees would pain like hell. My legs would give up. My brain would constantly yell- ‘You are tired, you can’t do it’. The struggle is to overcome all of these coming together. To beat all these problems and move ahead. It’s true what they say about running being a metaphor of life.

Day 20

Those who knows me know how scared I am of street dogs. I feel every dog I see would come chasing me. On my way to the Helipad today, near the Tiny Tots school, I ran past these three kids. As I crossed them, I saw three dogs coming from the opposite direction at a great speed. I stopped running, turned back, and asked the kids where they were going. When one of them pointed a finger straight, I took a sigh of relief and asked them if they would walk with me. I told them I am scared of dogs. They laughed at first, but agreed to help me.

One of them, very excitedly told me that my track jacket is of the same brand that he has. I asked him what does he play.

The youngest one answered, “Volleyball”.

I turned to him, “Do you play too?”.

“I used to, but not anymore”, he said.

“Why not?”, I asked.

“I don’t have time”, he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Why?”

“I have a lot to study every day”.

“Everyone studies. But, one needs to play too”, I told him.

“I want to study hard to become a great man”, he reasoned with me.

The one who was mute till now, spoke up, “Studies will sharpen your brain. But, sports will make your body stronger”. “Hai na Di…”. Unsure of how to address me, he added meekly, “Aunty?”.

“Khelo bhi, padho bhi. Dono ko sath sath balance karna padega”, is all I could say.

When we parted ways, they mumbled at unison something like, ‘Bye aun…Di”.

I am still thinking about our conversation. Why people in our society think only studies are important? There are values one should learn along with the school work. Values like team work, discipline, sports spirit, fair play. Values that one learn on the field when they play. At such an young age, kids shouldn’t be pressurised to become a great man. Shouldn’t be deprived of sports and games. Education is important, but it shouldn’t end up robbing one’s childhood.

Day 17 and my cravings for a good massage

I planned to go for my run around 4.30-5pm. And at 2pm in the afternoon, I started watching this movie on Netflix and I don’t know when I slept off. The weather is to be blamed for this. Anybody would fall asleep if it rains the entire day. My mother thought I am not going for my run today (I’ll have to explain her the 100 Days Resolution again), so she didn’t wake me up. It was 5.30pm when I woke up. Peha was at my door. I had promised earlier to go to their place in the evening. And since it was raining, he came to pick me up. I was in a dilemma. I didn’t want to miss my run. I wanted to go to their place. I didn’t know what to do. It would’ve been rude to not go with him. So, I convinced him to follow me in the car while I run the whole way.

(Someone called me Superman today.)

Peha tried to persuade me saying it might rain again, and I could skip it today. Or I could run on the treadmill at his place and so on. My mom tried to convince me too. But, I know how different it is to run in an open area and on treadmills. I told him that it’s important that I go for my run. It’s important that I don’t miss. Finally, he got the point. He saw that nothing is going to change my mind. So he agreed. I gave a head start and he followed me in the car. In about 40-45 minutes, I covered the entire distance.

This taught me that if you remain true to your goals, everyone supports you. Everyone adjusts as per your requirement. If you show enough determination, the Universe will move people, events, time, to make things work in your favor.

I am happy that I managed to squeeze the run in my routine today. Even though I was struggling to stand up properly after the run. I am still walking with a slight limp. I have this excruciating pain in my knees. My legs are paining as I write this. I feel this weird stiffness in my calves and rigidity in the bones. So much, that I can’t even stretch them properly. I am tossing and turning in bed in the hope of respite. I badly need a massage. I wish I was in a massage parlour right now. How amazing it would have been!

Day 15

I was doubtful when I started this 100 Days Running Resolution. I thought I would quit after week 1. But, look at me, I crossed the ‘2 weeks +’mark today. I have successfully completed 15% (as a mathematician pointed out) of my target. Yayy, to that!

I realized that I enjoy going for my runs alone. I feel like it’s a sacred time. A time, which I should solely dedicate to myself. It is not just an exercise, it’s a way of feeding my soul. I just don’t run, I do a lot of other things.

I run at my own pace. I am not running to win any competition. I am not running only to lose weight. I run for the sake of running. I run to understand why it’s a favorite thing of so many people out there. I run to calm myself. I run to clear my tought process. I run because I can. And, I will run because I have fallen in love with running.

However, I am not setting unrealistic goals for myself. My target is to run for 100 Days without any gap, and to learn the basics of running. To perfect the basic techniques. Once I do that, I plan to work in my speed and core areas. I don’t have any trainer, I am just learning from YouTube and my workout enthusiast friends. As long as I improve 1% daily, I am satisfied.

Day 13

The weather is very cloudy these days. The rain visits us at its own whims and fancy. The fields and roads become muddy and slippery. That’s why, from the last 2-3 days, I am running before sunset. Another reason to go for an evening run is the photo, which comes out brilliantly in natural light. Someday for this sole reason, I am gonna start running early morning.

Everything has it’s own ups and downs. I don’t run satisfactorily everyday. Sometimes, I do good. Sometimes, I feel I could do better. There are also times when my feet hurt so much, that I have to sit down on the ground to nurse them. This 100 Days running resolution is a lot like life. If you worry too much about the downs, you won’t enjoy your run. And, if you think you can’t do better than your ‘satisfactory run’, you won’t push yourself to give your best.

Did I tell you that I am in love with my after run glow? I have never in my life loved sweat so much as I do now. I feel it’s my body’s way of saying- ‘Thank you’.

Day 12

I am so excited thinking that in two more days, I will be completing two weeks. Wow, who would have thought that I could pull it? I am happy that I am going more stronger each day.

Day 12 was fantastic in every way. Dad dropped me off till Zaloni Club, where I waited for Nimi for a few minutes. When I learned that she’s running late, I decided to go to her place because the Helipad is closer to where she lives. I slow jogged to her house, and noticed that I didn’t even break a sweat. When during my initial days, 10 minutes brisk walk would make me all tired and sweaty.

Together we headed to our designated place and decided to run for about 40 minutes. I ran a bit effortlessly today. I wasn’t too exhausted, and slowing down in between really helped me regain by breath. I was able to use the running tactics I learned from YouTube. I felt that my stamina is improving. I could now run a bit longer than I used to. I am yet to learn a lot of things, and I have no plan of stopping until I do.

I am really glad that Nimi decided to join me. It’s wonderful to have a friend by your side on your most important journey. I am sure that we would both reap the benefit of this hard work that we are putting in. Looking back to this time a few years from now, would be really nostalgic.

I bumped into a lot of familiar faces (Avinash, Satyajit, Jahnu, and Arindam) today. That’s the perk of living in a small town. And, that’s also a perk of being on your feet instead of your vehicle. It was really nice stopping for a few minutes and catching up like old times, you get to actually see the enthusiasm the other person shows on seeing you.

Day 12 was overall a good experience. Can’t believe I am so close to making it two full weeks.

P.S. I absolutely love to say ‘yes’, when people ask me if I am on some fitness goal.

Day 11- The new me

Eleven days ago, I had no idea that this girl existed. I have never seen her in my entire life. I don’t know where she was hiding all these years.

Do you know this girl? She is showing such unimaginable determination from the last 11 days. Something which was on her ‘to-do’ list for the longest time, is finally a routine thing. She hasn’t skipped once since she started. No excuses, no procastinations. In fact, all she does after she wakes up revolve around running. She reads about running, watches videos about running, and think about running.

She was not always like this. She dreaded working out and would only procastinate doing anything that was beneficial for the body. Most of the time she only dreamt of working out, hitting the gym or whatever that she saw those Instagram models do. She would only scroll down the Facebook newsfeed which was full of blogs on healthy diet, ideal lifestyle, quickly losing weight, and millions others, with absolutely no intention of following it. She only imagined herself running- with those sexy sports wear clad to her lean and strong body. She imagined herself running for miles effortlessly, without doing anything to turn it into a reality.

Things have changed now. It’s been eleven days. She started running and discovering a whole new world since. She runs for one hour daily, and it has started becoming the highlight of her day. It was her 11th day today, out of her planned 100. This 11 might be a tiny thing for many. But for her, it’s a mini milestone. There is still a long way to go, but cheers for the miles already covered!

Day 7- Successful one week.

I was very happy to have completed one week successfully. That too, without any excuses or hesitation. It may be a tiniest achievement as compared to my main target, but I am still proud of myself. To commit to something daily requires a lot of determination, focus, and a constant reminder of why you started. The difficult part is not running, it is keeping yourself motivated to do it regularly. I am trying many things to keep myself motivated.

I follow a lot of fitness fanatics on Instagram, my favourite is #fatgirlfedup. They give me the daily dose of encouragement I need. I watch different running videos on YouTube, and learn different tips and tricks. I read blogs about how to work out without any professional help. I look for inspiring quotes on the internet, to look up to when I feel low. I started uploading an after workout photo on WhatsApp for everyone to see, because I love how I look in them. Also because, I wanted to let everyone know about my journey by this daily photo update. Now I just cannot miss out on uploading those photos, because my friends keep asking me if I went for my run. There are people cheering on me. People telling me I am motivating them. I feel so great about it.

This was me after Day 7. The contentment you get after running is infectious!

Day 6- Under the stars with the fireflies

On my 6th Day, I decided to go out alone for my run as nobody was there to accompany me. Dad said he was too tired after work, so I didn’t insist much. I decided to go by myself to a nearby playground. Dad tried to persuade me to go in the morning and that it’s okay if I miss it one day. But, I was adamant. When he saw that I show no sign of quitting and was ready to venture out in the dark, he decided to accompany me. I was delighted, because I am really scared of stray dogs and desperately needed someone to shoo them away. He fetched a torch light and we both started walking towards the field.

Although it was 7.30pm, it felt like midnight. The playground was pitch black, as there were no lights. I was having difficulty in assuming the length and breadth of the field. I started walking very cautiously lest I step on something undesirable. May e Dad sensed my tension, for he took me to one of the football goal posts and made me walk to the other on the opposite side. He asked me to run between these two posts instead of doing rounds. He started walking ahead of me flashing the torch and I ran behind him. After a few rounds, I became familiar with the field and was comfortable in running at my own pace. Dads really have a solution for everything.

The stars above were shining bright, as if they came out just to see me running. And the playground started to glow in their light. There were so many fireflies in the thick bushes surrounding the field. I felt like running with them, and what a fun run I had!

We both had a great time! Looking forward to many such evenings under the stars with the fireflies.

Day 5- My body, my rules

The secret to successfully work on yourself is to never get disheartened when people say they see no change in you. Carry on your work silently and make your success make the noise. That’s what I am doing. Because I am not doing it for a short term gain, I have a long term lifestyle plan.

I am toiling. I know how much work I am putting in. I know how I am stepping a little out of my comfort zone every day. I am pushing my limits everyday. I am testing my self determination, which I thought I don’t have when it comes to exercise. So, nobody else has a say in it, especially when it’s negative.

Along with running, I am also improving my diet. It’s difficult to control diet when you stay at home. Parents are a weird creature. They keep complaining that I am putting on weight, but when I sit for my meals, they will serve me a heap of food. But, I am being strict with myself. I am eating everything but in smaller portion; completely avoiding sugar, and eating more greeny leafy vegetables and fruits. And, making sure I do a hearty breakfast and light dinner.

Day 4

Today morning I went to see the Dhola-Sadiya Bridge. That means a 5 hours drive from Duliajan, up and down, and the bad roads in between make it worse. I came back home around 4.30 pm. I was exhausted. But, I knew I had to go running. I cannot miss. Being exhausted was not even a valid excuse. Without thinking too much about how I would run, I just grabbed my shoes and headed to the ground.

The moment I stepped inside the ground, I felt this spring in my feet. And I knew I would do it. When I see other people working out, I feel a different kind of energy. And that’s what works for me. My mind became light and I forgot everything about having a long day, and being tired. I just started to run. It’s true what they say, “it’s all in your mind”. If you can think it, you can do it.

I did it. I ran for an hour. And, after finishing I took this photo, where my friend told me that I look like a ‘sexless weirdo’. But, I have never been so proud of my body before. I am so confident about my look now, because I am working on it. I feel happy.

As I was completing the last lap, one of my bffs came to meet me. She was so happy to see me running. I have the most amazing friends. We build each other up.

Day 3

What do you do when you have this ridiculous determination to go for your run and a dinner invitation soon after? And, the venue is far away from your home and you want to be on time? Also, you don’t have a vehicle.

In this scenario, I decided to run to the venue. After this confession I may come off as a hungry wolf who couldn’t contain her excitement at the prospect of free delicious food. But, I am proud of what I did. Think what you may.

With each day, I falling in love with my hometown all over again. I never used to run/walk so much around the town before, there was always car or scooter to my rescue. And I didn’t know what I was missing on. There is so much more you observe when you are on your feet. I am glad that I am running. It makes me so much more positive. I am discovering a new side of me. I feel grateful.

Day 2

I am not a morning person, and I am not letting this become a hindrance on my road to 100 days running challenge. I believe, the best time to go running is a time you find convenient. So, my sister and I decided to reserve one hour from our evenings for running. I am super serious about it.

The most important thing which I am keeping in my mind is, a lot to be done to improve my body. It’s going to be a never ending journey. And I am not expecting an immediate result. Because when you expect too much, you get demotivated easily. I know good things take time. So when I ran today, I didn’t pressurise my body. I did what I could and I did good. My aim is to improve 1% daily. And that’s what made it easy today.

I ran for an hour. Of course, not continuously. I ran, I slowed walked, I brisk walked, and ran again. This is the cycle I followed. But, I didn’t stop in between to catch my breath. I was on the move continuously.

I believe I did better than yesterday, but less than what I would do tomorrow.

Day 1

This piece is about Day 1, which I completed. I don’t even know if I would successfully complete the rest 99 days. But I am trusting myself. I am willing to try. I want to see how far I could go. I want to see what keeps me going and what stops me. I would need tons of motivation to complete this journey. I have some amazing friends who are more than happy to help me in this journey. They have volunteered to cheer for me and have promised to help me keep going. I have promised myself that I won’t quit. I stand vulnerable here, but thankfully not scared.

I want to document every step of it, so that I can look back when needed and see why I started when doubt arises. I know it would take a lot to finish this, but I am not thinking about the rest 99 days altogether. I am planning to take one day at a time. My focus is to improve 1% every day. If you want to be a part of my journey, you are most welcome. If you want to share your experiences, I would be humbled.

I am lazy when it comes to exercise. It requires constant nudging and pushing to make me get up and get going. I am not very proud of this. When I was in Delhi, I would find many excuses to not work out. Some of my regular and favourites were- there isn’t a good park in the locality, all the fields are far away, there is not enough time in the morning, after work it is too tiring, will start from next week, next month, next year and what not! I really thought that’s what is stopping me from working out and getting the ideal lifestyle that I want.

I moved back to Assam last month. Before coming I made this resolution to go running for 100 days without any gap. I had planned to start it as soon as I land in Assam, but that didn’t happen. No excuses to defend myself now. I have enough time. There are so many good grounds and spaces in my hometown. The weather is so lovely here. Roads are so well lit and good to run on. The nearest stadium is less than a km away from my place, and yet going for run seems like a daunting task. That’s when I realized that what’s stopping me isn’t scarcity of places, time or facilities, it was me. I was stopping myself. Not lack of suitable external factor, but lack of internal factor- strong self-determination. But, sigh! Even this realization failed to jolt me up and give me the much needed kick. I hated myself for not doing it and yet wasn’t doing anything to change my behavior. However, there came up something else which hit hard.

Earlier this month I took my father to Guwahati for a routine health check-up. Every doctor that we met asked him to walk to get a good control over his sugar level. I parroted that to him word to word; explaining how beneficial a walk is and how he could go for one every morning. When I listened to my own words I realized how wrong I am. It pinched me that I was preaching something that I wouldn’t practice myself. That’s when I made up my mind to set an example for him. To make it look easier to go for a quick walk/run everyday. To do it myself first, unfailingly, before I ask him to do.

So yesterday, after one and a half months of shameless procastinations, I finally grabbed my shoes at around 8.30pm and went out with my sister. “If not running let’s go for a walk”, I told myself. The weather was breezy and the wind felt cool on our cheeks. I decided to brisk walk, because I was out of practice and badly needed some warm up before I could plunge into running. We didn’t have any specific route in our mind, we thought it’s best to walk around aimlessly for about 3-4 Kms. We both are amateurs and know nothing about the “do’s and don’ts” of running. So we just walked, stopped in between to catch our breaths, and walked again. We took it light and just made our body aware about the change of routine that we are planning for.

Even though I didn’t run much, I felt liberated and happy. I stopped in between to look around and soak in the surroundings. My hometown looks like a picture straight out of a travel book. It boasts of such natural beauty. Clean environment. Fresh air. Fine smooth roads; on both sides of it there are beautiful big trees lined up with their branches reaching out to each other. The footpaths covered with dry leaves and flowers, and when we walk on them they make this crisp sound like crumbling of papers. There were fireflies all around- twinkling amidst darkness like the stars above.

We walked passed the primary school in which we used to come for our drawing classes on Sundays. On my right now, the Nehru stadium was visible. The ground was all quiet as if resting after a hectic day. All its greenness gleaming in the lights. The chance of the stadium gate to be opened this late was very slim, so we walked straight to the Duliajan club. Unlike the stadium the club was buzzing with activities. There were a few cars parked in the parking lot. We even heard a few laughter, maybe the boys were sharing a joke after a game of tennis. Leaving the club behind, we entered the residential area where houses were lined up meticulously as in a 3D project. They stand quietly in the dark with only their roofs shining because of the street lights. The long curved road which leads to the helipad is almost everyone’s favourite. When we were kids we loved cycling in this area. All the roads were almost deserted now except for an occasional passing of cars. A few people were walking their dogs with their eyes glued to their phones. We saw an elderly man on his cycle, the leisure with which he were cycling was enviable. Perhaps he was heading back home after a day’s work. There was two girls who were walking hand in hand ahead of us, maybe they were taking a night stroll after dinner. I have never seen people going about at such ease and without hurry in the cities.

When we reached the helipad, it began to drizzle. We were unprepared. There is this thing with Assam, you never know when the weather is going to change. After a bright sunny day it may rain profusely at night. And a perfectly cloudy day may magically start to brighten up with the setting sun. When we heard the mild thunder we knew that it would rain soon. Home was still 1-2 Kms away, and we had to double our pace lest we get drenched. Thankfully, we made it home just in time- tired but happy.