If You Can Walk, So You Can Run

  • “I think I am too old to start running!”
  • “Probably running is not meant for everyone!”
  • “Running can happen only if you have been into some kind of sports during your growing up years!”

These are just some of the doubtful questions that kept popping into my mind when I started running and it was nothing but struggle. Quite convinced that running is not for everyone, I frantically googled to find some pointers that would scientifically agree with what I was thinking. There was none! Every article that I read pointed to one thing – If you can walk so you can run.

Running is one of the best aerobic exercises for physical conditioning of our hearts and lungs. And, the best part is it comes cheap – rather costs nothing. Yet in all these years I have never given it a thought, even though I am quite particular about keeping fit. The main impetus for running came from my treks in the Himalayas. I will write about that in more detail in another post.

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Pic Credit: https://thewirecutter.com

While walking is a breeze for me even for long distances, running leaves me breathless and exhausted even if it’s just a few meters. For some time, I just harboured the desire to run as I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

It was not until one fine day when the impulsive me showed up quite randomly out of the blue. And, I changed into a T-shirt and Yoga pants, slipped into my canvas shoes, and stepped out to run. I didn’t have running shoes then. I didn’t know where to go as there is no space to run in my apartment and there are no parks nearby.

As always, I started missing the neighbourhood where I lived earlier, before moving in to my own home. Every lane used to have a park there but at that time I had never thought of running. Life is full of paradoxes….Sigh!

Left with no choice, I ran on the busy road nearby alongside cars, autos, shops, cows, vegetable vendors, flower vendors and everything you can think of in our Indian roads. Coupled with the pot-holed and broken Bangalore roads, it was no less than an obstacle course. I could run for just a few meters and then walked on, finally retracing my way back home.

The next day I went out again. This time I recalled a neighbour mentioning about a park on some street close to my home and I decided to check that out. I walked up to the park and found it to be about a kilometer from my home. It was a tiny one and you need to run around it 11 times to complete just a Kilometer. I did probably just a Kilometer or less, even walked for a few rounds, and came back home fully exhausted. I did that for the next few days with the same result – coming home all flushed and fully exhausted.

Just a few days later, I went for a run with a marathoner friend. It was just a 3 Km. run. I overestimated my abilities and feel ill. There was no running for me for a long time after that. While I am impulsive, I am quite determined too. So, I did not give up. I started off all over again and perseverance paid off.

Today I am able to run 5 Km without falling sick and I do it for at least 3 times a week. It has become a part of my regular fitness regime. Running 5 Km. is probably child’s play for many people and marathoners may even have a laugh or two on reading this. But, for me it is a huge deal considering that just a few months back I was struggling to complete even a Kilometer.

So, how did I do it? Well, I will write about that soon.

Post in response to the theme for Bar-A-Thon: The Blogging Marathon

Author: neelstoria

Traveling, Gardening, Trekking, Hiking, Storytelling, Writing, Nature, Outdoors, Yoga, DIY

24 thoughts on “If You Can Walk, So You Can Run”

  5. I had the same experience when I started running suddenly one day last year. I could not even complete a kilometre without panting an completely going out of breath. Slowly my stamina improved but it started raining cats and dogs and I had to stop. Restarting was tough.. but now I run on the treadmill and thats slowly helping build up my stamina

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    1. I can totally understand that feeling. Running in the treadmill will surely help, at least there is continuity in times of rain. Once you get back to trail running, you’ll be so much better. Thank you so much for reading and leaving behind your thoughts 🙂

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  7. Of course! While there are many people for whom this may not sound like a big thing, there are lazy bears as well, like me, who keep finding excuses even to get up early in the morning. So you’re clearly a winner here. 😁

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    1. Haha! Well, I just run anytime according to my convenience. Done so at noon also. B’lore climate clearly gives me an edge there. I do understand that early morning laziness, which sometimes victimises me too 😛

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    1. May be true but perhaps partially. I think it is best to check with a doctor before any exercise and if one has no health issues, it may be fine. I say this as in my last Himalayan Trek I met an inspiring person who was 57 year old and came all the way from Chennai. He had started running when he was 50. Now he does marathons regularly.

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  10. Your earlier situation is somewhat similar to mine. I too am particular about maintaining a certain level of fitness (do yoga, though not everyday) and walking has never been a problem (I’ve got a foot problem though, so I need to do a few foot exercises whenever I walk too much or too fast) But when it comes to running, though I’ve though about it several times, I’ve never come round to doing it. Hope to start some day, if only a small distance.

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    1. I am still can’t say that I love Running like I can say about Yoga. I think in Kolkata it’s the weather that makes it difficult. I can’t imagine running there. Maybe only early mornings but don’t know.

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    1. I just replied to someone in another post and here’s what I wrote: “I often wonder how I would feel if I was a native Bangalorean to see my city undergo this transformation and not in good way.”
      So, I can totally understand how you feel 😦

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      1. That’s absolutely true… but we should accept the fact that we can change little atleast. So hope for good days.. again a clean & green heaven gardens city..
        But apart from green.. Bangalore is great hub for research and development.

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