For this weekâs blogpost I want to do an introspection to reflect on what the year that is coming to a close has been on a personal level. I just reached the 1000-mile mark last weekend. This alone is a miracle for me, even though I have reached the milestone several times before. 2021 came for me with many challenges that go beyond the Covid pandemic completing its second year. I faced serious health challenges that, held by the hand of the Lord and with the support of my wife, family, and friends, I have been able to overcome. It has been quite a journey.
This was me at the hospital, two days after my open-heart surgery
On June 23 I underwent open-heart surgery after two years of trying to manage the issue. My arteries had a wiring problem since birth that suddenly, at age 53 and having been active all my life, started becoming an issue. I also got a coronary artery by-pass.
Recovery was an arduous process. I started walking around the ICU floor, two days after the procedure despite having 13 different things connected to my body. Once I got home, I developed a circuit around my house (living room to kitchen, to living room to 2nd bedroom, to master bedroom to bathroom and back). I made sure to walk right by my medal rack so I could make sure to see where I had been and where I wanted to get back. Then the walk progressed outdoors to pick up the mail and then to half a mile. Finally, on July 10th, 17 days after my procedure, I was able to walk a full mile. One month from my procedure I was walking 4 miles a day, and after 2 months I started cardiac rehab. I had walked close to 200 miles since surgery.
By August 30 I was able to run five, one-minute intervals and two-and-a-half weeks later I ran 20 minutes straight and was released from cardiac rehab. From there I started a run/walk protocol to enhance my endurance and little by little was able to run more, walk less and rack up mileage. On November 3rd I completed my first 10-miler and on December 4th completed half marathon distance in 2:25. On December 18th I run/walked 17 miles and the next day I completed 1000 miles for the year. If it wasnât because I am the one doing all this, I wouldnât believe it was possible. I would need Strava proof to make sure nobody is trying to trick me.
Walking by this display kept me focused on the goal.
There is a reason why I write this, and it is not to toot my own horn. I am writing this because I am the living proof that having an active life is the key to develop a body capable of repairing itself promptly and efficiently. I have been active my entire life and have been running or walking non-stop for 14 years since my return to the asphalt. In my estimation, this has been the key to my miraculous recovery. So much that, with my cardiologistâs blessing, I will be participating in the Houston Marathon on January 16th, just 207 days after my procedure.
This could have not been possible without surrendering my health and recovery to God, while doing my part to assist. This could have not been possible without the devotion and dedication from my beautiful wife, Meki, during my recovery. This could have not been possible without the support of my family, who were ready to help in anything I could need. This could have not been possible without the support of my buddies from No-Club Runners, who epitomized why runners are such a special bunch of crazy people. This could have not been possible without being fit and healthy for a prolonged time.
So, as life got back to normal, I returned to work after seven weeks of recovery and the pandemic continued to wreak havoc in our lives; my cardiologist told me it is time to turn the page on this episode of my life. To move on to bigger and better things. And thus, as I reached the psychologic barrier of the 4-digit number of miles for this challenging year, I reflect on the year that was and the life I have left.
 I met Manish Kuman Jaiswal in a WhatsApp group of international runners I was invited to participate a few months ago. Every day I would find cool posts on what runners are accomplishing all over the world, and in a handful of languages. One of the things that intrigued me was this guy from India who kept posting a half marathon every single day. So I had to ask. At the time he responded, he had run one for 475 consecutive days.
So let me introduce you to Manish Kumar Jaiswal, a 46-year-old runner from Raipur, in the state of Chhattisgarh, who started running in 2007. A teacher by profession, started his running journey just like most of us, to keep himself fit, healthy and with enough energy to keep up with his son, who is now 15.
When I approached Manish, he told me his goal at the time was to get to 500 days in a row, which occurred last Sunday, December 12th. With some simple math to put this monumental task in perspective, we are talking about 6,550 miles (10,539 kilometers) in the lapse of one year, four months and 15 days. A Ruthian-sized accomplishment, whatever way you want to analyze it.
A collage of Strava posts from a handful of Manishâs latest runs.
Manish quickly fell in love with the challenges and satisfactions of long distance running and promptly became a marathoner. During his years as a âregular runnerâ he completed 5 marathons (Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Dhamtari and Mumbai) as well as a bunch of half marathons.
One day, some friends challenged him to run 21 half marathons in 21 days. For those of you who live within the Imperial measurement system, the 13.1 miles of a half is equivalent to 21,097.5 meters. So, therefore on July 30, 2020, he embarked on this short streak that little by little has become enormous.
âIn the beginning I just wanted to do 21days, 21 Half Marathonsâconfesses Mr. JaiswalâBut I enjoyed it a lot and now that I completed my 500 Consecutive days, I donât want to stop. Now I am addicted to running.â
 The new goal has been moved to 730 consecutive days with a half marathon. Equivalent to two years. Something tells me it is not going to stop there and 1,000 will suddenly become the updated goal, come July of next year.
 No streak like this happens without taking risks that otherwise you wouldnât have. Manish has run during heavy rains, thunderstorms sweltering hot and freezing cold temperatures. âSometimes it would have been almost impossible to complete my half marathon, but I didn\’t give up. I put on my raincoat and managed to get my run in.â
 Time management is an important task for an enterprise of this magnitude, yet Mr. Jaiswal assures me it hasnât interfered that much in his daily life. âMy daily half marathon running didn\’t affect my personal or professional lives. I did it with proper time management, planning and in a well-organized way.â He averages about 2:05 per run, with his PR at 1:48 and his slowest at 2:25.
 Runners everywhere have one important question for Mr. Jaiswal: How about his running shoes?
He wears Kalenji shoes, the Decathlon model and he needs to switch to a fresh, new pair every 30 to 35 days. So far, he estimates he has used 15 pairs during his quest.
âAt last -said Manish to conclude- I would like to thank my friends and family members my wife and son for their motivation encouragement and support.â
All of us runners, regardless how dedicated we are to our craft, at times become experts in creating the perfect excuse to justify not running on a specific day. There are some valid excuses, of course. No one expects you to run during an electric storm or when the temperature is 120 or -50 degrees?
What it is not and will never be a valid excuse is not having a functioning GPS watch. It doesnât matter if it doesnât have enough charge, if you forgot it at home, if the wrist band broke or fill in the blank. There are plenty of options to get around this minor setback and get your training in.
If you your battery doesnât have enough charge for your run, it is your fault. Assume the msitake and go run.
The following is a list of ways to overcome obstacles when it comes to GPS watch issues, so you can go train, anyway:
1 â The watch doesnât have enough charge for my run: That is your fault. Own your mistake. Run on a known course and when you get home, do the simple math necessary to project what your watch was able to record to what you know is the distance you ran. Option B is to run with a buddy and get screen shots of the activity.
2 â I forgot or misplaced my watch: This is your fault. Own your mistake. Your run doesnât need to be recorded for posterity to benefit your health or make you a better runner. What really counts is that you do run. One day without posting it in Instagram or Strava shouldnât hurt your ego that much.
3 â My watch is not acquiring the satellites: It happens. Sometimes you have the time to wait a bit longer or restart your watch. Sometimes your group is leaving, or the race is starting. Get moving without the satellites and when they hit, start your watch. Once at home, do the simple math necessary to project what your watch was able to record and have an approximate run. It is better than not running.
4 â How am I supposed to know my pace without GPS? As many benefits as a GPS watch has, the main drawback is that runners have forgotten to run by feel. Take this as an opportunity to have fun, run by perceived effort for a change, without a gadget dictating your pace and effort. Feel the fun of an easy pace, or the thrill of comfortably pushing if that is your scheduled workout. Have fun with Fartlek or just, for a change, enjoy the view and remember you run because it is fun.
GPS watches are wonderful additions to any runners arsenal, but they have made us forget the freedom of running by feel.
5 â I canât do my interval training without a functioning watch: Sure, interval training without a watch is hard. But if you donât have it with you, most likely it is your fault, and you need to own your mistake and find a solution. There is an alternative, though. Boring but available. It is a treadmill. If you donât have a treadmill, do your intervals based on available landmarks. To the third tree, to the next traffic light or to whatever is accessible and fits your plan for the day.
6 â My dog ate the watch: Check issues 1 through 5 above, overcome your objections, lace up and start running
One more thing. Most of us have additional apps in our phones that can assume on the work for a day: Strava, MapMyRun, RunKeeper, etc. There are many more and most of them have a free version. If you donât run with a phone and canât live with the most updated data, run with the phone that day and voila!!! Issue resolved.
As you can see, all excuses regarding your GPS watch can be easily overcome. So, remember that nobody came back from a run hoping they would have stayed at home doing nothing. Each run is transformational. Donât miss on it because of an inconsequential obstacle.
 Not to be super graphic, but we runners behave like little kids when it comes to bathroom issues and bodily functions related jokes. A fundamental truth of our sport is that if you havenât pooped your shorts while running, you just havenât run enough. Keep running and you will.
We even have a term coined to describe that inescapable moment when we will inevitably have to face nature: âCode Brownâ. Descriptive enough.
Make sure you know where is the best place for a pit stop, before you may need it (Photo: Pexels)
I do believe that gastrointestinal issues in runners are as unavoidable as falling. Still, we must do our best, prepare as thoroughly as we can, pray for the best and eventually both fall down and poop our pants, anyway. But for that part that we can control, the key is to get intimate with your gastrointestinal systemâs nuances. To build a relationship with it, so you can learn to listen to each other start working together.
But, as with any best friend, a spat here and there are part of the package. So, here are a few things you can work on to avoid unpleasant, running GI issues for as long as you can hold them at bay:
1 â Befriend the trial-and-error method: Make sure you take notes, mental or written, of what works on your behalf, and what doesnât. This will allow you to know what is best to eat, when to eat it and, how much of it to eat. At the same time, it will let you know what to avoid and how far in advance to avoid it.
2 â Plan ahead: Even though GI issues may happen at any time, the most dreaded time is in the middle of the long run, when most likely youâll be farther from home but hopefully, close to a stinky port-a-potty. Most of us have a solid idea on when we will be hitting the road, so we should time our food intake based on the best practices we have developed through time.
3 â Map out the bathrooms along your route: Hopefully, you wonât need them, but it is always good to know where they are, just in case. Gas stations, drug stores, supermarkets or isolated bushes will do the trick, but only if you know where they are.
4 â Time your pre long-run/race dinners: Some runners swear by the night-before pasta, others go for a burrito or a pizza. Regardless of the nutritious value of your meal, the key is to make sure it has been digested by the time you go to bed and/or start running. The timing of such meal, as well as pre-run snacks, is key to avoid unscheduled and unpleasant stops.
You need to get intimate with your GI system so you can manage unpleasant stops as much as possible
5 â Try various fueling products until you find âthe oneâ: There are hundreds of in-run fueling options in the market. Gels, powders, chewables, drinks, you name it. They also come in unnumerable flavors, concentrations and with added stimulants. After awful experiences with a certain brand of sugary gel, I found my favorite and I know what works for me. The time to figure out you canât stomach a fifth gel should not be in the 22nd mile of your marathon.
6- Figure out how fiber, sugar and caffeine affect you: While all these substances are useful when consumed in the right quantities and times, each runner has its own level of tolerance for them. A bowl of oatmeal may be good for someoneâs pre-run breakfast while it will have others running to the bushes. Same with caffeine. Sugar can hit your stomach hard if you consume too much of it during your run, especially as an ingredient of energy gels. Know what is best for you.
7 â Stay hydrated: This doesnât mean only during your run, but in general, throughout your day. Dehydration can lead to GI issues such as constipation, bloating, nausea, ulcers, and acid reflux, among others. Remember that consuming alcohol sucks the moisture out of you, so avoid it, especially on hot days.
Any tips or horror stories you would like to share with my readership?
When set up to prepare for a race, we usually do so with a specific goal in mind. Maybe it is a PR. Maybe we want to go under a certain arbitrary round time like a Sub-4 marathon, a sub-1:45 half or a sub-50 10K. Maybe, given a certain personal issue, just finishing in one piece is the objective. They are all valid goals worth pursuing.
But life can and usually gets on the way of our perfect plans. Stars may not align on race day and then your car breaks down on the way to your race or thereâs a traffic accident that makes you miss the start. Or it was too hot and humid, or you started too fast when you should have known better. It happens. So, what to do?
Sometimes, achieving goals B, C or D can still mean a successful race (Foto: Pexels)
It may sound obvious, but in the midst of the frustration, runners donât know how to react and adjust. So I will spell it out in a direct manner: Set up A, B, C and even D goals for your races. And if your race doesnât go as planned, sometimes it is good to have a back-up race to fall on to.
I follow a sub-elite runner in Instagram, who ran the recent Boston Marathon. In his post-race recap he said how his objectives kept changing throughout the race. His main goal was giving it his all to go sub-2:30, but as the miles went by, he realized this was not going to happen, so he decided to settle for a PR. In the 28th Km (17th mile), he suffered cramps that forced him to slow down. He ran some math in his head and realized he could still go Sub 2:40. At the end, 2:40:31 was his time. His final assessment was that despite not accomplish any of his preset goals, he wasnât upset because he gave it all he had for the day. And he also knows this is not his last race.
This is the epitome of setting up multiple goals and completing a solid race despite facing multiple obstacles throughout. It is about learning to face and overcome those issues on the fly. It is about conquering what we are unable to control and yet, conquering those obstacles.
Just as it happens with the performance in a single competition, there are times that even the best prepared runners, or Goals R, S and T canât cover a disappointment. When that happens, embrace the failure, learn your lessons, and move on to, or set up, your back-up race.
Back Up Races
It is not only a bad race that needs redemption. Sometimes circumstances beyond your control get in the way and derail your plans in a catastrophic manner. A second chance to perform is what will save the time, effort, money, and emotion you have invested in your training.
A few weeks ago, one of my trainees was on the plane to the Berlin Marathon. Door closed. Seatbelt fastened. Pre-flight instructional video played. But then⌠just like that⌠they kicked everyone out of the plane. The flight was cancelled. The only alternative given by the airline would put him in Berlin on Saturday at 5PM, with barely any time to pick up his bib and rest to make it to the starting line.
Make sure you live to race anothe day, by being smart before you tackle the marathon agian, after a debacle. (Photo: Pexels)
This runner was lucky enough that had enter several Marathon Major lotteries and hit two of them. So, despite the frustration, at least he had Chicago, two weeks later. The plan had been to push in Berlin and coast for fun in Chicago. Now, the plan is to push in Chicago, even though the taper was extended to 4 weeks. Notwithstanding the disaster, he was able to put his training to effective use and ran 3:24. Below his expectations but solid enough for his abilities and given the circumstances.
Even though having two marathons lined up worked for this runner, this time, it was circumstantial. Having a marathon to fall onto is not necessarily the best strategy. A marathon requires a level of commitment and effort that for most runners it requites just all youâve got. So, having another marathon in store just in case, in a few weeks, may mess you up subconsciously and may alter your subconsciously because you know you have another race coming up, so you can play it safe, or run too fast and crash.
My recommendation is that if you need to pick another marathon because you missed your goal race, there are plenty or marathons to fall back to. You wonât lack for options, so you donât need to plan ahead. But, if you had a crappy marathon and need to redeem yourself, be smart, recover properly and reassess where you are and where you want to be eventually before doing something foolish and getting hurt.
You can run multiple 5Ks to make up for a bad one. You can run another half marathon or two, or three, to make up for a bad race. The marathon is a different animal.
Not too long ago, a friend forwarded to me a posting of a runnerâs prayer. It was so uplifting. You didnât even have to be Christian or a profoundly or devout follower on any religion to enjoy it and find it inspiring. This is what it read:
Being thankful for the privilege of running is a key component of most runnerâs lives.
A Runnerâs Prayer Run by my side; live in my heartbeat; give strength to my steps. As the cold surrounds, as the wind pushes me, I know you surround me. As the sun warms me, as the rain cleanses me, I know you are touching me, challenging me, loving me. And so I give you this run. Thank you for matching my stride. Amen.
Because of my journalistic background, I always want to attribute credit to authors. So, I did a quick Google search and found not only the author for this one, but a slew of inspiring runnerâs prayers.
Originally, I intended to publish something short and uplifting, but with so many good runnerâs prayers out there, I decided to compile a handful of the ones I found most inspiring to me. I hope they touch you, too.
Prayer Before Facing a Race A contemporary prayer for someone preparing for a race or marathon By Tamra Dollin Source: https://www.myjewishlearning.com
Dear God, As I stand here, at the foot of Mt. Sinai, I am filled with gratitude, For You, who have given me life. For my family, who sustains me with their love. For my community, who support me with their warm embrace. For the strength of my body, which I have cared for and prepared to greet this day. For the capacity of my mind, to allow me to reach beyond what I thought possible. For the courage of my soul, to conquer my fears and pursue my dreams. For the spirit You have placed in me that will allow me to prevail.
I humbly ask of You⌠Remove all obstacles from before me. Help me to run swiftly and without impediment. Grant me the courage to persevere in moments of weakness. To see and do acts of loving kindness along the way. And that through this endeavor, I may glorify your Great Name.
As it says in Isaiah 40:13, ââŚFor those who hope in God will renew their strength. They shall soar on wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary.â
A simple prayer may change the outlook of your run.
Another Runnerâs Prayer
Prayers donât need to be too deep or full of theology. The simplest of them can touch us profoundly and rejoice our souls, like this one, I found in RunnersWorld.com:
May the road raise to meet you May the winds be always at your back May the race day temps be between 45 and 55 degrees And when we meet again May you be in another age bracket
Runnerâs Serenity Prayer
The popular âSerenity Prayerâ, written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892â1971) in 1951, has been adapted to many aspects of life. Running is not the exception. I found a couple of them.
I could not find a source for this one:
âGod grant me the strength to travel this distance, The courage to push through pain, And wisdom to know when to pick up the pace. Without your guidance and understanding, I could not be the runner I am. Amenâ
 This next one is authored by Josh Cox, and it goes like this:
âGod grant me the serenity to accept when I cannot run; The Courage to run when I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.â
Before Hitting the Road
And to complete this short sample or runnerâs prayers, there is this one if found in fuelrunning.com, which I find particularly uplifting:
O Strong and Faithful God
Make me swift, today, as I run; give me stamina, courage, and strength. But mainly, O God, give me faith in You and in myself. For you have said: âFor they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength⌠they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be faint.â
By striding with this faith, my efforts will be crowned, and my spirit rest secure in you, and in the knowledge of a race well run.
I make this prayer in imitation of all the saints who have run to you. O Lord, amen.
It doesnât matter to what God you pray, or to what religion you feel either affinity or affiliation. May it be God, Jehovah, Allah, the Universe, Nature or any other; most of us feel a bigger power guiding our steps. Voicing out our gratitude or putting ourselves in the hands of that superior being, is of great comfort when we are about to participate in our favorite sport. I hope these prayers will help.
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