I’m a proud Fauji BRAT (Born Raised and Transferred) and discipline and decorum (read as: waking up early and having a regimen towards a healthy lifestyle) were an essential part of growing up. I’ve been an avid sports enthusiast since my school days and pursued a variety of outdoor/sports activities. I was also the School Sports Captain of my school.
I took to long distance running in 2011 and Airtel Delhi Half Marathon was my first half-marathon. Being committed to staying healthy and fit helps me push myself further along this journey. I’ve run several 10ks and half-marathons in India and in the US, Greece, Amsterdam and Germany to name a few and I recently ran my maiden World Major Marathon – BMW Berlin Marathon 2018.
Running is MY time and it keeps me sane and smiling. I’m a far happier person since I started running, and seeing how far I’ve come is inspiring. When I look back at where I was, and see where I am today, my courage soars.
I’m completely in tune with my body and haven’t felt better – physically, mentally and emotionally. I know that if I put my mind to something, I can do it. The feeling of crossing the finish line is incomparable. And of course, the real reason i head out to pound the roads is more intangible than health or fitness. Running has its own inherent raison d’être, what that is, however, is harder to put your finger on. Running doesn’t have logic on its side.
Running has changed my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Pushing my mind and body during a run makes me inexplicably happy.
I’ve been a part of the largest and most fun global running community on the planet, adidas Runners and that has helped me align my passion of running with a larger global community of enthusiasts and has made it easier for me to chase my personal goals too. The ability to make a difference in people’s lives by just sharing my passion for running really gets my heart thumping and mind racing.
I really do think that anyone can run! Running is organic and primal. There’s nothing in the world like running your first marathon. It’s filled with the mystery of a great novel and the nerves of your first job interview. Follow a training plan and remember consistency is key to building endurance. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Select and own a pair of shoes that you will run your marathon in. I love the Adidas Ultra boost – relatively light weight and provide good support. I ran my maiden marathon in these. The full length boost mid-sole provides incredibly responsive cushioning.
Cross-training not only reduces your risk of injuries but also promotes recovery and enhances running performance. Throw any time goals out of the window. You will have only one first marathon. You’ll have plenty of chances at future marathons to crush those time goals. Enjoy the experience as much as possible.
Have a few mantras that will help you when the going gets tough. One of my favourite mantra is, “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you”. Think of how you accomplished all those hard training mornings and trust in them to get you to the finish line.
– Start hydrating and fuelling early on. Don’t wait until you feel a drop in your energy or feel thirsty.
– Avoid flying and dying as much as possible. Stick to your pacing plan. It is easy to go out blazing fast because of the adrenaline of race day.
– Visualise success. Visualise the sense of achievement and the lifetime memories you will have after crossing the finish line.
– Always, finish strong.
Reeti Sahai wears many hats – a successful entrepreneur, a goddess on the running track – she’s a marathoner. A fitness fanatic, certified functional trainer, endurance cyclist, high altitude mountaineer, avid traveller and a mummy to her 4 beautiful dogs. She’s the Captain of adidas Runners Delhi where she inspires, motivates and coaches runners from across NCR.
Reeti has run in the previous silhouette of the Ultraboost shoe from adidas and strongly recommends the new UltraBoost 19 to all serious runners across the globe for their running journeys. The Ultraboost 19 was deconstructed and reconstructed from its original from 17 pieces to focus on four key components – Optimized boost, Torsion spring, Primeknit 360 and 3D Heel Frame.
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First Published: Feb 08, 2019 14:26 IST
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