Yes, of course, they do much more than just teaching us.
This post is all about what I had experienced at two different point in time while running my PB FM 3:51:12 at TMM.
** Dedicating this post to all the fantastic marathon photographers **
Just imagine, if you can travel freely, without any plans, applying for a visa, buying tickets, shopping and packing, get through painful security checks, immigration and customs.
Wouldn't that be a fabulous trip?
Unfortunately, we all know, in reality, this doesn't happen.
But, it happens only if we can travel back in time. Such travel happens instantly when we have an opportunity to think about the past to take an emotional journey sometimes.
All that we need is a trigger.
This could be an anecdote, a place, smell, music, a random thought.
It could also simply be a picture. If you are a marathon runner I bet you appreciate this very well.
Whenever I run a marathon I go through a complicated set of physical, mental & emotional cycle of transformation (which is experienced by the most) and I wish that every single moment was captured. Unfortunately, there is no go-pro which can do this.
Interestingly a random photographer who is passionate about the job he/she doing in the middle of a marathon helps you in getting your ticket to travel back in time. These pictures speak so much about that particular moment helps in bringing back the positive, negative, happy, sad, euphoria, stress and intensity of that moment.
I've shared two different pictures that were taken during the Tata Mumbai Marathon
The first picture was probably clicked after getting on to the sea link. My mind was fresh, my body warmed up very well and on the cruise mode, the euphoria was high and the weather was perfect. I was cheerful and waving at others and also cheering. The energy and the flow around that time were extremely contagious.Thanks to the fantastic photographer Chetan Gusani for capturing this fabulous moment. I was doubly happy when the same man, Chetan sent a friend request to me today giving me an instant opportunity to thank him.
What more could I ask for when both happen on the same day?
And here comes the second picture.
Soon after crossing the 20k mark I had felt a stabbing pain at my sensitive hip-flexor and it was flaring up. It is due to my continuous running since Nov (330 km) Dec (320+ km including my 100 miler) and 2 weeks later my 5 hr pacer run at the Chennai marathon and another two weeks later TMM). As soon as I realized my hip-flexor was limiting me, I had decided to cut down my pace to contain the pain. I decided to bring in a little more sense to that moment to enjoy the remaining part of the run.
When I finished the race, I had a feeling that I was so good at managing the very well. Thinking about it now, the truth was known only to me. It wasn't an easy run.
Today, both these pictures had helped me in travelling back in time, freely, and also helped me punch these thoughts.
Did I mine any wisdom by travelling back on time? of course, I did.
I'm sure I'll be wiser in picking my races & avoid distractions (the 100 miler was truly a distraction).
This experience is expected to fine tune my choices between speed and long endurance races since, unfortunately, both excite me.
You see, I'm still like a confused teenager who loves doing everything without having the focus of doing one thing at a time.
Thanks, to those known and unknown photographers
They taught me many things today.
They helped me travel back in time.
Which picture of yours triggered and helped you travel back in time?
Share this post with all those beautiful photographers known to you. Let them know that they are teaching many of us, helping a many out there to stay motivated and also travel back in time.
#coachkay, KaysFITAcademy
