…In the Long Run!

 

My Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) 2024

A story within the story

The precise distance of a full marathon is 42.195 km. But as veteran runners say, the actual run starts after 30 km. Till then, it’s the honeymoon period. As you go with the flow, feel the weather, terrain, crowd, and thrills, and you have a lot of time to get philosophically, intellectually and spiritually elevated to the topmost plane. But then, suddenly, the game changes, and at every passing kilometre, your body (or Monkey Brain) urges you to stop and not die.

Similarly, during TMM, once you reach Girgaon Chawpati (~ 38km), your mental strength is supremely tested because your body gets fatigued by the efforts, distance and mid-morning sun. Legs get heavy, and the heart rate rises steeper than the Sensex graph.

Such a condition resembles the severely wounded and passed-out character of Shiva (played by Rishabh Shetty) in the 2022 Indian Kannada-language action thriller film - Kantara.

And when the Monkey Brain urges you to call curtains, your Human Brain appears from nowhere and shouts into your ears,” Whoaaaaaa!... gather yourself, you got this.” And you suddenly hear the famous shehnai tune.

The Movie Reference

I felt the urge to refer to this movie when I introspected on my pre-, during and post-race moments after the recently concluded TMM 2024. So, stay put, read on and let me know what you think.

[Disclaimer: I belong to the slower-middle-of-the-pack runners’ tribe. We face many unique situations that more evolved runners may have only heard of, e.g., empty water stations towards the end of the race. So, if you disagree with any point below, I say, give a generous smile and move on. After all, every marathoner in the pack has an objective that someone beautifully summed up as – Business at the front, party at the back! J

The Built-Up

I recall running the previous year’s TMM with many doubts. I was confused and primarily curious to check how my body would react after total inactivity during COVID-19.

I feel it is similar to the movie's beginning - The noblest king who doesn’t find peace after serving his subjects with great tenderness and goes to a saint. Later, as the priest advises, he goes on a long voyage in the wilderness to pursue his ancestor’s blessing. I participated in the 2023 edition of TMM with a similar anxiousness and a leap of faith. And, I was a bit relieved to find that I still have it in me.

Cut to TMM 2024

Wondering places, the tired King reaches a simple stone worshipped by the villagers.

Amused by its serenity and divinity, he asks them to give the stone to him at any cost. Just then, the God Panjurli (residing within the stone) possesses a villager and makes a unique deal with the king, demanding a great sacrifice in return.

You know, attempting a full marathon also requires plenty of sacrifices. You MUST be ready to commit fully when you add this third wheel (of a fitness schedule) to your professional and personal lives. The plan requires you to say goodbye to many weekend hangouts, long sleeping hours, favourite food, binge-watching, etc. It is a life-changing decision or even a movement.

Marathon bug stings your heart before taking over your brain and finally possessing your whole body. But isn’t it valid for any passion you choose to pursue?   

In June 2023, I made a deal with myself (physically, mentally and emotionally) to continue running long distances until the almighty permits.

In the film, the king brings the holy stone to his palace; I subscribed to a six-month-long marathon running plan. 

Cut to the Race Day

On 21^st Jan 2024, we reached our designated corals after doing the routine pre-race warm-up drills with Sameer P, Sameer M, Gaurav, Bhushan and Vishal. A high-spirited colleague, Chinmaya, waited back for his first 10k experience.

I crossed the timing mat around 5:15 AM with the usual goosebumps. I set my Garmin watch amidst camera flashes, cheering voices of celebrities and several “Jai Shri Ram” hollers and embarked on the long journey of 42 km.

 Pace Plan

I have used the run-walk-run method (made famous by Jeff Galloway) for all long runs. It helped me remain fresh even after sufficiently high mileage. Hence, I set my timer to the intervals of running for 30 seconds, followed by walking for 30 seconds. I decided to deploy these intervals as long as possible and then take it ahead based on the ‘feel’. One more thing: I tagged along with pacers* for my previous two marathons. You need company on such a long journey for two reasons: a) to avoid redundancy and boredom and b) to get a constant dose of pep-talk. But this year, I decided to have my solo experiential journey.

* A pacer is an experienced runner responsible for setting and maintaining a specific pace during a race.

First 10 KMs

These are happy hours for a marathon. You are on top of the world with all the positive energy around you. We gingerly navigated through the narrow, half-lit lanes of Hutatma Chowk towards the Flora Fountain, dodging the pits and bulges on the under-construction road as well as the elbows and heels of fellow runners. I saw a tall foreigner losing his footsteps on the metal bridge, only to find them again in a few seconds due to the thick blanket of the running crowd around. In between, he was swirling like a lone leaf in a tornado. Such combined efforts by Indians will surely help strengthen our relationships with the West.

During the long loop of the Oval Maidan, I saw many runners donning vibrant colours and attitudes, marching with thumping footsteps, motivating each other, and occasionally passing cheeky comments. Opposite the Ambassador Hotel, I met the veteran runner of my running group, Santosh and clicked a selfie. He was a volunteer at that pit stop (salute!) Thanking him, I continued my run while soaking the atmosphere around me.

Around 5^th KM, we took a turn at NCPA and started our journey on the Marine Drive. The long stretch of mesmerisingly looking Queen’s Necklace, clad with the Spirit of Mumbai, gave glimpses of the fun-n-fair to be held for the next few hours. I clicked many pictures and shot videos spontaneously. Runners felt charged due to inspirational songs played by musical bands and the nip in the pre-dawn air from the Arabian Sea. But the best of all was cheerful children plunging forward at sporadic distances to give tiny high-fives while their parents smiled at them. Some grown-up enthusiasts were seen holding placards with creative slogans to motivate all. I greeted them for coming out to support runners at such early hours on Sunday and moved ahead. I can’t forget to mention the Mumbai Police here.

After 8 km, we bid goodbye to the Girgaon Chowpaty and turned right towards the Babulnath temple. I decided to take my first gel here and ascended the Pedar Road flyover. Podium aspirants of the Half Marathon were seen galloping on the opposite side of the road. It was still dark.

From 11 to 20 KMs

The Pedar road flyover lasted for about 2 km, descended near Haji Ali and became flat as a pancake later. I was settling the debate about two thoughts - Pollution vs Progress - in my mind, and just then, the third one emerged - Pace. So I did a quick mental body check for aches and pains (there were hardly any) and scampered towards the famous Bandra-Worli Sea Link road. Expert runners always warn that the incline on this bridge is deceptive, and one must control the pace.

Last year, around 19^th KM, I’d lost sight of my pacing group momentarily. And I ran outside my pre-decided zone to catch up with them and learned a lesson. My thighs got jarred. Just like in the movie, Lord Panjurli warns the King that if he ever deceives the villagers, he will bring forth his feisty form as ‘Ugrarupa Guliga’ and do anything to protect the villagers. This time, I had no intention to face the wrath of internal Guliga! So, I obeyed my pacing plan, kept ascending the distance steadily and offered Namaskar to the rising sun. This year, I felt they were one hydration pit stop short on the Sea-Link.  

From 21 to 36 KMs

Staying within my limits helped me to maintain the running rhythm while I crossed Mahim Durgah, Shivaji Park, and Shri Sidhhivanayak temple to the Worli dairy backend. The famous ‘runners wall’ was still at bay. I took my gels twice and relieved myself once in the interim. The sun was well up now, leading to the rise in body temperature; hence, I applied ice, a sponge and spray whenever possible. 

In the movie - Terrible events occur when a King’s descendant comes to seize the lands, claiming that these lands never really belonged to the villagers. During a theatrical custom called ‘Yakshagana,’ God Panjurli possess Shiva’s father. Seeing such a performance for the first time, the descendant demands Shiva’s father to ask the villagers to return the lands. Feeling offended, Panjurli calls his vicious form Guliga and runs into the dense forest, never to return.  

At 30^th KM, something strange happened to me. I don’t know whom I offended, but whenever I started my running intervals, I felt pain in my left collarbone, and my heart rate started to shoot. Maybe it was because of messed up hydration and being able to log in higher km runs or simply because of internal stress caused by spells of pressing moments during the training season. I immediately switched to plan B – Go Easy!

According to the tales from the ancient past, when Guliga came scorching out of his mother’s womb, he felt hungry. So he used to pounce and gorge on everything eatable.

I needed a distraction, too, so I began to stop at all the stations and nibble on all the eatables (offered by cheering Mumbaikars), giving high-fives and smiles in return. Sadly, I consumed my 4th-hour gel 20 minutes late because no water was available in this stretch.

From 37 KM to the Finish Line

Steadily trotting towards the Haji Ali road, I ate oranges dipped in salt and prepared for the Pedar road challenge.  I scaled it with ease, and as I descended the last slop, I felt an adrenaline rush seeing the Wilson College board. And my mojo returned. Lord Panjurli, Guliga or the Human Brain, whatever you want to call it, shrieked into my ear,” Whoaaaaaa!... gather yourself, you got this.”

I brisk-walked, ran, dashed and crossed the finish line like there was no tomorrow.

I was ecstatic that there was no dry bhakris for breakfast this time; oh wait! The breakfast was over, and medals were stolen, too.

So, humming the tune of “Duniya banana wale, tune kahe ko duniya…”, I started searching for my friends. Soon, I was united with my beloved office colleagues who waited after their respective runs (salute to you, too!). A teardrop almost rolled down my right cheek while I was attempting to chew the groundnut chikki given by Chinmaya, so I quickly put back my glares and smiled.

 In hindsight, this marathon introduced me to different traits within. Life or a marathon, all things may not go as planned, and you may face moments that you are unprepared for, but you must carry on with focus and faith, and Lord Panjurli emerges to help. 

I am often asked,” Why do you pay to run a marathon?”. To which my consistent reply has been,” “We train and pay to test our mettle and check whether it is tough enough to sustain us in the long run (literally).”

Thank you for reading

 

Miles to Go…

We often hear, “______ is a marathon, not a sprint”. As I crossed the finish line of the Tata Mumbai Marathon on 21 Jan 2024, I found a lot of wisdom behind this proverb. You can apply it to anything…life, relationship or eating an elephant. Correct pacing is so critical. Marathon and designing a learning experience are no different, too. Conserve your resources earlier, and you will reap richer rewards later. It is like setting aside sufficient time for the analysis and design stage so that you get rapid during production.

I have been practising instructional designing for over a decade as well as have completed four full marathons (42.19 km or 26.2 miles) in addition to many shorter distances. And I can corroborate that I have become a better instructional designer after becoming a marathoner. Why? Because, a marathon tests your endurance and challenges your mental toughness and the ability to keep moving forward when everyone would most likely quit. Instructional (or learning experience) designers also face many demanding situations where their mental toughness is summoned after technical expertise gets exhausted. By developing marathon-like tenacity, you tend to evolve and focus more on the process and not just the finish line. It doesn’t mean you abandon your goals; instead, you become strategic and better involved in the journey leading to them.

Based on my experience in both fields, I will try to explain what is so common in designing a course/learning experience and running a marathon.

A word of caution: running long distances is NOT a criterion for becoming an instructional designer. However, it may give you an edge during testing circumstances. Let’s see how.

Both these processes start with a solid, strong Purpose. Without it, a course may become merely a check box item for everyone involved, and no one will derive much joy from the experience. Similarly, attempting a marathon without a strong WHY may lead to failure; you will not show up on hard training days or may even leave the actual race mid-way. An article in the New York Times (Nov 2021) suggests that up to 4% of runners do not finish their races in annually held key global marathons. One of the reasons for quitting must be not being able to push through when things get tough.

Once the purpose is clear, you analyse the raw content, design a rough course outline and get it validated by the subject matter expert. This helps you create a mental framework for the concepts that unfold. Similarly, you analyse the marathon route for elevations, placement of hydration stalls, and portaloo and devise a rough km-by-km approach with the help of experienced runners.

Sometimes, you assign a narrator/mascot/avatar in a course to seamlessly guide learners through the learning path. In a marathon, we have *Pacers. In such a long distance, they handle the softer aspects, such as constant pep talks and motivation, while you employ your physical (and technical) abilities.

*A pacer is an experienced runner who sets a specific pace and guides runners to achieve a target finish time.

Then, you firm up learning objectives. In a marathon, the principal objective is successful completion; however, enabling objectives for someone could be doing it in a specific time, at a certain pace or within other health markers like a specific heart rate zone.  

After the above phases, you move to the course development/production. For the right pacing, like a good runner, an instructional designer must have a plan and work with (and not against) time to be efficient and effective. This could also mean operating conservatively at the start of the project and focusing on meticulousness, insights gathering, and research before picking up the pace later in prototyping/piloting.

At this stage, you first finalise the project plan, which is no different from a training plan for a marathon. Usually, a training block for an amateur marathoner can be anywhere from 12-30 weeks, including 100 plus km of running per month. This excludes all the time required for warm-ups, stretching, cross-training, eating, resting, etc. Any runner with a day job/business will agree that adhering to a marathon training plan takes a lot. This is no different than working on multiple projects and balancing regular chores at the workplace. Like the agile approach in course production, the training plan builds up the race day. Each week’s mileage and intensity build on the previous week with periodic checks on the progress made. You run many smaller races before the big one, very similar to the formative and summative assessments. 

These plans perfectly lay out the goals, strategy and specifications and describe the process and approach you intend to take to travel from kilometres 1 to 42.19 or from the concept ideation to final production. 

And now, the most exciting part: the race day. Generally, about the first 2/3^rd of the race distance, you have plenty of time to do what you like the most - think. You find solutions to your (and your dear ones’) complex life problems with ease; you experience the peak of your philosophical and spiritual levels, and you may even be ready to provide a single-most solution to solve all third-world problems.

But around 30 km, the scenario changes. As you hit your lactate threshold, your body yells at you to stop, quit and survive to fight meaningful battles or simply not to die. It is fondly called ‘Hitting the Wall’. But at this point, when your brain is shouting “STOP!”, you turn to your legs, who assure you, “It is okay; we have trained for this!”. And bingo! 

Cut to your project; say you are deep in the development phase. All approvals are in place, and things get pacey; you hit ‘the wall’, or let’s say ‘the wall’ hits you. Maybe a minor issue snowballed due to ‘nobody knows whose fault’. Or simply an (over) enthusiastic client decided to overhaul the screen aesthetics. Or maybe a contingency in your team member’s life. It is easy at such a moment to overthink and hit the brakes. But if you realign yourself to the purpose and trust your ‘training, ' then it is possible to solve any problem, push through the wall, and see the course to the rollout.

You find thrill in evaluating your race performance once the dust settles. You also assess your learners' performance against the objectives. In both cases, you collect brownies, note down weak areas and take a vow to improve.

It is evident that delivering a perfect learning experience and running a marathon is challenging.

But if you do it once by overcoming challenges, you will likely find a means to do it again. 

As wild as it seems, both can be super addictive - very few people only stop at one. You experience a range of emotions, make mistakes, face unexpected challenges and twists, or witness total derailment. But what makes you stand out is learning from your shortcomings, acting creatively, focusing on the purpose, and showing up again!

Dedicated to all superstar runners, instructional designers and mentors, who constantly influenced and inspired me to become my better self. 

Thank you.