For a first time runner, running a 10K race might feel like a knockout, an impossibility to even contemplate, let alone complete on a physical course. I know this because I have been there, back in 2008, when the Bangalore World 10K began. I never thought I’d be able to complete it, having never run a single long distance race in my life, but here I am, not only having completed the one in 2008, but also having been through the very same course another 13 times, almost addicted to it like a video game that I cannot quit. Only, this game is IRL. A 10K race is very much like a video game in the sense there are many times you will feel your health bar is dropping, and you are close to quitting, and every time you will find an unexpected new boost, a surprising new power, or the kindness of a stranger that will put your quest right back on track. And like all good video games, the journey here is very much the destination
What I found most amazing, and inspiring, from the very first race onwards, are the runners. Running is a lonely pursuit, but in…
