Doing anything for the very first time makes it special on its own. I took part in a Marathon race in November 2019 in Turkey and it’s the most memorable thing for me now. It takes a lot of courage, stamina and boldness to come out of your comfort zone and do something challenging. It’s a chance to see how far you can go physically. Are you physically and mentally capable of achieving this goal or not?
When I signed up for the Marathon, I was well aware of the fact that a lot of effort goes into achieving this target. I had to change my diet, my workout was more intense and included more cardio training. Before long I adjusted to this new schedule and started enjoying it. My only target was to achieve the main goal: running the 42.195 kms (approximately 26 miles 385 yards) Marathon Race in Istanbul, Turkey.
I had a lot going on in my life and the marathon required a change in my lifestyle. I changed my meal pattern and my diet consisted mostly of energy packed foods like nuts, proteins and carbs. I started running on a daily basis. I’d run 10 kilometers in the morning and 10 kilometers in the afternoon with just one thing in my mind – I want to achieve my target. I had a rigid schedule but I made sure not to be too hard on myself, knowing that it might cause injury that would take a lot of time to heal.
I am a fitness trainer since a couple of years but this marathon was a golden chance for me to come out of my comfort zone and do something daring. At first, it was daunting for me. I wasn’t ready for it. But then I signed up for it. The transition phase between signing up for the race and actually running the race was the toughest. I had to physically challenge myself on a regular basis and mentally prepare myself. I wasn’t the only one running the race. There were athletes from all around the world and the probability of loosing was as high as the probability of running the race.
When I landed in Turkey, I knew it’s about time I face this. When the day of Marathon finally arrived, I knew that this is my race and I have to make my country proud. It was my efforts of months and months that I needed to prove right in this race in front of the whole world. I am a strong believer of working hard in silence and letting the success make noise. I followed a very strict regime in order to prepare myself for what was ahead of me. I knew about the hurdles and obstacles as it was not easy to represent your country on an international platform. It is highly important for us to realize that these are the opportunities that we should look forward to and not deny. For these are the moments of victory that we live for.
