To run or not to run ?

Its a question many of us would have faced at  one time or the other.

Everyday when I drive down to my work place in the morning I see different kinds of people on the roads Many of them are joggers.

Old ladies draped in cotton sarees with their walking shoes!!! I could see their lips moving while they are walking.  what are they murmuring? Are they chanting some mantra or slokha?

Then  white haired men in their shorts and caps discussing some serious stuff while they are jogging. What are they discussing about? Is it the matters of the state or are they discussing about their sons, daughters, son-in-laws, daughter-in-laws, grandchildren or is it the generation X they are discussing about? 

Then there are the  couples in their early forties who are having serious discussions while they are walking. May be they are discussing about their children’s education, daughter’s marriage or a loan that they have taken to buy another apartment.

There are also the young couples who keep smiling at each other while they are jogging. May be they are whispering sweet nothing into each others ears.

The pregnant women accompanied by their husbands  stop by at the tender coconut vendor. The husband waits patiently till the wife drinks the sweet coconut water.

There are  the giggling young girls who are dressed a bit fashionably for a jog. May be they are giggling over boys. May be they are discussing their future plans deciding on which college to apply for their higher studies. The young dudes who who wear fancy Stetson hat keep pounding on the road while listening to music.

 Here comes the hard core runners, who are concentrating on their jogging.Some of them run alone, some with their friends, some listen to music while some do not, but one similarity between them is that all their attention is on jogging. Their entire focus is on their body, it seems as if they are aware of every breath they take, every step they put forward.

I look down at myself. Once upon a time I could fit into a 28 inches jeans!!!!!!!!!!!!! I decided that I would start to jog and lose all the excess weight that I had gained after child birth. No excuse is a good excuse. 

I hunted down the pair of jogging shoes from the attic and was all set to run.

I was an athlete during my college days and I figured that  jogging around the apartment block should be a piece of cake!!!!!!!!!!! 

The first ten feet were okay. Then all hell  broke loose.

A slow tingling pain started with my calf muscle and spread on to my thighs. The pain was excruciating. It felt like a band of iron was cast around my chest. I couldn’t breathe. My lungs were on fire and I was breathing like fish out of water. I stopped jogging, I had covered a distance of about 75 meters.

I went back home and the following day was dragging  of my feet when it was time to go down for a jog.To run or not to run? That was the question that was foremost in my mind but I picked up my jogging shoes.

 Everyday I  put  myself through this torture. Everyday my goal was nearer. with legs that were begging me to stop, with breath coming out in gasps but my mind urging to finish the last few feet. I crossed the red line that I had mentally marked  in mind —  one circuit around the apartment block without stopping for a break. Cheering erupted all around me that I could only hear. The sense of accomplishment and achievement was too great that I took a imaginary bow acknowledging the cheer from the shrubs and the cars. 

I strutted back home eager to share the news of this accomplishment with my husband.

To run or not to run? Everyday I ask the question to myself and everyday after a lot of inner struggle I decide to run.  I run not to take part in a marathon but to fell good about  myself that I have achieved something. 

To run or not to run? Never doubt it. RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!