For a long time now, fitness has been my top most priority. Running is very important in our lives. It is a great way to increase your overall level of health. I had never ran any long distances or marathons but the sudden change in me motivated me to take part in such activities. This provides me with immense benefits. I ran my first marathon- Gujarat day night marathon which was held on 30th April 2022, after which I participated in 2 more marathons one was Agra Marathon which was on 27th October 2022 and Swastham heart care marathon on 11th December 2022. I ran 10 kms in all of these marathons. After the first time my target was to run the same distance in less time than the previous marathon and the best thing was that I was successful in achieving my target.

These were my timings:

1st Marathon- 1 hr 8 mins 

2nd Marathon- 1 hr 4 mins 

3rd Marathon– 58 mins

LO 1: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth 

As I mentioned I had never ran for long distances, not even a kilometer and all of sudden running 10 km is a big challenge. Before the first marathon I took part in I had never practiced or prepared myself for the same. I already knew I had very low stamina and my speed was below average and hence in the first marathon I had no specific time target as my goal at that time was just to finish it no matter how long it took. For that I focused on jogging instead of running to increase my endurance. I used to get tired very quickly which was one of my weaknesses. My knee would start paining as I was not used to running. With the first marathon I observed the areas of improvement: running on toes, breathing through my nose, keeping my core tight to avoid injuries and controlling my speed so as to cover the distance. Despite these weaknesses, one very good strength of mine was not giving up easily which kept me up throughout the marathon. I didn’t give up even though it was the first time. After the first marathon I ran, I decided to work on the areas of growth so as to perform better in the next coming marathons. Identifying your strengths and weaknesses is very crucial in order to know where we stand and what needs to be improved. It helps us realize our potential and encourages us to achieve the best. For the next marathon I started training myself to overcome my weaknesses. I went for a morning run on a few Sundays and also started focusing on the involved body parts while working out in the gym.

LO2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills

This complete experience was a challenge as a whole as I ran the very first marathon with zero practice and that too directly 10km which is not very easy for a first timer. I had never ever in my entire life had done any physical activity that took a long time so had no idea how it would go. This was a very big challenge for me that I accepted. Along with this working on my weaknesses was also a challenge as I had to have control in my diet and stop me from eating food that could make me lethargic. After the first marathon I had also challenged myself to complete the same distance in less time. I can now observe changes in me. The pain in my joints has reduced and I don’t get tired very easily. Taking part in this experience has upgraded my fitness level. All of it was extremely challenging at first because my calves weren’t strong enough to support running on my toes, I got out of breath very quickly, and keeping my core tight caused cramps and muscle soreness. However, over time, I kept repeating and getting better, and after months of practice, I can say that I have developed those skills.

LO3: Initiate and plan a CAS experience

I am not a very organized person but I had to initiate and plan my training according to my schedule so that I perform better next time. I had to focus on increasing my endurance level for which I planned how much to run and in what duration so that I could sustain for the entire time till I complete the target distance. I also planned my schedule around running–waking up early and then eating healthy food more than junk food. I also planned a few exercises on my leg day in the gym that would help me run better. I focused on calves (did 120 calf raises) and tendons for which I did toe raises. Planning in such a way helped me a lot to measure my progress throughout the process. It is crucial to understand how to plan and start activities since doing so makes it easier for us to identify and accomplish our goals and for us to keep a watch on our time management abilities.

LO4: Show perseverance and commitment in CAS experience

Running 10km was surely difficult for me, sometimes in mid distance I would lose hope but then again motivated myself to cover the distance. To attain this aim, I had to be persistent and fully devoted throughout the exercise. If I hadn’t done one of them, my outcomes would have been unsatisfactory. The dedication to maintaining focus, managing time, and pushing relentlessly until the intended goal was attained was evident in this activity. The main challenge is continuing to be dedicated and motivated to finish this task. The only thing that kept me motivated and persistent throughout was the prospect of achieving my objectives and learning more about my physical health. I learned some new things regarding my stamina and strength. Even when I doubted my ability to complete the task, I was able to push myself deeper. Even though I often had few academic commitments and frequently felt extremely worn out, I persisted in my efforts because I wanted to see myself as a more fit and healthy person.

LO6: Engagement with issues of global significance

Out of the 3 marathons I participated in, two of them contributed to a social issue. The “Agra Marathon” and “Swastham heart care marathon” both contributed to social causes. The participating fees that we paid was further used for a social cause. In the Agra marathon, we had run for the thalassemia patients (one smile per mile) and the Swastam heart care marathon was an initiative by a heart clinic and we ran for a healthy heart. This way I contributed to solving global issues.

FINAL TAKEAWAY:

The experience as a whole was great as I got to achieve the objectives I had set. I can now see a fitter me. The learner profile displayed in this experience is balanced and risk-taker. Balanced because I understood the importance of physical and intellectual balance for a healthy lifestyle. I also realized how diet and exercise both need to be balanced for a positive outcome. I also kept my studies and physical activity balanced during this experience. I also displayed risk-taker as with no practice or experience running 10km is a risk as it can injure my body as my body is not used to such activity. Overall, I really enjoyed this experience and this motivated me to take part in such marathons more often.