My first race

Northern California was in the middle of a much needed rainstorm last weekend. Not a soul around me was complaining about the weather. We desperately needed the precipitation. 

However, I was hoping for a short weather break on Sunday. I had signed up for my first ever race, and the prospect of running a 10K race while being soaked through and through was daunting. 

Race Day: I woke up at 5.30am, got ready, had breakfast, and set off with my friend A. As we kept getting closer to our destination, the intensity of the rainfall kept on increasing. 

We made it to our destination, safe and sound, and I got a call from the husband who had hoped I'd bail out and stay cozy in bed with him :). I assured him I would be okay and proceeded to meet my team and trainers.

We had a great warmup session - ran about a mile, but more importantly, figured out that running with a rain jacket or any other accessories was a terrible idea. I went back to our tent and unloaded all the gear.

Race Start: There were hundreds of runners. It had just stopped raining. We were at the bottom of the pack. We started slowly, and it felt great to be finally running an official race. My running group was there with me, and I had all the support I needed to get me to the finish line. 

The shins on my left leg have been bothering me (my trainer says I got shin splints), so I had decided to take it easy, and had kept a goal of just finishing the race. I started slow, and took my time to warm up. I took a few walking breaks in the beginning but as I hit my stride around mile 2, I was running more and walking less. 

The course was new for me, and I did not have any expectations from it, but it turned out to be very pretty. We ran along some cute little neighborhoods - the homes had lovely gardens and flowers blooming, we saw lots of orange trees with the fruits slowly ripening, we passed through a park with some creeks and bridges, and because of the continuous rain, we could enjoy the refreshing smell of earth throughout our run.

I felt strong, and had a really strong finish. I completed the 10K with a pace of about 13 minutes a mile. I could have gone much faster but I'm glad I took the time to slow down and soak in the entire experience. 

As soon as we headed back to the tent from the finish line, it started drizzling again :).

From start to finish, there was not a drop of rain that we had to deal with. It was an amazing blessing, as if it was just meant to be. 

My fitness level has improved SO much in the last 6 weeks. I have dropped 2 pant sizes, and I feel energetic throughout the week. Every single run is helping me improve my cardiovascular fitness. I remember breathing so heavily during the first couple weeks of this training program. I was terribly out of shape. Now, I run with ease and can carry a conversation easily even on a long run. I know how to keep hydrated and fueled up for long runs, and have learnt a lot about my body in this short time. 

Having run about 7 miles so far, I now move to longer runs - 8 miles, 10+ miles, in the next month before I run my first half-marathon in March. I am excited, and looking forward to it. 

However, I don't think I am cut out to be a long distance runner. 10K is a sweet spot for me - not too short, not too long, and enough to get a good workout. I might train for that distance and work on speed once I have achieved my half marathon goal. I also don't want to injure myself by regularly running long distances, and I worry about my knees as well. But running is fun, and an easy activity to plan for, so I will find some way to incorporate a little bit on running into my daily life.

Here are a couple of post race pictures with my trainer and running group....I am sporting my first finisher's medal :)!

Remembering K Foi....

Last year, this time, I was in Mumbai at my in-laws. Before I got married, whenever we visited Mumbai, we would camp at my aunt's (dad's older sister) house. We were so emotionally close that she always complained about me not staying with her anymore and spending more time with my in-laws than her in recent years.

She was the BEST cook in our house. Years ago, she owned a fast-food joint in Andheri and ran a sooper successful business. Whenever we visited her, she would pamper us with hot breakfasts, lavish lunches, and new items for dinner. During every trip, I would come back with atleast one new recipe from her. She made the best pani-puri's in the world.

Last year, during my visit, I met her a few times. And I also spent an entire day with her....we went shopping together :). And when we were near Andheri station, we saw McDonald's and she was craving junk food, so we went in and ate McAloo Tikki burgers, with fries and a drink (a true Happy Meal). It was a rare indulgence for her, as she was a heart patient and always closely watched her diet.

Last month, my dad made a trip to Mumbai just to spend time with her. He stayed for 3 days, and we did FaceTime while he was visiting. She saw the kids, and was delighted to see the son running around the house and talking so much......when she last met him, he was a chubby baby who liked to be held :).

Aunt K suffered a couple of heart attacks and passed away in hospital early Monday morning. She had health issues, but was managing quite okay when we last spoke. So it was sudden, and a shock for all of us. It's the first sibling loss for my dad or mom, and they are grieving a lot. As with such news, it takes time. Acceptance only comes later, after internalizing all the grief. I still can't believe it either. I am remembering all my conversations with her, and still can't believe that I will never be able to talk to her again :(.

It's been an emotional roller-coaster....to say the least. I feel bad that mom n dad cannot be there with the family at this time. They JUST arrived from India...it has been less than a week. I called them over because the son was constantly falling sick in daycare, and needed to be kept home. I pulled him out of daycare in early January, and worked from home for 3 weeks until mom n dad got here.

The parents are constantly on the phone with all my uncles and aunts.....talking about her life and remembering the good as well as the tough times. You see - she was the only one in our family who lost her husband 25+ years ago.....a young widow, she raised 3 young children by herself, and eventually they started working and helped her repay the debt that my uncle could not clear before his sudden death. She had a tough life, but I always saw her smiling. What I will always remember is her beautiful face, her long black tresses, and her lovely smile.

When I visit my older aunts and uncles now, they always tell me "good we met and spent time...who knows, we may never see each other again". And I understood the sentiment and reality behind the statement, but always shrugged it off in my mind. But it is really true. It's true for any of us, but more so for the aging generation. I am glad I visit India often and spend almost all my time with family. I try to visit as many relatives as possible. I've sacrificed many vacations and outings with friends just to be able to visit family in India. And I feel it has been the best use of my vacation time.

I love you K foi (that's what I fondly called her)....you will always hold a special place in my heart. May you rest in peace.