Life Lessons @ OpenGyan

I haven't got a chance to write about my learning at OpenGyan for a while. It is very easy to write something [for me it is even easier as i m currently reading some books and i can vomit that i learnt in my own horrible language] but i thought that it has to be a honest review/reflection. These posts should not appear as a mere "accomplishments" but rather i always felt that it has to fuel me to overcome the obstacles. In that aspect, i wanted to think and write about one of the challenges we have in OpenGyan - Word of Mouth and it is taking a while for me to think through.

As far as i understand, we stand bad in terms of Word of Mouth [read it carefully, we dont have bad mouth :-)]. Yep, we miss the masala and marketing and I should say we miss it terribly. It is good as it paves way to learn something, it paves way to be successful at something new. It is always exciting when you think it is only matter of time and keep changing the strategy and be patient until fruition. 

Our story goes like this. We were writing emails to people at colleges and there was only a little traction. Then we wanted to start a Facebook page as we thought the social media is so powerful and the traction was little more. While we were clear on what we wanted to do, we weren't quite clear on how it should be done. Blame (which is very easy) the lack of experience in marketing, sometimes we thought the things are not working out. For a while, we even thought the content was not good but time and again the participants prove that in fact the content and delivery as excellent (on an average we score close 80 on a 100 point scale). But again, we didn't cash on this feature - good feedback. We never requested participants to share it with their friends. Was it a bad decision? We thought that the participants would actually share OpenGyan's workshop with their friends but it seems like they didn't. Was it out bad reasoning and decision? May be yes. We should  change this in future.

Nevertheless, being close to heart, i feel that we have not learned the trick, holy grail or the magic it. There are few initiatives in pipeline and i feel all those will take us to next level in realizing our vision - "providing cost free workshops for students' community". The failure in marketing making us to do many things and i would be very glad to share with you once some of those are put in to action. Like you, i sincerely hope we turnaround this and continue to provide/host workshops with impact.

For all those supporters out there, a very big thank you. I shall wrap up saying, "we are here because of your support and we will live up to your expectations". Thank you again for supporting OpenGyan.

Life Lessons @ OpenGyan

It is always honor if people look up to with trust that you can bring in a change. Top execs take charge after promising that they will bring about a change. Change is something good. Rather than change, we should call it shifts, a paradigm shift. Change is not so easy, it is pretty involved. Though there is a hope of turnaround, the change is not rewarding until it happens. Since it doesn't provide us an instant gratification, often people disengage themselves from the change. This is exactly why top execs are fired (or resign gracefully).

The youth, the students often think that they can do many things. It is true because the potential is always infinite. We have potential to do infinite things because we, the human beings know how to build systems up, from simple systems. Few smaller systems give us a little bigger system and by moving up further, the integration leads to much bigger system. So, it is possible to build infinite things and to produce infinite number of smaller things.

So, when you want to bring about a change (or rather a paradigm shift), keep focus the change, the much bigger and might system and at the same time draw a genuine motivation from milestone. A recent example is OpenGyan. While there is something big behind the idea of OpenGyan, the genuine motivation is drawn during every workshop. The motivation helps me to keep the bigger reason of existence of OpenGyan relevant.

And ultimately, i tend to think that everything decompose on how you break the system (goals, software, human relations, life's challenges) and how you integrate it again.

So, enough?

Our first workshop in 2013 at PEC, Department of ECE, Pudhucherry and eighth workshop (overall) is most satisfying experience.

Visit us http://www.opengyan.com and join us in Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/opengyan

5K Performance (33 mins 06 secs)

Y'day, i did a little faster 5K. Last month, my 5K running was 36+ minutes. During my y'day run, i completed 5K in 33 mins 6 sec and noticeably shaved off 3 minutes in a month. Another instance where i found that setting goals in life really helps. 

What amazed me was that, i was able to run at 11.25 kmph for almost 0.5 km and another 1km at 10.5kmph continuously (1.5 km). It is going to take a lot of training for building up speed but it is certainly doable without hurting myself.

Here is my latest run.

I m glad that i m clocking so much and getting better every day. Though it is not a goal now, i m thinking of running a 5K under 25 minutes (may be, i can do it within next 6 months and which means that i should run @ 12kmph for 25 minutes)

Running Performance - Improving

What i felt Last Saturday

On 21-July , i did a 20K run/walk. Ran for approximately 13K and walked for 7K without any perceived tiredness/strain. Unlike my first 21K run, i was able to continue with my usual life. There was no cramp or weird pain in the butt. Seems like my legs have become better. Still i feel there is a long way to go to cover 5K less than 30 minutes and 10K in about an hour (1 hour 10 mins). I m still hoping that i should cover 5K distance in less than 30 minutes in couple of months from now.

Today,

Coming my 5K performance. I feel that after a couple of days of rest followed by a longer run helps to improve the performance of 5K. Seems like my body and heart takes up more oxygen. My average speed is increasing every week. 

Here is my latest 5K performance (yesterday's run).

Good to see things improving.

My target is 5K in 29 mins 59 secs. Let me see how it goes from here. Within next 12 runs, i should have been trained to run 5K under 30 mins which should roughly take 3 weeks from now.

Thinking to run 10K under one hour is distant thought. I should first complete 5K, then move to 7K and then 10K (gradual). So, i think, it should take at least three months to run 10K under one hour.

Let us see how it goes

Another important thing when it comes to running is losing weight. I continue to shed my weight, which is good. I have chopped off 16 kilos and i still need to shed around 20 kilos (which should take at least 6 months).

Running is great way to chop off weight. I m glad that i m still consistent & injury free (yep, rests are more important than running).

Plan for Next Three Months - Need for Speed

After running 21K last Sunday, i feel like my body is not yet ready to run 21K on a weekly basis. There are no major problems but i could see my body is taking little more time to recover. No knee pain, ankle pain or discomfort. But i don't feel the urge to run which i would be sensing after a break for couple of days. I m concluding that my body is taking more time for its recovery and i hope that it recovers stronger.

So far, my running is successful because i have always tied my running with a specific goal like running for 30 minutes to running a self-paced half-marathon. The next target is "Need for Speed".

In next three months, my goal is to

• run 5K under 30 mins
• and possibly run 10K under 1 hour 10 mins

In order to achieve it i have to increase my speed by 3 kmph for a 5K and 5 kmph for 10K.

Can i achieve it? Only the time can tell.

Next Month:

• Reduce mileage by 10% and increase intensity by 10% every month for next three months before raising the mileage & retaining the intensity. To be in safer zone.
• No 21K for next three months. 
• 15K would be my longest run (once per week) and 10K on other days (3 days per week). My week should be - 10K, 10K, Rest, 15K, Rest, 10K (little more intensity), Rest

Way to 21K

The update is that i have completed by self-paced first half-marathon. Before i started to run (again), i never had an idea of running a half-marathon. Surely, Runner's world, Born To Run, Jeff Galloway and K7 made a difference this time.

I planned to run my half-marathon sometime end of June or early July but had to run yesterday because of this video. Watch it. If you need instant motivation to recover your wellness, look no further, watch that video. Awesome, awesome and awesome is the only word that i could get after watching it. The guy barely walked but later ran "Boston Marathon". I don't know him name but i watch it just before every run. It is possible to inspire other by just being consistent and focused on self. Utmost selfishness to be great & consistent is utmost selflessness.

Here is the stat of my dream run (it all took three straight months for a couch potato to enjoy a dream run & it is equally rewarding burning around 15kg of body mass)

• Distance: 21KM
• Duration: 2 hrs 55 mins
• Energy spent: 1954 Kcal
• Hydration: 500 ml of tang and 2 liters of water while running.

Post run, had (and i enjoyed every sip of the juice and every bite of pizza)

• a jughead special in Fruitshop on Greams Road
• half small jugalbandi pizza at pizza corner
• 500ml of Gatorade

While running, had cramps in thighs and butt few times. The cramps went away with stretching and walking for 2 mins.

After the half-marathon, my next target is on pace. Run 5K in less than 30 mins (probably 27 mins, which means that i should run at 12 kmph for 27 mins). It is going to heavily taxing on my legs, bones and lower body. Time to apply brain while running and be more sensitive to body.

During this journey, i can't really measure the amount of inspiration provided my little nephew K7 (is now Anna) who was dancing for this song when he had broken his left arm. I can't stop running when i hear this song (imagine that he is dancing) and i shoot up speed at least by 2kmph. God bless.

On the way (back to 2003) fitness

Seems like long distance running at slightly lower pace and medium distance with slightly higher pace is doing the trick. Glad that i m getting back to 2003 fitness level in running (i used to do a 5K @ 32 mins on a treadmill).

Yesterday, i ran the usual 10K distance and there is a marked improvement in overall pace. The completed the first 5K in 36 minutes. It really excited me and i think i should try to work on my 5K running pace. So, my running goal for next 3 months would be to shave off 6+ minutes and complete 5K under 30 minutes.

Another goal that i would be reaching by end of this month is running my first half-marathon distance. (eagerly looking forward). As far today, my max distance is 19.1K which i did last Sunday.

These days, i seem to love every running days and particularly weekends due to longer run.

Other stuffs:

1. Would be joining Inshape or Maverick Fitness early July
2. Research more on my next Asics running shoe
3. Improve hydration
4. Move running to the morning. I wont be consistent running in the evening due to work and little longer commute to work.
5. Get my lipid profile tested by end of July (all my previous lipid profiles are normal and in safe zone. I feel that i should still reduce bad cholesterol and triglycerides)

With all these, i believe i can reach my 1995 fitness levels in next 3-4 four months and my life's best fitness level in next 6-9 months (you see i was never in underweight/normal weight zone. I was mostly in obese zone and little in overweight zone :-)).

Eagerly looking forward.

Check this video. Excerpts of the book Brain Rules

Half-Marathon (Self) Training

Lots of experiments on my body especially heart, knees, back and foot. 

So far, my body responded well for the "running challenge". I never thought i would take running so seriously (with a lot fun when i m on the road). It is real fun when you run and great learning when you throw the towel and give up. You become so upset because you cannot run that additional kilometer. Running teaches me many things. Every time i step into my shoes i m determined to run X kilometers and i m becoming more of a tough guy (prepared to crawl and reach home). When running, we generally take heart to a upper level and make the body to burn the calorie. I learnt to watch my strides to make my run comfortable and i can inhale/exhale at a comfortable pace. 

I started running by reading articles in Runner's World. Sometime in March '12, i started of my jogging (i should say restarted) with a 21 days training for running 30 minutes. Next step is to take running bit more seriously. How about running a self-paced half-marathon? Won't it be a big test of my consistency? 

With all my experience in past two plus months, i should be able to run few half-marathons in 2-3 months from now. It is biggest challenge in my life - "can i run half-marathon? (consistently)", only the time can decide. 100% committed. Will share my progress here with you.

My heartfelt thanks to all my friends who comment here and in Facebook. I owe you people a lot.

Second 15K Run - Much Improved

Today, i ran my second 15K run and things are improved. The last Sunday i ran my first 15K and when compared to that, this run was bit easier, relaxing and have improved my the duration (noticeably shaved off around 15 mins). Today's run

• 0.5 km - warm-up walk
• 12.5 - 5/1s, 7/1s, and 8/1s
• 2km - cool down walk
• Duration: 2 hours 10 mins (approx)

And most importantly, i finished off with a lot of energy (was planning to run 16K but didn't do it as it became too dark). For the past one week, i have been working on my hydration while running and sipping around 500ml of tang (should be close to 150 calories). Have to experiment on drinking water than tang.

Things to improve

• Stretching before and after the run.
• Hydration while running (to increase the performance)
• Do some breathing exercise (start doing pranayama taught by my dad)
• Have a shorter version of run (9K/10K) and keep repeating it for speed built up (and to burn more calories).

Glad to see my dad filling my running journal and he has become my raving fan.

Unstuck and Get a Life - April 2012

Started this month will a mileage of 6K and completed April with a mileage of 15K. I gradually increased the distance/time everyday by few hundred meters (and few minutes). I feel that i m much fitter and my legs are little stronger than March. I no longer feel that mild soreness. The overall mileage of April 2012 stands at 174K (yeah, it is one hundred and seventy four kilometers only). Here is my chart.

The key thing about running is that i got a time slot to think about myself and set my priorities.

Side effects:
During this month, i would have burnt down (108 (weight in kg)*174 (distance in kms)*1.036(a constant to be multipled) = 19468.512 calories) and this should have helped me to reduce 2.5kg of my mass if my intake is 2400 calories per day. I need to burn 2 lakh calories to reach ideal body mass (which would take at least a year if i m pretty consistent in my efforts). The key here is an healthy diet + not more than 2400 Kcal per day.

Stats:

Starting Mileage: 6K

Ending Mileage: 15K

Total Mileage: 174K

Total Running days: 19

Total rest days: 12

Cross Training: none

Good things

• Enough rest days
• Not too much carried away. Take every day as it comes. When you take unplanned off from running, i don't feel guilty.
• Take enough rest before increasing the mileage (if it is more than a kilometer)

Next Target

• Half Marathon {Run a half marathon in 2-3 months from now.}
• Cross training (swimming?)

Once again, thank you folks for supporting me. Your pouring comments here and in Facebook are really cool and motivates me to keep running.

As i said in March, i m looking forward to complete May with much better stats & health.

Running Log - 20/Apr/2012

Today (21-Apr-2012) is yet another rest and after increasing my weekly mileage.

Yesterday, i added two more kilometers to my mileage. Since i follow 10%, i run an additional 1km run and added a kilometer for my cool down. I m kind of reached 12K mark. Here are the details

• 0.5 km - warm-up walk
• 9km - run (couple of 10/1s and 5/1s)
• 2.5 km - cool down walk

Observations:

After initial hurdle of 10 mins, i was able to run comfortably up to 40 mins.

After about an hour of run, i was again able to run comfortably (i ran couple of 10/1s after about an hour)

Running in uphill (not steep one) is little difficult (but i m getting better)

Walking speed has noticeably increased at least by 1kmph.

Next Milestone:

Hoping to reach my next milestone of 15K in three weeks from now (12-May-2012).

Be serious on stretching before/after the run 

Important Thing:

Apart from very mild soreness (which goes off after the rest day), i don't have any joint pains and running doesn't interfere in my daily life. I m talking this as my body's signal to add more mileage.

Running + drinking lots of water is doing wonders in my sleeping patterns.

My Experiment with my body

I have been experimenting a lot with my body (especially my legs, knees and hips) and i think my body is responding well to the toughest challenges. For people who know me well (and those you had a chance to look in close shot) will visibly see me bulky. And with hardly a month of running (with enough rest days), i understand that the size doesn't matter. Here are my learning.

• Size doesn't matter. The legs are designed to carry you even if you are heaviest unless you don't abuse it. But the catch is that it can run any distance only when there is gradual increase in mileage.
• Consistency is very important factor. You cannot bunk days. It is good even if you have time to walk/run a kilometer. Just do it and your body will surprise you.
• Rest days are as equally important as your run days. Veteran runners say body uses the rest days to recover. I feel it slightly. I need to watch my body more to really comment. But one thing that i can say that after every rest day my body craves for more running.
• Three words that i carry - consistency, hydration and good shoes
• Being around with good friends who just pep you up when you are down (thanks to all those who post comments in my blog, likes in facebook and retweets in Twitter)
• Personal mileage tracker with challenging short term goals.
• Don't starve. Rely more on whole foods and non-carbonated fluids (and say NO to junk foods - those half air-filled chips packets)

I m sure that these things are pretty much common (more common sense) among fitness freaks. Anyways, not too bad to share. You will see more common sense posts on running in future :-)

Running Log - 13/Apr/2012

After almost a week, i tried to increase my mileage today and tried to reach the next milestone - 10K. I didn't feel any pain/discomfort while i ran. I didn't overstep, i didn't increase the intensity of the run and thoroughly enjoyed. I m going to keep watching my steps and it is doing miracles. Watching the body really works. I did couple of things before the run. Around an hour before my run, i gulped 200 ml of Tang (flavored water which gives around 75 cal of energy) and 500 ml of plain water. Here goes the running log.

• Total Mileage: 10K
• Warm-up: 0.5 km walk
• Run: 8.5km (5/1s). 
• Cool down: 1km walk

Next Steps:

• Few upgrades
• Research on compression shorts/pants.
• Research on the need for knee band (that keeps the knee cap intact). I feel that i should wear it for next 3-6 months
• Check out the loss of minerals and how to build it back.
• Check out crossing training (cycling/swimming)

Observation

5/1s is really doing wonders. If you want to finish your race few minutes before, you should walk in between your run.

My overall mileage this month stands at 75 kilometers.

Previously (sometime back when i traveled to San Jose) i ran 12km but today's 10K gives me different feeling. I feel that i should keep running.

Thank you guys for being with me. Special thanks to Sandy for motivating me. Whenever i run, i sincerely feel that i should wear the kurta you gave me. The gift can actually change my life/lifestyle.

Running Log - 11/Apr/2012

After yesterday's rest, i think my body repaired quite well. Today's run is pretty impressive.

• Distance: 9K
• 0.5km - warm-up
• 7.5km - non-stop (no 5/1s or 6/1s). [But there is an interesting observation. 5/1s actually help me shave few minutes in my total run]
• 1km - cool down (cool down was absolute cool down. Not feeling any heat/hotness. Hydration is super cool)

Only two more runs this week. Hoping to add 20K to my mileage

Thanks to Veeru for sharing his views in Facebook. I m going to be very careful in add miles to my daily run.

Plan for 1/2 Marathon

I never thought that i would take up running seriously and enjoy every step. Whenever i run, i never think about shedding my pounds. I don't have losing weight as my goal. I enjoy the way i sweating out because running helps me to prove to my own self - what i m capable of. I don't just run. When i run, i think, i m hearing my body.

For the past one month, i have been witnessing the importance of keeping goals that are challenging. Everyday, when i untie my shoes, i think about adding a mile next time. I m not successful in adding a mile the very next day. But i add few hundred steps before giving up and everyday it is incremental. It is great thing to faint and fail. It is great thing to give up after sweating your butt.

I started with 3K. And for past few sessions i broke 9K and i should say, "i m pretty much consistent". With this consistency and if i apply 10 percent rule (increasing the mileage by 10 percent every week), i should be hitting 21K mark (half-marathon) in another 12 weeks (3 months). If i add a month to it to factor in my rest days, i should be able to run a half marathon within four months from now. It is very much attainable goal.

The point here is. I can run my half marathon next week. It is bit easy to run 21K once. But can i run 21K consistently every week without an injury is a question mark. I would like to bank on consistency, 10 percent rule and advices of veteran runners.

Running Log - 8/Apr/2012

Today, it was a fantastic day for two reasons.

First, my hydration was super cool and second i got new pair of Asics. I have been using Reebok for sometime for my evening jog. I wanted to buy a new pair of shoes. I was not happy with my new Reebok Vibetech and started searching for good shoes. Good that i came to know about Asics. Today, i bought a new pair of Asics from Reliance Footprint and my run was sturdy. I never jogged with such a comfort. More on Asics later (after my initial experience).

Coming to the run. Today, i took a different route. Here is my run log

Run log

• 0.5km warm-up
• 7 km 5/1s runs
• 1.5 cool down walk

Yeah, i crossed 8K today and made up 9K. 8K was my psychological barrier.

Upgrades (both these made my run pretty comfortable):

• Asics running shoes
• Nike running socks

Learning

• Try to find a route that you can complete in single run (irrespective of the distance). For long distance running, repetition seems to be a scary thing. Running laps are just boring. Make your run motivating.
• Add a bit of sodium after a long run. Today, had banana milk shake. Just a pat on my back :-)
• I feel that with training (and Asics), running a half marathon (13.1mi/21K) is an attainable goal (may be in 6-8 months).

Next:

• Need to study a bit on injuries due to running and how to mitigate them
• Have to check websites on Gatorade. Should i really take Gatorade?
• Start working on half-marathon running/training plan. Get a gyan and fix a goal (which is attainable yet challenging)

Gyan that i got:

Don't run to complete 5K/10K/half-marathon or to lose weight. Run to enjoy life and discover who you are.

One more kilometer to hit 10K. As usual, my endurance was up a bit and few times in the middle of my runs, i ran really fast (due to traffic signals and traffic congestion).

Only word that hits me these days - Consistency, Consistency & Consistency.

Running Log - 7/Apr/2012

Yesterday was a rest day (and also had some work @ office. had to stay till 8pm & attend a late night call). Good that all those fell on the rest day.

Today, i jogged 8K. While leaving home, i said i would go 10K today but my father asked me to stop at 8K (asked me to increase gradually). Took, few more minutes than my previous run (5-Apr-2012) but finished with little energy left.

• 0.5 km - Warm-up
• 6.5 km - 5/1 runs @ 54 mins
• 1.5 km - cool down

Started to keep myself hydrated well. In today's run, i felt that my endurance to run 8K has increased and  today i didnt feel the uneasiness.

I closed this week with overall mileage of 29km.

So, fell like it is good going and great self-training :-)

Tomorrow, have to buy a Asics (seems like available in the city at Reliance Footprint). Reebok doesn't seem to go that well with my foot.

Running Log - 5/Apr/2012

Today is a wow. Stepped inside the shoes and jogged 8KM. Here is the log

• 0.5 km warm-up walk
• 6.5 km (5/1, around 10 sets of 5 minutes running and 1 minute walking)
• 1 km cool down walk

Observation

• It was bit difficult to run 5/1s throughout. Had to slow down in my jogging in couple of runs. As usual, finished strong. Some energy was left to job another kilometer. (run-walk-run does the magic)
• After 53 minutes of 5/1s, i feel that my endurance has go up a little.
• It is high time to do some leg toning in coming weeks (climb stairs, do some sit-ups)

Next

• Complete this week with a 6K (tomorrow) and 8K (saturday or sunday)
• Be ready to run 9K by end of next week
• Get a good pair of shoes (asics or new balance, have to check out in sports shop during weekends)
• Keeping my fingers crossed to touch 10K by end of April' 12
• Have to find some cool jogging routes near my home.

So far, have clocked 21 kms this week.

Experiencing "Running"

I have been running (rather jogging/walking) for quite sometime. Got past my target of 5K pretty consistently and every day i jog i make sure that i jog 5K. And most importantly, i finish my run with lot of energy (which is good) and i have to (deliberately) tell my legs "stop". After my evening run, i still have energy left to play with my playful nephews.

The following helps me to enjoy my running

• Use run-walk-run method (check out Jeff Galloway's website) .
• Have enough rest days (two consecutive run days followed by a rest day)

and slowly i have to

• add miles to my run
• cross training (do toning exercise or bit of cycling/swimming)
• work on my "hydration" and make it better
• work on my diet
• Run in the morning (through not very urgent)

This week, i ran 6K and 7K on Monday and Tuesday respectively. Hopefully, by the mid of May, i should run my first 10K (yeah, it is 10 kilometers in single run). Currently, i m not focusing too much on the time to complete. Being heavy, i feel that running is much more important than speed.

My first gyan from this renewed habit is - "Size doesn't matter".

Unstuck and Get a Life

I never thought that this blog would turnaround my life and make me think big. You the readers have been my source of inspiration in many ways. I only hope that i live up to my own potential of being an human being.

Here is March '12 performance card of my jogging {i put together a tiny personal tracker/website in my laptop and till will take a while to make it online}

Points:

• Restarted to jog. {started and stopped the habit many times in the past. Every time i start, i vow to make it a part of my daily life. nothing changed this time}
• Training myself for a 5K run. {as of now today, i can comfortably jog 5K with 4/1 strategy. 4 mins jog and 1 minute walk}. 
• From mid of March, have jogged a total distance of 40 K (yeah, it is kilometers).
• In the last day of March, did few 3/1s, two 9/1s and a warm up (5 mins walk)/cool downs (10 mins walk).
• Next would be reaching 10/1 gradually and build endurance.
• Next 10 days, i would be working on hitting 5K consistently, every day that i run.
• From the end of April, i would be training for a 10K and hoping to hit 10K once with 10/1 strategy.

Learning:

Have enough rest days. Allow muscle to repair itself. Be tough to be consistent and be gentle while you run.

Hope to put up a better post on first of next month.

[By the way, don't think that this is fools day post. It is just a coincidence that i started this on March '12]

See you later.