Truth is stranger than fiction

 Came across some inspirational running quotes: 'Every morning in Africa, an antelope wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion, or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest antelope, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or an antelope – when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.”   "In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that.” "Its very hard to understand in the beginning that the whole idea of running is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants to quit."

The gentle breeze blowing on your face, the incredible sun glistening on the horizon, the sheer beauty of nature that engulfs us is probably what gives immense joy while running outdoors.  My tryst with running commenced when I struck my first chord of friendship with the treadmill three years ago. However t reached a notch higher only in the past one year, post my miserable illness. It was with a vengeance that I hit the treadmill, pleading it silently to aid me as I improved my stamina. As time cruised by, September had arrived with just 3 months left for the Mumbai Marathon. The rains began to recede, giving way to the warm sunshine. It was my first tryst with the road. Surprisingly it went off well. Those three months made me a morning person completely.  It was a great incentive to look forward to the cool morning breeze, sunrise by the sea along Marine Drive and the refreshing orange juice at Cafe Mondegar post the run. My first marathon went off pretty well....

Last minute decisions at times gives one a satiated feeling of having done something worthwhile and making a difference to the society. Running the DNA Women's marathon last Sunday dated 11.3.12 was one such instance. It was hardly a month since I ran the Standard Chartered Mumbai Half marathon when my body was gradually recovering from the strenuous 21 km run. I had a few people coming up to me asking me if I was running in the Women's half marathon conducted by DNA. Not upto another 21 km stretch, I shrugged it off saying next year. However a chance browsing on the net made me learn of the other 2 categories in the marathon- the spirit run of 10 km and the fun run of 5 km. As I read about the causes asscociated, I was all geared up for the 10 km run. Contacts did come in handy as my husband helped me to register for participation and my confirmation came within a couple of days. I had signed up to support Girl child education, being a counselor and a writer. I strongly beli...

Books are our best friends, constant teachers and a window to the outside world. Reading enables one to meet different characters, gain a new perspective and revitalises ones mind. In honour of world book day today!

Punch dialogues, song and dance sequences or shrilling drama are the usual ingredients of a movie that lingers in the viewer’s minds for a long period of time. It is of a rare occasion where a silent film manages to capture the hearts of millions. It takes immense talent to convey a lot through facial expressions alone. It deserves nothing less than a standing ovation if it has managed to sweep 5 Oscars to its credit. Michel Hazanavicius's film 'The Artist has exactly done that and more. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a successful silent movie star. On the eve of his premiere, he encounters a wide eyed fan namely Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo). She accidently drops her autograph book and Valentine graciously picks it up for her. The next day, she finds herself captured in photograph with the reigning star. As a struggling artist, Miller manages to catch the attention of Valentin and soon she becomes the next sensation with her trademark beauty spot drawn by George Valentin. T...

Three-storey-high Buddha statues, stupas and monasteries that look like they have been cut out from fairytale books and yaks with floor-sweeping hair are some of the unusual sights you see when you visit Ladakh, says Swetha Amit http://www.domain-b.com/industry/Tourism/20120125_journey.html We woke to cloudy weather and a slight drizzle. Sincere prayers were rendered in silence to not let the weather play spoilsport on our drive to Pangong Lake. The clouds soon cleared. Snow-covered mountains all around made it feel like Christmas season in the month of August. Great heights : We soon reached the Changla Pass, one of the highest mountain passes in India. This is usually a stopover for many on the way to Pangong Lake. Similar to the Khardungla Pass, the signboard here too was adorned with colourful Buddhist flags. The hot cups of tea served were more than welcome in the freezing temperatures. Going yak yak yak: One of the wonders of the Himalayan region is its exotic fauna. Excitement ...

Three-storey-high Buddha statues, stupas and monasteries that look like they have been cut out from fairytale books and yaks with floor-sweeping hair are some of the unusual sights you see when you visit Ladakh, says Swetha Amit We had an early start as we had a long drive up the mountains ahead of us. It was a sunny day. We noticed something unusual; the mountains seemed to change colour as we drove along. As we climbed the steep passes, we realised how difficult it would be for bikers who were passionate about exploring these steep mountain paths. Approximately four hours later, we reached the Khardungla Pass. On top of the world : A cold gust of wind greeted us as we got out of our vehicles. It was about 18,380 feet above sea level. We were on the highest motorable road in the world. The signboard was decorated by little flags which symbolised the Buddhist culture. We were awed by the magnificent view. All around us were snow-capped mountains, which looked even more beautiful in th...

I had always been a spectator of the Mumbai Marathon every year until yesterday. I had read and heard a lot about the spirit that prevails throughout the race from my husband who had been running for the last 3 consecutive years. This inspired me enough to enrol for the 2011 edition. However fate didn’t favour me as I took ill enough to be hospitalized for 10 days which left me with no other choice but to skip the marathon. 2011 embarked a new journey ahead as I fiercely resolved to get my fitness back on track. I had lost a lot of blood and my physique had succumbed to weakness. The first quarter of the year was a slow and steady one with a lot of emphasis to get my strength back. The month of May took a positive turn as my intensity in my cardiovascular exercises began to show a marked improvement. My confidence began to grow as I hit the treadmill with a vengeance in July. Meanwhile I had also started to take coaching in Tennis which helped me improve my stamina. In August I was sig...