
Get Off Your Arse: A ran-dumb blog to get you moving, by a bit of a nudge and a bit of a push.

Do we really know the human limits?
Who decides what we humans are capable of physically achieving? Is it the experts or is it our psychological self? It was amazing to witness ordinary people achieve extraordinary feats at this year’s La Ultra.

It’s not about running
Later today we’ll kick start the 10th edition of La Ultra - The High. With all the crew members and runners acclimatizing together in the mountains of Ladakh, conversations are meant to happen, ranging from life to running. Which set me thinking about the reasons behind I decided to create this run ten years ago, one of the toughest in the world. It's not about running. It's about what the experiences of being in the mountains teach you.

Sleep well so you are Awake better
We all sleep for approximately one third of our lives. It is for good reason, to recover and be ready for challenges the next day but yet it’s importance is under-rated for peak performance. What matters is quality, not quantity.
Pic powered by Unsplash, from Michael Green @somolet24

Every Breath You Take, Make it Count
The commonest complaint of beginner runners, even of walkers is that they get breathless very soon, instead it's their heart that is ready to jump out and go for a run. Most don’t even breathe optimally while sitting and then expect it to magically function to its best when they move. Here is a simple trick using a basic tool easily available that’ll be a game changer for you.

Mindful Running
Most walkers-runners walk-run the way they drive and vice-versa. Try out any park in India and you’ll find it pretty difficult to overtake those in front of you, not for lack of speed or will but because they aren’t prepared to let go of that prime real-estate they have recently acquired, whether by hook or by crook. Let us become mindful while running for our own sakes and others around us.

Dig deeper to know what you are capable of
We can be preaching running or any other life skill to beginners for ages but till we experience it at that level, we have no clue how difficult it can be. I ran-walked Midnight Sun Marathon in Tromso, Norway, with a friend who isn’t the fastest in the world. His determination to get to the finishline taught me an immense lot.
Running and exercising in extreme hot conditions
India is sweltering this summer and Delhi NCR just experienced the hottest day ever in the month of June (48C). These conditions of skyrocketing temperatures and the scorching sun pose significant challenges for us running enthusiasts. How can we even run let alone feel good in the heat of the summer?

Fitness a way of life but not the only thing in life
Amongst runners ‘Death Before DNF (Did Not Finish) is a very jazzy thing to say but when death comes calling, the bravest of us are humbled. Even more importantly, we need to realise that living on the edge is all good but there is more to life.

Mentors transforming to bullies in running & in life
We need to go back to the simple question that needs to be answered for your own sake every week. Why do you run? If besides everything else, it is about joy of running and to connect with your deeper self, we are on the same page. But if it’s only about a better time, longer distance each time and yet another finisher’s medal, I feel sorry for you. Somewhere you have lost the plot.

Run to get out of the Rat Race
We often look to others for appreciation, which then defines our sense of self-worth, which creates an internal disconnect. Shifali Gupta, a 40 years old, mother of two, first discovered running, jumped in to the deep end of the rat race, but along the way, happened to discover her own self too.