Exploring Airport Lounge

This again goes in my collection of 'FIRST TIME'. I'll create a separate bucket and add all my first times there. Well, there are actually two incidents that happened which I want to mention here. It's 7:53 pm now and my flight is at 8:50pm. I am at Chennai airport in one of the lounges that accept Ola Select. Since I have a very short time I'll write to the point and expect this post to be a short one.

The story goes like this - Wednesday 24th April I was traveling to Bangalore with two of my teammates. We get to Chennai airport and visit one of the lounges. Now depending on what kind of debit/credit card you are using, you get some number of free access per month into this lounges. Both of my colleague's cards got accepted but mine didn't. I have a Jet Privilege card and so it got rejected, you all know what is happening with Jet now. So, one solution was my friends go to the lounge and I go somewhere else and it was a fair deal. But then suddenly the receptionist said that they accept OLA select too. I was not aware of the details but decided to go for it. See, on Wednesday I was at Chennai airport, then on 25th I was supposed to be in Bangalore (flying back to Chennai) and today 27th I was supposed to be at the Chennai airport. The OLA select has various plans and I went for a monthly plan (750 Rs). I made the calculation described earlier, ie in the one month period (24th April - 24th May), I 'll be at airports 4 times. So I go for it and it turned out to be a really great deal. Turns out that OLA select users get some benefits in the cab pricing too, so far I am all good with OLA Select. Try it once if you haven't so far. Recommended for frequent flyers. Also, if you have availed this facility, then please share your story. Currently, I am enjoying F1 qualification on my  Lappi and also blogging.

The second story (I have less 10 mins to write). I came to the airport early to enjoy the Lounge and know more about it. But as soon as I started blogging, I got a call from SpiceJet GroundStaff asking me to report at the check-in counter. Basically, there was something in my bag vibrating and making noise too. I wondered if kindle ever vibrated. Then in a few mins, I realized it was my trimmer. My trimmer has a lock switch, if I turn it on, then the machine doesn't get on. I forgot to turn that switch on and my trimmer was on one side of the bag, accidentally the ON button got pressed and it started vibrating. I went there and took the necessary action. Once check-in is done we proceed for the security check. Now I had to do the reverse. So som SpiceJet guy came and escorted me to the counter. Before leaving out of the security check-in area, my boarding pass was canceled. So I had to scan my bag again after adjusting the trimmer and go through the security check again. It is all done now and almost time to leave.

I'll be in Bombay till 5th May, Sunday. Let m know if anyone wants to catch up. Also, do expect one more blog by Mid May. Thanks and Happy Flying Everyone !!!

Another Leap of Faith

I am excited once again. It is time to surprise my parents again. My last visit to Mumbai was in June. I made a promise to my parents that I won't visit Mumbai again untill Diwali. But promises are meant to be broken.

Mahindra organises AutoQuotient, an auto quiz for employees and may be one more version of quiz for non-employees. Thanks to my flatmate and roommate Kartik Ganesh, we cruises through first two rounds and now we are in semi-finals. This year's semi-final and final is to be held in Mumbai on 21st August Monday. I took one extra day off from work to surprise my parents on Friday. I am obviously not much into auto passion and it is mainly because of my partner that I qualified and got this opportunity. So again, where this Leap of faith comes in ?

I started reading some basic stuff about auto as soon as I came to know about semi-finals selection. My hopes are high and I am pretty confident about the win. As of now this is the only Leap of faith I'll be taking.

Going back to March and April Leap of Faith. In March I was suppose to take the most feared step but things didn't turn out as imagined. I took the leap in April and got the unexpected answer. Things were good everywhere post the failed leap.

Then in June I get some surprisingly good news which made my trip awesome But, as always the planned outings with friends and relatives didn't materialised leaving me with Bitter Trip Memories.

Life is full of roller coaster going up and down. After good long period of low phase my mood and energy level shoot up. I was on cloud nine again. So many surprises planned for some many people and again there comes a Big But. Just as my balloon of hopes and energy was rising high, someone (actually I myself) poked a pin and my hopes felt crushing down on ground. The positive peak phase lasted less than 10 days.

Forces of Nature, Myself or someone else, one of the three doesn't enjoy seeing me Happy and Smiling. I may temporary get bogged down but I am here to rise. I may or may not have same energy levels as before but I am going to rise. I am going to imagine my dream world with open  eyes and turn those dreams into reality. I won't give up easily on any aspect of my life.

It's the battle of Mental Strength, Hopes, Faith and Believe.
Mental Strength - helps you to keep moving with a smiling face even if things are not going your way.
Hopes - There will always be a better tomorrow.
Faith - You need to have faith in your support system (which includes my near and dear ones) and your methodology.
Believe - There is no use of above three qualities if you don't believe in your self.

Race of my Life ?

Had started writing a post for new year and my running updates but somehow it remained unfinished. Here is a new one mainly focused on my upcoming marathon race on 17th Jan. It is a flashback post as I look back into past one year post my half marathon run. There are few things that make this post more special. First of all I am writing it at airport. Secondly it is a new phone being used by me which was a gift from a Special SomeOne, my Bestie :)

Flights are delayed due to poor visibility and I am waiting right in front of plane docking area. I see flights landing about 200 m away from me and other flights picking up passengers n going towards runway. I'll finish the blog midair and publish it as I land. Checking in for now.

Seat belts warning off n electronic devices on. Now getting back to blog title - Is this really going to be a race of my life ? This is certainly my first but not the last marathon. After this I can officially call myself a marathon runner and/or long distance runner. Till I run next marathon I will be under the category - 'Also Ran'. Generally used for one time runners.

I never imagined that any of my close ones will ever run such a long distance and then I find myself in that shoe. In the process I discovered that there are few cousins of mine who do long distance running. One of the few memories that plays in my mind is of a Sunday morning, 10  12 years ago. I accidentally stumbled on live telecast of some marathon (mostly Mumbai). I so very admired those guys, I had just woke up lazying around on Sunday and these guys had already finished 42 km run. Looking back it now, it feels that you can easily achieve what you want. Some might say you need to have a dream and passion and what not. Frankly I never dreamt of being an athlete at any level, nor was I passionate. Just that 2 years ago I decided to go for it to stay fit and achieve something out of my comfort zone. Discipline is also a very essential ingredient to achieve something phenomenal, I wasn't disciplined either. I believe that make your plan and it is more than enough if you follow 80% of it.

Haven't done long distance running practice after Diwali but still let me share another wondering memory that flashes in my mind. I think back of December 2013 and January 2014, the time I started running and building my stamina. I used to be dead in 2.4kms, my friends use to cross the line a minute before me and still fresh. Things have come a long way since then. My SPEED has almost been the same all these years. The feeling of comparing myself with my old myself is breathtaking. You see yourself and things around you very differently.

I read few blog post by marathon runners and one thing all agree is that - no matter what your speed and stamina is, you start respecting everyone running or taking up any other similar activity. You admire runners faster than you, you know what it takes to reach there. You respect slow runners, since they are trying and making a beginning. Don't be afraid of moving slow, be afraid of not moving at all (bhaag milkha bhaag).

Flashback of a year, after not achieving my half marathon timing target, I decided to go for full marathon within 3 hours - a very not unrealistic but a challenging target. First thing I did after half marathon was to chill and in the process lost all my stamina. Then I started working on my technique, changing foot strike pattern in particular. My shoes wear off in couple of months and sole wear pattern is a good indicator of my foot strike pattern. I now land on ball of my foot, outer side first and then inner side and the the front of foot and then push. I also changed my attire, moving to synthetic from cotton. Really short shorts and regular dry fit T-shirt. Last month I moved to sleeveless, feels so  relaxed.

Around may June I started following some diet regime too, salads and fruits. Beetroot is my  favourite since it helps a lot in building more RBCs which means more oxygen can be absorbed and so more energy and faster I can go. I also decreased the percentage of runs I did in evening, mostly morning runs only. All was well in Mumbai, since it was home sweet home and mom took care of all my diet demands and made sure I followed my running routine. Dad motivated me specially after my long runs. Then came Chennai and each and everything changed. I eat chocolates and sweets as much as I want. No control on rice intake and no fruits at all. There was no running at all, finally my roomies Kartik and Rohith directly/indirectly helped me out. Kartik and I started off with 3 4 kms slow run and then gyming started in which I used to do trademill runs and some skipping too. Kartik has played football amd cricket at a very competitive level and it was good to restart my running with him. Since last 3 weeks Rohith has been a long distance running Buddy of mine. Running 7 8 kms almost 5 days a week. Rohith hasn't been into long distance running, but see him pre and post runs and you know he can make it big.

Had ran lot many 10 miles (16 kms) back in Mumbai and one 24kms too. There was good variation in running too, fast 2.4kms, medium and slow 8kms. Gruelling 16 kms. Then hill repeats and hill sprints. I exercised more and included skipping and cycling too. But all this was in Mumbai.

Plane is about to land, 10 15mins more. Now, again coming back to blog title. Why this race is so important. I practice a lot for half marathon except last month before race. I carried through somehow and finished it. This time I lost all that was gained till November end. I am fit for half, full I doubt. I am confident I will run slow and finish but at the same time I can't forget the troubles I had when I ran 24km when I was in good form. It is going to be a complete mental game for me. I have to turn deaf ear to my body. About the timing, if I go by my half martagon pace then it should be 4 hours 30 mins and I will be a happy finisher if I can do that. This is the personal cut off time I am keeping for myself. Wish me Luck :)

Hello Mumbai !!!