On Preperation

In my twenties, I decided to try running half marathons. I ran a few half-marathons. My timing was always close to 3 hours 30 minutes. It is an atrocious time for half marathons. But there was once a half marathon in Delhi which I completed in two hours thirty minutes - shaving an hour of your time is a big achievement. So what did I do? Did I push myself harder than other half-marathons? Did I have new shoes? Did I take any supplements or did I have new equipment? None of that!

The difference was what I was doing before. That year, I got myself deep into the fitness journey. I was not explicitly preparing for the half marathon. I was just enjoying the process of going to the gym. I had a routine. I used to return from the office and head to the gym. I would do the elliptical and the cycle. The Gym had a TV in front, so I would watch a movie and exercise while watching it. I used to love this time. Along the way, after I got fitter, more in shape and lighter. I also used to do Yoga in the morning. So, by the time I went to the start line of that half marathon, I was a very lean, fit guy who had great core strength. I was ready for it and did well.

Here is what I have learned about preparation. It is an ongoing process. You cannot fast-track it. While there are urban legends about people taking an exam with one day of preparation, it has never worked with me. What works is enjoying the journey. Finding joy in the process. So much so that it does not feel like a process. It becomes a routine and something one enjoys. Results take time, you will not get better in a single day. But consistently doing the same thing in the right direction will eventually get you your destination. And one day when the opportunity strikes you are fully prepared for it.

So start early, find the correct direction, find what needs to be done and then forget about the target, enjoy the journey, do it consistently and eventually you will be better than most of your competition.