The First Mile…

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu

I was self-grounded. I was stuck in unhealthy ways. I ate anything at odd times. I worked all hours. I slept when exhausted. I drank coffee at 4:00 PM. I enjoyed a sugary treat at 9:00 PM. I was living the so-called “startup life.” I justified this running a 100 mph lifestyle as an investment towards a better life in the later years. I internalized this as the cost of my career in Silicon Valley.

I was wrong.

And my family bore the actual cost of this unhealthy lifestyle. Something had to change.

Set Meaningful Goals

In Jan 2018, I started tracking my movement leveraging my new Apple Watch. My goal was to reach 5,000 steps a day. I set a low bar, fearing failure. After a couple of months, I realized I was not always finishing all the rings on my watch. Goals drive me, and I wanted those circles to be complete. I started walking for at least 30 minutes every day, and I got hooked.

For the next eight months, I was walking, not for minutes, but for distance. A mile or two became three and four and sometimes even more. The more I walked, the better I felt. Alongside this, I made some simple changes to my sleeping and eating habits. I went to sleep at the same time every night. I ate only at the stipulated times. Towards Fall 2018, I was feeling good in my conditioning. This improvement led me to run my first 5K in over a decade. It was challenging!

Stay Motivated and Keep Running

At the start of 2019, I set a goal to run five 5Ks in the year. I began searching for events where I could participate. I found Run Local Events (formerly called Represent Running). I noticed they had an 8K run on Feb 3, 2019 (408k). I knew I wouldn’t be able to run the entire distance. I told myself to take part with “finish without injury” in mind. Running alongside a friend, I successfully completed the full distance. I felt great and thankful. I’m also thrilled to have signed up for the entire five-race series organized by Run Local Events.

At the close of 2019, I had run 1x5k, 1x8k, 6x10k, 2x12k official races. I also tracked 90 runs of at least 5.25k in the year.

Over the past few months, some folks asked me – what changed? What do you recommend to others? 

Four Steps to Become a Regular Runner

1. Prioritize Yourself: Set aside 30-45 minutes each day for yourself. Be active, whether you walk or jog or sprint is immaterial. Also, pay attention to your mental health. Those who love us the most often deal with our unacceptable behavior when we are not at our best mentally. J.T Service recently told me, “People who move are usually happy.” I agree.
2. Be Consistent: Charles Duhigg wrote a whole book on “The Power of Habit.” One can rid oneself of old habits only when one creates new ones. Whether it is a particular time, a venue, or a friend, create a plan and stick to it. Make a contract with yourself and follow through regularly.
3. Compete With Yourself: When I put my headsets on for the run, I focus on my objectives. I aim to finish without injury. Set your own goals, be motivated by them, and do not let anything or anyone else bother you.
4. Find Your Champions: Self-motivated or not, we all need a support system. Whether it is your significant other, family, friends, or co-workers, create a group of folks who will root for you. They should be in your court. They must be willing to show you the mirror when you falter. Besides my family, without whom none of this would have been possible. I used the Apple Watch rings to keep myself honest. The Apple Watch rings helped me stay accountable.

Whether you’re already on this self-care path or considering it. Remember, the first step is the most important towards that beautiful journey.

Earlier today, I picked up my bib for the 2020 version of the 408k race scheduled for tomorrow, 2/2/2020. I am excited, again, and very thankful to my wife and kids to being my Champions.