Welcome to BSME2E
By Pankaj Rai
Abstract
My running story is charismatic, it has everything – good friends, long conversations, anecdotes, health, camaraderie, and even professional growth” – I hope you all enjoy reading it.
In this preface, I delve into the transformative journey of my running experience spanning more than two decades now. Growing up in a middle-class household, physical fitness wasn’t ingrained in my daily routine, with academic pursuits taking precedence. However, my foray into running was serendipitous, catalysed by encounters with like-minded individuals and a willingness to explore new horizons.
Regards,
Pankaj
Given my upbringing in a middle class household, initially in a township in Gorakhpur and later in Delhi, with a super high expectation seeking dad who was an IIT Bombay product himself, physical fitness was not part of my day to day life – only studies were. In fact the statement I grew up hearing in my family & ecosystem was “padhoge likhoge to hoge nawab, kheloge koodoge to hoge kharab” which roughly translates to “if you study you will be an aristocrat and if you play you will perish”.
However, during school days, I did get some play time in the evening with the neighbourhood kids occasionally in Delhi – a bit of gully cricket, some badminton and even some table tennis as a rich neighbouring kid had a table at home. During my days at IIT Delhi, there was a badminton court in the hostel so occasional badminton in the Kumaon hostel court and a bit of running on some evenings did happen to me. I played a bit of squash with a friend who had an interest in that sport after I started working. So, till the age of 35 I was doing some occasional physical activity depending on my environment.
All that changed in Singapore where I was working with Standard Chartered Bank in 2003 after leaving Delhi. Since I knew squash, I had a group in my apartment community, and we played a few times a week. One of my play mate KK once told me that his wife Sharmila is a long-distance runner and runs alone and that I should try running with her as he felt I had good stamina on the squash court. Sharmila told me she used to run 18km on weekends and I told her that I come from a place where we measure run in meters as I had maximum done a 3km run in 2-3 races in my college and we called it a 3000 m run. Anyway, on the first day with her I ran 8km and next Sunday to my surprise I did the 18 km too which taught me that many of us have hidden potential which can only be learnt when we experiment. What began as an 18 km jog evolved into conquering more kilometres, unravelling hidden potentials and the joy of experimentation. With relocation to Bangalore in 2005, the embrace of a vibrant running community, “Runners for Life,” redefined my running experience as “Runversations,” weaving camaraderie with each stride.
BHUKMP – Bangalore Hyderabad Ultra Kaveri Trail Mumbai Puducherry
In 2008 one of our running buddies Rishikesh coined the term BHUKMP for our running group (it stands for the 6 marathons that were popular those days and we used to run them – Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ultra, Kaveri Trail, Mumbai and Pondicherry) – did my grand slam in 2014 and now I just do Mumbai and Bangalore. Over time BHUKMP has become a social running group in Bangalore and many people joined us and our alum have opened chapters in Singapore, US, Europe etc. Our footsteps echoed tales of camaraderie and shared passion, spawning chapters along with families across the globe.
Over the years I also picked up two other sports – cycling & badminton along with my running.
Since I was an accidental runner, the idea of health impact from my running wasn’t obvious to me. As I reflect on the health impact of this unforeseen journey, a holistic lifestyle ethos emerges. As I started interacting with people, I realised my running routine led me to adopt a lifestyle which I think has given me a framework to focus about health. So, my summary around it has 4 variables that impact the health ‘SEEE’ and below are my reflections on each of them and how I have applied in my own life organically and not proactively:
1. Sleep
I’ve come to realize the paramount importance of sleep in my life. When I enjoy quality sleep, I awaken feeling cheerful and energized, ready to tackle the day ahead with productivity. Recognizing my need for ample rest, I strive for eight hours of sleep each night, aiming for a bedtime of 10:30 pm to ensure I rise refreshed at 6:30 am on weekdays. Additionally, on weekends, following my early morning run, I indulge in a rejuvenating sleep post the same.
2. Eat
Despite not being a foodie, I do have a fondness for sweets. My approach to eating revolves around a few guiding principles:
3. Exercise
I adhere to a weekly routine that suits my lifestyle, characterized by engaging in ‘Runversations’ with my diverse group of friends. Weekdays typically consist of a walk/run session from 7:00 to 8:30 am with my companions near my residence, allowing me to commence my workday around 9 am. Saturdays entail a longer run spanning 20 to 25 Kms around Cubbon Park, followed by a hearty breakfast. Sundays are left open for either a run or cycling activity. Additionally, weekends often end with an evening badminton session with another circle of friends.
4. Expression
This proves to be the challenge – maintaining a mindset free from clutter, tension, and conducive to good sleep. So far what I have learnt is that if we have a goal or objective in life which is bigger than our own self (impact team/company/society etc.) and not harming anyone in that process (people, process, environment etc.) then by adhering to such principle, one can navigate towards a balanced and fulfilling life.
As previously discussed, my overarching focus is on optimizing overall well-being, encompassing physical, mental, and spiritual health.
In addition to this, I’ve fostered various communities on platforms like WhatsApp, tailored to my diverse interests such as running, walking, cycling, badminton, spirituality, thought-provoking discussions, social impact, silver generation, women’s networks, and music. These communities serve as hubs for gathering and exchanging ideas. Over time, I’ve discovered that this network allows me not only to gather information but also to synthesize it, uncovering new patterns that fuel fresh ideas in both my personal and professional life, thus contributing positively to my mental health.
Furthermore, within the BHUKMP group, we’ve cultivated a diverse mix of nature lovers, long-time Bangalore residents, veterans, corporate leaders, and academics. This amalgamation serves as a platform for not only exploring the city and its culture but also for seeking assistance and support on topics of individual interest, thereby fostering a positive impact on mental well-being. I’ve witnessed remarkable transformations of the people within the group- members becoming more open-minded, assuming coaching roles, and embarking on journeys of continuous learning and personal growth.
My entire family is now engaged in one or more of these groups so its become a family affair.
The multitude of networks I engage with, enable me to both learn and contribute across a spectrum of avenues. In today’s fast-evolving landscape, characterized by interconnectedness and blurred boundaries between work and personal spheres, there’s a growing demand for collaboration and interconnected ecosystems. As a result, I find my professional and personal life significantly enriched through these diverse networks, each fostering a unique environment for growth and collaboration.
“Good sleep and great conversations are my priorities in life.”
Throughout the years, numerous colleagues in my workplace have embraced the concept of “runversations,” blurring the lines of corporate hierarchy in the process. The regular morning ritual of running not only fosters camaraderie but also infuses us with energy and vitality as we start our day.
My outlook on life can be encapsulated within a structured framework of five Cs, distilled from my life experiences:
1. Curiosity
In order to remain abreast with the ever-changing world, this is a key attribute that has come naturally to me i.e. learning from anyone I am in contact with and expanding my horizon
2. Compassion
Curiosity allows for compassion ie including all other beings and perspectives in my decisions making framework hence trying to optimise the greater good rather than self or the immediate / short term
3. Conviction
Compassion enables us to develop our own conviction – having a sense of purpose on how do I; make a contribution “doing the right thing”. This inculcates a discipline in life which is very hard in the age of distractions. So, a marathon becomes a metaphor for life i.e. enjoy the journey, stay focused and not be distracted by others.
4. Creativity
Conviction will fuel creativity – contributing in the in the most effective and innovative manner possible, leveraging creativity as a tool for positive impact.
5. Communication
Creative outcome needs to be shared with the audience – sharing the outcomes so that the feedback from the audience can take me back to the first C of curiosity and this becomes a cyclical iteration of the 5Cs and each future iteration builds on the outcomes / knowledge of the past
As devoted to running as monks to God
I’ve approached life with a spirit of experimentation, recognizing that mistakes are an integral part of the learning journey. From this perspective, mistakes are a part of the learning process so the only lesson I have learn so far is that if you are not making mistakes means you are too conservative. So, take more risks to learn and contribute faster. Embracing risks allows for accelerated learning and contribution, fostering personal growth and innovation.
Advice to new runners
Find your own “why” for running (or anything else you are doing), many a times we do things since someone else asked us to. For me, the essence of “runversation” (without a timing goal) suffices as both a learning experience and exercise. I don’t adhere to specific timing goals, although I’ve noticed improvement over time. To me focus on goals will distract me from the “why” of my run. Therefore, I prioritize engaging in conversation and running at the pace of my partner, as I find greater value in interaction than in achieving specific timing objectives.
So I can suggest that experiment with different activities to see which one works for you and once you have identified one or two then start small and focus on small improvements each day / week and let the power of compounding kick in. Eventually it will become a habit and will happen in a flow.
I enjoy immersing myself in literature through audiobooks and podcasts, especially during solo runs. Some of the books and podcasts that I have enjoyed in the recent past are as under:
Books
These are books that made me think differently about a certain topic e.g. Sapiens (human history), Doughnut economics (sustainable model for society), invisible women (gender diversity), the blind watchmaker (atheism), Life 3.0 (AI).
Podcasts
Podcasts that I liked have been in diverse topics e.g. almanac of Naval Ravikant (diverse topics in life), Swami Sarvapriyananda (Advaita Vedanta), Saurabh Dwivedi Guest in the newsroom (Salman Akhtar and few others), Nikhil Kamath channel (the one on VC industry and a few others), Anticipating the unintended (Public policy), The seen and the unseen by Amit Verma (Mrinal Pande and a few other episodes)
When I look back at 20 years of running, I find that it has been not only enjoyable and beneficial for my health but has also afforded me the chance to cultivate a diverse network that continues to enhance me intellectually.
“Main zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya” and got many in the process. When I celebrated my 50th birthday with the runners I realised that I have interacted with zillions of people in the run and will keep continue as part of my ‘Runversations’.
