Enduring The Long Mile

The only run I ever remembered to have run and won was the spoon and lemon race, during my early school days. Probably that could have been either due to limited racer or the mere fact that even though I was slow; I managed to have my lemon balanced on the spoon to win the race. It was another 5-6 years later that during my 11th class, I ever participated in proper running trials, Only to lose to my talented batch-mates first on 100 meters race later to other short distance race. Later when for the sake of participating long distance run (maximum we had was 800 meter). I managed to be on the honors list and also felt strong enough to easily finish the race. 

It was only during my first year college days, that I came across the fact there are races for 5000 meter and 10,000 meters. Due to large motivational and enthusiastic Brindavan batch-mates and our strict Gopi sir did many of us participated in our first 5000 meter and 10,000 meter race. The biggest motivation being if declared the top 10 finisher, you could be entitled to receive prize directly from Bhagwan Satya Sai Baba. Training hard and thinking of only receiving the award from Swamy own hand, I ran all the races for the next 5 years till my end of MSc days in 2004.

It took another 10 years to have that urge back again to be on the track, probably the motivation lies in the fact that my waistline started to increase with every subsequent year. The driving force also laid in the thought, that I wanted to gift not only myself a healthy body, but to my wife and also my future child. So thus began my training way back in February 2014, with a determined choice of finishing my first full marathon by Dec 2014.

Long 7 KM run on alternate days began a ritual over the next 2 months with increasing the time duration to 2-3 hours every weekend. Running was inter-dispersed with occasional cycling and swimming to avoid strain on knees and ankle. I prepared to complete my first 10 KM race in 10 years last being way back in 2004. Slowly increased the training regime and duration to finish my first half marathon 21 KM in August. Motivated to finish the 42 KM full marathon, I registered for my Singapore SC Marathon for December. Taking advice from my other colleagues who finished a full marathon, I practiced harder to try to finish my race successfully in December.

But the nature of my research job, which takes me to places around the globe, affected my training and the entire month of October-Nov couldn't practice a single run. Upon return back to Singapore viral fever and consistent cold almost made it impossible to participate in the marathon. It was only a 3 days before when collecting my race kit, I was confused to either participate or skip the marathon. Only on the race eve, I decided to test my mental fortitude to finish the race. I ignored the general convention of having enough training prior to finishing a full marathon race. I believed the test was to be mentally strong during my entire race, so in morning of the race, I began slowly conserving my energy for the rest of race, till my 24 KM finish for which I had trained 2 months back, I felt strong and good. But after which blisters opened up on my feet and slowing me down. Limping painfully and deciding against the body decision to quit, the only factor that kept me running till the end was that even elders aged 60 and more were competing strong, and I felt ashamed to quit amidst them. Finally enduring the pain due to blisters and lack of sufficient training, but only strong determination backing me all throughout, I managed to cross the finish line only to bear the simple truth of life, In the end Endurance alone matter.

Myopic View on Iran

Media always propagated that Iran should be among the last choice on your travel list. But when I realized that I had to make a visit to Iran to install and train researchers I was equally excited and bit nerved upon hearing the news. As the process of visa application began, I realized although Indian passport initially had visa on arrival for Indian citizens, but the previous Indian government had cancelled the same visa on arrival facility to Iranians despite the fact that more than 10,000 Iranian student come annually to India to pursue their studies. The next choice was to visit Kuala-Lumpur to get my Iran visa done. Imagine the scene when you visit the embassy/consular office and you notice nothing written in English, except Arabic. Even the list on the token machine was in Arabic. Then an old TV playing a movie/serial showing scene on wars/local fights and people only with AK-47, this visual can really spike you up. The refreshing part was when requested an Iranian to help me with the token machine and which counter to reach, he made it all easy for me.  With Iran visa on my passport, ready to travel to learn more about the new nation and culture. Although I'm not sure whether I will be black-listed to travel to any western nations. 

Landing at Khomeini International Airport at Tehran  in the early hours, it took me more than 1 hour to clear immigration despite being just over 20-30 international passengers(mostly Pakistanis and Arabs) never saw a single European/american passenger at the immigration and all the long hour just because they had only 1 counter for foreign passport holder and for every passenger they seem to have ask long list of questions on the reason for visiting Iran. As my turn came up, I feared using the word that I'm scientist (Atomic in general), but for luck, the guy just smiled and stamped my passport, after seeing more than 3/4 of passport filled with visa stamps across the globe.

The long drive to the hotel in early hours on empty roads felt good. City architecture, swathing gardens, colorful mosque and curvy highways glittering the city indeed separated it from many other capitals of the world. It was only in the morning, did I realize the city of Tehran was surrounded by mountain that gave it a historic modern look. My colleague came to pick me after which I visited the University for the training, following which in evening we went to Evin darake and climbed the mountains along the small creek and enjoyed the local fruits. Here the place was bustling with young couple seeking good and private time, old couples trying to keep fitness and local farmers with their horse/donkey selling their produce. In general, the view transported me to back to ancient days. On the way down we walked through the older part of city consisting of small bylanes with houses with high walls. The collection of recipe on most of the hotel menu reminded me of the famous dialogue from Kabul Express, 'You have kebab for breakfast, for lunch for snacks and for dinner, the only choice you are left is the meat.' 

Over the days as I went about travelling cities, along the different direction the general opinion I had about the country and its people surely took 180 degree turn. Iran might be called Islamic republic of Iran, but its majority people are Persian and their roots are still Zoroastrianism. Persian today due to conquest of their nation by Arabs by might have become Islamic, But they are just follower of Islam and not strong believers. Local dialect when merged with Hindi has given rise to Urdu and that was the reason I could understand when my colleagues spoke Persian. Cultural city of Ishefahan, Mashhad and Qom was rich experience and religious tourism in this cities was worth noting. Along with my colleagues I visited the shrine containing the tomb of Imam Reza and was a enthralling experience by itself. 

The view of  Mountain Damavand, an active volcano and hill with huge mythological bearing with Persian history.

Among all the non scientific discussion that I had with my new made friends and colleagues, I figured out that the local mullahs were the one who everyone hated and felt that they have made life miserable for all the Persians. Government propaganda to enforce strict religious dictum on locals was accepted with fear and not with the right spirit coupled with the economic sanctions by the west on Iran mostly due to oil-politics and have left the people filled with opposition against the government. Keeping the religious politics away, Persian were the most sweetest people I have ever come across during my globe trotting, they have raised the bar of what it means to be a good host. The language by itself sounded like poetry when I heard people speaking, In contrast to what I observed in West, where people hesitate to speak to strangers, here people love talking to strangers. Hesitation to capture everything on my camera due to some inherent fear, I restricted the photos taken on my mobile. The regret being not able to capture the beautiful city, the people and culture in my camera frame, but at-least I have carried back wonderful memory of the people.