Here is the text of a mail which I sent to my apartment complex.
In the year 2000, our office assistant forcibly enrolled everybody in office for the Yokohama Marathon. I got enrolled for a 10 KM race. The only physical activity I had done till that time is wage email wars and attend telephone conference. If there was a Desk Jockey award, then I was a prime contender.On the race day which was a Sunday, I was lazing in the bed when the phone rang. It was Nagai-san, our office assistant. I made a lame excuse saying that " I am not feeling well". She was immediately sympathetic and asked to come and collect the T Shirt as I had paid 3000 Yen for the race.I trudged to the park and saw Nagai-san and the rest of the office crowd. One look at me and she said "Jai san wa genki da yo" (You are perfectly fine). She told me that it is not necessary for me to run the entire stretch of 10 KM. I tied the indicator to the shoe and lined myself behind the hordes. The starters gun went off and 5000 pairs of shoes started pounding the track. I was far ahead of myself and lost my wind at the 2 KM mark and started walking. All the while, thinking that I can quit at any point of time. I came to a point where I had to finish the race. At the 5 KMmark, the course looped back home. I kept fantasizing about hiring a taxi to go back. The course was lined up with volunteers who used to loudly cheer me up. Once I crossed them they used to remove the red traffic cones marking the course. I was walking and running and feeling very close to God. Not philosophically, but really thought I am just a heart beat away from joining him. I was over taken by a wrinkled old aged man should be around 80 years and also by a lady pushing a pram in the race. However nothing in my 30 years of existence had prepared me for the last 500 meters before the finish line. The finish line was jam packed with spectators and folks who have finished earlier. They were cheering and clapping for us folks. One cannot but run with all thecheering. That 500 m was the most excruciating distance I have ever covered. I crossed the finishline and my indicator tied in the shoe beeped my time - 74 minutes. I later found out that I was sixth from the last. I also found out that my legs are made up of million muscles because every one of them ached. I walked with a limp for 2 days after the race. However the running bug had caught me, because it allows me to brag about my first run even now. Folks, If I can run, any body can. As they say in the runners' world - The longest distance in running is from the bed to the your shoes. I do not claim to be an expert but definitely can provide enough motivation for you to run. I also would like to run with companywhich is other than AR Rehman.
