It's never too late to start!

Life has its way of throwing challenges at you. Just when you feel everything is smooth sailing, life tosses a +4 Uno card your way. 😊 It's up to you whether you stay calm and focused blame the rules.

I firmly believe in resilience. After earning my Master's degree from one of India's premier institutes, life kept unfolding, propelling me up the corporate ladder and occasionally pulling me down to navigate the challenges of family life.

Throughout it all, my father remained my constant motivator.

He was the epitome of energy, a doctor by profession, he exercised every single day. Sadly, he passed away suddenly from cancer. His influence on my journey is profound; I began my fitness journey for him.

I started with running as I thought it was the simplest form of exercise, just go out there and get it done. Ironically, my father hated running.

I soon realized that even a smooth 5k posed a challenge. With determination, I enlisted a coach's guidance and progressed from struggling through 5k to effortlessly conquering 10k and eventually half marathons. I've completed three half marathons and two triathlons so far.

While I may not be the fastest runner, I cherish the experience of running in new places and engaging with the running community. Trekking also captured my interest, leading me to attempt the K2S trek without proper preparation, resulting in knee injuries. This setback prompted me to take strength training seriously.

Embracing the trekking bug, I embarked on major treks in India, including the Annapurna and Everest base camps in consecutive years. I would go for runs and climb multiple flights of stairs, to strengthen myself for these treks. My next goal is to trek through Kashmir.

Triathlon entered my life unexpectedly. Despite not focusing on speed, I found joy in running and swimming.

I participated in sprint triathlons in Kolhapur and Bergman. I got a podium finish at the sprint Triathlons and with that, I discovered a new passion and sense of accomplishment.

Now, I strive to improve without comparing myself to others. I aim to challenge myself physically and mentally, viewing my fitness journey as a means of stress relief and personal growth.

Three years ago, I committed to dedicating one hour daily to myself.  My whole family is into some or other form of fitness. My mother is my biggest supporter, my husband and kids nudge me on and my ever-loving friends have created a safe space for me to keep going and celebrating my joys. Both of my sons are excellent swimmers, so over the weekends, we do some outdoor activities. We kind of draw motivation from each other.

I am now 46 years old, and I have realized how fleeting a life can be. I am happy to have found a coach who is very scientific and very “Age aware”. He ensures I don’t get tangled in unnecessary competition and get into injuries. When you are trying to keep pace with someone else who is faster than you, then you are not doing it for yourself anymore.

I would like to give out a message to all the women of my age group, or older than me, that it might look like an uphill task to get started. But it’s never too late to start. I started in my 40’s. Take baby steps and eventually, you will reach where you want to be. You must be a caregiver to your elderly parents, mentoring and counseling growing kids, and juggling workplace dynamics, amidst all these you cannot lose your identity in the whole process. Keep aside an hour for yourself and see the magic unfold. 😊

Happy Women’s Day to all!

 Runner - Gayatri Joshi, Pune