Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Performancing.com firefox blogging plug-in
This is my first blog from the latest performancing in-line blogging plug-in for Firefox.
This is a great tool - get it here href="http://performancing.com/firefox/" and blog away!
This is a great tool - get it here href="http://performancing.com/firefox/" and blog away!
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Happy New Year - 2006
Wish you all a very Happy New Year!
Here I am living up to one of my
New Year's resolutions - Blog More!!
Blog-a-log folks. Let's light up 2006.
Here I am living up to one of my
New Year's resolutions - Blog More!!
Blog-a-log folks. Let's light up 2006.
Monday, November 14, 2005
One more Memoir
I couldn't resist writing my own memoir of the 2005 Asha Marathon
program after reading all the moving accounts from other team members. Perhaps it is fitting that I begin with my very first encounter with
ASHA. I believe it was in fall of 2002 or 2003 ( I forget the exact
date ) that I attended an ASHA program in Foothill college. During the
half-time break, I strolled by the ASHA marathon booth just out of
curiosity ( and not to mention all the cute girls milling about near
the booth - always an added plus! ). And, there it was - Train and Run
a Marathon - "yeah Right" I thought to myself. It was then that a
bright, young Asha volunteer ( unfortunately, a male ) engaged me in
conversation regarding the marathon program. He explained the
training, the benefits of running etc. but I was not to be convinced. Even his challenging approach could not faze me from my determined
denial to move by body an inch further than the demands of my daily
existence ( to his credit, I must admit that he was one helluva of a
salesman and to my (dis)credit I am one helluva of an excuse-maker,
sorry pal ).
And, then, as though on cue, many of my friends did the ASHA marathon. Arvind P, Rudra, Sundeep, later Rishi, Deepak, Mukesh M and Manoj. It
almost seemed as though everywhere I turned in my friends circle, I
found atleast one ASHA runner ( and a constant reminder of my excuses
).
So, last year, I finally bit the bullet and decided to "try" out this
running thing. I showed up for a weekly run behind Cisco Bldg. 15 and
joined Deepak and someone else for a jog on the levee. My 2004 season
lasted exactly three minutes! Not that Deepak wasn't good company (
quite the contrary ) but in three minutes my calves were hurting, I was
sweating, panting and figured I deserved a tall Iced Caramel Macchiato
at Starbucks!! I relate this story just to impress upon all of you,
dear readers, the extent of my committment to running in 2004.
But, over the course of 2004, I could see the dedication, effort and
inevitably, the heroism it takes to train and run a marathon. I saw my
colleague Mukesh go for track workouts and come back and work until 2
am in the morning to catch up on work. I heard from other folks on how
long they took to stretch, roll, work out etc. and all the pain they
went through and how they absolutely loved it ( although this aspect I
didn't quite understand then but certainly do so now ).
As if to showcase my newfound appreciation to running, I plunked down
$100 for a nice pair of Mizuno-s. Still no luck on the running front.
I woke up one morning, stretched for 15 minutes, ran for about 5
minutes, came back and had some nice, warm coffee at home and watched
the Morning Show. That was about as much of a work-out those Mizunos
got until I joined the Asha 2005 program ( btw, they were completely
worn-out by Sep. 2005 ). It is with this illustrious history, I joined
the ASHA 2005 program.
I showed up for one of the first stretching sessions, did the stretches
well, ran on the grass a bit and went home, thinking to myself - "this
is too easy!". I didn't do any other running, except for the
stretching and the excercises. Then came the mile trial.
The mile trial was my date with my running destiny. A mile - running
that distance seemed as foreboding to me as cycling to Alaska from San
Francisco. I had never run a mile in my life. Ok, so I participate in
sports but even there I manage to do the least bit of running as
possible ( ask Manoj Asnani on my full-court press in Basketball ).
I did my warm-up, my stretches and started off strong. At the end of
the first lap, I was panting and groaning. Halfway in to the second
lap, I was in pain. At the end of my second lap, I was in visible
distress. Normally, I would have quit at this point and would have
settled for a cold beer followed by a hot shower. But, I told myself,
"one more lap and if I feel crappy after that, I will quit". So, I
egged on. 2.5 laps and that's it - I was ready to quit.
That was when Team Asha stepped in. Karthik, who noticed that I was
slowing down and panting, joined me at this time. He told me to just
focus on finishing the lap and to keep going one step at a time. Now
that he was running with me, I figured I should atleast continue, if
not for anything but to reciprocate his gesture. So, I finished the
third lap. And, then Karthik left to help someone else but Rajeev Char
joined me for the final lap. Rajeev, I still remember what you told me
- "Don't worry about the time, ignore the pain, just finish - you will
feel better afterwards". Simple but very powerful words. I ran. I
even sprinted the last distance. It only took me 11:01 to finish my
first mile in the marathon training but I was so proud of the fact that
I finished. Karthik and Rajeev, thank you so much for that day - had
it not been for your encouragement, I would have quit and would have
never run another day in my life. Instead, for the first time in my
life, I experienced the joy of finishing a run. My marathon began with
that first mile.
I commenced my training in all sincerety. I did the weekly runs, even
showed up for tracks ( in the beginning at least ), did the excercises,
stretching - the whole nine yards. It hurt like hell at first. My
calves were extremely tight ( like a rock almost at the end of the run
) which I realized was due to tight hamstrings, which were again due to
tightness in the hip region and a weak lower back. I worked on my
problem areas. Upon reflection, my toughest run was not the 16-miler
but the very first 3-miler we did. I went on to finish it albeit at my
own pace. It felt awesome.
The next litmus test was the Jeremiah's promise race - my first
5-miler.
It tooke me almost two hours ( same problems, tight calves and
hamstrings and for the first time, ITB pain ). I was limping for a
couple of days after that but boy, did it feel good to finish!! I have
the T-shirt with me, carefully stored in my closet as my private
inspiration whenever I need that little extra oomph to go out for a
run.
After the 5-miler, I pretty much did the program. However, I still had
nagging doubts about my ability to do the marathon ( I hadn't
recommitted at that time ). I resolved to do so after I did my first
ten-miler. Ten-miler came and went and I was still unconvinced. So, I
waited for the 13-miler ( my first half-marathon of sorts ). It was a
ringing, beautiful day at scenic Sawyer Camp trail. I was running with
my buddies ( the buddy system is one of the best features for keeping
the momentum going, IMHO ) and it was fine until about mile 5. And,
then my calves started hurting and my left ITB kicked in. The climb to
the end of the trail almost killed me ( it took me 22 minutes to do
that mile! ). Fortunately, the ASHA waterstop volunteer was waiting
for me ( he figured there had to be atleast one more runner who was
unusually slower than the pack ). With that added dose of confidence
and goo, I returned, slowly but surely. When I finished mile 12, I was
in lots of pain but Anu gave me one huge hug and said, "yaar, you did
it!". I went back to finish my 13, smiling to myself. After the run,
I went back home and filled the re-commit form the same day. I also
went out and partied really hard that night. Darn, it felt GOOD.
I never believed my friends when they told me that running long
distances is more mental than physical. But, after the 13-miler I was
beginning to understand it. I no longer fretted about my long runs. I
enjoyed my weekly runs. I even looked forward to running during my off
days! It was all so good until the 16-miler. Sure, my calves hurt,
ITB pain, blah, blah, blah...but I was having fun and I told the pain
to go kiss that part of my body where the sun don't shine.
The 16-miler started off like any usual long run. It was smooth
sailing and I finished strong. I felt good, went home, rolled, iced,
took the Cytomax recovery drink ( greatest invention since sliced
bread, imho ) and I was feeling good. Not even a lot of pain. And,
this is where my over-confidence got the better of me. I went for an
8-miler on Monday following the 16-miler and ran it pretty hard. I was
quite sore after it but didn't make much of it. Then next day, I went
to a local track and did a hard track workout. By the end of that
workout, my hip was hurting really bad. I chalked it up to my usual
pain, iced it and slept on it. I woke up next day with a very sharp
pain in my left hip. The area was swollen - I figured I do some extra
stretching and ice it, which I did. And, then, like a monumental idiot
that I can be at times, I ran a 5-miler on Thursday. That did it. Something definitely snapped and I couldn't sleep the whole night. The
next day I went to the doctor to make sure I didn't break something. My left hip was swollen quite thick and I had severe lower back pain (
I was concerned about a slipped disc or a hernia ). It was diagnosed
as severe sacro-iliac strain. The doctor advised complete rest for a
couple of weeks and gave me a huge dose of pain killers. I figured my
running days were over.
The next two weeks were horrible. The back pain almost immobilized me.
I cursed myself for doing too much too fast. Plus, I was still eating
like a pig and put on a few pounds. I should say my spirits were at
the lowest at this point. Had it not been for the physical therapy and
the massage, I most certainly would have quit. I started running
slowly after two weeks against my doctor's advice ( he was totally
opposed to me doing the marathon ). It was very hard going. I
couldn't even run a couple of miles. I had lost all the fitness I had
accumulated in just a couple of weeks, it seemed. It was extremely
depressing and frustrating.
I must thank my friends Arvind and Rishi for coaching me to stick with
the program. I ramped my miles slowly and was running very slow (
16-minute pace ). But, I was soon up to 8 miles but I was afraid to
push it any further. I finally did show up for the long run before the
SV marathon at Stevens Creek trail. Seeing all your smiling faces did
wonders to my confidence. Plus, I had read all the glowing reports
from the Maui and Chicago marathoners - great job guys!!
I just did one two-miler the week before the SV marathon. I figured I
shouldn't exert myself too much lest I hurt myself. I did do a lot of
aqua running and pace walking. It certainly helped.
But, I was very, very tense before the marathon. I will have to relate
my entire marathon experience in a separate mail but I wrote this one
to express my heart-felt gratitude for my friends who supported me and
Team ASHA - you guys truly rock.
program after reading all the moving accounts from other team members. Perhaps it is fitting that I begin with my very first encounter with
ASHA. I believe it was in fall of 2002 or 2003 ( I forget the exact
date ) that I attended an ASHA program in Foothill college. During the
half-time break, I strolled by the ASHA marathon booth just out of
curiosity ( and not to mention all the cute girls milling about near
the booth - always an added plus! ). And, there it was - Train and Run
a Marathon - "yeah Right" I thought to myself. It was then that a
bright, young Asha volunteer ( unfortunately, a male ) engaged me in
conversation regarding the marathon program. He explained the
training, the benefits of running etc. but I was not to be convinced. Even his challenging approach could not faze me from my determined
denial to move by body an inch further than the demands of my daily
existence ( to his credit, I must admit that he was one helluva of a
salesman and to my (dis)credit I am one helluva of an excuse-maker,
sorry pal ).
And, then, as though on cue, many of my friends did the ASHA marathon. Arvind P, Rudra, Sundeep, later Rishi, Deepak, Mukesh M and Manoj. It
almost seemed as though everywhere I turned in my friends circle, I
found atleast one ASHA runner ( and a constant reminder of my excuses
).
So, last year, I finally bit the bullet and decided to "try" out this
running thing. I showed up for a weekly run behind Cisco Bldg. 15 and
joined Deepak and someone else for a jog on the levee. My 2004 season
lasted exactly three minutes! Not that Deepak wasn't good company (
quite the contrary ) but in three minutes my calves were hurting, I was
sweating, panting and figured I deserved a tall Iced Caramel Macchiato
at Starbucks!! I relate this story just to impress upon all of you,
dear readers, the extent of my committment to running in 2004.
But, over the course of 2004, I could see the dedication, effort and
inevitably, the heroism it takes to train and run a marathon. I saw my
colleague Mukesh go for track workouts and come back and work until 2
am in the morning to catch up on work. I heard from other folks on how
long they took to stretch, roll, work out etc. and all the pain they
went through and how they absolutely loved it ( although this aspect I
didn't quite understand then but certainly do so now ).
As if to showcase my newfound appreciation to running, I plunked down
$100 for a nice pair of Mizuno-s. Still no luck on the running front.
I woke up one morning, stretched for 15 minutes, ran for about 5
minutes, came back and had some nice, warm coffee at home and watched
the Morning Show. That was about as much of a work-out those Mizunos
got until I joined the Asha 2005 program ( btw, they were completely
worn-out by Sep. 2005 ). It is with this illustrious history, I joined
the ASHA 2005 program.
I showed up for one of the first stretching sessions, did the stretches
well, ran on the grass a bit and went home, thinking to myself - "this
is too easy!". I didn't do any other running, except for the
stretching and the excercises. Then came the mile trial.
The mile trial was my date with my running destiny. A mile - running
that distance seemed as foreboding to me as cycling to Alaska from San
Francisco. I had never run a mile in my life. Ok, so I participate in
sports but even there I manage to do the least bit of running as
possible ( ask Manoj Asnani on my full-court press in Basketball ).
I did my warm-up, my stretches and started off strong. At the end of
the first lap, I was panting and groaning. Halfway in to the second
lap, I was in pain. At the end of my second lap, I was in visible
distress. Normally, I would have quit at this point and would have
settled for a cold beer followed by a hot shower. But, I told myself,
"one more lap and if I feel crappy after that, I will quit". So, I
egged on. 2.5 laps and that's it - I was ready to quit.
That was when Team Asha stepped in. Karthik, who noticed that I was
slowing down and panting, joined me at this time. He told me to just
focus on finishing the lap and to keep going one step at a time. Now
that he was running with me, I figured I should atleast continue, if
not for anything but to reciprocate his gesture. So, I finished the
third lap. And, then Karthik left to help someone else but Rajeev Char
joined me for the final lap. Rajeev, I still remember what you told me
- "Don't worry about the time, ignore the pain, just finish - you will
feel better afterwards". Simple but very powerful words. I ran. I
even sprinted the last distance. It only took me 11:01 to finish my
first mile in the marathon training but I was so proud of the fact that
I finished. Karthik and Rajeev, thank you so much for that day - had
it not been for your encouragement, I would have quit and would have
never run another day in my life. Instead, for the first time in my
life, I experienced the joy of finishing a run. My marathon began with
that first mile.
I commenced my training in all sincerety. I did the weekly runs, even
showed up for tracks ( in the beginning at least ), did the excercises,
stretching - the whole nine yards. It hurt like hell at first. My
calves were extremely tight ( like a rock almost at the end of the run
) which I realized was due to tight hamstrings, which were again due to
tightness in the hip region and a weak lower back. I worked on my
problem areas. Upon reflection, my toughest run was not the 16-miler
but the very first 3-miler we did. I went on to finish it albeit at my
own pace. It felt awesome.
The next litmus test was the Jeremiah's promise race - my first
5-miler.
It tooke me almost two hours ( same problems, tight calves and
hamstrings and for the first time, ITB pain ). I was limping for a
couple of days after that but boy, did it feel good to finish!! I have
the T-shirt with me, carefully stored in my closet as my private
inspiration whenever I need that little extra oomph to go out for a
run.
After the 5-miler, I pretty much did the program. However, I still had
nagging doubts about my ability to do the marathon ( I hadn't
recommitted at that time ). I resolved to do so after I did my first
ten-miler. Ten-miler came and went and I was still unconvinced. So, I
waited for the 13-miler ( my first half-marathon of sorts ). It was a
ringing, beautiful day at scenic Sawyer Camp trail. I was running with
my buddies ( the buddy system is one of the best features for keeping
the momentum going, IMHO ) and it was fine until about mile 5. And,
then my calves started hurting and my left ITB kicked in. The climb to
the end of the trail almost killed me ( it took me 22 minutes to do
that mile! ). Fortunately, the ASHA waterstop volunteer was waiting
for me ( he figured there had to be atleast one more runner who was
unusually slower than the pack ). With that added dose of confidence
and goo, I returned, slowly but surely. When I finished mile 12, I was
in lots of pain but Anu gave me one huge hug and said, "yaar, you did
it!". I went back to finish my 13, smiling to myself. After the run,
I went back home and filled the re-commit form the same day. I also
went out and partied really hard that night. Darn, it felt GOOD.
I never believed my friends when they told me that running long
distances is more mental than physical. But, after the 13-miler I was
beginning to understand it. I no longer fretted about my long runs. I
enjoyed my weekly runs. I even looked forward to running during my off
days! It was all so good until the 16-miler. Sure, my calves hurt,
ITB pain, blah, blah, blah...but I was having fun and I told the pain
to go kiss that part of my body where the sun don't shine.
The 16-miler started off like any usual long run. It was smooth
sailing and I finished strong. I felt good, went home, rolled, iced,
took the Cytomax recovery drink ( greatest invention since sliced
bread, imho ) and I was feeling good. Not even a lot of pain. And,
this is where my over-confidence got the better of me. I went for an
8-miler on Monday following the 16-miler and ran it pretty hard. I was
quite sore after it but didn't make much of it. Then next day, I went
to a local track and did a hard track workout. By the end of that
workout, my hip was hurting really bad. I chalked it up to my usual
pain, iced it and slept on it. I woke up next day with a very sharp
pain in my left hip. The area was swollen - I figured I do some extra
stretching and ice it, which I did. And, then, like a monumental idiot
that I can be at times, I ran a 5-miler on Thursday. That did it. Something definitely snapped and I couldn't sleep the whole night. The
next day I went to the doctor to make sure I didn't break something. My left hip was swollen quite thick and I had severe lower back pain (
I was concerned about a slipped disc or a hernia ). It was diagnosed
as severe sacro-iliac strain. The doctor advised complete rest for a
couple of weeks and gave me a huge dose of pain killers. I figured my
running days were over.
The next two weeks were horrible. The back pain almost immobilized me.
I cursed myself for doing too much too fast. Plus, I was still eating
like a pig and put on a few pounds. I should say my spirits were at
the lowest at this point. Had it not been for the physical therapy and
the massage, I most certainly would have quit. I started running
slowly after two weeks against my doctor's advice ( he was totally
opposed to me doing the marathon ). It was very hard going. I
couldn't even run a couple of miles. I had lost all the fitness I had
accumulated in just a couple of weeks, it seemed. It was extremely
depressing and frustrating.
I must thank my friends Arvind and Rishi for coaching me to stick with
the program. I ramped my miles slowly and was running very slow (
16-minute pace ). But, I was soon up to 8 miles but I was afraid to
push it any further. I finally did show up for the long run before the
SV marathon at Stevens Creek trail. Seeing all your smiling faces did
wonders to my confidence. Plus, I had read all the glowing reports
from the Maui and Chicago marathoners - great job guys!!
I just did one two-miler the week before the SV marathon. I figured I
shouldn't exert myself too much lest I hurt myself. I did do a lot of
aqua running and pace walking. It certainly helped.
But, I was very, very tense before the marathon. I will have to relate
my entire marathon experience in a separate mail but I wrote this one
to express my heart-felt gratitude for my friends who supported me and
Team ASHA - you guys truly rock.
Confessions of a Slacker or Marathon Madness
This is my marathon story. The one that I thought so much about to write but finally decided to just
to say it like it was.
Pre-marathon week : I was extremely nervous. Despite my best efforts not to think about the marathon,
all I could do was think about the marathon. Oh man, it was so nerve-wracking. I showed up for the
carb-load lunch and saw that everyone else was well-prepared for the marathon, which only made me
more tense. Fortunately, Rajeev P gave us all a hand-written message to pep us up. His personal
message to me was to look within and find my strength. Thanks Rajeev. I had plenty of time to
look within during my marathon. Almost ten hours as it turned out.
Mile 0 : It was 05:50 am. A bit cool in an otherwise unusual Sunday morning. Except that this was
not an unusual Sunday morning, at least not for me and certainly, I am sure, not for my fellow marathoners.
I could see the tension/eagerness in everyone's faces despite Charu's contagious cheerful enthusiasm and
Rajeev P's cool assurance - "It's all okay guys - It is just a long run". A little after 6 am I think and we start.
I was walking briskly with my other team members as per plan. We were going to walk till the first ASHA
water stop somewhere near mile 1. I stopped, stretched, took off my jacket and was all set for my day of
running nirvana.
Mile 4 : I was a bit tired, so stopped to stretch. My teammates were well ahead of me at this time. As I finished
stretching and resumed running, a cop in a bike passed me by and asked me to step to the sidewalk as there was
a marathon in progress. I told him with some surprise that I am running it too. He was just as surprised but asked
me to step to the sidewalk anyways which I did. Just then the lead runners passed us. Damn, these guys were good,
and they were sprinting, for heaven's sake, in a marathon!! I continued on.
Mile 5 : I was just about to enter the trail and then the crowd came through. Suddenly, it seemed very crowded.
So many runners, running as though they were on a casual Sunday jog. It had taken them 25 minutes to cover the
5 miles which took me 85 minutes. My confidence was shot. I recovered a bit when I reminded myself of what Tony
told us - Run your own race. Thanks Tony. I was running on.
Miles 6 - 8 : I saw several familiar ASHA faces pass me by. Seeing all the ASHA shirts in the crowd made me proud.
I am not alone after all, I thought. After mile 8, however, it was getting quite lonely. It was already 08:30 am and it
almost seemed as though everyone else was quite ahead of me. I did run by the ASHA booth and also ran in to Deepak
in the parking lot ( almost didn't recogonize him with his wig and all ). He told me to just finish, don't worry about time.
With that good advice, I moved on. Looking back, miles 4 - 8 were the best miles of the race. I had the most fun out
there and thoroughly enjoyed the running.
Miles 8 - 10 : So, the going was getting a bit tough. My calves and ITB had already shown up at Mile 7 or so. I stopped
and stretched which made me feel a bit better but by mile 9, my calves were quite stiff and hurting. My run/walk routine
had become more of a walk-run-when-you-can routine. I was reminded of an Eminem song called "I am a Soldier". I told
myself that. For what seemed like ages, I didn't see another marathon runner anywhere on the trail. Finally, someone passed
me by and it actually felt good to have some company.
Miles 10 - 13 : Oh, God, was this lonely. It never seemed to end. By this time, I was telling myself to just get to mile 13.1.
I had mentally prepared myself to run two half-marathons instead of one full marathon. It was a trick that worked for me during
the long runs ( where I would think of a 13 miler as two six milers and so on ). This really helped me. I only thought of getting
to mile 13 and nothing else at this point. I finally made it to the half-marathon mark. It was 10:30-ish. I had taken about 4.5 hours
to finish the half marathon. I was definitely discouraged by my time. Plus, my calves and my left ITB were really bothering me.
I took a 5 minute break, went in to the bathroom, washed my face and told myself that all I had to run was one half-marathon.
I came out and continued.
Miles 13 - 16 : My enthusiasm for the second half dropped as soon as I came out of the school and saw the nice, luxury bus waiting
to drive the half-marathoners back to the start. Damn, I thought to myself, I could be on the bus. "Screw this soldier stuff and go home",
my mind told me. I was reminded of Galloway's left brain/right brain message in his book. This was my mind messing with me. I
reached for a strong dose of goo ( may the goo-gods be honored and worshipped by all ye who take to your feet ). I kept going.
This is where the going got really tough. It was extremely lonely. I was running in the sidewalk of busy streets. It didn't feel like a marathon.
Plus, I wasn't sure of my way, I just sort of trudged through looking for obscure chalk marks in non-descript streets. A couple of people were
even surprised that I was still in the marathon. I finally came across a water stop just about when they were ready to close and go home!
They were quite taken aback to find out that I was in the marathon but they helped me with some much needed accelarade and water.
This was around mile 14.5 or so I figured and I was feeling good still, from the goo rush and my pain was a constant companion whom I
chose to ignore for the moment. I was fine until about mile 15.5 or so and just when I thought things were going my way, I had a crash.
I was near the entrance to the creek but I thought I would have to enter from the Vasona park entrance so I crossed the road. I was
feeling quite crappy at this time and I had deep thoughts on why I was doing this to myself. The wrong move across the road was the
last straw. As I waited, at the signal near the Vasona county park entrance, I had a very strong desire to call a cab. I reached for my cell
phone, stared at it for a couple of minutes and then I got the cross signal. I crossed the road and said what the hell - let me just do it.
I entered the trail and by now I was limping. My calves were killing me, my left ITB was very upset with me and I started having abrasion
irritation on my left little toe plus my right quads were beginning to cramp from all the extra load I put on my right leg to compensate for
the pain in my left leg. I suddenly realized that I was way past my goo time - I took the last goo packet I had and told myself that I will
survive until the ASHA booth and then decide whether to continue or not. By the time I reached the ASHA booth I was pretty well goo-ed up
and saw Karthik and other wonderful ASHA volunteers waiting patiently for me. Karthik asked me if I was ok. I told him "I am in a bit of pain
but I think I can finish". Karthik responded with an emphatic "Of course, you will finish! Here have some gatorade". So, off I was, after a bottle
of gatorade and another to go. Thanks Karthik for that morale booster.
Miles 16 - 18 : Somewhere along here, Deepak came along on his bike. He didn't ask me about my pain. The first thing he said was, "Here
have some food" and gave me an energy bar. God, it felt good. I devoured it and chased it with about a bottle of water. Deepak patiently
walked his bike with me until about mile 18, cheering me on.
Miles 18 - 21 : At mile 18, my good friend, Arvind P, who had come to cheer for the race, joined me. He was with me till the end of the race.
He really helped me take my mind off the race and walked/ran with me till the very end. Thanks man, I could not have done the marathon without
you. Somewhere near mile 19 I think, Pradeep and Ganesh also joined me. Deepak, who had left to get some food and medicines, also rode back
to join us near mile 19 and dropped off his bike and continued with us on foot. Now, I was feeling very special. Pradeep was giving me some water, Ganesh
was giving me Gatorade, Arvind was carrying extra bottles of water and gatorade and Mr. Deepak had a full supply kit, it seemed, in his backpack. I felt
like a star with my own personal coaching team! We finally got out of the creek trail and I recall it was about 8.5 hours already since my start.
Miles 21 - 25 : We were back in civilization again. I have never been so glad to see suburbia. The creek trail was just too monotonous and sapped my
strength. Seeing cars, people, Dunkin' Donuts and stop lights made me feel great. I didn't run at all from mile 18 onwards. So, we decided to walk for
a little while longer, just to give my legs a bit of time to recover. The Ibuprofen Deepak gave me was working and my pain in my legs was not as bad. Plus,
Aruna was kind enough to get us some awesome samosas and drinks. I went a bit ahead while everyone else took a short, well-deserved samosa break.
I managed to lose my way a bit but after some expert guidance from ASHA folks via cell, we were back on track. Somewhere near mile 24, I think,
Arun and Heeral dropped by. Arun offered to give my legs a quick massage but I turned it down coz I was afraid I might just quit if I stopped. And, I had
set myself a goal of finishing under 10 hours just to keep me going. Everyone responded very well to my desire of finishing under 10 and rallied me forward.
Mile 25 - Mile 26 .2 :
Oh what can I say? When we reached Virginia Street, we decided to start running. Pradeep encouraged me on by reminding me of how beautiful the medal
was. Plus, Pradeep had applied a couple of Bengay strips on my legs which did wonders to relieve the pain. Ganesh set a very achievable pace for me by
doing a 12-minute fast walk. Deepak and Arvind were running behind me and did their best to keep my mind distracted from the pain. It simply felt great
to be surrounded by so much good vibes. The running was very tough but somehow I continued as I knew that so many people had staked so much for
me to finish. When I finally turned the bend, I was almost euphoric. I was straining to see all of your faces and then suddenly, as if by magic, I saw you
folks, waiting with a big Indian flag on the grass. God, was that a sight for sore eyes or what? I hit the green patch and started sprinting. I was able to
finish strong and I must admit that it was the best feeling ever for me. I haven't felt this ecstatic in my life. Everyone congratulated me, hugged me and
I felt so wonderful and cared for. I may run another marathon or some other race and may do better time but I will always cherish this finish as one of my
life's most memorable moments. Kudos to running and three cheers for ASHA.
Thanks to all the wonderful people who waited till the very end just to see me finish. It really means a lot to me. Thank you.
Thanks Deepak for your sincerety and dedication to making this season truly wonderful.
Thanks Pradeep for your dedication and effort in bringing us all this far and for a wonderful season. Thanks for your help and encouragement.
Thanks Ganesh for your support and encouragement till the finish.
Thanks Arvind for everything. Thanks for coming out on a Sunday and spending 3.5 hours to support me.
Thanks Rajeev P, Rajeev Char and Tony for your mentoring, coaching, patience and humor.
Thanks Anu for your amazing enthusiasm.
Thanks to all my team mates and my running buddies for making this experience so memorable.
Thanks to all the magnificent co-ordinators and dedicated volunteers without whom such a marathon effort would not be possible.
Above all, thanks to the ASHA spirit that helped me finish a marathon and despite finishing last still made me feel like a champion.
And, in true ASHA style, I bid adieu to this marathon season with my own rhyme :
As we part ways after this long trail,
of hills and valleys, o'er which we prevail,
to triumphant glory for a season well-run,
and a toast, not to the end, but for a journey, just begun.
to say it like it was.
Pre-marathon week : I was extremely nervous. Despite my best efforts not to think about the marathon,
all I could do was think about the marathon. Oh man, it was so nerve-wracking. I showed up for the
carb-load lunch and saw that everyone else was well-prepared for the marathon, which only made me
more tense. Fortunately, Rajeev P gave us all a hand-written message to pep us up. His personal
message to me was to look within and find my strength. Thanks Rajeev. I had plenty of time to
look within during my marathon. Almost ten hours as it turned out.
Mile 0 : It was 05:50 am. A bit cool in an otherwise unusual Sunday morning. Except that this was
not an unusual Sunday morning, at least not for me and certainly, I am sure, not for my fellow marathoners.
I could see the tension/eagerness in everyone's faces despite Charu's contagious cheerful enthusiasm and
Rajeev P's cool assurance - "It's all okay guys - It is just a long run". A little after 6 am I think and we start.
I was walking briskly with my other team members as per plan. We were going to walk till the first ASHA
water stop somewhere near mile 1. I stopped, stretched, took off my jacket and was all set for my day of
running nirvana.
Mile 4 : I was a bit tired, so stopped to stretch. My teammates were well ahead of me at this time. As I finished
stretching and resumed running, a cop in a bike passed me by and asked me to step to the sidewalk as there was
a marathon in progress. I told him with some surprise that I am running it too. He was just as surprised but asked
me to step to the sidewalk anyways which I did. Just then the lead runners passed us. Damn, these guys were good,
and they were sprinting, for heaven's sake, in a marathon!! I continued on.
Mile 5 : I was just about to enter the trail and then the crowd came through. Suddenly, it seemed very crowded.
So many runners, running as though they were on a casual Sunday jog. It had taken them 25 minutes to cover the
5 miles which took me 85 minutes. My confidence was shot. I recovered a bit when I reminded myself of what Tony
told us - Run your own race. Thanks Tony. I was running on.
Miles 6 - 8 : I saw several familiar ASHA faces pass me by. Seeing all the ASHA shirts in the crowd made me proud.
I am not alone after all, I thought. After mile 8, however, it was getting quite lonely. It was already 08:30 am and it
almost seemed as though everyone else was quite ahead of me. I did run by the ASHA booth and also ran in to Deepak
in the parking lot ( almost didn't recogonize him with his wig and all ). He told me to just finish, don't worry about time.
With that good advice, I moved on. Looking back, miles 4 - 8 were the best miles of the race. I had the most fun out
there and thoroughly enjoyed the running.
Miles 8 - 10 : So, the going was getting a bit tough. My calves and ITB had already shown up at Mile 7 or so. I stopped
and stretched which made me feel a bit better but by mile 9, my calves were quite stiff and hurting. My run/walk routine
had become more of a walk-run-when-you-can routine. I was reminded of an Eminem song called "I am a Soldier". I told
myself that. For what seemed like ages, I didn't see another marathon runner anywhere on the trail. Finally, someone passed
me by and it actually felt good to have some company.
Miles 10 - 13 : Oh, God, was this lonely. It never seemed to end. By this time, I was telling myself to just get to mile 13.1.
I had mentally prepared myself to run two half-marathons instead of one full marathon. It was a trick that worked for me during
the long runs ( where I would think of a 13 miler as two six milers and so on ). This really helped me. I only thought of getting
to mile 13 and nothing else at this point. I finally made it to the half-marathon mark. It was 10:30-ish. I had taken about 4.5 hours
to finish the half marathon. I was definitely discouraged by my time. Plus, my calves and my left ITB were really bothering me.
I took a 5 minute break, went in to the bathroom, washed my face and told myself that all I had to run was one half-marathon.
I came out and continued.
Miles 13 - 16 : My enthusiasm for the second half dropped as soon as I came out of the school and saw the nice, luxury bus waiting
to drive the half-marathoners back to the start. Damn, I thought to myself, I could be on the bus. "Screw this soldier stuff and go home",
my mind told me. I was reminded of Galloway's left brain/right brain message in his book. This was my mind messing with me. I
reached for a strong dose of goo ( may the goo-gods be honored and worshipped by all ye who take to your feet ). I kept going.
This is where the going got really tough. It was extremely lonely. I was running in the sidewalk of busy streets. It didn't feel like a marathon.
Plus, I wasn't sure of my way, I just sort of trudged through looking for obscure chalk marks in non-descript streets. A couple of people were
even surprised that I was still in the marathon. I finally came across a water stop just about when they were ready to close and go home!
They were quite taken aback to find out that I was in the marathon but they helped me with some much needed accelarade and water.
This was around mile 14.5 or so I figured and I was feeling good still, from the goo rush and my pain was a constant companion whom I
chose to ignore for the moment. I was fine until about mile 15.5 or so and just when I thought things were going my way, I had a crash.
I was near the entrance to the creek but I thought I would have to enter from the Vasona park entrance so I crossed the road. I was
feeling quite crappy at this time and I had deep thoughts on why I was doing this to myself. The wrong move across the road was the
last straw. As I waited, at the signal near the Vasona county park entrance, I had a very strong desire to call a cab. I reached for my cell
phone, stared at it for a couple of minutes and then I got the cross signal. I crossed the road and said what the hell - let me just do it.
I entered the trail and by now I was limping. My calves were killing me, my left ITB was very upset with me and I started having abrasion
irritation on my left little toe plus my right quads were beginning to cramp from all the extra load I put on my right leg to compensate for
the pain in my left leg. I suddenly realized that I was way past my goo time - I took the last goo packet I had and told myself that I will
survive until the ASHA booth and then decide whether to continue or not. By the time I reached the ASHA booth I was pretty well goo-ed up
and saw Karthik and other wonderful ASHA volunteers waiting patiently for me. Karthik asked me if I was ok. I told him "I am in a bit of pain
but I think I can finish". Karthik responded with an emphatic "Of course, you will finish! Here have some gatorade". So, off I was, after a bottle
of gatorade and another to go. Thanks Karthik for that morale booster.
Miles 16 - 18 : Somewhere along here, Deepak came along on his bike. He didn't ask me about my pain. The first thing he said was, "Here
have some food" and gave me an energy bar. God, it felt good. I devoured it and chased it with about a bottle of water. Deepak patiently
walked his bike with me until about mile 18, cheering me on.
Miles 18 - 21 : At mile 18, my good friend, Arvind P, who had come to cheer for the race, joined me. He was with me till the end of the race.
He really helped me take my mind off the race and walked/ran with me till the very end. Thanks man, I could not have done the marathon without
you. Somewhere near mile 19 I think, Pradeep and Ganesh also joined me. Deepak, who had left to get some food and medicines, also rode back
to join us near mile 19 and dropped off his bike and continued with us on foot. Now, I was feeling very special. Pradeep was giving me some water, Ganesh
was giving me Gatorade, Arvind was carrying extra bottles of water and gatorade and Mr. Deepak had a full supply kit, it seemed, in his backpack. I felt
like a star with my own personal coaching team! We finally got out of the creek trail and I recall it was about 8.5 hours already since my start.
Miles 21 - 25 : We were back in civilization again. I have never been so glad to see suburbia. The creek trail was just too monotonous and sapped my
strength. Seeing cars, people, Dunkin' Donuts and stop lights made me feel great. I didn't run at all from mile 18 onwards. So, we decided to walk for
a little while longer, just to give my legs a bit of time to recover. The Ibuprofen Deepak gave me was working and my pain in my legs was not as bad. Plus,
Aruna was kind enough to get us some awesome samosas and drinks. I went a bit ahead while everyone else took a short, well-deserved samosa break.
I managed to lose my way a bit but after some expert guidance from ASHA folks via cell, we were back on track. Somewhere near mile 24, I think,
Arun and Heeral dropped by. Arun offered to give my legs a quick massage but I turned it down coz I was afraid I might just quit if I stopped. And, I had
set myself a goal of finishing under 10 hours just to keep me going. Everyone responded very well to my desire of finishing under 10 and rallied me forward.
Mile 25 - Mile 26 .2 :
Oh what can I say? When we reached Virginia Street, we decided to start running. Pradeep encouraged me on by reminding me of how beautiful the medal
was. Plus, Pradeep had applied a couple of Bengay strips on my legs which did wonders to relieve the pain. Ganesh set a very achievable pace for me by
doing a 12-minute fast walk. Deepak and Arvind were running behind me and did their best to keep my mind distracted from the pain. It simply felt great
to be surrounded by so much good vibes. The running was very tough but somehow I continued as I knew that so many people had staked so much for
me to finish. When I finally turned the bend, I was almost euphoric. I was straining to see all of your faces and then suddenly, as if by magic, I saw you
folks, waiting with a big Indian flag on the grass. God, was that a sight for sore eyes or what? I hit the green patch and started sprinting. I was able to
finish strong and I must admit that it was the best feeling ever for me. I haven't felt this ecstatic in my life. Everyone congratulated me, hugged me and
I felt so wonderful and cared for. I may run another marathon or some other race and may do better time but I will always cherish this finish as one of my
life's most memorable moments. Kudos to running and three cheers for ASHA.
Thanks to all the wonderful people who waited till the very end just to see me finish. It really means a lot to me. Thank you.
Thanks Deepak for your sincerety and dedication to making this season truly wonderful.
Thanks Pradeep for your dedication and effort in bringing us all this far and for a wonderful season. Thanks for your help and encouragement.
Thanks Ganesh for your support and encouragement till the finish.
Thanks Arvind for everything. Thanks for coming out on a Sunday and spending 3.5 hours to support me.
Thanks Rajeev P, Rajeev Char and Tony for your mentoring, coaching, patience and humor.
Thanks Anu for your amazing enthusiasm.
Thanks to all my team mates and my running buddies for making this experience so memorable.
Thanks to all the magnificent co-ordinators and dedicated volunteers without whom such a marathon effort would not be possible.
Above all, thanks to the ASHA spirit that helped me finish a marathon and despite finishing last still made me feel like a champion.
And, in true ASHA style, I bid adieu to this marathon season with my own rhyme :
As we part ways after this long trail,
of hills and valleys, o'er which we prevail,
to triumphant glory for a season well-run,
and a toast, not to the end, but for a journey, just begun.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Tsunami/Earthquake shifted India eastwards!
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1368902,0008.htm?headline=Top~Indian~cities~shifted~eastward!
Not exactly what our babus mean by "Look east policy" eh? :-)
South India moved the most on the day of the quake — by more than 15 mm. On an average, Thiruvananthapuram moved by 26 mm, Bangalore by 15 mm and Hyderabad by 10 mm. The displacement decreases northwards — Dehradun moved by only about 2 mm.
Not exactly what our babus mean by "Look east policy" eh? :-)
Friday, April 29, 2005
More on Vietnam and Hanoi Jane
Vietnam war was not the bloodiest war in American History ( that would be the Civil war in which more Americans were killed than all of America's other wars combined ).
However, Vietnam war would easily qualify as one of the most divisive American war ever ( even the current Iraq war doesn't come close to the rancour created by the Vietnam war especially after the Tet offensive ).
Which is why I can understand the anger that the average American felt against Jane Fonda ( a.k.a. "Hanoi Jane" ) who went to Hanoi, North Vietnam during August of 1972 and couldn't stop talking about the wonders of Communism. This is her stance :
Now that World knows the truth about Communism, we can be more sanguine about Communism than Hanoi Jane's feverish idolatry of a violent, totalitarian ideology. I couldn't resist a wry smile when I read about the man who rained ( tobacco that is ) on Hanoi Jane's parade ( not that I condone his conduct but it is sweet revenge indeed! ). Here are the details :
A bit more background about Hanoi Jane - I wonder why someone who was so ostensibly in love with Communist North Vietnam chose to live in Capitalist America. Gee - maybe her trust fund had something to with it. :-)
Hanoi Jane reminds me of our great "intellectuals" and "artists" in India who make trips to Pakistan only to disparage India.
However, Vietnam war would easily qualify as one of the most divisive American war ever ( even the current Iraq war doesn't come close to the rancour created by the Vietnam war especially after the Tet offensive ).
Which is why I can understand the anger that the average American felt against Jane Fonda ( a.k.a. "Hanoi Jane" ) who went to Hanoi, North Vietnam during August of 1972 and couldn't stop talking about the wonders of Communism. This is her stance :
On November 21, 1970 she told a University of Michigan audience of some two thousand students, "If you understood what communism was, you would hope, you would pray on your knees that we would some day become communist." At Duke University in North Carolina she repeated what she had said in Michigan, adding "I, a socialist, think that we should strive toward a socialist society, all the way to communism. " Washington Times July 7, 2000
Now that World knows the truth about Communism, we can be more sanguine about Communism than Hanoi Jane's feverish idolatry of a violent, totalitarian ideology. I couldn't resist a wry smile when I read about the man who rained ( tobacco that is ) on Hanoi Jane's parade ( not that I condone his conduct but it is sweet revenge indeed! ). Here are the details :
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Reuters) - A man who said he was a Vietnam veteran spat tobacco juice in Jane Fonda's face at a Kansas City book signing, calling her a traitor for a trip she made to Hanoi in 1972, police said on Wednesday.
The man, 54-year-old Michael Smith, waited in line for about 90 minutes before spitting a "large amount" of tobacco juice into Fonda's face, according to Kansas City police.
Smith was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
The 67-year-old Oscar-winning actress was in town as part of a book-signing tour for her newly released autobiography titled "My Life So Far."
In the book, she addresses her position as a polarizing figure for many Vietnam veterans and others outraged by her 1972 trip to Hanoi to oppose the Vietnam war.
During that trip she was photographed laughing as she sat on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft tank.
In an interview with the Kansas City Star, Smith said Fonda was a "traitor" who had been spitting in the faces of war veterans for years.
"There are a lot of veterans who would love to do what I did," the Star quoted Smith as saying.
A bit more background about Hanoi Jane - I wonder why someone who was so ostensibly in love with Communist North Vietnam chose to live in Capitalist America. Gee - maybe her trust fund had something to with it. :-)
Hanoi Jane reminds me of our great "intellectuals" and "artists" in India who make trips to Pakistan only to disparage India.
Vietnam remebers fall of Saigon
Vietnam remebers fall of Saigon
The fall of Saigon in 1975. One of the definitive moments of the Twentieth Century.
A superpower, a lumbering leviathan of staggering proportions, humbled by a tiny, backward peasant army ( albeit backed by two strong powers )! The Vietnam war has always reminded me of the Biblical David-Goliath story. A classic asymmetric struggle in which the underdog wins.
Of course, nothing in the real world can be reduced to such simplistic duality.
The Vietnam war was a war fought on many ideological fronts and for completely
different reasons. To the Americans it was a war to halt the alarming spread of
Communism and keep the world safe for democracy. To the Communists ( including the
Communist North Vietnamese ) it was a people's struggle against Imperialism.
But, to the millions of simple, Vietnamese peasants who fought this war it was
simply a fight for Vietnamese pride and honor. I have had the opportunity to interact with Vietnamese expatriates in the US and also with Vietnam veterans ( i.e. American soldiers and marines who fought in Vietnam ). I got two different views of the war from both of these groups. The Vietnamese expats were quite critical of the US role but were virulently anti-communist ( in fact, many of them are staunch Republicans ) and I could sense that there was a strong undercurrent of Old Vietnamese Nationalism in their world-view.
The American veterans, on the other hand, were quite a contrite bunch. Some of them were of course gung-ho GI-Joe types who were serving God, Country and Freedom
but almost all of them expressed some moral ambivalence about the war. The few introspective ones amongst them did in fact questioned the purpose of the war and
the way it was fought ( the use of chemical weapons such as Agent Orange for example ). But, all of them were unanimous in their praise for the Vietname soldiers and
their fighting spirit. It was quite obviouse that the Americans had gone in to the
war with received colonialist stereotypes about the "Timid Oriental" and came back
from the war with the singular impression of the Vietnamese fighter as a diminutive
but determined and fierce warrior. Bravo!
Which is why I am quite saddened by this :
This reminds me so much of the current situation in India. India' freedom struggle ranks as one of the greatest people's movement in the history of the world. It had
so many differnt strands, philosophies, ideologies and personalities. However, woven within this rich tapestry is the common thread that is the thirst for 300 million plus for freedom and dignity. I wonder if our nation's youth even have a dim recollection of this great people's movement. We would be far poorer for having forgotten such an essential part of our own history.
The fall of Saigon in 1975. One of the definitive moments of the Twentieth Century.
A superpower, a lumbering leviathan of staggering proportions, humbled by a tiny, backward peasant army ( albeit backed by two strong powers )! The Vietnam war has always reminded me of the Biblical David-Goliath story. A classic asymmetric struggle in which the underdog wins.
Of course, nothing in the real world can be reduced to such simplistic duality.
The Vietnam war was a war fought on many ideological fronts and for completely
different reasons. To the Americans it was a war to halt the alarming spread of
Communism and keep the world safe for democracy. To the Communists ( including the
Communist North Vietnamese ) it was a people's struggle against Imperialism.
But, to the millions of simple, Vietnamese peasants who fought this war it was
simply a fight for Vietnamese pride and honor. I have had the opportunity to interact with Vietnamese expatriates in the US and also with Vietnam veterans ( i.e. American soldiers and marines who fought in Vietnam ). I got two different views of the war from both of these groups. The Vietnamese expats were quite critical of the US role but were virulently anti-communist ( in fact, many of them are staunch Republicans ) and I could sense that there was a strong undercurrent of Old Vietnamese Nationalism in their world-view.
The American veterans, on the other hand, were quite a contrite bunch. Some of them were of course gung-ho GI-Joe types who were serving God, Country and Freedom
but almost all of them expressed some moral ambivalence about the war. The few introspective ones amongst them did in fact questioned the purpose of the war and
the way it was fought ( the use of chemical weapons such as Agent Orange for example ). But, all of them were unanimous in their praise for the Vietname soldiers and
their fighting spirit. It was quite obviouse that the Americans had gone in to the
war with received colonialist stereotypes about the "Timid Oriental" and came back
from the war with the singular impression of the Vietnamese fighter as a diminutive
but determined and fierce warrior. Bravo!
Which is why I am quite saddened by this :
National pride
The government says it hopes this year's anniversary commemorations will help to revive patriotism and national pride among the young.
Addressing senior Vietnamese leaders, war veterans and foreign diplomats - including US Ambassador Michael W Marine - in Hanoi, Mr Khai said: "Our people's victory in the resistance against the Americans for national salvation is forever written in our nation's history as one of the most glorious pages."
But he also said Vietnam needed to "avoid self-satisfaction, and realise the weaknesses and challenges posed to us".
And he added that his government advocated "friendly co-operation to strengthen relations with countries that took part in the Vietnam War."
This reminds me so much of the current situation in India. India' freedom struggle ranks as one of the greatest people's movement in the history of the world. It had
so many differnt strands, philosophies, ideologies and personalities. However, woven within this rich tapestry is the common thread that is the thirst for 300 million plus for freedom and dignity. I wonder if our nation's youth even have a dim recollection of this great people's movement. We would be far poorer for having forgotten such an essential part of our own history.
Back in Action Again
Howdy folks,
Sorry for the long break. I had many things going on that kept me away from scribbling away to my heart's glory. Anyways, I am thinking about re-starting my
history column and may also start a brand new blog on some other issues. Let's see.
For starters, I have stated one of my favorite quotes as the title of my blog :
"Lege, Lege, Lege - Scientia sequitur" which is latin for "Read, Read, Read - Knowlege beckons". A quote I picked up thanks to my Jesuit education and have kept quite close
to my heart.
Stay tuned. More to come.
Sorry for the long break. I had many things going on that kept me away from scribbling away to my heart's glory. Anyways, I am thinking about re-starting my
history column and may also start a brand new blog on some other issues. Let's see.
For starters, I have stated one of my favorite quotes as the title of my blog :
"Lege, Lege, Lege - Scientia sequitur" which is latin for "Read, Read, Read - Knowlege beckons". A quote I picked up thanks to my Jesuit education and have kept quite close
to my heart.
Stay tuned. More to come.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
The South-East Asia Earthquake and Tsunami
Please help Volunteers for India Development and Empowerment
help the victims of the disaster in Nagapattinam district in Tamilnadu, Southern India and also Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Pls. visit our web site.
You can donate on-line.
Thanks.
help the victims of the disaster in Nagapattinam district in Tamilnadu, Southern India and also Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Pls. visit our web site.
You can donate on-line.
Thanks.
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
History - Why the apathy?
Let's face it. History is not the sexiest career one can pursue. As for careers, being a rock star or a great writer or a pop singer would definitely be a lot cooler than any academic pursuiti. But even within academia there are many fields that command far greater respect and media attention than history. Science, for instance. Science receives more funding than any of the humanities. Famous scientists can compete with a few pop stars for notoriety. This shouldn't be surprising given the highy technical nature of our society. Atleast the physical sciences have an aura of precision, but even the prescriptive sciences such as economics have more popularity than history. Why this is the case is the subject of this essay.
A scientist is a nerd but atleast a socially useful nerd. The mathematician, the less popular cousin of the scientist, is a nerd whose assumed genius may not be as immediately productive as the scientist but could potentially yield to new theories in the future. Even the economist can predict the next stock market boom or bust and may bring untold riches to many. The sexiness of the arts and literature has already been noted. The exponents of thes fields formulate the sum of the human experience and hence have been accorded one of the most exalted positions of our society.
One can say that my thesis about the uncoolness of history could just as well be applied to the other social sciences. Sociology, Anthropology, Ethnology, Cultural studies and other allied subjects could all well be termed socially un-utilitarian and swept under the carpet of uncooldom. But, I disagree. Even within the academic species of social sciences, History is much more impoverished than her immediate cousins. Even the most intellectually frugal person can still see the utility of sociology as a study of contemporary social structures and issues. Cultural studies is immediately relevant. Post-modern studies offers a deconstructionist paradigm which puts it very close to the pinnacle of rebellious, bohemian coolness. But, no such luck for History.
As my narrative up to this point has strived to establish, History is neither sensuously rewarding like the arts or literature, nor socially utilitarian like the physical sciences or mathematics. It is not immediately relevant like the other social sciences. It does not examine the present. It does not attempt to predict the future ( a task best left to astrologers and politicians ). A consumerist society craves instant gratification. An utilitarian society mandates that all disciplines serve an immediate purpose ( as to what ends this purpose serves is not usually enquired in to ). An entertainment-crazy world evaluates all human endeavours by their "fun" quotient. Where does history measure up in such a world, society and culture? Any inquiry in to the nature and purpose of history must, of necessity, answer these questions.
A scientist is a nerd but atleast a socially useful nerd. The mathematician, the less popular cousin of the scientist, is a nerd whose assumed genius may not be as immediately productive as the scientist but could potentially yield to new theories in the future. Even the economist can predict the next stock market boom or bust and may bring untold riches to many. The sexiness of the arts and literature has already been noted. The exponents of thes fields formulate the sum of the human experience and hence have been accorded one of the most exalted positions of our society.
One can say that my thesis about the uncoolness of history could just as well be applied to the other social sciences. Sociology, Anthropology, Ethnology, Cultural studies and other allied subjects could all well be termed socially un-utilitarian and swept under the carpet of uncooldom. But, I disagree. Even within the academic species of social sciences, History is much more impoverished than her immediate cousins. Even the most intellectually frugal person can still see the utility of sociology as a study of contemporary social structures and issues. Cultural studies is immediately relevant. Post-modern studies offers a deconstructionist paradigm which puts it very close to the pinnacle of rebellious, bohemian coolness. But, no such luck for History.
As my narrative up to this point has strived to establish, History is neither sensuously rewarding like the arts or literature, nor socially utilitarian like the physical sciences or mathematics. It is not immediately relevant like the other social sciences. It does not examine the present. It does not attempt to predict the future ( a task best left to astrologers and politicians ). A consumerist society craves instant gratification. An utilitarian society mandates that all disciplines serve an immediate purpose ( as to what ends this purpose serves is not usually enquired in to ). An entertainment-crazy world evaluates all human endeavours by their "fun" quotient. Where does history measure up in such a world, society and culture? Any inquiry in to the nature and purpose of history must, of necessity, answer these questions.
History - Prologue
Ok This is going to be a rather long post. Maybe I will split in to multiple posts to keep it readable.
If you expected the usual cliched reasons to either support the study of history or to ignore it, you will be disappointed this post. My goal is to examine the idea of history as understood in the West and to examine its philosophy and practice in the Indian context. This post is also meant to be readable - on that note, I shall try to keep it free of the usual academic jargon and convey its meaning as simply as possible.
If you expected the usual cliched reasons to either support the study of history or to ignore it, you will be disappointed this post. My goal is to examine the idea of history as understood in the West and to examine its philosophy and practice in the Indian context. This post is also meant to be readable - on that note, I shall try to keep it free of the usual academic jargon and convey its meaning as simply as possible.
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Hello
This is my debut in to blogging. I have been reading too many blogs and finally decided to take the plunge myself. Stay tuned for more about me and my interests.
