My running experiences began as early as I was in middle school as, intraschool track and field competitions. We were assigned to junior, intermediate and senior bins based on the height and weight. I was more of junior/intermediate category, till high school. I routinely participated in 100m, 200m and 400m sprints over next few years. I did win few. I still remember one of the first runs, with no experience or training on hand, I pretty much collapsed before the end line. Then it took some training advice to continue onto future events. After I graduated from high school, there was long-long pause of running, career took preference over sports. Then when I came to US, 14 years back to The Ohio State University, Ohio, I kind of started running, but limited to some indoor and outdoor running, no races. I was very much amused with the fact that people went out for a run any time of the day! Morning, afternoon, late afternoon, evening! I mean I am not used seeing anyone running at “odd†hours back in India, where the popular practice is to you get your run/walk in before the dawn. I did realize why someone would run at odd hours!
When I first moved to boston (2008), went for a stroll near MIT and Charles river area! Boy! What a sight it was, so many runners, I mean soo many!! With several strolls over, I still quip my wife Rashmi, “hey, boston keeps running all the time, look at that, morning, afternoon, evening, night, you name the time!!†Over the years, I realized Boston is so much of a runner’s paradise, hosting biggest running parties ever, every year, year after year!!  So many races, you can’t just pick one! You run, you make personal bests and in the next race you break your personal best!!  All those runners, they run for a cause, for a personal best, for a reason!
Last year (2014) I associated myself little with the RFRD activities by volunteering at Mile 14 in Wellesley and carried my camera too! So much emotions, adrenaline rush! So many causes!
Some of RFRD members came through too!
And there it is! I also hopped on this race bus!  A few 5k, 10ks, 5milers, 2 half marathons, and tons of learning experience! That’s my hall of whatever you want to call it!
Next stop, Boston Marathon 2015! The Grand running event of it all! Running for a life changing experience! Running for a cause! What better reason than running to create awareness in the professional area you work in!
Thanks for sharing your pictures Praveen. Pretty exciting to get an up close look.
I enjoyed your commentary too. I love running and can understand the drive to get out there at any time of day but I still think it’s a little crazy! Have you read, “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running” by Haruki Murakami? You might enjoy Murakami’s reflections on running, including along the Charles River.
Thanks Emma for your comments, if you are in boston during marathon time frame, you should take time to be at Mile 14, its a sight to cherish! so many different reasons to run! I have taken more than 100-150 pictures when I was there last time! At mile 14, runners start trickling in with women’s elite, men’s elite, then waves BQ’s, and then its a tsunami of runners!!
Thanks for the book suggestion and I will look it up.