At the crack of dawn on this Sunday, the 17th of this month, the streets of Mumbai woke up to the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. And while a hundred thousands of marathoners did Mumbai proud, our very own Executive Editor at BeBeautiful—Girija Naiksatam—clocked an awesome 2 hrs 26 mins at her second (Half) Marathon! All cheers and excite, we at team BB (read: Chandni Ghosh, Dayle Pereira and I) put her through a rapid fire round on, about and around her marathon experience. Here’s what she had to say…
 

What’s the first thing/ what’s going on in your mind while running the marathon?

What’s the first thing/ what’s going on in your mind while running the marathon?

What pace I’m running at.

Don’t you want to pee/ poop in the middle of the marathon?

You do want to pee, but thankfully, you’re losing a lot of water while sweating, plus I hate using public toilets so that had me covered.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen during one of your runs?

People taking selfies on the Bandra Worli Sea Link!

Have you ever been chased while on the run by a creep/dog/anyone/anything while on a run?

Yes, I’ve been chased by dogs.

And what do you do then?

You just run faster.

 

Tell us about your secret running fear?

Tell us about your secret running fear?

Falling on my face and breaking my teeth.

First thought after completing the marathon?

Thank God it’s over!

Thoughts 15 minutes after completing the marathon?

I am a total, complete badass!

Any one person who pushed you to work hard for the marathon?

Yes, my coach Giles Drego.

What does the body go through after having run a marathon?

You’ve been in motion for so long that your insides actually feel tangled when you stop. You’re trying to catch your breath and trying to walk like a normal person; both of which are very difficult to do.

If you were to describe your performance this year, what would you say?

The best is yet to come.

 

You will always find happiness in being a runner because…

You will always find happiness in being a runner because…

It makes me feel free, and it makes me feel like I was born to run. In fact, historically speaking, we all were.

Was there ever a point while training where you thought you would not be able to complete the marathon?

No, never!

The most important tip to keep in mind while training?

Show up for training! Show up for each and every day. That’s half the job done already.

What is your most crucial piece of apparel/equipment that aided you during your training?

Water and obviously my shoes; the Nike Air Zoom Structure 19 which are rock solid and provide me stability on all surfaces.

Did you undertake any dietary measures a week before your marathon?

I had my last unhealthy meal on  New Year‘s eve. Three days before the marathon I ate as many good carbs as I could, drank two and a half liters of water a day and stayed off my feet.

How do you motivate yourself to keep going pushing your limits and going further?

I hate losing (laughs) and I’m just really, really desperate to do better.