Right from 1st grade, I was the most non-athletic kid in my class. Thin and emaciated, I never participated in any athletic events or sports.
In IIT, I flunked the first-year compulsory physical activity course because I hated the morning ‘walk and run’ and ended up falling short on attendance. Naturally, I thought of myself as a good-for-nothing guy when it came to anything physical or athletic.
And then, to make things really complicated, I got into the Indian Police Service, which has a really grueling training routine. I was putting on a brave face but was completely terrified.
Just to overcome my fear, I started pushing myself physically whenever I had the opportunity. During our training in Mussoorie, I opted for the hard trek. Though I did not qualify, I got to do the second hardest trek route.
In the National Police Academy, I found that I was not too bad at running and had good endurance. In the first cross country run, I ended up in the top 5% of the batch.
I have been running regularly for many years, though nothing extreme. I run 10 km a few times a week and really enjoy it.
We often assume that there are things we are incapable of. But how will you ever know until you push yourself?
Find your limits — don’t just assume them.
– Rajan