Endurance weekend

1. Was watching the amazing match between Verdasco and Nadal on Friday. Desperately wanted Verdasco to win, but Nadal is simply too good to be beaten. Though I think none has given him such a challenge as Verdasco did in that match. What makes it more special is that he cramped up in the third set, yet went on to play for 2 more hours to take the match into the fifth, dishing out some excellent tennis and matching Nadal stroke for stroke, only to end up losing to a double fault. I salute him for his endurance.

2. Was going to IIT on Saturday. Was waiting at the bus stop for the AC bus, for I cannot stand a 1.5 hour ride in the regular buses in the unforgiving afternoon heat in Mumbai. Saw an old man get down from some bus. He walked up to me and asked for an address, that was well over a couple of kilometers from where we were. I suggested he take an auto to go there, to which he simply replied - 'Arey beta, sharir budha hua hai, par pair to abhi jawan hai!' (My body has grown old son, but my legs are still young!) and proceeded to walk the way to his destination. Now he didn't look like someone who "couldn't" afford an auto ride, but was rather willing to foresake it, because he was confident that he could endure the walk in the sweltering heat. So moved I was by his determination that I ditched an AC bus that happened to arrive just then for a crowded regular bus trailing it. Sometimes we take for granted life's little luxuries so much so that we lack the will to endure its little challenges occasionally.

3. I usually go jogging for 4km daily (planning to raise the bar to 5km soon). Yesterday, my right leg cramped up before I had completed even my first 200m warmup round. Still I went on and ran the entire 4km as a tribute to Verdasco's superhuman efforts 2 days ago. Took me 40 mins against my usual 30. Foolhardy? Perhaps; but it was an amazing feeling I got when I completed the stretch. I know my attempt cannot compare to challenges that most of us have to put up with, but it's worth enduring them for the sense of achievement that you get at the end.