Sunita Tummalapalli
Introduction
I, Sunita Tummalapalli, am a home
maker with three children. I completed Masters degree in Nutrition from West
Virginia University, USA and I am a Reebok Certified fitness trainer. I started
‘Fitness Zone’, a fitness center for women, in 2002 and then co-founded ‘Helios’, a fitness center for men and
women, in 2003.
I work with few NGOs and am also
learning Kuchipudi dance. I always enjoy outdoor activities such as trekking
and cycling. I trained a lot and ran short distances in the past along with my
clients, but never had plans to run long distances. But all that changed when I
went on a trek to the Everest Base
Camp in 2008 and witnessed a marathon. I was really intrigued by the
marathon. The idea of running long distances fascinated me. So I decided to
start something I had never done before, running long distances. Since then I
ran five official half marathons, 9 full marathons and one ultra marathon
(50K). I also summited Mt.
Kilimanjaro.
What motivates me
Running keeps me fit and gives me an
opportunity to travel to places I wouldn’t visit otherwise. Living in an urban
setting where there is no real chance to enjoy the beauty of nature, I feel
that running gives me an opportunity to enjoy nature in different forms and
places. Running to me, is also a stress buster. When I am stressed out, just
going out and running makes me feel much better. I manage my time better these
days and I am more disciplined with my diet and training. I am part of a very active running
group that motivates me to perform really well, Hyderabad Runners.
My training schedule
My workout schedule comprises of
three runs in the local park, a hill run as a variation and, some cross
training and strength training every week. I believe that to run long
distances, you have to have not only the endurance but also the strength,
something I have acquired through strength training.
Long distance running requires lot of
discipline and dedication. To be able to get up very early in the morning means
going to bed early, this means no late night movies or going out for an ice
cream at night. It is not easy to compromise on social life.
Then, you may ask, “why do you run?”
I run because….
I enjoy running
I want to stay fit
I run for the satisfaction
I run to feel good
I run to get fresh air
I run to stay disciplined
I run for the runner’s high…….
The long list goes on.
My goals
My short term goals are to run the
New Zealand Kepler
challenge (60k) on the Kepler mountains on December 1st and the Mumbai
marathon on January 20th. My long term goal is to run marathons
in all the continents and run multi-day/stage races in the mountains. I hope to
participate in a triathlon some day. I know these are highly arduous challenges
but I do believe I can achieve them with some hard work.
How do I manage my time
It is tough to manage my time between
my family, training and travel. I have two sons who are currently in their
teenage phase which means that they need a lot of guidance and I also have a
daughter who is just eight years old. This means that I have to spend most of
my time with them. With such a hectic schedule, I still manage to find time to
run.
To train for long distances, I have
to get up early in the morning to escape the horrid traffic and hot weather
conditions. Also safety is an issue for a women runner so this restricts me
from running very early in the morning when most of the city is sleeping. But I
feel much safer running with the ‘Hyderabad
Runners’ group, which I joined in 2008. It has more than 1,200 members,
with people from various age groups.
This group is now my extended family.
Achievements I am proud of
Among all the runs, one marathon I’m
very proud of is The Everest Base
Camp Marathon (December 2011), the marathon that inspired me to run long
distances in the first place. It starts with a two week acclimatization trek on
the beautiful Himalayas. The run starts at an altitude of 17,000 ft, where the
air is very thin. This marathon was extremely tough as the terrain was very
dangerous with lot of steep up hills and down hills. But I was very ardent
about finishing it.
My advice to newbies
It’s a beautiful feeling to go out and run. The
happiness you get from running is very different from that you get from other
achievements. For students and professionals, the running can be a big stress
buster and also keep them fit. I also encourage you to involve your family
members in the running, you can spend quality time together while staying fit.
It is very strenuous, yet amazing. One should start
with short distances and have to be careful not to suddenly increase the speed
or the distances. Running shoes and posture are very important as well as the
rest, recovery, diet and sleep. One should warm up and cool down and stretch
before and after the runs.
In my opinion, first you should be
able to differentiate between a ‘good pain’ and a ‘bad pain’. If it is a good
pain which comes with good workout, it goes away after you rest. If it is a bad pain or joint pain you
should consult a sports medicine doctor.
Train hard and rest well. Recovery
periods are very important to perform well and to avoid injuries. Good protein intake
is necessary for muscle tissue recovery. There is lot of information available
online on training and nutrition. What works for one may not necessarily work
for everyone. So, be wise and listen to your body.
I
started swimming at the age of 3. My dad aspired that I should join the sport
and excel in it. He wanted to see his dreams come true through me. My 74 year
grandfather took me to swimming pool on his bicycle. Thanks to him, because
of his caring that I now stand in the position of a national medalist.
