As she crossed the finishing line, for 51-year-old IRTS officer Ity Pandey, it was a dream come true. A dream nurtured meticulously over a period of five years. Nothing beats this moment for a runner, and when it is Comrades Marathon, the joy is double. No wonder she was crying as she proudly took the Indian flag that her daughter handed over to her.
At that moment, nothing else mattered. Not even the fact that she had just created a record – that of becoming the first lady civil servant from Indian Railways to complete the Comrades Marathon, held annually in South Africa, also known as the Ultimate Human Race for the extreme difficulty level. Here, she completed 88.7 kms in 11.47 hrs at a pace of 8.
In an exclusive interview to Indian Masterminds from South Africa, Ms. Ity Pandey, IRTS, spoke about her Comrades experience, which would inspire all to follow their dreams, as dreams do come true if you chase them relentlessly, like Ms. Pandey did.
THE ULTIMATE HUMAN RACE
The Comrades Marathon is also known as the ‘Ultimate Human Race’ for its challenging terrain, demanding hills, and unpredictable weather conditions. One of the toughest ultra marathons in the world, it tests runners’ physical and mental endurance to the limits. Usually the marathon is of 90 kms, but, this time, because it ended in a cricket stadium, it was an 88.7 km run.
Most runners cannot complete it because there are five cut-off points, and if a participant does not cross any of the cut-offs within the stipulated time, he/she is immediately disqualified.
“I finished the race in 11.47 hrs at a pace of 8. I did my first cut-off in 3 hrs, 45 mins. I carried two bottles of water with me for this stretch. But, hereafter, I did not carry them as every 2 km had a hydration point where local people handed out water, cokes, ice-cream candies… cheering us all the time,” she said.
She added that fifty plus women are called ‘mama’ there, and the local people cheered her on with “Ity mama, you can complete it! Come on! Come on!!”.
HOW SHE TRAINED FOR IT
It’s a hill run, the entire stretch of it. So, she had to train for it accordingly. She said: “For me, the most interesting part of Comrades was the training. I went for training runs in Malabar Hills in Mumbai.”
She did not join any running groups. Instead, the lone runner opted to train alone. “I planned a schedule. I made it a point to clock a mileage of 90 kms in a week. I did 1400 kms in all for the training part,” she informed.
She used to get up at 3 am and go out for her runs. She explained why: “My time is not my own. Mine is a 24×7 job, and I can be called anytime to report for duty. There are all kinds of emergencies happening in the railways.”
Besides her job, she had to manage her home and kids. So, she had to do a fine balancing act.
WHEN SHE STARTED RUNNING
She started running with her husband back in 2005 when a friend introduced them to the Mumbai marathon. Ever since, there’s been no looking back. She has run 70 half marathons, 4 full marathons, 4 stadium runs of 12 hrs each, and won 5 podium finishes.
“Runners do other prestigious 42 kms like the Boston, London, Tokyo marathons first and the Comrades in the end. But, I turned the table upside down by starting off with the Comrades first. Now, all other runs seem like a small baby in comparison to Comrades,” she said.
Ms. Pandey’s husband, Mr. Vijendra Ojha, a 1993-batch IRS-IT officer, is also an endurance runner and was the first civil servant of the country to participate in Comrades Marathon, in 2017.
THE FEELING ON CROSSING THE FINISH LINE
As she crossed the finish line, Ms. Pandey felt euphoric, but most of all, she felt patriotic. She said, “I started crying as I took the Indian flag from my daughter. I had never felt so patriotic before. In that moment, I thought of my country, my family, my friends, and everyone who had helped me on this journey.”
For her, the most difficult part of the marathon was between 52-57 kms, an uphill climb that seemed to never end. She said, “My muscles were working against gravity. However, at the highest point at 23 kms, I was still running and not walking. I gave myself a pat that I could run this part too and did a small bhangra step there!”
Running is therapy for her. She explained, “It’s my prayer. In those moments, I am entirely consumed by bliss. Running brings out the best in me. I am happiest when I am running. It is what defines me.”
This is precisely why she never felt exhausted during her Comrades run. “Just felt a happy pain after the completion of the run,” she said.
DO NOT SIT ON DREAMS
Ms. Pandey ended her inspiring account of her Comrades journey with a few words of advice for all: “All dreams have a shelf life. Do not let them lie on the shelf for too long. Go out and take out the items in your bucket list, starting immediately! There is no replacement for the happiness and the pride you feel, having accomplished something which has been a part of your dream. And, nothing can limit you except yourself. So just define and redefine yourself, and go for it!”
