Kam Kaur had the the opportunity to interview Bali Kaur, a keen runner, Marathon Queen and overall inspirational woman.
Bali, tell me a little bit about your fitness background…
Hi Kamal thank you for this opportunity to share my experiences with you and I hope my story inspires others.
In my teens and early 20s I never liked anything fitness related, even walking to the local shop – a 2 minute walk from my home – felt like a marathon! I hated PE at school, I thought it was wrong to be out of breath and sweaty – I remember thinking that surely this can’t be normal!
In March 2014, at the age of 30, my outlook changed. I went to Thailand and did a jungle trek in Chiang Mai. The trip was sold as ‘bamboo rafting’ and ‘elephant trekking’, I totally missed the small print of ’10 hours hiking in 3 days’. It was during this trip I realized how unfit I actually was. I struggled to keep up with the rest of the group. I was so out of breath that I felt as if I was dying! At that moment, I made the decision to join a gym when I returned from my trip and that’s exactly what I did.
Fast forward a few months and I was on a tube in London when an advertisement caught my eye ‘Thames Path Challenge’, intrigued by this, I Googled what this was. I found out it was a ‘walk, jog or run 25km, 50km or 100km’ challenge event with a company called Action Challenge. They are London-based and organise challenges both UK & abroad. This stirred something in me and I was drawn to taking part. I got together with a group of friends (Naresh, Reeta, Raj and Harpreet) and we walked 25km from Hampton Court to Staines. It took me 4.5 hours to complete and the pain was unreal the next day, I felt as if I had been hit by a bus. At the time, I thought to myself what kind of crazy people would ever do 100km?! (I have since completed five x 100km races). This is where my fitness journey really began and I have never looked back, and this is why the Thames will always have a special place in my heart.
How did you first get into running and did you always enjoy it?
Running has never come naturally to me, but it’s something I aspired to get better at. I believe improving my fitness gave me the confidence to carry on reaching my goals.
My running journey started in 2016, I found out 5km Park Runs were held at my local park, Newbold Comyn in Leamington Spa, so I started using that route, along with my work friends Craig and Vicki, to practice running techniques.
My friend Jenny was also taking part in the London Marathon at the time, so I bit the bullet and signed up to a half marathon. I did go on to complete this but I got injured, due to lack of training. Something I recommend to all is train and condition your legs, don’t do what I did! I still remember the pain in my shins and not being able to catch my breath.
This injury cost me my confidence and it took me 2 months to recover. That still didn’t stop me so when my friend Rachelle introduced me to a local running club called ‘Run Like A Girl’, I persevered and completed their ‘Couch to 5k’ programme within 8 weeks. I also strength-trained at the gym during this time. As my body got stronger, I entered more and more races. To date, I have completed races ranging from 5km to 80 miles and I will one day be a 100 mile finisher that is without a doubt.
Taking part in races can stir up so many emotions. I feel nervous and anxious pre-race, then feelings of self-doubt kick in during it but I feel absolutely amazing once I finish. This is what makes me stronger and this is how I grow because I’ve pushed myself out of my comfort zone.
How do you fit running around your job within the emergency services?
I work shifts and follow a pattern of 6 days on and 4 days off, so I always train around my shifts. If anything, working night shifts has helped my performance in Ultra Marathons as my body is used to being awake at night!
What goes through your mind when you are running?
There are a few things I think which helps keep me motivated. I try to think about where I was and how far I’ve come. I think of having a nice hot bath after a long run and having my fave takeaway. Most importantly, I think how I blessed I am to be able to run.
What advice do you have for a runner who is stuck in a rut?
Always have a why, your mind will always give up before your body does so it’s important to remember why you started running in the first place. When your body is tired, run with your heart.
I find running with others, especially during Lockdown, has helped so much. Recently, I’ve been running with a work friend, Claire, to get her up to half marathon distance but really she’s been keeping me going!
I also recommend listening to podcasts and audio books. Earlier this year I took to running round a 400m athletic track for four hours. You can imagine how mentally challenging that was, going round and round, but I listened to Ant Middleton’s ‘First Man In’ audio book the whole time and before I knew it, 20 miles were completed!
What does it feel like when you complete a marathon?
A real feeling of accomplishment, can’t really explain it any other way. Your body will be tired, you will be aching but your soul will be happy. I always tell myself that pain is temporary and achievement is forever.
Looking back, what advice would you give to your younger self?
Don’t be afraid to fail, be afraid of not trying.
Is there anything you’d tell new runners to help them to learn to love running?
Running with others makes the experience more enjoyable, you are more motivated and time goes so much quicker than solo running. Not to say solo running isn’t good either, but you need the mental capacity to do this. Also, don’t focus on pace and never compare yourself to others as everyone is on their own journey and has their own reason to why they run.
I know you love partying, travelling and living life to the fullest. How do you mentally switch off and prepare yourself for a marathon or race?
I never really switch off as fitness is my passion and I love it so much. Since 2015, my travels abroad have all been adventure/fitness-related. I’ve taken on Mount Kilimanjaro, I’ve trekked to Everest Base Camp, I’ve completed five Ultra Marathons, in addition to the Virgin Money London Marathon. Two years ago, I took on a double marathon in the Sahara Desert, then days later I flew to China to trek the Great Wall. These challenges kept me focused as they were all so different. They also motivated me to train all year round so I don’t have to start from scratch or prepare myself.
What’s the biggest myth about running?
I’ve heard that running is bad for your knees, which is not true. As long as you train correctly, your body will reap the benefits.
Also, that to be a runner, you must be fast. Again untrue, if you run, you’re a runner regardless of pace. A 6 min/mile is the same distance as a 12 min/mile.
How do you mentally prepare for a run?
I tend to break the run down into smaller chunks. I also visualise the finish line and think of all the yummy food I’ve earned!
What are your 2020 personal fitness/wellbeing goals?
To be stronger, fitter and faster. To achieve personal bests in every running distance and introduce intervals and hill sprints to grow and improve my running. To continue with HIIT training as it’s so effective and I would recommend it to anyone.
Thank you Bali for being so open and honest about your passion for fitness. We are all out there battling the same demons, and it’s great you get out there and hit the pavement. I hope you achieve all your goals and much more!
With thanks to Kam for writing this incredible piece and bringing Bali to our attention! What a powerful, inspiring woman!