Madhuri Palli, the first female runner from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh to have accomplished the grueling Comrades Marathon in South Africa.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
“The atmosphere during the run was electrifying with people of all age groups cheering us all along the route. The energy kept me going. I was running with a clear mind without the pressure of a set goal. I could sprint in the last few hundred metres and that was a great feeling,” says Madhuri Palli, a Visakhapatnam-based radiologist and founding father of Vizag Runners Society. The 46-year-old runner accomplished the Comrades Marathon held on June 11 in South Africa, a 89.885 kilometre race between the cities of Pietermaritzburg and Durban, in 10 hours and 57 minutes nicely forward of the cut-off time of 12 hours.
Madhuri says she owes it to her coach Ashok Nath and Vizag Runners Society for making her do the inconceivable. She tried her first full marathon in 2016 and over the years has accomplished three full marathons, 5 ultra-marathons and three 25-kilometre extremely marathons. Her longest one was the 65 kilometres Buddha Trails in Darjeeling. “But nothing surpasses the feeling of crossing the finishing line at Comrades Marathon. It is an ultimate test of endurance and mental fortitude,” says Madhuri, who grew to become the first female runner from Andhra Pradesh to complete the grueling marathon, identified for its demanding course and rigorous competitors.
Madhuri Palli, the first female runner from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh to have accomplished the grueling Comrades Marathon in South Africa, alongside together with her coaching group.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Her coaching started in January this 12 months beneath the steering of her Bengaluru-based coach Ashok Nath. “He had customised an effective training plan for me taking into consideration that I was injury prone,” she says. According to Madhuri, being dedicated to the coaching plan makes a number of distinction. “I used to run six days a week, twice a day for about an hour and a half. This included three days of difficult runs to up the distance covered and increase speed. Additionally, I also took utmost care for my nutrition and sleep,” she provides.
Madhuri, who works as a guide radiologist at Mahatma Gandhi Cancer Hospital in Visakhapatnam, underlines the significance of a great coach and assist group in the coaching for full marathons. When she tried her first full marathon in 2016, she ended up with a ache in the knee. “It took a while for me to recover. In fact, I wasn’t even sure if I would be able to finish the marathon,” says Madhuri. It was after this expertise that Madhuri began to analysis on the science of working and ultimately based the Vizag Runners Society.
As she focusses on rebuilding her energy after the difficult Comrades Marathon, Madhuri continues to encourage runners, particularly girls, as a part of the mentoring programme of Vizag Runners Society, to get into the working. “Running gives you discipline in life. Personally, it has helped me to come out of many challenging and stressful situations, when I felt like giving up,” she provides.
