Do you give up on your passion to live a conventional lifestyle ?

The answer is no ! You don’t !

You make the passion a part of your life.

This was my major take away from last Sunday’s, WARM UP workshop with Decathlon held at Sohna Road, Gurgaon. Two amazing individuals/experts Chetan Sehgal, a Hiker and Captain Dharamveer, a Running enthusiast spoke about their experiences, tips and more importantly shared their mistakes and failures with us. One does not become a hiker or a runner over night. Its desire, commitment, hard-work and a will to succeed.

Chetan Sehgal, a real estate professional and dedicated hiker, spoke about how hiking is an activity that gives him inner peace. It’s the time he spends on himself. Don’t we all crave for that ‘me time’ !

In Chetan’s words, “We are all leading busy lives and have day-to-day commitments, which bog us down tremendously. While we do a lot for our careers, family, spouse and friends, what do we do for ourselves?” “Hiking is the ‘me time’ that helps me strike a balance in life and break the monotony of my daily routine. It might seem to all of you that being a hiker is something really tough and requires expertise. However, information on the Internet and presence of an entity like Decathlon, which makes all equipment readily available. The only thing that you need is will power,” he added.

I have been planning to go on a trek for the longest time and this event was an eye opener. Hiking is not something you can get up from your bed and go for. It needs training, planning and dedication. Chetan Sehgal gave some really useful tips that newbie hikers should adhere. I can’t help but share these tips with you. They are actually very useful. Read on…

HIKING TIPS BY Chetan Sehgal

• Don’t buy hiking shoes today and go for a hike tomorrow, break them with daily use.
• Don’t pack 20-25kgs if you are going for 4-5 days hike! Stick to the limit of 15Kgs
• Pack your heavy items closer to your back, make sure that the bag is steady and is not falling forward or backward once placed on the floor.
• Whatever you need to access quickly as you begin your hike like your packed lunch, an extra layer to cover up or a jacket, put that in the middle of your bag so it’s easier for you to find.
• Dismantle your tent and pack it inside your bag in a balanced ratio.
• Carefully wrap pins and other items that can puncture your bag.
• Wear your backpack in a way that 90% of the weight is on your hip muscles and not on your legs or back.
• Stretch your body out with every pit stop.
• If you are beginner, go for a guided/supported hike first and then take up self-supporting hikes!
• Don’t worry about the jargon’s, just follow the basic guide, do your research properly and make it happen!
• Triund and Mcleodganj are few of the easy treks.
• Carry your waste. Do not dirty the hills. Dig a trench. Put waste in that. And fill it up with mud.
• Be kind to whoever you meet in your journey!

“Commitment is important. You can’t afford to be stupid in high altitudes. Prepare well. You have to survive temperatures from -10 to -20”. – Chetan Sehgal

What was amazing about the workshop, besides all the useful tips was how inspiring it was. These were real people, sharing real experiences. You may get all the information online, but you wont hear the stories, the hardships, the achievements and I think for most of us that’s what matters.

The Hiking session was soon followed by the Running Session conducted by Captain Dharamveer, a corporate professional and running enthusiast. Once a chain smoker, he described how he was able to reinvent himself and become a marathon runner. “I am pretty much a normal person like you and used to be really bogged down by stress in life. I grew up, did my studies, joined the army, retired and then started working in the corporate world. After a while, I was so busy running the race of life that I was not doing anything for myself. One day, I told myself that running in this race is fine but I need to run for myself and no one else,” he explained.

His words resonated with me. A fellow running enthusiast myself, I couldn’t help but relate to everything he was saying. He put everything in perspective with this simple sentence , “Don’t ditch yourself, it’s the easiest thing to do. When you commit on running for 5 kms or whatever then do it!”

The main idea behind this event was to educate people about how they can take up sports for health benefits and boost their self-confidence.

Decathlon Warm Up message was how sports, even if played at a non-competitive level, can help people change their lives. Any form of physical activity will change your life. A great initiative undertaken by Decathlon for inspiring people to do something about their health and well-being.

Special thanks to them for inviting me and letting me be a part of this event. Decathlon’s one of the world’s largest sporting goods retailers and the go to place for anything sports and fitness related. You must check out the Decathlon Store, and also visit their Facebook Page here for more information about their future events and meets.

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