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January 25, 2020 By GOQii Leave a Comment

GOQii Trail Challenge Heroes: Pooja Behuria Achieves the Impossible

Pooja Behuria

Fitness is not a race and it is true that you can’t get active overnight. It is a gradual process which takes time – something which today’s erratic work hours and busy schedules don’t offer. Pooja Behuria learned about this when she decided to take the GOQii Trail Challenge in 2019. But, that wasn’t the only thing she learned. She also realized that GOQii was more than just a company or a group of individuals trying to get fit… GOQii is a family! 

Before the GOQii Trail Challenge

Like most people, the concept of fitness and a healthy lifestyle were alien to the 23-year-old Pooja Behuria from Mumbai. The banes of erratic work hours coupled with living alone in the city compelled her to live a sedentary lifestyle. But all that was about to change!  

She learned about GOQii and the Trail Challenge through Genesis-BCW, an agency associated with GOQii since the past 4 months. Since then, she has been watching LIVE videos on GOQii Play.

Pooja Behuria had never been on a trek before. When the registrations for GTC began, she thought that it seemed like an adventure – considering the terrain for the trail. What drove her to register was that she saw it as a challenge as none of her friends or colleagues believed that she would be able to complete it. In fact, they were certain she wouldn’t even reach halfway. She decided to prove them wrong!

Training and Preparation

As she had never attended an endurance trail such as GTC, she browsed through the website to gain more insight into what to expect and how to prepare herself. However, due to time constraints and partly due to her own laziness, she did not begin her preparations until 20 days before the event.

If she was going to do the trail, she had to prepare! With new motivation, she made some changes in her eating habits and began doing a little bit of exercise to prepare her body. She began including more proteins, complex carbs and most importantly, drinking more water on a daily basis which she wasn’t doing until now. Pooja began drinking coconut water and eating seeds and nuts between meals instead of junk food.

On the first day when she decided to go for a walk, she covered 20km and ended up feeling sore and tired. She couldn’t move her legs for 2 days. She then realized it was a mistake and decided to gradually increase the level to get her body conditioned. She began taking short walks and using the stairs while going to the office and back home as stair climbing is good for building endurance. She still felt she wasn’t prepared enough.

Walking the Trail and Persisting

Pooja Behuria partnered with one of her office colleagues Jisha, when she began walking on the 7th morning. She and her partner were all geared and excited when the trail was flagged off at 5:30 in the morning. They managed to reach the 1st checkpoint in just 1.5 hrs. Both seemed to think it was no big deal and they should be able to complete it easily within 9-10 hrs.

As they left the 1st checkpoint, her partner started feeling unwell. Jisha had developed a fever but still persisted and continued. By the time they reached the 3rd Checkpoint, Jisha was shivering and on the verge of passing out. Before the 3rd checkpoint, she had fallen in water which only aggravated her condition. Jisha thought it was best to give up. From there on, Pooja was by herself.

But it is the GOQii Trail Challenge and we are all a family. No one is ever alone on the trail. Another participant, Girish Narang who had been walking solo became her partner for the rest of her journey. Pooja says that if it wasn’t for her new partner, she wouldn’t have completed the trail. Girish Narang kept pushing her and motivating her to continue. She was already halfway through and giving up wouldn’t make sense – is what he kept telling her.

After every decline down a mountain, when she said she couldn’t go any further, her partner motivated her to take another step. The last 10km were the hardest where every step seemed strenuous. Her legs were giving up and the pain was unbearable. All she wanted to do was sit and not move.

After 16 long hours, when she finally saw the finish line, she was filled with mixed emotions – exhilaration, shock, awe, relief and complete joy all rolled into one! She couldn’t believe her eyes! That unexplainable feeling of achieving something she thought wasn’t possible for someone like her was unparalleled.

Now, when she looks back she’s still surprised that she didn’t give up. It has filled her with a sense of pride and confidence. The trail does change you in one of the most beautiful ways. She now believes that it is all a mind game. If you persist, you can achieve the impossible. 

She says there were participants who were twice her age and yet completed the trail in half the time she did. This hasn’t demotivated her but has only inspired her to prepare thoroughly and participate in GTC 2020. She says that though she didn’t know anybody at the trail, each and every participant she met along the way encouraged and motivated her to move ahead. It was like one big family, joining hands and motivating each other to complete the trail!

Want to know what the trail looked like? Watch the GOQii Trail Challenge 2019 Movie.

Want to share your experience at the trail. Write to us! 

We look forward to seeing you for the next GOQii Trail Challenge!

#BeTheForce 

January 13, 2020 By GOQii Leave a Comment

GOQii Trail Challenge Heroes: Give Up on Shankar Sabadi Giving Up!

Shankar Sabadi

Through adversity, there is redemption! What would life be without challenges? How would you know your limits? It is because of challenges we learn our limits, how to push past them and reach our goals. Getting demotivated is natural but with a sound mind and a strong spirit, nothing is impossible! For everyone who was a part of the GOQii Trail Challenge 2019, this was one of the most heroic tales which unfolded before us! Shankar Sabadi didn’t just complete the challenge but served as a living, breathing example of what you do when faced with adversity.

How Was the Experience Compared to 2018?

Shankar Sabadi has been an active GOQii Player since 2017. Since undergoing a transformation and making a positive lifestyle change, he has always been looking for challenges to test his limits. This was the second time that Shankar Sabadi had participated in the GOQii Trail Challenge. Although he said it was painful, and you’re about to find out why, he said it was a refreshing experience when compared to last year.

As the trail challenge was a fairly fresh concept introduced in 2018, the participants, Shankar included, didn’t know what to expect other than the fact that they had to walk 50km. He didn’t expect the mix of hiking, trekking, inclines and declines. Despite not knowing what awaited him, he completed the Trail in 2018 within 12 hours.

This year, he trained himself well for the challenge ahead by climbing stairs every day, going for mountain walks and taking normal ones as well.

Shankar Sabadi at GOQii Trail Challenge 2019

The trail began and all our participants went on route. After a group of 8 people, including Shankar Sabadi and a pacer left the 1st checkpoint, they were following the ribbons used to mark the trail. However, they missed one and took a wrong route. The path was rocky, covered with dense bushes, which made Mr. Sabadi realize that they might have taken a different route. He suggested they should return to the last ribbon.

Few of them weren’t in favour of the decision as they had walked for at least half an hour. After much discussion, the pacer confirmed that they were on the wrong route and they all decided to retrace their steps. As Shankar Sabadi turned around, he tripped on some pebbles. He quickly realized that he won’t be able to avoid the fall and instead of taking the fall on his back and hurting it, he decided to fall on his hands.

He immediately realized that he had fractured his hand…

Never Back Down! Give Up On Giving Up!

He did experience pain and his fellow walkers helped him to his feet. They noticed his arm was swollen. He just kept his hand in his pocket and asked everyone to move ahead. He didn’t want anyone to be delayed on his account.

At the next checkpoint, he asked one of the support staff to spray some pain reliever on his arm. They said a doctor will be available only at the village and offered to take him there. Shankar Sabadi was not ready to give up. He was determined to complete the trail. He said that even though his hand is fractured and hurts, his legs are okay.  

Seeing his unshakeable determination, the staff made a makeshift splint out of a tree branch. One of the crepe bandages was used to tie the arm and another as a sling to rest the arm. With this arrangement, he continued on the trail. The walk was painful and the injury slowed him down but didn’t by any means stop him. He had to tread very carefully as he couldn’t use his arm to balance. All the pressure was on his left foot.

He is extremely thankful to all the fellow walkers who carried his bag, offered him water, supplements and energizers along the way (you know who you are and you guys are awesome!) Thanks to this, he only had to focus on walking.

After a lot of trials and tribulations, fighting through the pain and overcoming all of it, Shankar Sabadi completed the trail in 14 hours, just 2 hours behind his last year’s finishing time. Once the challenge was over and we reached Mumbai, he left for home and visited his doctor, who diagnosed that his arm is not broken but curved due to the impact of the fall. His arm was plastered for 3 weeks. You’ll be glad to know that he is recuperating at home and taking physiotherapy sessions to increase blood circulation to that arm and strengthen it.

We often hear of heroes and it is true, not all heroes wear capes. Some heroes teach us to push forward no matter what! Shankar Sabadi exemplifies what it means to #BeTheForce! He says that since he joined GOQii, he has given up on giving up.

Where else could you have heard such a valiant tale? Where else could you feel this energy? If you’re still having doubts, let this story be your motivation to participate in the next GOQii Trail Challenge and complete it.

We’ll be sharing many more heroic stories of participants who made #LifeWorthWalking through Healthy Reads as well as GOQii Play. Do you have an awesome GTC story to share? Write to us here.

November 29, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Your Guide to GOQii Trail Challenge 2019

GOQii Trail Challenge

If you joined us for GOQii Trail Challenge 2018, you know what lies ahead of you and if this is your first time, you’re about to step into the heart of nature – a journey filled with challenges, beautiful vistas and an experience you will never forget.

The 50km trail might seem daunting but if your body and mind can endure it, there’s nothing more satisfying in the world than the feeling of crossing the finish line. In this article, we’re going to suggest the best practices which will help you complete the trail like a champ!

Let’s begin!

GOQii Trail Challenge Gear List & Dos and Don’ts

We’ve made a list of essentials you will need to carry along with you on the trail:

  • Daypack (30L) and a small daypack of about 10-15L which you will use during the challenge.
  • Max pair of 2 clothes and a light jacket as it will be chilly in the morning and at night.
  • Sleeping bag or a light cotton bedsheet or a shawl. Avoid carrying anything too heavy. 
  • 2L hydra pouch or a 2x1L water bottle. Don’t forget some chocolate, energy bars or nuts you can munch on while walking. Carry Electoral or ORS mixed with your bottle of water.
  • Personal medication you might need or take regularly.
  • Carry a ziplock bag for your wallet and phone.
  • Floaters, extra socks, torchlight with extra batteries
  • Hat/Cap, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellent.
  • Avoid carrying any electronic gadgets like iPods or iPads. You can use your smart phone as a camera.

What to Keep in Mind While Walking

  • Walk straight. Avoid sitting and climbing down slopes and you’ll experience more pain further down the road.
  • When tired, don’t sit down on the trail. This will tighten your muscles and make it more difficult to walk. If you must sit, don’t do it immediately. Standing and resting is better!
  • When you halt for a break, take small sips of water as opposed to large gulps.
  • If you feel uneasy, inform your teammates before things go out of hand.
  • Don’t walk on the trail with earphones listening to music, it could be hazardous.
  • Avoid littering and talking too loudly. Respect nature and the surrounding environment.

GTC 2019Follow these few basics and you’re all good to go! In fact, to make it even easier for you, we’ve prepared a hack list that consists of a few golden rules, walking strategy, what to eat, injury prevention and so on. Check the list here: http://www.goqii.com/gtc/hacklist. You can also watch this video tutorial for any help you might need to tape your foot the right way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU29tXBMAZs

Now that you’ve got all the details you need, we’ll see you at the trail venue on the 6th of December! Here’s wishing all the participants the very best. Let’s make #LifeWorthWalking

#BeTheForce

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