Running and Learning | Balaji S | TEDxJSB
Balaji argues that while running is simple and doesn't require intelligence, the true lessons learned—setting aspirations, persistence, group support, and humility—are foundational for building character. He illustrates this by recounting his struggle to finish the Mumbai Marathon in 2006 and contrasting it with his improved time in 2009. The enduring value, he concludes, is the character built through these experiences, comparable to the protest of the 1968 Olympic athletes. ## Speakers & Context - Balaji — long-distance runner and motivational speaker. - Speaks to a seated audience, contrasting the formality of standing to talk with the freedom of speaking during a long run. ## Theses & Positions - Running is fundamentally simple: *"it's just one foot after another."* - Running is not about physical skill mastery but about the *process* of learning itself, transferring values learned in sport to life's aspects. - Setting aspirations for oneself is crucial, contrasting with societal norms that dictate goals (school $\rightarrow$ college $\rightarrow$ work). - Persistence and determination are internal qualities, never taught by a coach or in a textbook. - Running teaches the necessity of humility; one must respect the physical limits of the body, regardless of perceived ability. - Character is the single most important achievement, outweighing fame, money, or success. - The purpose of struggle and protest (like the 1968 Olympics) is to effect necessary change, not to enjoy immediate success. ## Concepts & Definitions - **Aspiration:** The self-directed goal, contrasting with goals set by social norms. - **Persistence and Determination:** Internal qualities developed through personal struggle, not taught formally. - **Character:** The internal quality that remains, contrasted with transient external success (fame, money). - **The "Big Brother of the Two Oceans":** The 56 km Comrades Marathon. ## Mechanisms & Processes - **Learning by doing:** Initial interest in sports was irrelevant (e.g., wanting to play cricket, being bad at it); running was adopted because it was an available activity. - **Progression:** Started running to manage asthma (breathing), progressing to longer distances like marathons and ultramarathons. - **Sustaining goals:** The process of continual forward movement—from climbing one mountain to immediately setting sights on the next. - **Overcoming failure:** Using the desire to complete a distance (42.195 KM in Mumbai 2006) despite severe exhaustion, moving from giving up to completing the walk. ## Timeline & Sequence - **Early life:** Initially wanted to play sports like cricket or football but was poor at them. - **Start of running:** Began running as an activity to improve breathing and control asthma. - **Initial goals:** Transitioned from activity $\rightarrow$ self-discipline $\rightarrow$ marathons/ultramarathons. - **Failure period:** Attempted the Mumbai Marathon in 2006 and collapsed around the 13th or 14th kilometer. - **Recovery/Success period:** Ran the full Marathon in 2009, finishing in 4 hours 53 minutes. - **Recent event:** Ran the Two Oceans Marathon (56 km) in South Africa; experienced cramping in the sixth hour. - **Historical Event Reference:** The 1968 Olympics, featuring Tommy Smith, Peter Norman, and John Carlos. ## Named Entities - **Bruce Fores:** Legend in South Africa; has run the Comrades Marathon over 45 times and won it eight times. - **Billy Jean King:** Known for standing up for women's tennis and LGBT rights. - **Dennis Burck:** Mentioned for his quote on aiming for perfection. - **Mumbai Marathon:** Event where the speaker struggled in 2006. - **Comrades Marathon:** Iconic race in South Africa. - **Two Oceans Marathon:** 56 km race mentioned in South Africa. - **Olympic Athletes (1968):** Tommy Smith, Peter Norman, and John Carlos. - **United States Athletics Association:** Body that banned the athletes. ## Numbers & Data - Bruce Fores's Comrades Marathon record: **over 45 times** run and **eight** wins. - Marathon distance: **42.195 KM**. - Mumbai Marathon collapse point: Somewhere around the **13th or 14th kilometer**. - First marathon finish attempt: Failed in **2006**. - Improved marathon finish: **4 hours 53 minutes** (in 2009). - Two Oceans Marathon distance: **56 km**. - Comrades Marathon finish attempt: Under **12 hours**. - Olympic Year: **1968**. ## Examples & Cases - **Jellyfish comparison:** Suggests running requires no brain cells, comparing the requisite mental function to a jellyfish. - **Goal setting:** The natural progression of setting aspirations, like observing the next mountain after reaching the current peak. - **Mumbai failure:** The narrative of persisting to walk to the finish line after collapsing at 13-14 km. - **1968 Protest:** The use of the Olympic platform by Smith, Norman, and Carlos to protest racial injustice in the US during a time of discrimination. - **The medal presentation:** A volunteer packing medals and handing one out after the speaker finished his 2006 walk. ## Tools, Tech & Products - No specific tools, technology, or commercial products were detailed beyond running gear implicitly. ## References Cited - **Bruce Fores:** Mentioned as an inspirational figure in running. - **Billy Jean King:** Cited for standing up for rights within sports. - **Dennis Burck:** Quoted regarding aiming for perfection. - **Chariots of Fire:** Film cited in relation to finding inner strength. - **Helen K:** Mentioned regarding group support. ## Trade-offs & Alternatives - **Mind vs. Body:** The contrast between intellect (brain cells) and physical endurance needed for running. - **Visible vs. Internal struggle:** The comparison between external markers of success (medals, speed) and the internal development (character) that matters most. ## Counterarguments & Caveats - The immediate conclusion that running requires "no brain cells" is debated by the speaker's detailed discussion of planning and learning values. - Running is noted as not being a sport requiring "skill set" in the way organized sports do. ## Conclusions & Recommendations - Running teaches the essential life skills of setting aspirations, perseverance, determination, finding group support, and maintaining humility. - The ultimate takeaway is that developing one's character is the single most valuable thing in life, which is built through action, not through inherent gifts. ## Implications & Consequences - The success or failure in any physical feat (be it 5km or 500km) is secondary to the lesson learned about respecting physical limits and external factors. - The lasting impact of ethical actions, like the 1968 protest, far outweighs immediate athletic success or financial gain. ## Verbatim Moments - *"all that you need to run is good heart lungs legs and no brain cells"* (Bruce Fores) - *"we all need to be like a jellyfish"* - *"running is not about what to learn but it's more about how to learn"* - *"we have never been taught how to set an aspiration for ourselves"* - *"we all aim for Perfection"* (Dennis Burck) - *"you find your strength only from within"* - *"If I walk all the way back I'll still be a laughing stock"* - *"In life there is the beginning and the end the beginning don't matter and the end don't matter all that matters is what you do in between"* (John Carlos paraphrase) - *"your reputation comes and goes character is something that stays with you"*