From Bangalore to Berlin: How different are the running cultures?

At the beginning of this series, I'd written about the importance of goal-setting in amateur sport. Practicing so myself, I'd resolved to train for a 10k this year and give a proper go. In doing so, I hoped to better my own mark in the distance. This opportunity came about at the Berlin - adidas Runners City Night 10k, a race that is both, a celebration and precursor to the Berlin Marathon in September.

In doing so, I had the opportunity to experience two running cultures, India and Berlin - having earlier run the TCS World 10k in Bangalore in May.

 

Smitten, infected, still smiling and wishing to go back under the epidemic of ENERGY in Berlin ! The #adidasrunners are not a running club with pacers, nor are they devoted to the mundanities of times and distances. The language is Energy, the goals are unique and personal and the support? Unstinted. Thanks to my compadres @arjunsaraswat & @fitgirl.india for doing this journey of faith over the last year or so. Hard work pays rich dividends! Thanks also to new friends in @msromberg @kim_sini @adidasrunnersde @shimi_kaiser @mathildeive and look forward to meeting you on travels again ⚡️����#Repost @adidasrunnersde ・・・ This was epic! Do you still feel the community vibes? �� Thanks to all #adidasRunners for this very special running experience. #WhyIRunBerlin #run #running #arcn2017 #berlin #adidasrunnersIN

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Aug 5, 2017 at 3:48am PDT

Before, I share with you, my experiences, I've taken the liberty of leaving out the city (of the occurrence) name at the end - leaving you to take a guess where, this might have happened. Fill in what city you think the experience was from, Berlin, Bangalore or both!

1. Nearly everybody asked me what my targets were, before the race. ____________
2. In the pre-race shakeout run, when we ran through the city center, we were applauded.____
3. In the pre-race shakeout run, when we ran at the most popular running spot in the city, we were honked at, while crossing the road.__________
4. At the expo, I realized, there were more women than men participants._________
5. In the pre-race shakeout run, seated spectators in the outside area of a restaurant, stopped eating to applaud us._______
6. Hundreds of people collected on the sides of the road at the start of the race, cheering us on.______
7. On the day before the race, we attended a talk about 'meeting race targets'.______
8. On the day before the race, we attended 'Stadium Games' - multi-sport exercises for fun.__
9. Everybody knew the name of the winner and applauded him/her.__________
10. My time was a big deal to everybody I knew, immediately after the race. ___________
11. My time was a big deal to everybody I met, the day after the race.____________

You probably see where I'm going with this.

To say I expected this is true. Having heard from others about countries and cultures where amateur sport is matter-of-fact and non-discriminatory, I was expectant.

To experience an ease of conversation from fellow runners, instead of nerves fraught with peer pressure, though, I was still unprepared for.

To this end, I submit that whatever time we run in, whatever discipline we choose to spend our time on, if we aren't pro-athletes (by definition, making our livelihood from the sport) then we must be amateurs. Fast, or slow, still amateurs. Within the realm of personal goals and public banter, the adidas Runners City Night Race Berlin - taught me all this and more.

Oh, and my time? Does it matter?

Disclaimer: These are entirely out of my own experiences in the two cities.