The Merry-go-Round 2.0

It is that time of the year once again when we Mumbai Runnaholic crazies to do the merry-go-round, round and round the stadium, burning the track for 2/12/24 hours at a stretch, hoping for those precious drops of rains and that the humidity and heat doesn’t kill us before that, like only the Mumbai weather can.

So what was different this time around? Well to begin with it was different team of way more talented and faster runners, a different strategy, after all coach nay bola (if I may borrow this phrase from the MMA guys), a different running slot and time (a new experience of running at midnight, something that can be ticked off my ToDo list).

Being the forgetful git that I am (I blame it on ageibg and diminishing grey cells) forgot to put in my bottle of Enerzal (so there goes my pre-race hydration plan). To top it all forgot to put in my socks, even though I had removed it, so it meant it was running it and fear of those dreaded blisters.

It rained while they briefed us and click3: pics of runners in the slot, and while we warmed up (if you can call it that) and then the rain played truant once again. But running on the track there was a light breeze, at certain place.

So it began, the next 2 hours of running, passing runners, cheering and passing friend and fellow runners, and being passed by some awesome runners. For a change, the first hours actually didn’t feel too much of the humidity or the heat. It was a different feeling being on the track from the last go around. And even though I had my music blaring I could hear a couple of fellow runner cheering their running friends on. Thanks to the support of the awesome Ami who ensured that I had hydration and could maintain a steady pace for that first hours.

One hour went and we reversed, and then kept looking at the clock to when to increase the pace. In the mean time had an awesome sprint catch up with Girish and Thyag for a couple of meters.

Right around the 90 minutes mark something didn’t feel quite well. Started to to feel an uneasiness, a bile working its way up. Could be an acidic reflux or maybe it was trying something new, was not able to put finger on it. Had to walk for a couple of meters. Even tried to wretch out the uneasiness, only to bring out a bit of bile. And when I decided to up the pace, felt a muscle tighten, not able to give that final push.

In the end finished pretty close to my target so was satisfied with the run. Actually needed this cause was feeling down and low about running from the past couple of days. Call it the weight effect or the effect of age, at the end of the day was glad to have done this, a shot in the arm that was required.

So another stadium run is in the bag. Loads of lessons learned and loads of chinks to fix but no regret. Albeit a tiring experience, an experience nonetheless. Got to thank and congratulate Sunil Sir and Sangeeta ma’am and NEB sports for another awesome experience, my ARC team and it’s captain and coach Girish and Varun for the opportunity and of course the awesome captains and team members, to the crazy running family, my MRR family and my fellow team members (could hear Manoj and Jesu cheering even over my Bose... my name dropping skills at its best) and my fellow running family and the awesome volunteers.

So till the next year, next race, another stadium run in the bag, another set of memories in the bag.