Running under the Moonlight, In a Cloud

Running the Tata Ultra Marathon, or TUM as it’s known amongst runners (something that I was actually not aware of), has never been on my bucket list of races to run. After all I am no ultra runner, and I share a love-hate relationship with the hills, they love to kill me with those slopes, and I hate that they love to test me so much. Add to it, post COVID, my pace has dropped drastically where as my weight has inversely increased. Not to forgot the gruelling Mumbai summer, which get hotter and more humid with each passing year ( I blame global warming, who else do you blame).

But still I had the keedas (big ones), to register, not for the Ultra (praise the Lord), but for the 35k challenge. I reasoned that this was an early morning race (which starts at 2:30 am (yes that’s right, we runners refuse to sleep)) I wouldn’t have to face the brunt of the sun, so there was no question on being baked under the sun. Besides the race is in Lonavla,, and not in Mumbai, so you could expect the weather to be a couple of degrees cooler. Lastly, I went with a mindset of completing the race, let pace go out of the window.

So as you begin your run, you constantly remind yourself of these points. You constantly tell yourself that the run is not about pace, it’s about going strong and completing it. But then kya kare, ye do pair mante he nahin. And so you have constantly have to find a way to pull you back, and just trudge on, running under the light of the moon, and the light from your head lamp.

Thanks to Naresh sir and Sachin, you are able to navigate the first climb, and go strongly till the 15th km. 

All through the run the moon seems to play hide and seek with you, hiding behind the clouds, and at times coming out to light your way. And then there’s a beautiful cool breeze that helps you stay cool. And if that wasn’t enough, running through the fog makes you feel like your running in a cloud that laden with mist helping you stay cool, even though the visibility isn’t good.

Bath then there are patches of roads where, if you are not too careful, you could stumble and fall, and yours truly, being the clumsy nut, who’s blind as a bat, and in his own world, managed to do just that (it made me wonder if I too like Christ, would stumble three times).

If you thought inclines were tough, then going down hills could take a toll on your poor knees. To add to it, there’s huge patches of kaccha roads, that make it tough to maintain a pace, forcing you to slow down, even to walk. But volunteers do a great job of helping guide and cheering us on. And you’re got to really appreciative and grateful that they are standing there in the dark right from the start (say 12 am) to the finish (which I guess would be 9:30 am). So a big salute to them. 

The water stations/hydration stations/refuelling stations are adequately stocked, and you greedily grab at the oranges and bananas, and the cups of coke. I personally loved the lychee flavoured glucose drink (had at least 3 of those).

As  you approach the 23rd  your doubts once again begin to make you it’s ugly head as it was the distance you were able to cover in your training run. You ask yourself, kya tumhe pagal kutte ne katta ye sab karne ke liye?  But then you tell yourself, you’ve got this, just keep running, running, running!

All through the run you dread the sunrise, but the when the sun finally does make an appearance, it’s bathes the route in its soft light, gratefully not heating it up, bringing to light that was hidden in the dark of the night.

So you take in the gorgeous sights of the Pawana Lake, the mountains, the little hamlets stirring from their slumber, chicken darting across the route (dang, I should have asked them why did they cross the road, the internal unanswered question).

You feel a pang of guilt, a pang of e envy, especially runners who you could easily out pace, at one time. You hate this feeling, cause you know it’s ain’t right, but can’t help but feel this silly feeling.

Now back to the running, just when you thought you had safely navigated all the inclines, you have to face one last deadly incline. You mutter who the F puts a deadly incline at the 33rd km. If that wasn’t all, you are greeted by Satish sir and Loki, who have done and dusted with their run.

By now your legs are as heavy as led, and every time you think of jogging some part of leg decides to pull you back. But no matter what, you are determined to finish, even if you have to crawl over that finish line. But thank God it didn’t come to that.

So after finishing, albeit a bit stronger on tired legs, you make way to collect your medal and towel (what’s with races giving towels!), you go on to meet and greet your friends, but before that you make a beeline to the physio to help loosen up some highly tightened and sore muscles.

Before I end this rather long write up I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the organisers, especially the volunteers, for not just supporting us but also pampering us, even spoiling us all throughout the race. A big shoutout to my StrideWithGB and MRR family who’s support has always been a source of inspiration and motivation, especially Coach Girish. A big thank you to Yash and Rohan for your hospitality and helping with the travels. Thank you Naresh sir and Sachin for helping stay focused on those initial incline.

So finally glad to have another race under my belt. A tough one, but an experience that will stay with me long after the excitement of the run is done, though I am not sure if my body would permit me to put it through the wringer all over again!