The Running Excursion

“Best of Luck...

.. and don’t fuck it up.”

-RuPaul

Well this was something that kept resounding in my head as race day steadily drew near. Something I was so wanting to say to all my fellow Runnaholic (thanks to RuPaul Drag Race... which I am addicted to watching). Consciously kept away from the 5 Stars this time around. But then as luck would have it, and my stomach too, I did fuck it up. Woke up in the morning to a gripping pain, a loose bowel (call it ill timed eating non-veg).

Though the target was to complete the race, standing at the holding area I felt could chase that PB (but a part of the head kept saying, abhe aukat main re and complete the race, PB later). 

So after the customary hugs and greetings, and that all important hug from Sangeeta Ma’am (one thing I have to always do, but best luck wish), it was off to the starting line, slowly and steadily moving with a bunch of nervous (that’s me) and excited (everyone else) runners busy chattering away, trying to focus, taking pics and selfies (to the people who light up Victoria Terminus (not going to call the building CST) why oh why the coloured lights, it ruins the architecture). 

So crossing the start line, switching on your Garmin, your NRC, and signing yourself, off you went, down the heritage road to fountain, on a ramp, thanks to the metro work. Now a pee break caused me to loose my buddy Dylan, who went off in a flash. Without music (for the first time), without my buddy Dylan, I swore was going to cross that bloody finish line.

All through the race you have your fellow runners coming to cheer you on or even patting you from behind and then overtaking you, so you end up fighting the urge to speed up, fighting back gripping pains (which was determined to make it presence felt at regular intervals). But once into the race, they were all but forgotten. 

As we Mumbaikars know, and are very well aware of, the weather can be finicky, and it didn’t stray from its mood swings, adding that extra dimension to the race. So the stomachaches were gone but once again started to feel that dizziness, bringing memories of the previous year. The feet suddenly felt like it was blistering (not from the pace that is), bringing with it the extra challenge, surprising you cause you’ve run in them before. So all along the head was popping this question “do you want to quit?” “It’s ok if you want to”, “why oh why do you torture yourself and sign up for this?” tempting you throw in the towel. But then you note that you have managed to go further than you did last year, and you can just as well do it, let the timing go for a toss.

So it was run and walk, with that strategy varying as the run went by. So for the first time clicked a pic on the sea link, courtesy of our star volunteer Charu. 

All through the route the spirit of Mumbai was on display, and kept proving why the Mumbai Marathon is more than a run (as an outstation Running group mentioned why), it’s about Mumbaikar, the people and the kiddos who spur you on. So thanks to the water stations, the official and the unofficial ones, to everyone who came there with water and hydration and fruits and jaggery, the children reaching out with water and high fives. Last year may have put me off Orsl, this year was grateful for all the oranges (cause we runners need it anyway), consumed quite a bit on route. And thanks tosoo many of running buddies who kept pushing me on, who I met on the way. Was grateful to see my MRR Family, who greeted me with hugs, Shweta and Ami putting some yummy dark chocolate in my hand, Alpa handing me a sip of Prerna yummy and refreshing drink (but not before she clicked a selfie). 

Thanks to my smile twin, Ajit for helping me stretch when my muscles were sore, and of course was awesome to see the ARC tribe who kept cheering and pushing (thanks Varun for that timely spray). 

So after passing the last MRR cheerzone, it was off to the finish, in the company of Vishy, paced by Vijit. Tried to sprint and up the pace to the finish line, but it seemed like it would never approach. But in the end gave it all that I had remaining in the tank, crossed that damn finish line. I would be lying if I said that timing didn’t disappoint me a Incy-winsy but, but hey was glad to finish at 5:00:01 (according to my Garmin, and 4:59:49 officially). I may have not achieved my PB, but hey got a PH. 

Felt awesome meeting fellow runners and buddies. The race was done and it was time to celebrate, and avoid asking that prickly question (what was your timing and how was your run), while answering as diplomatically as possible. No matter the time, I can say I was proud to finish what I started. 

So finally comes the thank you to all the people on the street, cheering you on, supporting your, the MRR and Malad  family (ones I couldn’t do without), the ARC tribe. Finally to my BNP stooges, Pankti and Dylan, without whom I would not have completed this run. So now it’s back to the drawing board and return to a normal life, till the next race.

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.