Running Crazzies

It takes a special type of crazy to wake up in the morning and go for a run in the pouring rain, while the rest of the world is all cuddled and wrapped up in their beds, the sound of the pouring rain lulling them to sleep, deterring from daring to step outside, stopping them from showing any unwarranted bravery.

You question the sanity of your decision as the rain pours like cats and dogs and in sheets, as your visibility is low and most roads are waterlogged. But then you’re one crazy runner who can brave the rains just to get a good run under his belt. So no matter the downpour, you will go for your runs.

So you splish and you splash, running in ankle deep water for most of the time. But no matter the water level you continue to go. Even a herd of deer, who happen to cross your path, give you a strange bewildered look as if to say what are these strange doing in the pouring rain.

You’re least bothered about their expressions and just ooh and aah about seeing them up close and personal. You continue to plod on, splashing through the rains, not letting the water deter you from going on, till you can go further no more. The dry riverbed of summer, which turned into a subtle stream after the last few rains, is now a raging rapids, thanks to the continuous downpour, trapping the people who managed to go on the other side before the water began to flow. You’re captivated, left in awe with the fury with which the water flowed, taking with anything that would stand in its way. You want to click a picture of it, but the pouring rains prevents you from doing just that, till you find someone with an umbrella. For a moment the thought of crossing over, taking a chance, floats in your head, till it’s cruelly shot down by reasoning.

So you reluctantly retrace your steps and head up Gandhi Tekadi, aur kuch nahin to Gandhi say he kaam chalana padenga. So you hurdle over fallen trees and splash in flowing water to get to the top, nature’s very own obstacle course. By now your clothes have become your second skin, clinging to your body, highlighting all your curves and edges, things you wished were rather not showing (if you know what I mean). Reaching the top, as it is now customary, you borrow an Uncle’s umbrella to click pics. Once the pics are clicked, it’s time to make your way out of the gate and on to the actual road, right in time before the park is closed for all.

The conclusion of the entire little running adventure is that you continue to run, no matter the weather, the runnholic in you will always itch to go out for a run, come rain or sunshine, nor matter what your schedule will be like, you are crazy and insane enough to go out for a run in the crazy 

running weather.

The Man with the Bandana

The first thing you notice about Dylan is his damn bandana, the man without his bandana is totally unrecognisable. So now you understand how Clark Kent kept his identity a secret with just glasses, or the moustache disguise of Hindi films.

The next thing you notice is that he talks a lot, well not when he’s running but he talks a lot. When he runs he’s talks lesser than a Dylan standard, in fact Pankti and I jabber a lot more during runs, so much that we have been told of be quiet when training in BNP.

He’s quirky, crazy and a cartoon. I’ve never seen a running pic of his where he isn’t pulling face or sticking tongue out, just generally being his Dylan self. Or when he tells his client that he got late because of traffic, that being he is self-employed and the only traveling he does is from the bedroom to the hall. 

At the Awards Nite, he’s your go to man for hydration (cause he is behind the bar, I mean in charge of the bar).

But peel off these quirks, these things that you see, there’s more to him, and the more you get to know him the more he will leave you amazed, and yes with a smile on your face. From being confined to the bed for almost year (due to a life threatening ailment), to hitting the road to take his life, ans stay active (hope I got this part right), he sure has come a long way. For those who don’t really know him, it’s easy to write him off as yet another quirky, crazy runner, but to those who do know him, know that he’s pretty focused,  dedicated and disciplined runner who runs to a plan. This is evident from his sub 4 finish at this year’s full at the TATA Mumbai Marathon.

He’s not one of those runners who’s just focused on their run, or is socially active with his training. He’s there to help and guide you to the extent that you can eat his brains (for a change). Whether running on the highway or at BNP, he’s got your back, constantly turning to check on you, especially when your pace begins to slacken and you start to fall behind (dang if I didn’t have to take a toilet break I would have not lost him and would have gotten a better timing). He’s there to reassure and perk you up when you feel like your mileages are low, giving sage like advice (not for the first time) to not compare your mileage to that of someone else.

I have been blessed to know and be inspired by so many wonderful runners, and awesome humans, be it my buddy Croydon, Sayuri, Sharad, Eugene, my MRR Family, Asic family, Malad family (dang I am quite the family boy, I mean man), and I wish i could give them all an inspiration medals (Procam can we please have more than one inspiration medal), but for now, Dylan buddy, this ones for you, cause you deserve it, cause you inspire (and make me perspire, running up and down Kanheri), cause you’re so worth it.