The race of a lifetime

"I am not running tomorrow" declared Gautam.Disappointed as I was, I merely grunted my acknowledgement and continued eating my bengali dinner. But I could no more enjoy my dinner, as I was thinking whether to run the next morning or not. It is not really much fun if you have to run for 21 km, alone. Well, not exactly. There would be thousands other running the Mumbai Marathon (and half marathon) but it always helps to have a companion to keep you motivated, especially in those dying moments of the race..when you have covered 17-18 kms. It is when you start thinking: what is the point? why can't I just walk? etc. etc. Finally better senses prevailed and I decided to go for it. I wanted to fulfil the promise I had made to myself..that I would better my timing from the last year and complete the run in this side of 2 hrs.

The morning arrived and I found myself looking at the crowd of thousands. The sun had not come out yet to assault us with the heat and we started the race sharp at 7:00. The problem in starting in the back in such races is that one has to spend a lot of enegry trying to avoid others and to settle down in a rythem. Slowly, struggling, I settled down in my own pace (mostly by locating a firang guy who was running at my speed). And thus started an association that would last about 15 kms.

By the time we reached marine drive, the body had warmed up nicely and I started enjoying the race. And here I observed the cheering squad from Radio Mirchi. The girls were looking more tired than the runners. They could hardly lift our spirits. Anyway, what happened for next one and half hours can be summed up in this:

• Drink the energy drinks (Electral really), feel the energy as you feel your speed increasing
• Keep running till you see your next km sign. Pass it and start looking for the next one
• Feel thristy, drink the energy drink and.....

Finally, at about 15km mark, I had to stop as my companion also had stopped somewhere. The ugly questions about the wisdom in torturing oneself started raising their heads. In such a moment of doubt, the dark side won. And I started walking. Although walking was more very slow and more tiring compared to running but atleast it was giving my tortured muscles some rest. I don't really know how long would I have walked. But at about 17km mark, this guy came running and gave me a pat on my back and said: Come on champ. Finish it in style.

Those words were enough for me to gather whatever strength was left and i resumed the race though at a much slower pace. I realised, by then, i would have lost whatever chance was there to better my last year's timing. I was now hoping to finish the race in 2 hours and 30 minutes. I had lost against myself. Final turn approached at the Flora Fountain. I could make out the digital clock but could not see the time. By now
many senior citizen race participants were crossing the route. Dodging them, finally as i neared the finish line, I saw the time. It showed 2:11:31. That was amazing. Calling all my mental and physical faculties to work, I burst into a supersonic speed and crossed the finish line at 2:12:11. An average speed of about 9.5 kmph.
When everybody was crossing the line all exhausted, tired there was an ear-to-ear grin on my face. I had failed to fulfil the promise i had made to myself but I had finished the marathon...yet again.