A Long Beerathon before a Half Marathon (and after too)

We decided we will go in a single bus rather than two SUV’s so that, we convinced ourselves, we all could be in a one single group & have lots of fun. Which was a good thing to do, else who would have volunteered to drive (and stay off beer?) from Baroda to Goa. We suffered the 1^st casualty when Dr. Rajesh Chauhan withdrew owing to a genuine medical problem. Then Durgesh Merchant dropped out of the 1^st part of the trip as he had to stay back in town on Friday.

Now, Durgesh (along with his running mate, Dr. Suresh Nayak) was our inspiration for this trip. While it appeared as if a bunch of running enthusiasts were going off for an event (true, in a way), in reality we were simply a gang of beer hoggers out to have a good time outside our dry state. Having always admired the heroics of Durgesh & Suresh, we wished to run in their hallowed footsteps. Let me first tell you about their routine whenever they travel outside Gujarat for a HM. They reach the town in the morning the previous day by train. Check into a hotel. Collect their bibs. And hit a bar. They are not at all selfish & let us join the fun by sending us their pictures (with the beer prominently in the foreground) on whatsapp. Once the race is complete & we have their finisher photographs, we are again treated to another round of pictures of Beer. Their commitment to Beer is appreciated by all who know them as well as those who know about them.

Our 1^st halt after departure was just after crossing the border into Maharashtra. Pls don’t get us wrong, for that’s where Parsi Da Dhaba is & we had intended to go for only local cuisine while on the trip. Parsi Da Dhaba also serves beer & we had no choice but to quench the dry throats coming out of a dry state. It was late afternoon when we finished our lunch & proceeded into Maharashtra. Fortified by the traditional parsi meal & beer.

In ancient times, the Great Wall of China was built by the Chinese emperors to ward off the Mongols in the north. Mumbai also has something which serves the same purpose. It goes by the simple name of Ghodbandar. Stuck in the jam at Ghodbandar, we got down to loosen up the leg muscles (we were running a HM in 3 days) only to come across chilled beer. Reni George, a religious type who goes to church every Sunday, thought this was a divine signal welcoming us into Mumbai. And we had to have beer, for it was another form of Prasad for us devotees.

It was late in the night when we crossed Sheel Phata. Dinner did not worry us as the home-cooked dry chicken brought along by RK Menon was practically untouched along with Methi Parathas & Theplas. Having been advised that the wine shops close at 10 PM, we got some beer for the dry chicken. This helped us till the hotel near Pen where we stayed overnight. It was too late for another beer as we planned an early start.

We started quite early the next day so as to reach Goa well in time. A little after 10 AM we stopped for tea. We walked around a bit to loosen up the muscles (we were running a HM in 2 days) & found that a country liquor outlet also sold chilled beer. It was not hot, but the sun was truly up. What else, we stocked up beer for the next leg of the journey which lasted us till lunch.

It had turned dark for some time & we were still in Maharashtra. Taking Reni’s advice seriously we stopped to collect another stock of beer. An atheist, I always ridicule the believers. But I am now starting to believe that going to church each Sunday has its benefits. Hope Reni continues this practice.

With a small hiccup at the border check post, we reached Goa. Google Maps guided us to Calangute & to the vicinity of our hotel. It was late in the night & our hotel’s kitchen was not taking any further orders.we had to decide whether to check-in & come back for dinner, or have dinner before checking in. The experience of Suresh helped us here. We stopped at a hotel for dinner. And while waiting for the dinner to be brought in we had some beer. We also picked up some cans for Durgesh who was checking in later.

Reaching the hotel, Rakesh realized that he couldn’t last till Durgesh came in & had a can of beer. Rakesh Rawat is his full name & you would have guessed that he is from the hills. There is a famous saying in the hills – Surya ast, Pahadi mast, which translates as Once the Sun sets, the Hillman drinks. Rakesh proved during this trip that he lives his life by this dictum. Rather more, as he gives an equal importance to moonset.

After breakfast the next day, we moved to the race expo to collect our bibs. We met Siddharth Katju & we hooked him as we went to Hotel Anant Ashram for the highly recommended sea food. The high point for Durgesh & Suresh in any HM (outside Gujarat) is lunch on the previous day & no power on earth (or rest of the galaxy) can stop them from their pre-race ritual. Thus, while we waited for the fish thali to come, we had some beer.

After a short rest at the hotel, the gang went to Calangute beach. Durgesh & I stayed behind to rest some more. I lazed around even after Durgesh left to join the rest. But my thoughts were at the beach (and the beer) & as it was getting dark, I too joined them. And had only half a beer mug (I was running a HM the next morning).

Most people would tell you to stay off mild or hard liquor a few days before an distance run. It is supposed to dehydrate the muscles leading to cramps, and what not. But none of us had any such problem. Yes, Rakesh did get shin splints at the beginning but the generous quantity of beer that he had been having provided the mental strength to get over the pain & he finished with a respectable timing. The rest of us also achieved timings that we usually get while running in Gujarat. I believe, one of the reasons for this was the complimentary beer waiting for us at the finish line.

 

The best thing about the Goa River Marathon is that they provide complimentary beer after the run. It is so reinvigorating that after the beer, Reni & I were off to play football with the kids on the ground.

The joy of having collectively proved the pundits wrong on this count was not as great as the joy of seeing Harjeet Singh & RK Menon finishing their maiden 10K. The afternoon was spent at Lobo’s on the Calangute beach with, what else but Beer! After a short sojourn for rest & recuperation at the hotel, we were back in action for the evening & the ceremony continued till late hours of the night.

It was with a heavy heart that we left for Baroda early the next morning. To uplift the mood, we had no option but to relive the 1^st leg of the journey till we crossed Maharashtra late in the night. Into the land of cutting chai.

How to manage negative splits

This is the 1^st of the intended 3 posts on Goa River Marathon (GRM). I honour the events I participate in with a post each. GRM deserves an additional post as it offers complimentary post-run beer. My sister also being a participant here, I got two beers & I have thus decided to write 3 posts on GRM 2016. (hint to GRM – offer me unlimited post-run booze next time & I will write a book.) But I am digressing from the subject, so here I go…

We (a group of 7 runners, incl. me) went for GRM by road as this would give us plenty of time to spend together. One of the two debutants, I think it was Harjeet, was pestering Coach Reni with a lot of queries on technical jargon. When it came to Negative Splits, I casually informed the gang that I do this every time. The company, all 6 of them, was in shock! Now, I am not the fastest of runners. Nor a focused one at that. To me, running a half marathon includes everything else including running. And a time of close to 3 hours is what I aim for. Yet, I have invariably managed to achieve negative splits each time I have run 21K. Your turn to be shocked? No, for I present the evidence from the GRM.

Here’s what Timing Technologies website (http://www.timingindia.com/result.html) says about how I progressed through the distance (you have my bib no. & can verify the same):

Number	22250
Name	Ashish Diimri
Gender	Male
Category	Open (Age group 35-45) MEN
Rank	1086 / 1284 Finishers
Category Rank	360 / 417 Finishers
Gender Rank	940 / 1084 Finishers
Split@5 Km	00:48:47 Avg. Pace 09:46, Avg. Speed 6.15 Kmph Gender Rank : 1061 / 1084 Finishers , Category Rank : 408 / 417 Finishers
Split@10.5 Km	01:33:53 Avg. Pace 08:56, Avg. Speed 6.71 Kmph Gender Rank : 1044 / 1084 Finishers , Category Rank : 400 / 417 Finishers
Split@16.1 Km	02:16:31 Avg. Pace 08:29, Avg. Speed 7.08 Kmph Gender Rank : 996 / 1084 Finishers , Category Rank : 378 / 417 Finishers
Net Time	02:59:35 Average Pace 08:31, Average Speed 7.05 kmph

As you can see, I shaved off 50 seconds in the 2^nd quarter & another 27 seconds in the 3^rd quarter. The 4^th quarter of the run was slightly slower (by 2 seconds). Which means, as I crossed the finishing line, my pace was a good 75 seconds (or 1:15 minutes) faster than when I began. You will have to trust these numbers as these are provided by the official timekeeper. I myself do not usually track my runs & do not have data to corroborate the official results. If you study the analytics closely, you will see even my gender/category ranks improve with each split. This is something I always find – people overtaking me initially while I do the overtaking in the later part (unless it’s a full marathoner overlapping me).

But I can explain why this happens. Usually, most of the events (Vadodara International Marathon being a notable exception here) have runners running along for 10.5 kms & returning the same way for the half marathon. The FM participants do 2 loops of this route.

Now, when I am running, you will find me admiring the route (& clicking pictures on my phone), reading the hoarding & race posters (& clicking pictures on my phone), trying to play some musical instrument (& having my picture clicked on my phone) & chatting up with fellow runners (& if they consent, clicking their picture on my phone). This takes up a lot of time. I usually manage to get some 40-50 pictures on each race (assuming 10 secs per picture, this adds around 8 minutes to the time). This slows me down (as you can see in my timings), but gets me a lot of stuff for the blogpost to follow. It’s a tradeoff where I have never been a loser as the organisers give a medal & post-run breakfast to each finisher.

Coming back to the topic, when I do the return leg of the route I have already seen the sights in the 1^st half & have less distractions resulting in fewer halts (this time only for hydration & fuelling). One also comes across other friends who are already returning from the half way mark, (at GRM, apart from Durgesh Merchant, Dr. Suresh Nayak & Sameer Gaikwad, even the little sis who was doing her maiden HM crossed me) which does egg you to hurry along. This is how I end up with a faster 2^nd half of the run. But what explains the negative quarterly splits? You know what, I can explain that too.

When the race begins, it is all crowded & people jostle to get going. That’s the time when I walk & let others get ahead. I take this as a warm-up routine for I am no fan of pre-run warm-up & stretching (nor of post-run cool-down & stretching). Thus, the 1^st quarter of a run is always the slowest. As the table above shows, the 1^st split pace at GRM was practically walking speed. (The 1^st split at GRM was unusually slower as I stayed with Rakesh who was having shin splints, which got better only during the 2^nd split & after generous spraying on the affected part.) Having warmed up, the 2^nd split turns out to be faster.

Having explained the 1^st half, I will get down to the return leg. As I explained, the return leg is faster on account of far fewer halts. But why is last 5K the fastest? You know what, as the last 3^rd approaches the sun is truly up & it starts getting hot. Escaping the heat quickly is one of the reasons for the quicker (actually, less slower) finish. Moreover, having had enough of water, enerzal, bananas & oranges (stay away from Parle-G biscuits, is my advice), the promise of a post-run breakfast (a veteran always knows!) generates extra energy to power ahead. Also, my run till this point has been a leisurely one with more than sufficient rest. Thus, when the other finishers are huffing & puffing along, I run past them with effortless strides (having no Garmin, I don’t have the data on cadence). Thus, I get a perfect negative splits each time I finish a HM.

But, not this time. Coming off the bridge after the 16K checkpoint, I went back to the musicians positioned there. Harjeet, doing his 10K called me out & I joined him. Coach Reni was waiting for us & I thought of finishing along with them at their (rather, Harjeet’s) pace. We also met RK Menon striding along on the other side & Harjeet may have felt elated on seeing a fellow debutant so far behind! But I soon recalled there was beer waiting on the other side of the finish line. This was one of the biggest decisions I had to make in my life, but chilled beer (being a post-run pick-me-up like nothing else) did the trick.

 

So, this is how I manage negative splits. The accomplished runners would have other strategies & I suggest you go to them for advice. This post is of help only if you are out to have some fun.

Sustained Sporting Excellence is Round the Corner, If...

The games are still not over as I write this. And Shobha De is a much relieved person now that we have two assured medals, a figure that can only go up (hopefully). At least the twitterati have so much to be busy with. But a 2-week long wait for the 1^st medal got me introspecting on how we can go about for a better sporting future. So here goes my prescription:

Our athletes have been spoilt by the facilities available to them today when compared to just a few years back. We should make them travel in state transport buses & passenger trains within the country. And make them stay at the decrepit dorms in our stadia. This will not only make them tougher but also help them focus on their sport. Today, they only worry about economy v/s business class when they travel to mega events (http://www.indiatimes.com/sports/rio-olympics/rio-olympics-bound-dutee-chand-struggles-for-36-hrs-in-economy-wthout-rest-or-sleep-while-officials-enjoy-business-class-259549.html). 

The best in American sports are found in its universities. Our education system is no different, it has the students rushing from one tuition class to another. Make them do so on foot & we will see the next set of sprinting heroes & heroines wrapped in tricolor. But only if the banks & auto finance companies play ball on this front. Our schools also need to go back to the old practices of disciplining students (as in our days). Though not very effective (else, why did they drop it?), it at least made the kids tougher.

We need to get more officials accredited for the events so that our ministers can concentrate on the wellbeing of our athletes. If they have to spend all the time worrying about their chamchas (http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/rio-olympics-organisers-threaten-to-cancel-vijay-goel-s-accreditation-116081101524_1.html), how will they ensure proper lodging/boarding for our sportspersons? We can’t leave this task to the federation office bearers, they are too busy politicking at a global level.

Forget Lodha Commission’s recommendations, we need more career politicians in the sports federations as is the case with cricket. This will help us frame rules that are favourable to our sportspersons. And also manage tricky situations. Had someone like Sharad Pawar or Arun Jaitley been in IOA, would Narsingh Yadav be banned just a day prior to his bout? Maybe our netas believe the scale of corruption in apex international sporting bodies is beyond their caliber, but they also need to prove their credentials globally.

 

I hope the bulging biceps of Sakshi Malik could give rise to a new fad where our girls & their parents chuck the quest for a size zero figure (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Narendra-Modi-tells-US-daily-Gujarats-malnutrition-due-to-figure-conscious-girls/articleshow/15948509.cms) for a more muscular one. And if the advertisers give more endorsement deals to the well-rounded bollywood stars, beauty could have a new definition. Of course, with the gau rakshaks protecting all those cows our budding wrestling heroines will have all the milk & ghee they need.

Earlier, the best in combat sports moved to a sporting career, while the rest kept democracy alive. TN Seshan & his successors then detached the art from of our elections. Unfortunately, this cleanup robbed our brave youth of an alternate career & our wrestlers & boxers now return home empty handed (or dope tainted) from showcase events. And as Sakshi Malik’s stupendous show proved, our political parties now have a large cache of strongwomen to choose from. (At the time of writing, the male wrestlers were yet to take the mat, so some medals may be on our way.)

Just as we have training camps for the athletes, shouldn’t we also have a conditioning camp for the visiting officials? It is very demoralizing for our athletes when our leaders tweet about one but put in the picture of another (http://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-in-india/sports-minister-vijay-goel-confuses-indian-olympic-athletes-in-tweet-gets-trolled-2978614/). In fact, we should have ready draft of tweets & Facebook/Instagram posts to be posted online by the netas during the meet. Saves their time too.

This could have gone one & on, but our girls finally ended the medal drought & I would rather celebrate their performance. And that of the rest who went to Rio & gave their best. Bravo, girls & boys!! You are one of the best out there, whatever the soft porn writer may say!!!

Runs & Rains

I like running in the rain because then no one can see me sweat. This is total BS. I like rains, running too & running in the rain takes me back to those carefree childhood days. Which happened when I went out for a run. But this is starting from the middle & let me go back to the beginning.

Till a few months back, life was easy. If I woke up early, I would go out for a run, walk or a bike ride. Till the fitness bug bit the wife & her friend. Rather, the friend who wanted to reduce her weight & thought of going for daily walks (as if this would have helped). All was well, till they decided to change their schedule from post-dinner to early mornings which is my preferred time. But one can’t argue with a wife, especially if one of her close friends is involved. After some negotiations (actually, a one-way dialogue), it was decided (by them, obviously) that they will have the 5:00 to 6:00 AM slot, as they had to return in time to get the kid ready for school.

With weather being good, I had returned to an active life by cycling in the mornings. But having woken up early today, I had ample time to go out & run. As part of pre-run routine, I walk about half a km to a tea stall, which not only primes up the body to the task ahead but also helps in catching up with friends who would be out walking or cycling or simply going to work. So it was today. I switched on the mobile data & turn on the GPS prior to beginning my run. And it started drizzling. Not wishing to spoil a mobile, I handed it over to the tea stall owner. And went for a short 4K.

A few metres & I was already drenched. By the rains & maybe, some sweat too. It felt good, being wet & running. The traffic reduces too, which helps. The cows move under the trees, which helps more!! And the temperature drops, making it very pleasant to run if one can avoid the puddles & ignore the wet road. One doesn’t even feel the sweat, assuming the effort has made one sweat. Or the rain may have washed away the sweat as the water didn’t burn the eyes or tasted salty.

The only negative part being I did not have my mobile with me but Runkeeper lets one log activities manually. You may be surprised I did not have any misgiving in leaving a premium flagship mobile handset with a roadside tea vendor. Firstly, I trust him as he provides me with hydration support after my runs. And not just hydration, this is also the place where I had my customary post-event drink after VIHM (read about it here - http://runfunetc.blogspot.in/2016/03/after-long-wait-hm-returned-to-baroda.html). Secondly, haven’t we handed over our country to another chaiwala? Surely a mobile phone cannot be more valuable than our nation. And I trust my chaiwala as much!!

As you know, we runners are not only sensible but also very particular about our safety. We always run against the traffic to avoid any vehicle coming from behind running over us. Now, I differ here when not running a loop (as was the case today). I run on only one side (to avoid crossing the road), so that while I follow the runners’ credo during one leg, i forget all about it on the return leg. But not really reckless, for two reasons. One, I run with the traffic when the legs are fresh so that I am safer when I am tired. Two, I run on the streets of Baroda & a vehicle can come from any direction. This is what this tempo, going for delivery of packaged water cans, did. To avoid taking a U-turn, this guy (as is the common practice) was driving on the wrong side. He was also very concerned about avoiding the oncoming traffic. So, he was driving right behind me & honking continuously so that I would give way. I had to give him an angry look before he overtook me.

Coming back to the tea stall, the friendly chaiwala handed me a small plastic bag to keep my mobile in as it was still raining. And I proceeded back home to begin my day on a satisfied note.

Running after a long time & I have spoken about everything else but my run! As this post is already long enough, I will give the briefest of specs. I did 4.1 km in 33 minutes returning a pace of a little over 8 min. Not bad, if you ask me!

Hey Runner, Which One Are You?

It takes all kinds to make this world. And this is true of runners too. Here’s an attempt to classify the runners that we often come across:

Bhappi Lahiri – They are loaded with gadgets when they run. Not to mention, their accessories are every runner’s envy. You name it, they have it. When they run, the whole world knows how. When they don’t, the whole world know why.

Anna Hazare – Polar opposite to the Bhappi Lahiri types. They are the simple ones who are seen only when turn up for events. And that’s where their performance that does the talking. But they are gone before you can catch up with them.

Jayalalitha – They are the heavyweight runners who are the masters of their circle. And have a swarm of runner fans who, while not able to run to their cadence, take each of their words as the gospel. Which they provide in plenty.

Ram Gopal Varma – The earliest ones to catch the running bug. But lost from the scene on account of injury or age, they frequently make a comeback only to retreat without regaining old glory days.

Arvind Kejriwal – They have had some fabulous runs early on when they started out. Fabulous enough to know what is wrong with a(ny) runner, which they never tire of informing everyone else but the subject.

LK Advani – They are the ones who have been running for as long as anyone (& their parents) can remember. They had always been one of the best in business but have now slowed down after realizing they can never be best enough.

Hema Malini – They are actually cyclists, swimmers, mountaineers. They run not only because it helps them be better cyclists, swimmers, mountaineers but also because that’s where the crowd is.

Smriti Irani – They are essentially Hema Malini plus; they were cyclists, swimmers, mountaineers. They run because they can no longer cycle, swim, climb. And also because they found they can run as well as they could cycle, swim, climb.

Arnab Goswamy – They can’t run. They know they can’t run. They don’t even run. But they think they know, like no one else, how to run. Whenever they can (mostly at post-event meal counters), they catch hold of the Anna Hazares & Ram Gopal Varmas & lecture them on how they should have run & why they shouldn’t have run.

This is not a comprehensive list of runner types, you may pls put in your suggestions in the comments below!

Pics courtesy:

Bhappi Lahiri (http://www.theindiapost.com/entertainment/tv-programes/bappi-lahiri-made-a-guest-appearance-on-zee-tv-celebrity-singing-reality-show/)

Anna Hazare (http://www.mid-day.com/articles/shashank-udapurkar-to-make-a-biopic-on-anna-hazare/15232089)

Jayalalitha (http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/jayalalithaa-tamil-nadu-cm-aiadmk-swearing-in/1/439762.html)

Ram Gopal Varma (http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/sridevis-thunder-thighs-made-her-a-star-yes-you-read-that-right-ram-gopal-varma-sridevi-obsession-guns-and-thighs-twitter-fight-boney-kapoor/1/536563.html)

Arvind Kejriwal (http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/arvind-kejriwal-quits-over-jan-lokpal/article5688528.ece)

LK Advani (http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031017/haryana.htm)

Hema Malini (http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/film-career-has-helped-me-as-politician-hema-malini/)

Smriti Irani (http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/smriti-irani-rahul-gandhi-amethi-bjp-congress-2014-lok-sabha-polls/1/352814.html)

Arnab Goswamy (http://www.countercurrents.org/ramagoud041215.htm) 

Lessons from The Godfather for the Vadodara Marathon

The 2016 edition of Vadodara International Half Marathon (VIHM) was not different than the previous one. The sole reason why I would like the organizers to watch The Godfather! Some nuggets from the movie for the VIHM guys...

The previous time (2013), the event started much after the scheduled time because the chief guest arrived late & proceeded to give a long speech. This time, the participants had the same fears but the organizers were smart. Firstly, they did not announce any start time (thus, technically, the start was not delayed!). Those who queried (including me) were assured that the 15K & HM would be flagged off before the chief guest's arrival. What happens? The same old story... Reminds one of The Godfather, though I am not aware whether the organizers even apologized (but runners are not gods).

Once upon a time, Vadodara International Marathon (as it was then called) was acclaimed as "Smallest City, Biggest Marathon". I believe, this made the organizers strive for a massive participation every time the event was held. Of course, political compulsions also played a major part in this (let us not dwell on these). But does a large crowd translate into a great event? If one goes by the previous two editions of VIM/VIHM, it’s a big NO! The organizers should realize the runners don’t care for the no. of participants (even if it is a world record) but how the event is conducted (in every respect). And it is the feedback of the runners that makes (or mars) an event's reputation.

The politicians who come to flag off the event may appreciate the large gathering & would be all praise for the organizers for the efforts put in. But are they aware that the crowd put in place are mostly school kids who have been forced to participate by the schools? I doubt it. But the serious runners, who are the heart of such events, who come in at 5:30 AM to find kids in school uniforms are not taken in by such gimmicks. And quite vocal about it too. Especially the outstation ones who compare this with events in their home towns or other places. I will not be surprised if it comes out that there are very few repeat outstation participants at VIHM/VIM.

Had the organizers had along the route while the event was in progress they would have witnessed people waiting at intersections to let the runners pass. The waiting crowds increased with time at practically all intersections. Did someone miss a train? Was someone late for work? Who cares? But people have a life beyond a marathon too, and an equal right to civic infrastructure. You simply can’t inconvenience so many people at a time. One person arriving late & thousands were troubled. For this realization to take place, the organizers have to get off the stage & on the streets. While many runners felt guilty about this, did the organizers also feel so? I don't think so, for this was a repeat of the last edition.

An event organizer’s 1st priority should always be runners. If the runners feel good after an event, they will generate enough positive feedback to bring in more runners the next time round. And once the runners come in, the sponsors are sure to follow (not to speak about the politicians). Somehow, the VIHM organizers work the other way round. They first bring the politicians on board to grace the event flag off, which helps them pull in the sponsors. They get so busy caring for the guests & sponsors that they forget the essence of an event - the runner. Maybe, runners are simply the performing artists in this circus called VIHM.

Many events are filled up even before the 1st posters are put up. Forget about the biggies (SCMM, etc.), some smaller events like Zendurance Nashik (http://runfunetc.blogspot.com/) & Daman Wind Marathon (http://runfunetc.blogspot.in/) have their own set of devoted runners who return religiously year after year. Zendurance doesn't even put up posters in Nasik town about the event, yet the event receives plenty of positive feedback. VIHM makes up for this absence of fan-base by compelling school students to participate in large nos to create records. Well, the records do last!! Which makes one wonder whether the organizers are themselves confident about how the actual event will play out. Least likely, if you ask me.

An event of this magnitude which uses civic infrastructure is not expected to be perfect. There will always be some issues, major or minor, as it is difficult to envisage everything that can go wrong. But to repeat the same old mistakes makes one feel that the organizers are simply not bothered about it. Had the organizers considered the goof ups as a personal insult, they would have ensured the flag off took place as scheduled. Couldn't they have asked the chief guest to give away the prizes which was also a photo-op that the politicians long for? With so many prizes on offer, they could have accommodated more politicians as well as speeches. Alas, the event was just a side show to the flagging off ceremony.

This one is for me (and other runners as well). Here was an event in my hometown, which helped me avoid the hassles of managing logistics for an outstation event. Despite being a small town, here are some people who have worked hard to make this event happen. Shouldn't this event in itself be an occasion to celebrate, rather than cribbing about all that could have been better? Rather than complain about what wasn't, I will enjoy what is, next time the event takes place. Bring on the next edition of VIHM/VIM, I will be there!! (Hope it’s not on 11th December 2016, as that would clash with the Goa River Marathon.)

Picture Credits: SM addicts on Facebook & WhatsApp

Disclaimer: Maybe, not all the above quotes are from The Godfather (but still relevant for VIHM team)

After a Long Wait, the HM returned to Baroda!

This one has to be special, being the hometown run. Also, because this one is so infrequent. The last one was held in 2013, when I did not run (that’s another long story). Suresh Iyer, the conqueror of Mumbai & New York full marathons & umpteen half’s, was specially coming down for this one. Yes, the nostalgia bug is very potent.

This time, they called it the Vadodara International Half Marathon (VIHM). It has always been international, but “Half” was added to the name this time round. They had good advisers this time! I believe they were the Baroda Road Runners (BRR) guys. And as always, this one was also planned to be a big event. The registrations were through either Book My Show (BMS) or the Khel Mahakumbh (KMK) website, the latter offering registrations for free. This is where the story starts… The KMK data wasn’t transferred to the organisers till very late. As a result, many of those who had registered through it did not get their bib nos. even when the bib collection had begun.

I was spared the anxiety as I shelled out the registration fee at BMS, as had Suresh. Early in the morning, I went to collect our bibs to avoid the late rush. They had planned it well. Limited persons were being allowed inside, so that it was a breeze getting the stuff. Going through the contents, I got to really appreciate the thoughtfulness of the organisers. They had packed in a pair of toothbrushes for the participants. This would remind us to brush our teeth while getting ready so that we could flash the whitest of smiles while running!! And adequately compensate the absence of a race jersey. Still, Rs. 750 plus taxes looked a bit on the higher side.

The previous edition had disappointed many city runners & quite a few were not sure whether they wished to participate this time round. The sole reason being a delayed start, because of the late arrival of the chief guest, and the welcome ceremony & series of speeches that followed. This time the event brochure informed the gate closure time of 5:45 AM but was silent on the start time! I admired this professional approach, for it makes no sense to needlessly raise expectations & not deliver. When asked, the volunteers were also non-committal on this aspect. Though, one did assure us (now, this was so unprofessional) that the 21-K & 15-K events will be flagged off even before the Chief Minister arrives. He knew, she would arrive late (or should it be later?).

Taking this seriously, Suresh & I were at the venue by 5:30 AM. Arriving early helps one park easily, as I have said earlier too. Entering the venue, one found a group of school kids (in uniform) already seated. They would have woken up pretty early. Now, a seasoned runner like Suresh takes his pre-run routine seriously. This involves complete stretching & warming up as well as taking a leak twice, the 2^nd time immediately before the start. An empty bladder is a runner’s best friend (see, you learn so much when you go through my posts!). After the warm ups, my routine involves strolling about & catching up with known faces. This is also the selfie time.

I also came across a walking billboard who was pasted all over with sponsors’ logos. Time for a chat with Adil Marawala. He was raising funds for his initiative, wherein the sponsors were donating or rendering services for every km that he completed. The beneficiaries included street kids, homeless & stray animals. You can read more about his work on www.walkawalka.in.

A little after 6:00 AM (whoever said this was the scheduled start time?) we were allowed out of our enclosure. The run is about to begin & we were excited for a start happening so close to schedule. The buses were also ready. We had planned to latch on to the 2:30 bus being chauffeured by Piyush Doshi. But you know what Robert Burns said about the best laid plans of mice & men? That apart, one needs to admire the buses. To actually time your run to the last minute, while following a plan for the entire distance, is something that seems out of this world, at least to me. For them, it appears to be a stroll in the park.

This is what distance running is all about. It helps one to stay focused on the objective. While a bus would aim for perfect execution of the run plan, for someone like Adil, the run is only the vehicle for achieving another objective. Then, there are people like Dina Patel who are clear about what they want. See, she is not even afraid to tell the whole world what it is! Durgesh Merchant also agrees totally with her, as do most of the rest of us. I am sure, Dina was the most cheered runner on the streets. I hope her message reached the right destination.

It was a long wait, because the organisers had decided for a formal flag off by the CM. We should have expected this. One of the organisers is said to be angling for a ticket to contest elections for quite some time now & cannot afford to miss any opportunity to showcase her crowd gathering skills. So what, if this involves forcing school kids to wake up so early on a Sunday & wait for hours to hear boring speeches by politicians? The regular runners did not like it one bit. I met runners who had come from Pune and Bangalore who were not at all pleased with this long wait. In a way, the HM runners were lucky, being the first ones to be flagged off. Which happened a little later than 6:40 AM. In a way, this late start has its good points too. Imagine a big bunch of runners out on the streets when it is still dark. We would unnecessarily wake up the stray dogs & cows & other animals from their well-deserved sleep. Isn’t the Indian philosophy all about respecting all living beings, whatever physical form they have acquired? And what if one of these got annoyed at being so disturbed? I am told that the 5K runners were let off at 7:30. Did they have to endure those netas & wannabe netas for so long?

One fallout of this late start was the need to take a pee break shortly after we began. I did so under the conveniently designed & located Lalbaug bridge. I am beginning to like the route for the run, with such amenities on the way. I was not alone & the organisers seemed to have duly deliberated on the route. Suresh Iyer had moved much ahead during this break, but I did not have much to regret. I came across Suresh Iyengar. Now, here is a guy who was running his 1^st HM, but already had an ultra under his belt!! He also runs at a slow, leisurely pace, which is more to my liking.

Another fallout was the time between warmup & start – over an hour. The body had already cooled down by the time we began. I noticed beginning of cramps. Now, this was trouble with an upper case T. I eased it out while deciding whether to continue or drop out. Ample no. of medical aid stations along the route made it easier. Hydration & medical aid were very well spread out along the route & commend the organisers for this. Reaching Manisha Chokdi, came across the BRR cheer gang of Reni George, Ajay Sharma & Shalini Sharma. Reni also doubled up as the photographer. Later, they took over the traffic handling responsibilities too, as this is a major traffic intersection.

Then came the shocker, near the Bird Circle. A cyclist volunteer went past with a placard informing the date & distances for the next edition. Here is an event that doesn’t take place regularly & which has a record of announced dates being shuffled around. To commit a date for the next edition was unbelievable. Which would also make it two editions in a single calendar year. Aren’t the orgsanisers more than a little overambitious? Moreover, the date clashes with the Goa River Marathon which is a favourite of many local runners too. To top it all, the next edition will have the Full Marathon on offer too. I have reasons to differ with these grand plans. 2017 will be the year elections will be held for the state assembly. While this presents an opportunity for aspiring contestants to lobby for a ticket, I am doubtful whether there will be enough sponsors for the event. The potential sponsors would have shelled out the spare cash to major political parties & I doubt whether they will have something left for a running event. Still, good luck to the organisers!!

The sun was, by now, all over. So were the people. Running past the Fatehganj flyover near Drug Laboratory, I found a stream of taffic coming the other way. This happened at a lot of places. The worst being the stretch between Pandya Hotel & Chhani and the Kala Ghoda Circle. As I was running across a T-junction, a garbage truck suddenly appeared from the side street. It had no intention of slowing down or stopping (there was a traffic cop on duty there) & I did the next best thing. Of course, this helps one to rest & regain some strength, howsoever little it may be. At another junction, the traffic cop actually stopped the runners to let the vehicles cross the road! Different runners react differently to this. While I took it as a time to rest, some actually run faster to avoid incoming traffic. They also end up with a faster timing! The photograph below was widely circulated on whatsapp & facebook & proved that the autorickshaws do not consider anyone on foot as an elite.

As one turned around Chhani into Nizampura main road, it was getting very hot. I had seen many runners wearing the Rajkot HM race jersey. I got chatting with Mansukhbhai Dabhi, who informed that there a sizeable contingent from Rajkot here. He was extremely critical of the late start, bad traffic management & extremely low crowd support. Of course, he was comparing VIHM with the HM held at Rajkot a couple of weeks back & couldn’t have reacted differently. I felt the same way too.

The Poddar Jumbo Kids was managing a hydration point near Mehsana Nagar junction. They also had a kid dressed in a jumbo outfit. It looked so cute, but I felt really sorry for the poor little guy inside. He was inside a thick hide, which would be now quite hot under the sun. He could have been out of that outfit 45 minutes earlier, if the event had started on time. he would have felt so proud on being selected for this task. Little did he know what would come on race day. And we runners want all the facilities & conveniences for ourselves. The least we can do is appreciate these supporters who also spend their time & energy to support & encourage us.

There was a huge crowd at Kala Ghoda circle. Reni & Ajay were here too, to cheer us on the last leg! Rest of the crowd was not there to cheer the runners but those stopped by the traffic cops to let the runners pass this junction. Hope, none of them missed their train. The organisers also had placed bananas for the runners. Water & energy drinks are fine, but the stomach needs something solid too during this long time spent on foot. Wonder, why they couldn’t have this at other locations too? Maybe, this was a good deed of some volunteer. One was enough for the last stretch to the finish.

Hot, tired & famished, I reached home. And immediately realized that I had missed my ritual with the medal. Off I went to my Kitli & let the medal have its moment under the sun!!

And Bapus ran on a cold winter morning...

(First posted on 17th Feb, 2016, on http://theotherwhys.blogspot.com/2016/02/and-bapus-ran-on-cold-winter-morning.html) 

What will you do if you go for a run (part of a series of running posts for the blog), take a wrong turn & end up running half the distance you planned, on a route that had not much of interest, where you did not bump into anyone interesting enough to stop & chat with, and end up with that demoralizing feel of an unfinished task? Well, I will write about it despite there being not much! As you know, we salespersons can talk forever on no topic whatsoever. So, here comes my experience of the Rajkot Half Marathon (24th Jan, 2016) held in the heart of Bapudom, or Kathiawad if you so prefer. (To the ignorant, Bapus are the coolest community anywhere. But be warned, one doesn’t ever mess with a Bapu.)

To begin with, why did I land up in Rajkot? Well, I missed Ahmedabad owing to illness & decided to make up with Rajkot HM. And yes, catching up with Jyotin Kalaria, a dear friend (nicknamed Bapu for being a Kathiawadi), was what made me drive to Rajkot after 2 practically sleepless nights. There are 3 routes to reach Rajkot from Baroda –Baroda-Ahmedabad-Bagodara-Rajkot (around 325 km), Baroda-Vasad-Borsad-Bagodara-Rajkot (around 285 km), Baroda-Sindhrot-Borsad-Bagodara-Rajkot (around 280 km). The route through Ahmedabad is longer but a good road all the way through. Borsad to Bhagodra stretch (around 80 km) is a road that has been left unfinished, for we saw no signs of any construction activity on the way though there is enough evidence of the road being widened & flyovers under construction. If you take on this portion during daylight hours, you can still save on time compared to going all the way to Ahmedabad Ring Road (which is always congested). We went via Vasad & returned via Sindhrot & I recommend traveling via Sindhrot which is a newly surfaced & less trafficked route.

Rajkot, on first visit, appears to be a good city. Even in the peak rush hour traffic one can simply drive through as if on a major highway. After a missed turn & an additional 30 km drive, we reached Jyotin’s place in good time. Depositing wife & kid at home, I went out to meet him near his office which was quite close by (less than a kilometer). Now I know why the Rajkotians can afford their Baporias (afternoon naps, which are a religion in Rajkot). 

Post-dinner, we again moved out to have a feel of the town (this time with the wives in tow). We stopped at Galaxy Pan, where I tried out the famous Fire Paan. The Paan is the normal meetha paan (or as you may order). They put 4 cloves over it & put these on fire. The still alight paan is put into your mouth, which is quite scary the first time round (if you have never witnessed this yourself earlier). Of course, the biggest risk is your moustache getting burnt in the process, so the angle of your face becomes very important. You see, I always have some helpful advice for you (there’s more near the end)!!

Rajkot had prepared well for its maiden Marathon. Jyotin appreciated the clever move by the local admin to have an early start which would make it easy to manage the typical Rajkot traffic. I wasn’t so sure whether the Bapus can be so “managed”, but my experience the next day belied my fears on this account.

We (Jyotin & Kush (his kid), both doing the 5K, and I) got ready later than I would have wished & left for the venue on his Bike. He was informed by his office colleagues, who were also running, about the roads being closed for traffic for the HM. It was cold & chilly, and it helped I was the pillion. Nearing the venue, there was a big traffic jam. Half the city was going to the venue, while the other half was going in the opposite direction (maybe to get their 1^st dose of Gathia, a snack that Rajkotians can eat any time of the day) & there was only one half of the road available for vehicular movement (other being dedicated for the runners). It took some time, but we made our way to the venue. Perhaps, the bapus were not in their elements so early in the morning, or maybe they were too focused to get to their favorite Gathia joint. A saurashtrian’s love for Gathias is such that I feel this region should be called Gathiawad.

Rajkot Half Marathon was organized by the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) & the Rajkot City Police (RCP). The administration, ably led by Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra, had put all its resources to make this event a success. This was very well publicized with hoardings & posters all over the town (something I did not find at Nasik). There were water points & aid stations practically every 2 km or so. The locals lined up the entire route cheering the runners. They also had separate start & end points for the 5K runners & 10K/HM runners. This helped to decongest the more serious, timed events. The police were all over the place & the traffic was very well managed. I did not see any restless traffic waiting at crossroads for runners to pass (as one sees in Ahmedabad). Had it not been so, the police would have had the toughest time of their lives, because an agitated Bapu is someone to be avoided at all costs. Ask the Brits, who had to relinquish the jewel in their crown because of an angry Bapu!

They also got a lot of support from the local population. All along the route, schools & organisations had put up temporary stages to cheer the runners by way of music, dance, and some acrobatics too. It seems to me these kids performing on the sidelines would sweat less if they run the HM. They have to be on their feet throughout the event. But they had their Commissioner as the role model, who ran the full 21K (seen in the pic along with the Brand Ambassador, Cheteshwar Pujara). If our politicians also make it a habit to run at such events, we would not only get fitter leaders but also better roads.

One of the objectives of the event was to create awareness about cleanliness. Most of the posters lining up the route were on cleanliness. After the Prime Minister’s call for #SwachhBharat, there has been a visible change in the way local administrations have been going about promoting cleanliness. But the Rajkot Marathon was not all about words. If there were posters all over, there were also volunteers near hydration points collecting empty water bottles (as in the pic here). Great work, RMC!!

But this one caught the eye. There was this poster, placed against a streetlight, talking about making Rajkot a Litter Free city. Looking up, I saw another poster for a real estate project. it said “Dream City, Gateway to Heaven”. I do not know if this was intentional or a coincidence. But, a litter-free city would be anyone’s dream city. And not just a gateway, but heaven in itself.

I was running faster than normal & feeling very pleased about it. This was probably to it being a cold morning that made it comfortable to run on the road. Moreover, I had started out with the first bunch of runners & escaped the crowding & the jostling at the beginning of the run. I also had to stop often to take pictures of all those witty posters that the organisers had put up. At one such point, where some school kids were standing with placards, I stopped to read & take picture. The cop posted there asked me to continue running as I would come in the way of oncoming runners. This bugged me no end. With the whole road width available why would the runners bump into me? I was also surprised at this cop persisting with his duty, who probably deduced I was an outsider as I was speaking Hindi. But a brief exchange of words convince him that I was a Gujarati by birth & domicile, even if not a Kathiawadi. This ended up with the cop minding his post, leaving me free to do what I pleased.

Now, to the posters that were put up along the route to motivate the runners. Some of these were (my thoughts in brackets, italicized):

Running is Gift (i.e. Every child is gifted, but we discard/misplace the gift as we grow older.)
Marathon is Science (They shouldn’t have put this up, it will turn off a lot of students.)
Two Legs move the Soul (If this dictum catches up, peddlers of spiritualism would be soon out of business. I hope it does!)
Run Fast, Run Far (This was at the 3K mark. But I can do only one, not both.)
Run Fast, Run Slow, Run Far, Run Close (This was at the 4K mark. We finally got a choice & I am beginning to love it.)
When your Legs get tired, run with your Heart (Friendly advise at the 4.5K mark, much before the mind turns off.)
Dare to Go the Distance (That’s what we all were here for, isn’t it?)
Run with your Heart, not with your Legs (Nearing the end, do we have a choice?)
Forget the Miles, Just Remember the Glory (When it all ends, it’s the miles that add to the glory.)
It doesn’t get Easier, You just get Stronger (Apt for the 19K mark, where it was put up.)

This one I loved the most! 

Now, back to running. After around some 12-13 kilometres, I found I was running at a pace that was way beyond my capabilities. I realized this when a couple of African runners overtook me. Being overtaken is quite normal, as the leading pack of Full Marathoners always finishes earlier than I do my Half Marathon. But there was no FM distance at Rajkot, nor did I have a significant advantage of an early start. And I suddenly realized (by the Bib colour) that all runners around me were dong the 10K. Some mental arithmetic convinced me that I had goofed up & was now doing only the 10K. (Later, after I had finished my run & looking for a clue in the pics I had taken, I realized where I had taken the wrong turn). This dampened the spirit & I started looking out for volunteers who would be able to tell me how I could rectify the error (or, how far back would I have to go to resume my HM). I didn’t find any. All I could see were traffic cops & onlookers.

From here onwards it was a mix of emotions. Disappointment at missing out on another HM finish. Anger for being so stupid. Wonder at how/where/why I erred so. Frustration for being unable to locate a volunteer. Disappointment at not doing a HM in the month. But I had to finish the run, whatever the distance I ended up doing & I continued. An optimistic thought persisted – maybe the HM was two loops of 10K. After another turn, I found myself in the midst of a big crowd of runners. It was a big crowd consisting of the 5K & 10K participants. We were near the end point. Volunteers (cops again) guided me (the HM runner) to my route. It was an empty stretch I landed up in. I tried to convince myself that the HM was really two loops & I was still on the right track. Alas, I did not even get enough time for this. I ended up inside the sports ground, where I came up against this last poster. This one pierced my heart. I had run but found myself at the finish point of the wrong distance.

Now for some gyan (I warned you in the beginning) on why/how this happened & can be avoided:

• One should be clear about the route, especially in a new town. The organisers did not keep the route map in my kit. I did not also go through route put up on the website. I thought I will just follow other runners, but ended up with the wrong set.
• One should be at the venue in good time before the race starts. Maybe, the organisers would have important announcements to make & one shouldn’t miss that. Apart from the route, there may be other important things they would like to point out.
• There should be volunteers to guide runners at important junctions. There was none at Surat. My wife tells me, at the Spice Coast Marathon (Kochi), they had volunteers separating the 5K & 10K runners.
• And finally, when there are multiple events, opt for the longer distance. Imagine running a 10K & ending up doing a HM!

To cut a short story shorter, I was one of the earliest finishers. Post-run, Rajkot provides not only the mandatory fruits & water, but also milk & green tea to the runners. After a bit of coordination issues, I managed to join Jyotin & we reached back home. While having the standard Rajkot breakfast (of course, Gathia), I received this SMS. Wow, I need to print & frame this! Later, we again went to Galaxy Pan & I had another flaming paan, this time with more confidence (as can be seen in the video below). The medal, sadly, stayed in the pocket. The Soda Chhaas (another specialty of Rajkot) will have to wait till I complete this HM.

Pic credit:

Vijay Nehra & Cheteshwar Pujara - http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/rajkot-marathon-37000-participate-kenyans-ethiopians-bag-top-prizes/