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!!

When Daman Serves More than Beer...

(First posted on 16th Jan, 2016, on http://theotherwhys.blogspot.in/2016/01/when-daman-serves-more-than-beer.html) 

Long after the British left India, the Portuguese still occupied Goa, Daman & Diu. After liberation from Portuguese rule, they were a common Union Territory till Goa became a separate state. Daman is also the favorite go-to weekend destination for people in South Gujarat as it’s a Union Territory (low taxes) where the dry laws do not apply (freely available liquor). A little over 3 hours from Baroda by road/train makes it convenient even if the weekend is just 1-day long. The tourism department also organizes a Half Marathon (http://damanwindmarathon.org/) around Liberation Day (19^th December), where many runners from Baroda are regulars. 

If you think they participate for the easy availability of liquor, you are mistaken. Many have achieved their PB’s & best performances at the Daman Wind Marathon. This year I was also part of the Baroda contingent at Daman (there were others too, who turned up late). And like the rest, my priority was also clear (though different)!!

They start the run very early at Daman, around 5:30 am. I was staying at my aunt’s place in Vapi which is just across the border in Gujarat. I didn’t wish to disturb my cousin’s sleep early in the morning to drop me off, nor was I adventurous enough to drive back into Gujarat after a trip to Daman. So the previous night had me arranging an auto to pick me up early in the morning. It’s a tough task & my advice for those who may want to go to Daman next year onwards is simple – Daman is the place to stay. If you find Vapi convenient, make sure you have your own conveyance (and a driver, if you enjoy your post-run drink). Of the many who refused, I came across an autowala who informed that he was also participating (along with some 10/12 of his friends) in the marathon. I simply love it when someone is willing to chuck aside productive economic time to indulge in a favorite pastime. Unfortunately, he was running the 5K which started much later & could not take me along on his bike!! But one manages to get an auto at the Railway Station, where those on the night shift are most willing to take you for some Rs. 250/-. Don’t haggle much as one doesn’t have much of a choice. That’s my advice #2 & #3 for those wishing to run in Daman!!

An early morning start is good, as Daman is never really cold even in December. However, one does feel the chill riding an auto at 4:30 in the morning. But alighting at the Daman Football Ground, it feels pleasant, and more so after one does some stretching & warmup. The Daman Fort is still decked up with the lighting put up for Liberation Day, or maybe it is always there (this is my first time here).

On the bridge, I come across Mr. Amarjeet Singh, a 60-year young visually challenged runner from Mumbai. Around 9 years back, he started taking part in distance running events, beginning with the 7K at SCMM. Since then, he has completed 43 distance runs. A week prior to Daman Wind Marathon, he was running the HM at Goa River Marathon & was scheduled to run the HM in Nashik the next week. His spirit is truly commendable! He has to run with an escort who runs with him. At Daman, it was Harshal from Mumbai who ran with him. But this is not the difficult part. Even traveling outside Mumbai is a task. He needs an escort for that too. He defines the spirit of running the marathon, or the half for that matter – overcoming the odds & breaking through the physical & mental barriers.

The bridge on Damanganga river makes a pretty sight too, with all these decorative lights creating a canopy as we moved. The Daman administration has opted for the best day to organize the event when not only the city is decorated but even the weather is helpful. No wonder, outstation participants become a regular at Daman. It was still dark, when the sound of waves crashing on the shore announced we were near the Devka beach. And then we come upon all these resorts & hotels. There is enough hydration available along the route as these hotels put up water stations for the runners. The organisers also don’t need to put up portable toilets as Daman is dotted with hotels who open up their facilities for us. May be this is also a reason why the entry fees here are so low!

This guy is not a Bus. I didn’t see any at Daman. He is promoting the Valsad City Marathon, or shall we say he is its flag bearer? The Valsad Runners had sent a big team here, being in its neighbourhood.

A long stretch of the route is lined with coconut trees along the shore. In their welcome email, the organisers had informed that this piece of land belonged to one Sukur Narayan Bakhia, a smuggler who had, as one of his assistants, a guy called Haji Mastan!! Daman has history at every step, it seems.

We turn around at the gates of Wind World India, the event sponsors. They are doing a good job, putting this small Union Territory on the sporting calendar.

On my return leg, I come across Mr. Premshankar Pandya from Ahmedabad running on the other side of the road. At 75 years, he is 15 years younger than our Mr. Amarjeet Singh. He has been walking & running long distances for many years now. But that’s not what he is known for. He is recognized because he always runs barefoot wearing dhoti-kurta! He even ran the Vadodara Ultra barefoot, running so on the roads would be so much easier.

I always believed that Surtis thronged Daman for the beer & liquor. But coming to this stall, I realized Daman ,makes them feel at home. Of course, this gentleman doesn’t have the entire range of egg dishes that are served at a typical outlet in Surat, but has enough on the menu to get the Surti tourists get up & out for the breakfast.

Back in the city, we take the turn at the Clock Tower, still decorated with yesterday’s flowers & the dolphins at the top. Beware of this one, though. One look at the time & I was mighty pleased with myself. But once I took out my phone to take its pic, I realized it was around 55 minutes behind. I was totally deflated!

Back on the Damanganga bridge & the Daman Fort is still standing strong to welcome us back.

You would be well aware of what happens during that last kilometer. With not much distance left, and far lesser strength in those legs, runners pull up the last of the energy reserves that they can, to cut down the seconds. Now what will you do if you come across this sign at this stage? Would you still get ahead of that slowing runner ahead of you? Or would you just take it easy & wait till the turn ahead to move forward?

We finish where we began, just outside the Daman fort. May be the soldiers of the Maratha Light Infantry, at the end of the siege, felt as tired as we did at the finish line. We have to get into the fort for the medals & post-race breakfast (nothing to speak about). The fort now houses government offices. There’s also the beautiful Liberation day memorial, which made me wonder whether the cannon in the corner fired all these shots!! You can read more about the liberation of Goa, Daman & Diu at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_annexation_of_Portuguese_India.

They serve you the breakfast on the banks of the Damanganga river, where there is also small park. The children had energy enough to play in the park! They were proudly wearing their medals & bibs. The fun doesn’t stop for the kids.

Returning back, I once again met Mr. Amarjeet Singh & Harshal (his escort) & we got chatting. A group of young boys reached & greeted him. They were all praise for him, especially the fact that he finished earlier than they did. It was sincere, truthful praise that they had for Mr. Singh. He inspired more than a few at Daman.

I came out of the fort & after more than half an hour, hunted down a small bar that was open at 9:30 AM. Well, that’s what I was here for. The medal found its perch at Daman too.