Ye Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan

It was not supposed to be this. I wanted FM to be my 1^st run in Mumbai & also my 1^st FM to be in Mumbai. Being the lazy person that I am, I have never been in a position to prepare for running this long. Even Standard Chartered gave up all its hope of seeing me & stopped sponsoring the event. Not to let down the Tatas (and to get a feel of the event & the climate), this year I registered for the HM at Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM). Thus, Mumbai found me awake early on a late-January morning geared up for the 21K.

I departed with the regulars, brother Vikas & Rahul, in a cab at 05:30 for the venue. Both being Mumbaikars, I didn’t have to worry about anything. But they had not factored the Metro work underway in South Mumbai. And we landed in a huge traffic jam (the 1^st of the day) just as we were about to cross Bandra for Mahim. With the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) closed for the event, all south-bound traffic (including trucks & dumpers) were now in this pre-BWSL era route. The entire suburban Mumbai seemed to be participating in the TMM. Some runners were so frustrated that they had started walking towards the venue. Or they may have been the non-serious ones who, taking advantage of this jam, simply decided to walk to the finish point & collect their finisher medal!! But the traffic moved & we reached Doordarshan junction where a volunteer informed about a BEST bus waiting to pick up runners. (It has been ages since I travelled in one.) Upon alighting, Vikas & Rahul scampered ahead as we were already late, but not me. Because hum wahan se daudte hain, jahan se marathon shuru hoti hai. A longish walk (with a pee break) & I arrived at an empty holding area.

Another longish walk to the start point & I realized 23 minutes (beyond the flag off time) is not really late at the TMM. It was a big crowd there, reminding one of the scene inside a Mumbai local. Next time I am taking a Mumbai local so as to reach the venue in time.

I was in for a 3^rd walk – from the starting mat this time, thanks to the crowd (of participants). It was a few hundred metres (rather more) before I could even start running. I didn’t regret this as the three walks were all the warm up I could get, late as we were in reaching the venue. An Indian Navy (going by its white uniform) band played Hum Honge Kamyaab as the runners began their 21.1 KM run.

And a slow jog when some space opened up. Maybe the Bhangra group (or the one dressed in typical Punjabi attire & playing what seemed like Punjabi music) has charged up the runners who now realize they are attending a running event. We are now at the Worli sea front (it is still as crowded) & I get the 1^st glimpse of the iconic Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL). Long after the political power moved to Delhi & commercial power to Mumbai, Calcutta (now Kolkata) prided itself on its trams & the Howrah Bridge. Now that the BWSL has been constructed & the trams having disappeared into history, it is left with only Didi! I have often traveled on the Sea Link but this will be the 1^st time I will be doing so on foot. A group of Dholchis pushes us on to the BWSL. But the cable stayed bridge is still a long way away. The approach has a slight incline & the runners are cautious enough not to waste their energy so early in the run. We cross the approach & are now running over the sea. And there is a sea of runners in front too (as you can see in the pic). BWSL (in fact, the entire route) is closed for traffic. I wish other marathon organisers (specifically those in Ahmedabad & Baroda) could, like TMM, tell the motorists, “Ye marathon ka route hai, tumhare baap ki sadak nahi”.

A signage on the LCD signboard says, “Two Wheeler & Pedestrian not allowed”. Maybe, runners are not pedestrians & considered no less than an automobile, at least by the authorities. Pride is the dominant emotion at this point! Immediately the signage changes to “Speed Limit 80 KMPH”. And I realize they either forgot to change the signage or did not bother to do so. Couldn’t they at least have shut it off for the duration of the run? Even the Ethiopians & the Kenyans do not run so fast.

And we are now on the cable stayed part of the bridge. Some runners stop to take a Sea Link Selfie, this being once-in-a-year opportunity to do so. Quite a few have now slowed down after the (mild) climb on the approach. And I take off (somewhere just before the turnaround). I cross the 3:00 hour bus in the return over the BWSL, which means I should finish under 02:30 easily.

The faster FMers are now seen on the other side even before one gets off the BWSL. There are quite a few from Baroda doing the longest run (actually, the FMers from Baroda outnumber the HMers). The first known face is that of Dr. Manoj Subramaniam (have I spelled his last name correctly?). He is a comrade (not the type found in Kerala but the ones who complete a grueling event called Comrades Marathon). And a little behind comes Rajinder Singh, the Surd I often bump into when running on the streets near my home (his flowing white beard making him look much older than he is). I am at the Sea Front now & get a friendly wave of recognition from Hiren Mehta. The FM here has a large participation (around 7000) & it is difficult to spot the 35-odd FMers from Baroda. This is quite a big number for Baroda, but the no. of participants is also equally large. We get back on to the Worli Seafront & the navicular starts paining. This has happened earlier too & I think it is usually the case when I wear Brooks. I hadn’t experienced this for quite some time. So I took this pair with me as these are quite comfortable & have a nice pacy feeling. Also, the pain persists for some time & then disappears. So I just curled the toes, landed slightly on the outer side of the foot & carried on, ignoring the pain because Mard ko dard nahi hota.

One spots Haji Ali soon enough. The dreadful part (so one has been told on facebook, blog posts & personal accounts) lies just beyond – Peddar Road flyover. A short stop to get the blood moving properly (thakaan se darr nahi lagta sahab, cramps se lagta hai) & I trot towards the infamous (among runners) flyover. I am doing a good pace & a 02:15 finish looks plausible. I plan to run-walk the stretch to make up for lost time at the start before going all out at Churchgate. But, as Wodehouse so famously reminded, the best laid plans of men & mice are soon laid to waste (or something on these lines). It is another traffic jam ahead on the flyover. Some time back, what were runners ahead are now walkers & what were walkers are now crawlers. Many would have given up at this stage, but they have taken the lesson from 3 Idiots to heart – Bachcha, finish karo, finish… Medal to saala jhak maar ke tumko milega. Moving forward, I glance to my left at the super-expensive architectural monstrosity which goes by the name of Antilia. But there’s no one to be seen on the balconies or at the windows to cheer the sole runner in the extended family. Maybe he is yet to pass by, or the brothers are still a long way apart. I walk the Peddar Road flyover to the top. And find the runners flying down (OK, running down) now, which opens up some space. I resume my run.

I have always heard that the crowd support is tremendous at TMM (or SCMM, as it used to be called). I experience it first-hand this time. From the Heera-Panna market onwards, it seems there are more people cheering than those running! Only a few are empty handed. As if they are telling me, Runner bhai, TMM bachcho ke daudne ki cheez nahi hoti, dehydration ho jaye to cramps aa jaate hain. If not the fruits or water or biscuits, they are carrying placards with the best one-liners I have seen anywhere. In fact, the wit is far better than what I found in Rajkot or Kochi, where it was more of an institutional effort. Not to forget a group of Japanese (else, why should they carry the Japanese flag?) who were handing out Yakult to the runners. I have found the crowd support better only in Rajkot, but that was the 1^st ever HM in town & organized by the district administration with participation of schools (forced?) & other institutions (compelled?). At TMM, this appeared to be spontaneous & entirely voluntary. Mumbai Road Runners (going by their facebook page) had a large contingent of volunteers at their creative best. The chest swelled upon reading “You are a Human Rocket”. And nothing has ever been truer than “Sweat is Sexy”! Not to forget some considerate chaps too who pumped us up with “Kenyans are finishing all the beer” & also reminded that “the beer is getting warm”. I think these particular guys should be sent along with Team India on overseas tours (especially Australia & South Africa). But the authorities always goof up, like the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai in this case. Maybe the missing Bin was symbolic of the state of civic affairs in Mumbai. Well, bade bade shaharo mein, aisi chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rahti hain.

We come to Charni Road & the sun is out now. The Girgaon Chowpatti on the right, railway tracks to the left & there are no high rise buildings to provide shade as we run. Bisleri has put up (or sponsored & branded) cooling zones along the route, basically a covered passage fine spraying a jet of water. I went through a couple but missed quite a few in the crowd! The regulars found the TMM hot, but I felt it was wonderful weather (perhaps the cooling zones helped). Not really humid. And neither cold nor warm. In fact, Goa (early Dec. in 2016) was warmer & Kochi (mid-Nov. in 2015) was very bad in terms of temperature as well as humidity. Maybe I was expecting Mumbai to be equally bad. To think that all along I have been hesitant to run the SCMM as it is held on the 3^rd Sunday of January, when the temperatures have started rising. Well, I should consider coming here regularly.

Now a days I wear a cap during the long runs. Previously, I wore sweat bands on the wrists but they get wet fast in warm weather and, being thick, do not dry during the long runs. So I started wearing sleeves which are much better. But once I didn’t & some sweat went into the eye. It was a horrible experience, so I now wear a cap & wear it backwards, afraid that if it gets too wet the sweat may again drip into the eye. The damp cap also helps in keeping the head from getting hot. Why to have another hot headed person on the road when there already are so many? And pour some water on the neck to bring down the body temperature. (I have said this earlier too, you can expect some running gyaan on this blog.)

We are on the Marine Drive. The finish is not too far now, but the hamstring tendons are feeling the strain. Did I over-exert too early? I remind myself that I have completed a FM just two weeks back & push forward. Also that there are people (not just the Kenyans) who are right now downing the beer. Yes, it is painful. The foot as well as the knees (as also the thought that stock of beer is depleting). But I am not really feeling tired. The preparation for the FM is coming useful now, as also the GU Gel that Vikas gave me in the morning. Of course, there is the planned beer session with friends after the race & they would have started much earlier than I did. I believe this is what really helped in running through the pain. You know what, kabhi kabhi daaru peene ke liye daudna bhi padta hai. Aur daudne ke baad peene wale ko marathoner kahte hain.

And one comes to Churchgate. This is one station where you can get a window seat of choice in the general compartment of a local train during off-peak hours. But only because this is where they start from & you are present when the empty train arrives! Also a heritage town with beautiful buildings constructed when architecture was a work of art. But today, loads of money can only buy you an Antilia. A left turn soon after & seeing the no. of people on both the sides, it appears as if the 08:40 Virar local is about to arrive. I am aware there were no rail tracks here, but for all I know, Achhe Din may have already arrived in Mumbai. Talking of Achhe Din, I didn’t come across any of the famed potholes today. Maybe, Mumbai patched those up for the TMM.

There were so many distance markers in the latter part that runners felt like, Kilometer par Kilometer, Kilometer par Kilometer, Kilometer par Kilometer milte rahte hain, lekin finish line nahi milti my Lord. MIlte hain to sirf Kilometer markers. But they give way to Meter Markers now that we are so close to the finish. It is a narrow road & the runners are already cramped for space. Plus, these were the slower ones. There is no way one can comfortably run the last stretch. Of course, traffic jams are a way of life for the Mumbaikars & they won’t really mind this. I feel happy for Rakesh Rawat who is doing the FM today. He always sprints to the finish. Had he been here with me, he would have waited till the cut off time to make that last dash over the last timing mat! I only got to walk my way past the mat into another side street at CST.

The sis would have been tracking me, as she called up to wish me on finishing the maiden Mumbai HM. And told me the finish time, which was the fastest I have over this distance. That was the last call for some time. I tried calling Vikas, Durgesh, Prasad Menon & a few others who would have finished by now. But none of the calls connect. I move to the finisher zone & am guided to the medal counter where I receive the medal & a bag containing an apple, something wrapped in paper, a packet of Maggie noodles & two sachets of coffee powder. I decided to collect my bag from the baggage truck & then look for some hot water to make myself noodles & a strong coffee. I had just collected my bag when I received the call from Durgesh who told me that he was already moving towards Café Leopold. And informed that one has to walk back to Churchgate to get a cab. I was on my feet again & a friendly fellow runner I met at Churchgate, on being asked directions, advised me to walk (if I could, was what he enquired first) along with him (he was going to Mondegar, another iconic watering hole) till the rendezvous point. Where I caught up with Durgesh. While we waited for my Omelet (Durgesh already had one) & our beer (he waited for me to join), he took charge of the medal ritual this time…

                                                                    

P.S.: We were yet not through with our 1^st beer at Leopold & Prasad Menon rolled in on Ceat Tyres. (Actually, with Rupesh, who works with Ceat). An extended beer session & I decided to be a regular at TMM. Because, FM abhi baaki hai mere dost.

The VIM 2018 earns 7 Stars

What do you call it when it ticks all the right boxes & what turns out is a blockbuster. The 7^th edition of Vadodara International Marathon (VIM) on 7^th January called itself the 7-star Marathon. Deservingly, because this one was a near flawless event.

I was doing my maiden FM & the usual gang was not in the assigned enclosure when I got to the venue. Rajinder Singh, who I usually bump into while running, was. My regular pacer, Suresh Iyengar, was doing the HM. But his running mate, Shital Pawar, was also in for his maiden FM & we were chatting when the race was flagged off. Thus, we started out together for the first time despite so many events that we have done together. Now, Shital is a guy who does his HM’s in 2 hours. He started out in the same fashion for the FM too. After a few hundred metres with him, I realized I was running too fast & asked him to carry on while I dropped my pace. I was wearing my GRM jersey with my name printed on it. Soon after falling behind Shital, this guy joins me & the first thing he asks me is how do they measure our timing. I asked him whether he was doing the FM (believing he was a HM participant who had started out with the wrong group) & he confirmed that. Dutifully informed him where the chip was located & how the timing was measured. He was also named Ashish & this perhaps made him approach a namesake.

This was his first event, not having participated in any HM earlier. But he assured me that he has been practicing long for this one, as he wanted the FM to be his first event. Though not as fast as Shital, he was also too fast for my liking & I wished him best for the run & slowed down to a comfortable (for me) pace. Later, looking at the timing website I found that this other Ashish in FM category had not crossed the 3^rd the time check. If you plan to run the FM in future, give your body enough time to get used to running long distances. (Yes, you will always get some running gyan on this blog.)

We go over the Vishwamitri overbridge shortly after the start. But for two bridges, (the other one coming just before the finish) & the slight incline at the FM turnaround, the route is quite flattish. At the bridge, I noticed two trains at the Vishwamitri Railway Station. Had they stopped to watch the marathon, or did the overzealous cops stop them to let the runners pass? I had a long distance to cover & I did not wait for the answer.

Crossing the Vishwamitri bridge, we came to Akshar Chowk where Rakesh Rawat turned up. Rakesh, we all know, runs for four things. When he doesn’t run, as in this VIM, he volunteers. He was also handling a camera this time. He is a very good runner & an equally committed volunteer. Sadly, he is not a good low-light photographer. Don’t know why Reni abandoned this post.

By this time the fastest of the HM runners were speeding past me. Just after crossing HCG Cancer Centre, the 2:00 hr bus of Rajesh Tiwari sped ahead. I ran after him & jokingly requested to let me aboard. He got the shock of his life seeing me with him & only his sturdy heart saved him. With HCG right behind, pls be assured that this was not putting him at any risk. But this was just a joke & I let the bus go without me.

The turnaround at the first time check & I am back on the Sun Pharma Road & onwards into the OP Road. The 10K runners had been flagged off by this time & OP Road was flooded with them. With a few known HM runners running past me. Kedar Borkar being one of them. I had gone to my first HM (bSafal in Jan. 2015) with him. During these three years, he has discarded his shoes & now runs bare feet. He really enjoys it. And saves a ton of money on running shoes too. Those of you who have known him only recently, pls be informed that the smile on his face has been there even when he ran in shoes. 

I heard my name being called out just before Manisha Circle. Looking behind, it turned out to be Sachin Parikh, out walking (he would have found it quite warm compared to the weather back in Canada, where he lives). A quick hug was all I had time for, this being the maiden long one. But he is here in Baroda this week only & I need to catch up with him one of these days.

As I mentioned, the 10K runners were all over OP Road & the cops had a tough time managing the traffic. They were firm in standing up to the aggressive crowd. In fact, the traffic was very well managed at the VIM this time. Nowhere else, except Rajkot, have I found it managed as well. Only if they are able to manage it even half as well during normal days, driving on Baroda roads would not be so dreadful & stressful.

Turning left from Old Padra Road, we move to low traffic areas. In fact, there is sparsely any traffic after Nilamber Circle till the Gotri-Sevasi Road. And practically none after we turned right towards Chandan multiplex. After Chandan, the road has large green tracts on both sides. Forget vehicles, one doesn’t even come across a human except some fellow runners. And the volunteers at the turnaround point. Piyush Kunal offered me whatever I wanted, subject to permissibility under the dry laws. I already had my bottle of water & declined his offer, cursing the prevailing law. But the ill will is momentary, for the route enchants the runner in me. The sun was already up by this time but there was no hint of heat, the weather being so cold. The route this edition was wonderful & hope VIM sticks to this one for all subsequent events.

We turn left upon reaching Sevasi-Gotri Road to return back to civilization. Traffic is still sparse. Volunteers are still there at the turn with the provisions. But Nikky Joshi is no longer seen. Maybe, he was too tired after the hectic last few days bringing up the event. And it is still lonely. There were a couple of runners ahead of me who I soon overtook. It is now around 10 KM (after crossing Decathlon the first time round) that I have been running with very few runners in sight. I am still going at a 07:00 min pace & feel (apart from lonely) this can be maintained for quite some time. Running along, a cyclist comes along & turns out to be Nikki. Unlike the previous editions, the volunteers this time were at their posts till the end. And not just Nikky or Piyush,

Now we turn right towards Nilamber circle. It feels closer to the finish now. A little ahead a guy is running backwards. I have seen many people running backwards or sideways in the midst of their runs. But this one just keeps going on in this fashion & I am convinced that this is his preferred style. And I wonder why he doesn’t wear his Bib on his front, which is actually his back. I mean, he had put his Bib on the chest but he was running backwards & it should have been on the other side. Later, I was told he did the entire FM running backwards. I think he did this so that he could count the no of runners who overtook him & be sure of his position even before the updated results are put up on the timing partner’s website. Coming to think of it, if someone runs backwards throughout should his/her splits be always considered negative? Also, I think the route for such runners should be from finish to start so that they appear normal to the others!!

I got a few calls on the mobile this time. The first one to do so was my good friend RK Menon. I opted not to receive it. He called again & when I picked it up (thinking it would be something urgent) he asks “kidhar pahucha”. It was just 25 KM & I was still feeling strong & gave him a straight answer. Had he been an hour or more later, it would have been a real nasty one. We haven’t met post VIM & when we do so, the first thing I will ask him is why did he ask that question. As I neared Nilamber circle, I got a call from the wife, who had completed her HM, asking me the same thing. She was lucky too. Lucky, because she also got a straight answer. But not lucky enough as, she informed me, the HM runners were being refused ORS on the way because it was being preserved for the FM guys. Later, at home, she informed that almost all the hydration points were handing out only water to the HMers, keeping the ORS & oranges for the FMers. The 02:45 HM pacer, Dina Patel, was totally pissed off with this & discarded her flag mid run. It is a good thing to not let the provisions run out when those doing the FM come around, for they need it the most. But not refusing to support the HM runners. This was the only shortcoming of this edition.

Its over 35 KM now & I am not in a very good shape. Walk breaks have begun. The runs are at a pace of over 07:45. The walk breaks keep getting longer. It is hurting more. There are some 2/3 runners who got ahead when I took a walk break. When they do so, I get ahead. All are in the same boat. During one of these walks, a group of armymen runs past. I pull myself up & start running, keeping up with them for some time. Which exacerbates the pain. The knee hurts badly when stretched. Even when I walk. A little after 38 KM, I stopped tracking. I will walk rest of the way & still finish much before the cut off time.

I was already on the OP road. The traffic is still being managed for the event. I recall the previous year, when some of us runners (Reni, Nishant, Harjeet, Ajay) positioned ourselves under the Fatehganj overbridge to stop the traffic when the FM runners passed by. But nothing like that this time round. Take a bow, team VIM. A car slowed down as it crossed me. It was Rajiv Bhatia along with Mr. Onkar Singh. I had my water & didn’t need the fruits & they went ahead. They were still on the job. Reni zoomed past & stopped a little ahead, bringing out his camera. I ran a bit as he took the pictures. Running photos ke liye kuchh bhi karunga!!

Crossed OP Road at Tube company junction. The traffic is stopped as I approach, but I can only walk. I go past Classic Tea, but there is no one hanging around & missed a cup of tea with friends. I cross the Gateway hotel & am almost near the finish. And soon I am at the Akota-Dandia Bazaar bridge. Reni arrives on his bike, egging me on. At the top of the bridge the finish point comes into view. It is still some way away. As I get to the other side of the bridge, the runner a little ahead of me is getting directions from a guy in the car. I reach there & the car stops to guide me to the finish. It turned out to be Dr. Nagesh Kamat, who runs ultras when life gets a bit boring & today's 04:50 FM pacer. Another biker has joined the runner in front, who is also only able to walk. I am joined by Reni. And I realize I have miscalculated the cut off time by around 15 minutes. But I am so close to the finish that I will make it. And I did. There are no runners around, except Hiral. A short chat with him & I get into the medical center for some much-needed stretching. It took some time to find a vacant bed, for all the runners were inside. The guy did a good job & I felt, except for a painful knee, much better. I came out with the medal still round my neck.

A Short Primer on Common Running Terms

The running season has well & truly begun with events all around. And multiple events on the same day in the vicinity of each other. To help the new runners catch up on the commonly used running terminology so that they don’t feel out of place with experienced ones, I have put together a list of terms that they can refer to when lost.

Cadence: This is steps taken per minute & is a measure of efficiency. So how does it matter? Higher it is, better you are as a runner. But most importantly, this term is a good icebreaker if you are meeting another runner (especially an experienced one) for the first time. Try it some time. You will appear knowledgeable (as you will find me while reading this post).

Carb-Loading: This is imbibing significantly larger proportion of carbs in your diet immediately preceding your Big Run. Carbohydrates are the energy store of choice for our body. Beer is one very good option, one glass having around 13 grams of carb. (Now you know why it is called a “beer belly”.) If you are not a heavy drinker, you can try Vodka + Orange juice (28 gms) or Rum + Coke (39 gms). For more options, you can refer Diet Doctor (https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/alcohol).

Cool down: It is the opposite of Warm-up & works the other way round. After a hard run, you need to bring down your body temperature gradually. Best is a small jog or a brisk walk. I have found chilled beer works equally well. In fact, works better as it cools down the mind too.

Fartlek: Yes, you are right. This isn’t farting during a run, as most non-runners would believe. It is simply running some distance at a faster pace during a run. It’s what most kids do while playing & really enjoy it. Well, they also enjoy when someone farts during a game. Maybe, this is why it is called what it is called.

Form: Obviously, Form in sports can never mean the paper where we fill in all those details. But, Form in running has a different meaning than in other sports. It is actually your posture or stance when running. So, while cricket commentators are in the habit of informing that Form is temporary as oppose to Class which is permanent, in running the Form is also permanent. This is to differentiate running from other sports. So, what’s a good running form? Simply put, it is one where you do not appear strange or peculiar to other runners (non-runners will always find it strange seeing people running on roads against the traffic).

Foot Strike: This is the way your foot lands while running. Most resources on the internet inform that one should never land on one’s toes (have they tried running on their toes?) or one’s heels (else one’s heels, ankles & all will be in pain). Which shows that the mid-foot, like the middle path as espoused by Buddha, is the best & can lead you to running nirvana.

Hill training: Another of those drills to increase leg strength. Most runners do not have the luxury to live near the hills. But they can run over flyovers & overbridges & this works just as well. Even running up & down flights of stairs is another option, as most towns now have high rise buildings. I know it requires more effort but getting out of bed to snooze your alarm & getting back in doesn’t count. Even if you snooze it for an hour before finally waking up.

Interval training: Supposed to be good for improving speed & developing under-utilised muscles, it is a series of sprints with just enough rest after each to catch your breath. So, if you thought it was the running around for popcorns & soft drinks during the break, you were not too wrong. Except that, one doesn’t get too tired in an air conditioned multiplex.

Negative splits: This might be one of the easier terms & easily understood. You split your run into two & be quicker during the latter part. Or four (or whatever you prefer) parts & run each section quicker than the previous one. Negative, because you cut down on your pace. Which also means you increase your speed, but that would not be negative & so we will stick to conventional running terminology.

Overpronation/Underpronation: It is how your foot behaves when it hits the ground while running. i.e. If it moves outwards it is called one of these, and if it moves inwards it is called the other. To be honest, I still have to get a hang of this term & cannot tell you off-hand what is what. If you are still curious, pls visit the www.

Pace: It is the opposite of speed. No, it is not a measure of slowness. Rather, speed measured the other way round. In simpler words, Pace is the time required to cover a unit distance (minutes per Km) while speed is distance covered in unit time (Km per hour). So why not simply measure speed? Because, everything else (vehicles, cyclists, animals, etc.) is. And we, the runners, would turn out to be very slow in comparison. Also to confuse the non-runners (but that’s just between us).

Recovery: Now, this one has multiple uses & meanings. A slow jog after a burst of speed amidst a long run is recovery. A short run a couple of days after a  very long run is also recovery. As is the time you spend sidelined by some injury. While none of the online resources considers a glass of beer after a long run as such, I will still go for this one as my favorite form of recovery.

Runner’s knee: As runners, we should be proud of an injury being named after us. And unlike a tennis elbow, runner’s knee strikes only the runners. To be more specific, to the new runners who are too enthusiastic when they are just beginning & start running longer & longer. For they know not it is the slow & steady that not only wins the race but also runs long & strong.

Shin Splints: You guessed it right, it’s the pain on/around the shins. As soon as it occurs, treat it to some rest & ice. And while you are resting & have some ice handy, you may as well add some drink to the ice & think about running. This will keep you motivated enough & you will back on the roads once healed.

Speedwork: Pls refer Interval Training, for this is what speedwork essentially is. It is simply called by this name too so that running appears to be a technical sport to other sportspersons. For, most sports involve some amount of running & we need to differentiate ourselves from those indulging in other outdoor activities.

Strides: Pls refer Speedwork, for this is what it essentially is. Now that you have saved some time by not referring to the above, you may as well have a drink. And read this post again, once complete. It (reading, not drinking) will help you remember these terms better.

Tempo: I once gave the finger salute to a tempo who didn’t slow down as I crossed the road. Which made him slow down & look back. I upped the pace to put as much distance as possible between him & me if he decided to come back after me. But a wise runner later educated me that a tempo run is something totally different. It is a run at a “faster than normal” pace for some considerable distance. Pls note that it is “faster” & not a “fast” pace. In other words, a feel good run that doesn’t leave you exhausted at the end (like running to avoid a tempo does). I no longer give finger salutes to tempos. Or Autos & other vehicles, for that matter.

VO2 max: This is a favorite of my friend, Reni George. But I believe this will soon lose its relevance considering that the air now has more of pollutants & less of oxygen. So, if you work on increasing your VO2 max you will end up dirtying the insides of your lungs & the throat & the respiratory tract. Be practical, is my advice for Reni.

The Wall: I always thought, in sporting terms, the Wall meant Rahul Dravid. But it is actually what the runners face at the 20^th mile (32^nd Km) when running a full marathon. I haven’t run any, so can’t say anything more about it. But it cannot actually be a wall because the marathons are generally run on a road. And also becauser one can run through it. Else, how would people be able to finish a full marathon?

These are some of the terms that I am familiar with. Once I get to learn a few more, I will update you with those. Till then, happy running!

Aiming your 1st HM? Watch Sholay!

Bollywood has been a unifying force in this country like no other. And the brightest star in the Bollywood constellation is Sholay. People of my age group (and older) would have watched it umpteen times. And like the three wise men who were guided by the star to Bethlehem, Sholay has inspired us to take life head on. Hence my advice to aspiring half marathoners – watch Sholay if you dream & prepare to run those 21 odd kilometers. Here’s why…

The best things happen in pair (at least in Bollywood) – Dharam-Veer, Ram-Lakhan, Seeta-Geeta and the Jai-Viru of Sholay. In running too, it’s always about the buddy. So, where’s your Jai? He/she is the one who will wake up early with you & egg you on during those tough runs. Pull your leg during the off days but also share the last of his hydration when you have finished yours. If you haven’t got one, try convincing your best friend (even the spouse) to start running & share the pains & pleasures that take you to the finishing line.

Find an objective too, or objectives if you can. Our Jai-Viru simply wanted to get out of prison, execute a few heists maybe. And yes, collect the reward money from Surma Bhopali. What’s the goal that running will help you achieve? Yours could be losing weight, staying fit, avoiding doctors or even the memories of your sporty self while in school.

What’s Sholay without Gabbar Singh? You ultimate target, or Gabbar, is completing the HM. When you first decide to go for a HM, it seems deadlier than Gabbar of Sholay or any of the Chambal dacoits that Bollywood has dished out. For you do not know what all lies between today & race day.

So seek & join some running group in your town/neighbourhood. They will accommodate you in their activities & provide you with your daily dose of advice, encouragement & information. Don’t be scared when you (inevitably) come across intimidating veterans who have seen it & done it all. Remember, the Thakur may not have been very communicative or appear helpful but he was the strongest support Jai-Viru had, even after the villagers had forsaken them. And you will find many maulvis who have never seen you running but always congratulate you when you post your activities on Facebook/Whatsapp.

If you now feel confident enough to take the plunge, let me put in some words of caution here. There will be distractions & hurdles at every step in your journey. Sleeping early & waking up earlier is just one of them. Missing binge drinking sessions with the gang is the toughest. And giving up on those pizza/burger meals will turn you into a villain in the eyes of your kids. There will be times when you feel like “soocide, soocide, soocide”, say, when you see those tempting Gulab Jamuns on the table. Don’t be disheartened for the spouse/host will end up saying “finish your long run this weekend & have the entire bowl of these Gulab Jamuns”. Don’t worry, running also gives you the privilege to hog on your fav sin food.

There will even be days when you beg your friends to postpone that party by a couple of weeks till after the HM. But they don’t. And you are forced to skip it. For you need to sleep early having a long run the next day. Don’t quit. Didn’t Basanti too dance in front of Gabbar & his gang despite Viru’s implorations? As they say, “this too shall pass”.

Yes, it is not an easy task staying the course during this period. But the goal will help overcome all difficulties. Gabbar killed 3 of his men when he was told they were defeated by just 2 guys. You will also come across these 3 – Lethargy, illness/injuries & work/social schedule, which make you go for the snooze option or disrupt the schedule you have planned (okay, downloaded). But if your desire is as powerful as Gabbar, you will overcome these & be back on the roads soon enough.

Knowing that Gabbar was the villain of Sholay, you will wonder why he appears a Good Samaritan in this post. Agreed, but I found Gabbar a very lovable character in the movie. What would Sholay have been, had there been no Gabbar? He was the central character in the film. So is completing the first Half Marathon for any runner. It appears tough & frightening in the beginning, but a few weeks down the line you fall in love with it. It guides each of your activity, each of your days. And when you end up with the medal around your neck at the finish line, you feel on top of the world having vanquished the Gabbar of your nascent running life.

Yes, the sore muscles & the painful joints will hurt. For some hours, or rest of the day, or even a few days. We don’t know how many days Viru took to overcome Jai’s loss. But, we believe it was soon enough & he later settled down in Ramgarh with Basanti & Dhanno. Having attained your maiden (pun unintended) HM, you too will settle down to this life of early morning runs. And looked up in awe by other wannabe HMers.

Well, now that this post is over you can go & watch Sholay.

The Good, The Bad... Before we Round up

Okay, we now know the criteria that will be used to compare the events & how I will rate them. I will now quickly go through these criteria for what was the best (or worst) experience for each.

Start time: Every event that I have been to, has started on time, give or take a couple of minutes. Full points to all. Except Vadodara International Marathon 2016 (VIM-16), though I have still given it a point because it started. With the experience of VIM-16, I was afraid this would be repeated at Gandhinagar too, being a city of babus. But no, they started on time which, I believe, is because the event is organized by runners. Need to point out that VIM-17 started on dot & is expected (hopefully) to do so in the next editions too.

Hydration/Fuel arrangement: This is adequately taken care of by the organisers, but inevitably supplies run out by the time slower runners are finishing their run. Kochi & Rajkot ensured this was not so. However, at Zendurance, Nasik, one found Enerzal was out of stock by the time the 10K runners reached the 5K turnaround. This was not on account of organisers running out of stock but failing to replenish it. Had they kept some bottles of wine there, runners would not have complained!

Traffic management: Toughest task for any organizer, this one is. But Rajkot managed it very well. For three reasons, I think – it was the local administration that was organizing the event, the collector himself was running the HM & also because the people of Rajkot are inherently friendly & patient. SoleFest also did a good job on account of good route selection that avoided early morning traffic. VIM-16 failed badly in this criterion simply because of a delayed start.

Route: Give this one to the tourist destinations. Spice Coast, Kochi, takes us through the beautiful old town areas with the backwaters turning up every now & then. Goa River Marathon (GRM), as the name suggests, courses along the river (and over it too) which is a good thing as Goa is otherwise synonymous with Beaches. Even Zendurance had a beautiful route beginning & ending at the Sula Vineyards. But making the HMers do a double loop makes it a bit boring the second time round. On the other hand, we have RunGandhinagarRun which is unfortunate enough to be held in Gandhinagar whose roads are laid out in a maze. No wonder, the 2-hour Bus itself lost its way (along with its passengers) at Gandhinagar.

Weather: Give this one to Zendurance. Perfect weather for distance running, neither too cold nor warm. Of course, all events are conducted when the weather is best. Except SoleFest, which had the disadvantage of finding a vacant slot in March. Not the best of times to run in Baroda. Having moved to end-November, things should turn out much better next time onwards.

Crowd support: It was a festival out there in Rajkot, maybe because it was the 1^st time such an event was taking place there. The municipal corporation had promoted the event very well & the locals were out in large numbers to witness it. They were not really inconvenienced much because they had to come out anyway to get their morning dose of ganthias. Zendurance is characterized by absence of any bystanders because it is conducted outside the town amidst the vineyards. But why so in Gandhinagar? I think the babus work very hard rest of the week to wake up early on a cold Sunday morning to watch some runners sweating it out.

Post-run refreshment: The spread at Kochi is any foodie’s delight. Steaming hot idlis along with dosas & omelets straight from the pan are what you get at Spice Coast Marathon. If you are planning to go there, I suggest you move out of town after the breakfast to have some fresh toddy. SoleFest scores full points here because of the awesome puri-bhaji it served. When you are a runner, you don’t bother about the calories you intake after a long run! I rank GRM in this bracket though the eatables they provide are not worth a mention, simply because they also give you a complementary can of beer. Shouldn’t Zendurance add a glass of wine to its fare, which is anyway served cold?

Route markers: It shouldn’t really matter but Spice Coast has taken this to stratospheric levels. Others shouldn’t even try to match it. Rajkot tried its best but doesn’t come close, though it leaves the rest far behind. ("Run, blood should circulate" is lifted from one such poster at Rajkot.) At the other end, we had budget-constrained SoleFest pasting KM markers on car windows & parking these along the route. I gave them 1 point for innovativeness! Hope Gandhinagar has directions pointed out next time round, for a zero score is not what you want year after year.

As I mentioned in the previous post, I have also considered another factor – overall experience. But that is for the next post, when I will share how these events have scored. While you are waiting for it, you can share the best & worst experiences you have had for the other readers to benefit.

The How’s behind the Why’s (... contd.)

I begin with apologies. In my previous post I promised a lot in the next post (this one). But this post doesn’t tread that far. However, I will make up by doing so over the next two posts. In that previous post, I talked about what I would look at when deciding whether to go to a particular event. This one will outline how I these factors stack up for individual events. So, here I go…

When I first thought of rating the various events I have participated in, I poured over literature (available freely on the internet) on statistics to arrive at a suitable mechanism. As per the advice I needed to develop a complex formula involving calculus, logarithms & arithmetic. Except the last one, I had found the others difficult even during the days when I was supposed to have studied those. Also in tasks such as this one, there is always a risk of being reviled despite the hard work you have put it (Mr. Duckworth & Mr. Lewis would readily testify to this). Moreover, we runners are simple beings. We just put one foot in front of the other repetitively & feel proud about it. So I went for the KISS (not the Emran Hashmi kind) so that the entire process is easy to understand (by readers of this blog) & easier to work out (for me).

So I simply decided to rate all parameters on a scale of 0 to 5. As some are more important than the others I assigned a weight to each (a total of 100). And calculated the weighted average score. Simple & serves the purpose too.

I consider Start Time, Hydration/Fuel & Traffic management as the most important criteria of success of a mass running event. These are also inter-linked, for a delayed start increases the need for hydration and also makes it more difficult to manage the traffic. Handled well, these will ensure the runners return year after year. I assigned 18, 17 & 15 respectively to these.

Next, we have route, weather & crowd support, which go to create the magic around the event. These give a distinct character to each event. Going along areas lined up with heritage buildings or rivers or coastlines elevates the running experience compared to running through the urban jungle. Again, crowd presence not only makes us feel so important, even the slowest ones feel proud when they find themselves outnumbered by people leading a sedentary lifestyle. I weigh them with 11, 10 & 9 respectively as they are almost equal in importance.

Post-run refreshment is something I value very much. I can hog on anything after having run 21K. But, one can find so much to eat in any habited town. Thus, this one had to settle with a weight of 7. Route markers end up with a weight of 3.

All of the above add up to only 90. Because I have added another criterion to my assessment scale – Overall Experience, with a significant 10. Yes, all of the rest make up for the experience, but this one is for the intangibles that are difficult to express.

The events I am going to rate over the next posts are: Spice Coast Marathon, Kochi (Nov. 2015), Zendurance Nasik Spirit Run (Nov. 2015), Daman Wind Marathon (Dec. 2015 & Dec. 2016), Rajkot (Jan 2016), Vadodara International Marathon (Feb.2016 & Feb. 2017), Goa River Marathon (Dec. 2016), RunGandhinagarRun (Jan. 2017) & SoleFest, Vadodara (Mar. 2017). I have tried to be unbiased in this evaluation & hope you too find it so. More in my next posts…

Why to Run (or not) in a Marathon (or Half Marathon)?

I can’t say it’s the start of the running season as we have some or the other event taking place somewhere or the other throughout the year. But let me admit, I run only part of the year (yes, I am lazy) when the mornings are pleasant enough (okay, I am very lazy). And go to only those events that are held in the vicinity during the cooler months. But taking advantage of this being my blog, which presents things from my perspective, I will say that it is the start of the running season (so what if I am lazy). This is the time when one starts looking at proposed events & shortlisting ones that one can participate in.

Start time: This may appear a minor issue but it is really the most important, especially as most participants are on the slower side. Thus, a late start ends up with majority running when the sun’s already up & high. But that’s at the end of the event & doesn’t affect all. A late start makes the wait longer than it is, more so because we have all warmed up & are geared up to hit the road. We get talking with fellow runners while we wait & many of us lazy ones actually wish for the start to be delayed further till we have finished with our little chats. And there’s a bigger issue too which, you will now agree, makes this one really important. In anticipation of a timely start we usually empty our bladders as part of the routine. But with an extended waiting period & all that chit chat, one gets thirsty, gets hydrated & the need to revisit the pee-points. You get there & there are a lot many like you out there. Now you know what I mean.

Hydration/Fuel arrangements: This is as important as the previous issue, but the need kicks in later. And the severity increases with distance/time. Every event organizer, without an exception, has hydration & fuel as the top priority item. But usually the supplies dry up at the later stages of the run, which is when we need it even more. There are multiple reasons for it. We usually feel it is the higher participation than expected or provisioned for, as the main reason. But many a times it is also because the volunteers have deserted the hydration point, which is usually during the end (am I getting repetitive here?) & the guys prefer not to be out under the hot sun. I am more concerned with this as I am a slow runner myself. But I have never been more surprised than at Nasik, but more of this in the next post (hope you would be coming back for it).

Traffic management: This is one hell of a task. In most cities. On most days. Thus, asking the poor traffic cops to report for duty at 5:00 AM, stop vehicular movement on one half of the road, till the time the population begins to get out on their weekend errands, is very sadistic. Unpleasant, but unavoidable. For, unlike most routine runs (ending before motorists hit the road), the runners do not have any energy left to avoid oncoming vehicles (or those coming from the rear) after having run in excess of 15 KM. Easiest way out is to opt for routes that pass through areas with sparse traffic but such roads are generally narrower & not always in a good condition. Or, if the entire district administration throws it weight behind the event & the population is fully cooperative (as in Rajkot). The runners who are very particular of this should opt for cities that sleep late & do not venture out till very late on Sundays. Essentially, towns where the majority population works for the government (but more on this in the next post)!

Route: Granted, the organisers have no control over this one. They just pick the best available option. Thus, cities with scenic routes or beautiful structures are outright winners on this front. But not all cities are tourist destinations & many are not even big enough to have major roads long enough for a HM or FM. We just need to hope that the route is well illuminated when it is still dark & that the canine inhabitants are a friendly lot. I would have mentioned the presence of cows also, but do not owing to the current political climate as well as because I have absolutely no problem with them occupying the roads. For, they are much better in controlling the traffic than any traffic cop in uniform.

Weather: This may appear needless for most events take place when the weather is conducive to running. But we have had examples which prove this otherwise. Unfortunately, a narrow window of cool weather & a crowded race calendar makes this difficult. The organisers are left to choose between maximizing participation & providing a good running environment. Not many are as lucky as VIM 2017 in this regard & you will read more about it in the next post.

Crowd support: This makes the amateur, weekend pseudo-athletes in us feel like sportstars for some time. The very people who stare at us in bewilderment when we are out running in the dark line up the streets to gawk at us in awe. And cheer us. The better ones organize themselves & offer us hydration & fuel. Where are these guys on other days, when there is no organizer to support us?

Post-run refreshment: I don’t know about you, but this is the most important part of any event for me. I still salivate at the memories of Kochi & Goa for this one reason. Unfortunately, most of the event organisers are either non-runners or very serious athletes. Thus, we end up with bananas, Parle-G’s & Bataka Pauva. Here I will recommend SoleFest Vadodara (though only one edition young), for our USP is the post-run meal. Yes, it’s no snack but a full Brunch. If you are still a disbeliever, join us on 26^th November. We do not serve beer, this being a dry state, so pls make your own arrangements!!

Route Markers: This may as well have been covered along with the route. But the organisers at Kochi & Rajkot have taken this several notches higher. But even if reduced to its basic task of marking out the distance & pointing directions, these are very important. More so in towns that are laid out in a very confusing manner because most runners would be out of town. If you have been following this blog for long you would be aware how the Sub-2 HM’ers (and the 2-hour Bus) lost their way & ended up with DNF at Gandhinagar. Or, how the crowd got in front of one such marker & I got diverted to the 10K route & DNF’ed at Rajkot.

These are some of the considerations that make a running event stand out & get participants return year after year. There would be other factors too that you find important. If so, why don’t you share it here? Better, you could tell us the best part of your favorite running event. This may help the others to decide where to run next.

Sanskar Nagri bares its Soul at SoleFest

This one was different. I was not only running but also a part of planning & organizing it. And this also makes it all the more difficult to write about. I will still have a go at it…

We had been after Dr. Rajesh Chauhan to organize another running event in Baroda, one which would focus solely on the runners. A few days after Vadodara International Marathon, the good Doc messaged our WhatsApp group asking us to come to his hospital to discuss The Marathon. He had gathered the seasoned runners & the utility men to discuss details of the event. The hardest decision we took that day was fixing the date of event, for we had to do it before the temperatures shot up post-Holi. And events had already been announced till then. The contest was between 26^th Feb (Bhavnagar HM) & 5^th March (Mt Abu Trail HM) & Bhavnagar won because we got an extra week to prepare for the event. This was really tough as we knew many running buddies from Baroda had planned to run Mt. Abu (Bhavnagar too, for that matter), but the bullet had to be bitten. That they would get to drown their sorrow of missing this event in freely available beer made us wipe our tears & gird the loins.

Another one was the Route which threw up plenty of options. We were looking for one that would have a lot of visibility, disrupt minimum traffic, be low on traffic junctions & was an out-and-back one. Also, as far as possible, avoid an over bridge to make it all the more alluring. A team soon got formed that would survey the route to measure the distances & identify critical spots. Which they decided for the next morning itself, all being enthusiastic runners! We were all mighty pleased with the route as the memory of VIM route was still fresh & we were sure this one was as good as any other route. Later the bubble was pricked by none other than the wife, when we were returning after the event. I shall come back to this later.

We also decided that there would be no 5K, to avoid needless attention being paid to non-serious runners. Thus, we had men & women running 10K & the HM in 2 categories each – Open & Veteran. As none of us had any political aspirations, nor did anyone desire the record books noting our participation levels, we could focus on a manageable event to promote the cause dear to Dr. Chauhan – Organ Donation. Lest Rakesh be scared, the doc was kind enough to explain the meaning & rationale behind the objective. We targeted & planned for some 500 odd participants. A small, but not an easy number to achieve as we had only about 3 weeks to put on the show. Not forgetting that many of the seasoned runners were going to Mt. Abu & Surat for events announced much earlier. Apart from social media (WhatsApp, Facebook & Twitter), volunteers fanned out to the parks & hot spots where morning walkers & runners usually hang out. In the end, we ended up with 700-plus runners, with over 70 for the HM. We were not stumped by this response as we already had Plan-B, Plan-C & Plan-D in place to cater to any such jump in participation. The tagline "Daudo Dil Se" (coined by Adil) pulled at the heart strings of Baroda's runners.

Doc Chauhan had gathered a very competent set of individuals to execute the plan. We had people like Rakesh, who did a lot of running around. In fact, he ran around so much that he did not run in the event itself (was it the absence of 4 things?), stationing himself at the venue. And Reni, who made his appearance when (and where) it mattered the most. Then we had Dr. Narendra Joshi, Faiz, Mohammed, Narendrabhai, Harjeet, the Smart couple (Dr. Neha & Himanshu), Dr. Akash Singh, RK Menon, Ajay Sharma, Dr. Piyush Doshi and the lot (which included the Spandan & HCG teams). Pardon me for not putting down the entire list. In their own ways, they went about doing the small tasks that made up the whole event.

We used to meet at Spandan Hospital to discuss the event, in late evening hours when we were done with our professional responsibilities. The discussions were cordial & consensus was attained without much friction. But the best thing used to be the dinner at the end. Dr. Chauhan’s hospitality was always been a benchmark! As you know, runners love to eat. You would also know what all these events feed us after the run. After some debate, we all voted for unlimited puri-bhaji with tea/coffee over samosa/kachori with tea/coffee. Nothing like a heavy meal after a long run, if one is a runner. And the guys actually tasted 3 different types before finalizing the bhaji. Didn’t I tell you, this one was organized with the runners in mind?

Spandan Multispeciality Hospital & HCG Cancer Center were the major sponsors. The basic expenses were met, with some help from the nominal participation fees (Rs. 300). While we were not stingy with the runners’ essentials (dry-fit jersey, medal, hydration, ORS, physio), we were not in a position to be lavish either, on account of the short window to collect funds & organize the event. Of course, this called for innovative solutions (or, if you prefer an indianised term, jugaad). Thus, we had a run without timing chips (promising ourselves that we would have it the next time). But we arranged for LED time displays (finish) & video cams (finish & turnaround) to capture the finish time of runners & avoid controversies. Nor did we have standees marking the distance, but vehicles were parked along the route with KM markers.

We did not even need to decide that there would be no celebrity to flag off the race. With even the Vadodara International Marathon starting on time this year, we couldn’t afford failing on this account. We had arranged for Zumba performance to warm up the runners before the start. It so happened that as the start time neared, there were no signs of the performance ending (because the performers arrived late?). With a delay of a couple of minutes, the HM was flagged off. The HM route took one from HCG grounds to Havmor Circle on OP Road & onwards to Nilambar Circle & Priya Cinema up to the intersection with Gotri Road. And all the way back to HCG for the 21K. The 10K runners turned back a little after taking left from Havmor. The HM was flagged off at 5:30 AM (to be precise, 5:32) & the 10K at 6:00 AM, the time lag to avoid any rush at the beginning or the end.

When the 10K was being flagged off, I was there at the front of the pack. No, I wasn’t aiming for a podium finish. I wanted to return earlier for the puri bhaji before the rush began. But I simply can’t run fast enough for a considerable distance. Less than  KM & Dr. Suresh Iyengar (the one who paced me in Gandhinagar & Vadodara earlier) caught up with a “mera partner mil gaya”. And we were joined by Dr. Sejal, who was returning from injury picked at BSafal (and was consequently out of practice) & Ajay Sharma, one of the pacers at VIM (which reminds me, I still haven’t begun the 2^nd post on VIM). This prompted Dr. Iyengar to up his speed as we moved to OP Road & go ahead. And I tagged along (As I have been telling you since the last two posts, there is no better pacer than Dr. Iyengar).

We (Doc Iyengar & I) usually make a guess about who we will come across on the return at what distance. As expected, Fazal came sprinting along at 4K (that was the distance we had covered as well as Fazal’s pace). He loves to run, else we may as well as handed him the 1^st prize even before the race began & no one would have uttered a word in protest. Actually he doesn't even run, he gallops & needs under 40 minutes to cover 10K. Next we came across Vasudev & Sameer Gaikwad, strides in sync. I cannot decide whether Sameer is a fast runner or Vasu a slow one. Yes, they were running at the same speed but Sameer, I believe, is more than twice Vasu’s age. And we make so much noise about the age factor in active sports.

I was feeling thirsty but the 1^st hydration point was still some distance away. Zaheer Khan had arranged his cyclist buddies to provide hydration support to runners along the route. I saw one coming & stopped to get some water. He pulled a bottle & handed it out but a runner zipped past taking the bottle with him!! The kind cyclist went for another one but found he had run out of stock. He went to replenish, while I moved ahead to get some water near Manisha Chokdi & catch up with Dr. Iyengar. I can put it on record there’s nothing like a quenched throat & Dr. Iyengar’s company to make an early morning run, whatever the distance, enjoyable. (It’s another matter, Dr. Iyengar rarely wakes up early & nor do I!)

The police was out in full force, managing the traffic. Unlike the peak traffic hours, this time the people were patient enough to follow the traffic personnel’s instructions & wait for us to pass. At Havmor junction, we turned left. The turnaround wasn’t too far from here. And as has become the practice since the last 2 events, I took off. Nilesh Shah was already doing the return leg here. Nilesh is a colleague who has started running a few months back. He did his 1^st HM at the VIM. Along with a few other colleagues, he was doing the 10K at SoleFest. The music announced the turnaround. It was well stocked with water & ORS as well as the physio. I had a pack of each (but not the physio, stupid!). But where were the bananas? Wasn’t someone supposed to have arranged these? Because of the unlimited puri-bhaji on offer missing a banana here was not such a big deal & the ORS was enough for a 10K. The big deal was not being able to go by Vikram Raval’s suggestion. (On account of the law in force & the prevailing enforcement environment, I cannot share what he said but am sure you would understand.)

There was a pretty large bunch of runners coming from the other side. One of them being Mr. Pandey. The previous night, when we were at the venue overseeing the preparations, two elderly persons walked in. Interacting with them, they informed that they were participants & had come along to see the start point. They stayed nearby & were informed of the event by volunteers who had parked themselves at the park where they went for the morning walk. They participated in all marathons possible, including outstation ones & were happy to have 2 events in Baroda itself. The venue was readied in double quick time. Yes, the plot was vacant & didn’t need much of an effort. But to arrange resources & get it ready for an event was a task in itself. Had you been there the previous morning you would have found a neglected piece of land. By late afternoon, it had been cleared of vegetation & levelled. By evening, stalls had come up & the late night it was all decked up. It was one hell of a task but we wanted the runners to feel heavenly. During the evening itself, Mohammed went & fixed up the car parking at a nearby plot (in a matter of minutes, at that). And while we were wondering what to do about KM markers, we were informed that Faiz was already on the job. Even Narendra Joshi’s Bullet never felt so overworked as it did during that single evening! You know how much men love their bikes? For Narendra Joshi, running some 80-odd KM is a stroll in the park. (He actually did that less than 3 months previously at Kamati Baug.) But considering that his dear Bullet was so exhausted, he skipped the run during SoleFest preferring to run the show from behind the scenes!

Back to the elderly gentlemen, one of them (Mr. Chauhan) was over 60 years, while Mr. Pandey was 71 years young. Here they were again, outrunning those young enough to be their grand kids. One of them, though much older to be a grandkid, was Kamal Saxena. Kamal had seen some of my VIM pics on Facebook & had called saying he wished get into running. I made him register for Sole Fest & here he was running strongly. He had taken this one seriously & had really practiced for the event. I also came across Kishore Talegaonkar, who was on his maiden run, & Dinesh Govinda, who was doing the 10k for the 2^nd time in a month. The previous occasion was at VIM where the organisers mistakenly registered Dinesh for 10K (instead of 5K) & he sincerely completed it. Both of them (colleagues at work) are now wedded to running as a regular activity. In this respect, SoleFest achieved what it intended to.

Coming back to OP Road, I reached Manisha Chokdi to hear music being played out. The speakers had been mounted on a Thar (another jugaad). (Did I miss it when I first went past?) We also had arranged 2 groups of Punjabi dancers/musicians with dhols who were positioned along the HM route but I missed it because I ran only 10K. Another water bottle & ORS gave me energy enough to pick my pace. Which brought me to the last leg, below the Kalali overbridge & then to the Sun Pharma Road. Where a cyclist had parked himself with a bottle of water in his outstretched hand. I wasn’t really thirsty & moved along but admired his thoughtfulness. For, this is the point where one needs all support & minor gestures such as this one made SoleFest a runners’ event.

I saw Sameer coming along at a brisk pace. Was he doing a double 10K? No, this thought never occurred to me. All I asked him was whether the puri-bhaji had been prepared (it was too far for the aroma to reach) & receiving an affirmative answer quickened my pace. Abdul was there & he escorted me to the finish, egging me on. His encouraging words (and the puri-bhaji) made me almost sprint (technically, the fastest I can run) to the finish. And I had finished in under 1:10 (1:06, is what the Garmin told me), the fastest 10K (actually, 9.5K as per the Garmin) I have ever done. Whenever Dr. Iyengar paces me, I run faster than I have ever done. This happened on the previous two occasions & this one too!!

I took out my phone & found missed calls, including a few from the wife (made quite some time earlier). Upon calling her, I was told that it being dark, she wasn’t sure of the route after Nilamber circle. She actually went along a wrong route till some runner called & corrected her. Weren’t their volunteers around, I asked & but she hadn’t seen any. They had either not turned up or left for some other alluring activity.

Then, she came across a pack of quarrelling dogs & took refuge at a tea stall. Upon seeing the missed calls, I had feared only an injury but dogs on the road (like cockroaches & lizards inside the house) are far more serious! Fortunately, they minded their own business. She had crossed the turning point & was now in familiar territory, with the darkness gone. We missed out this aspect of the route. The route was good in terms of low traffic, green cover, etc., but our recce team ran along the route post-dawn. Thus they may have missed out absence of streetlights on this stretch. Also, they (like most male runners) would not have considered the canine presence as a nuisance (or, should it be danger?).

Anyway, relieved that I was, I attended the other number that had tried contacting me. It was from Ms. Razia Shaikh (she has at least 3 ph nos.!). We had decided that we shall not have any celebrities to flag off the run or give away the prizes. We zeroed down to Ms. Shaikh & Imran Sheikh to do the honours at the end. To those unacquainted with her (which means those not from Baroda or those born much later than I), this lady was the undisputed national champ in her sport – Javelin Throw, for around 15 long years. In her long career, she won more than twice as many gold medals as silver. And Imran Sheikh has been the captain of the Indian blind & deaf cricket team. (When we first contacted him for the event, he was playing the world cup.) Sportspersons with impeccable credentials but largely unknown for not being involved in men’s cricket.

Ms. Razia Shaikh had reached the venue & I had the tough task on my hand to locate her in this crowd. Though I had last seen her in person some 25 years back, there were recent pics on her Facebook page. Being a small venue & her precise directions, I found her but she had already made herself comfortable by then. We fell short here too. We should have nominated someone exclusively to attend to the invitees. Next time, definitely. Some time later I found I had missed a call from the wife, this time looking for directions at Havmor crossroad. Again, a case of missing volunteers. I was late in responding but she had managed to take the correct turn this time.

So off I went to extend last stretch support to Kamal Saxena & Dinesh Govinda as they finished their run. Having done my duty, I returned back to the venue & managed to get Kishore Talegaonkar’s company for the unlimited puri-bhaji. After all, that was the prime motivation. And I was not disappointed at all. Of all the post-run snacks/meals, I will rate SoleFest as joint-best with Spice CoastMarathon!!  Having finished the puri-bhaji (won’t reveal how many helpings I had), I discovered another call from the wife that I had missed. I had missed too many calls today, and despite a valid excuse I was really scared of the fate that awaited me once we were back home. This time, she had been smart. She had called me from Reliance mall for directions. By the time I called her back, she was at Akshar Chowk, the very point she wanted directions from, which I provided.

To make amends I went off to catch her on the route. As I came out, I saw Anita Rawat on the verge of finishing. The wife should be close behind. Well, not really, but she was also not too far either. And I chaperoned her to the finish. Just in time for the prize distribution to begin. (If this appears very hectic, it was.) Reni was on stage now and, by his performance, upstaged RJ Roshan. But for the absence of a pen to take down notes, he would have gone back to Radio City as a far better RJ. The known suspects walked away with the prizes, but there were enough surprises. 

The winner of men’s HM was a Mr. Kareem (did I spell it correctly?) from France. Without even attempting to be one, SoleFest, in the first edition itself, had turned International!! We have always known Rajesh Tiwari as a speedster of distance running. At SoleFest, his sister-in-law announced herself as one too by getting a podium finish. The Dr’s Kamat kept things predictable by each winning a prize. Dr. Nagesh K revealed that this was the first ever podium finish for him. He would finally have looked the Mrs. (an "Ironwoman") in the eye after an event!! Rajinder Singh, who missed out the podium at VIM by one position, got one here. And when they announced the 3^rd place in women’s HM, I wondered who this Anita Rawat was. This one was a new name, till the wife exclaimed & I realized who it was. The two ladies began running less than 3 months back & had finished 3^rd & 4^th at SoleFest!! (But I am too modest to take credit for initiating them into running & guiding them through the course.)

But, as they say, Drama abhi baaki hai mere dost. It turned out that Shital Pawar should have been on stage receiving the prize. This was conveyed to the concerned & upon checking the data, the mistake was graciously (& publicly) accepted. Same thing happened in one of the women’s categories too. With timing chips & mats the next edition onward, this was the last time such an error was taking place. 

We had also arranged a couple of Fine Arts students to sketch portraits of the winners after the event. Though not all availed this, I am sure this will be another reason (apart from the unlimited puri-bhaji) for they coming back to the next edition of SoleFest.

Bringing this post to a close, I would sum up the first edition of SoleFest as one where a lot of things went right & a few that could have been better. “Comrade” Vandana Parekh (was this really the 1^st event she has run in Baroda?), while accepting her prize, was all praise for the manner the event was conducted. Coming from someone who has run all over the world, one would obviously not disagree with her, including the one suggestion she had. I am sure, Himanshu & Dr. Neha would find a trophy featuring a female runner next time. 

Considering the cause being promoted by the event (Organ Donation) & that the event itself was promoted by two hospitals (HCG & Spandan), the medal paid its due homage to this noble profession. (Thanks to Sameer for the suggestion.) SoleFest will return & get much more than the over 100 organ donation pledges we received this time.