Could ...
Should...
Would...
Did !!!
After Bangalore Marathon …days passed by and I missed all my
practice runs in sleep and in the glory of my first full marathon.. so I I asked Karthik to
cancel my tickets to Mumbai and decided not to run SCMM 15 . Only to know how
much it would cost us to cancel Mumbai and vacation we planned around the event just two days before the actual travel date.
I started my run with some stretching and warm up while looking
for Rahul Verghese and his bus…
Though I could not find Rahul, I came across another 5 hour
bus which was all energy and leading pacer was telling we are bang on the
target time ….they shouted “Together we
can and together we will” …I ran with all my doubts…though the energy around was making the run effortless… I lost
this bus at approximately 11th kilometer …. & though I did not continue with the
bus it gave me much needed confidence for the run and made me do my first 10
effortlessly …!!!
I continued another 4 K on my own …
14th Kilometer my mind started playing…. It questioned …Will I be able to keep up the pace …Can I finish …what if the pain starts midway… how far I will be able to go …Do I really need to do this…. I anyway had decided to quit in between …..So should I be running now or should I be taking the bike and quit the run …that’s what I had decided anyway …. I can always come back next year ….. Next year surely will practice, plan and strategize ;p ….Thoughts were crowding and I slowed my run…I started walking..& then I could see Sea link … Running @Sea link is always a dream and thrill….. I was very much there @sea link with many doubt and so many questions…
I continued another 4 K on my own …
14th Kilometer my mind started playing…. It questioned …Will I be able to keep up the pace …Can I finish …what if the pain starts midway… how far I will be able to go …Do I really need to do this…. I anyway had decided to quit in between …..So should I be running now or should I be taking the bike and quit the run …that’s what I had decided anyway …. I can always come back next year ….. Next year surely will practice, plan and strategize ;p ….Thoughts were crowding and I slowed my run…I started walking..& then I could see Sea link … Running @Sea link is always a dream and thrill….. I was very much there @sea link with many doubt and so many questions…
That’s where I met Rahul…at last … I told him I am joining him…as
long as possible.
They were doing 15 steps walk after every kilometer …strategy,
pace and people just instantly felt comfortable and decided to follow one mind
and one strategy …… I ran when they ran. I walked when they did and I stopped
when they wanted to …Took rock salt when Rahul asked to and continued the run
with the momentum … & I surprised and patted myself after every completed
Kilometer….
I took water at almost every water station….took dates, chocolates,
watermelon pieces from MumbaiKars and Volunteers …. Waved and acknowledged
cheering on the roads… gave high fives to almost every kid on the way… Felt
the Music … Enjoyed running at Sea link,
support at Pedder road ( we walked most of it ) …
Running along Sidhivinayaka Temple … Haji Ali … Read the hoardings
and banners which welcomed the event and
runners everywhere along the route and
smiled...Wondered where vehicles on these roads might have disappeared & how
they were able to manage so many hours of south Mumbai … all for runners ….applauded
Organisers' efforts … was humbled by strong
woman runners en route ….There were so many unlike all other events and looked
absolutely strong and as if they have
figured it all … felt so Proud of the Maximum City ,event & being part of it…
One point I really thought I will be able to make it sub 5 and may end up achieving my PB….Feeling was
exhilarating ( May be I was
hallucinating …distance and empty Mumbai
roads do that to you…:P ) Though I did not complete my run in 5 hours
and this is not my PB .. This run gave me much needed assurance … little hope …little
courage…confidence …. I finished my run in 5:29 with a happy heart …
little more in love with the City ... running ….and little more with myself ….
Thanks to my running
buddies who were worried about me running the event …scared about my finish ...who were
equally nervous and guilty of not doing practice runs …and To Rahul for the awesome fun bus and
all motivation during the run….to Abhishek …Runner from Bangalore with whom I ran my last three kilometers ...We sprinted
last 200 meters and finished the run on high note … <3 <3 <3
