Aiming for Forty two

October 1 – 7

Finally on the first day of October 2006, I wake up and decide that am gonna start practicing to run the full marathon at the Mumbai Marathon in Jan 2007. Arvindra, a colleague, who is a class apart athlete too, had already told me that I was coming in too late to even think about 42 kms. But nevertheless he encouraged me to give it a try.

2nd of October, after a lot of pondering, I went and bought shoes worth 7000. And Wednesday, I hit the gym. I told Rajesh, our gym instructor, that I’m planning to go for the full distance in the upcoming Mumbai Marathon. He told me that I’d have to work really, really hard. I was game for it.

On Saturday 7th October I was to suppose to start practicing for the long run. Every weekend I have to. I have to increase the distance by a couple of kilometers every time I practice. Rajesh advised me to start with 7kms, but because I was late to start practicing, I decided to go for 10kms. So Saturday, I was in office to do my long run. I started off well, doing 3 miles in 35 mins. And this I did like 10mins run, then one-minute brisk walk. I took a small nimbu paani break and resumed my run again. Hardly had I run half a mile, when I couldn't go any further. I felt some pressure in my tummy. I had to attend "a" call. While attending nature’s call, I had doubts about my dream. Forget 42, even 10 kms seemed too much for me.

It’s then, when I reminded myself that I was a NCC cadet and motivated myself with a few of my past achievements. Being back on the treadmill, this time, I ran at a slower speed and managed 2.5 miles in 35 mins. That would be 6 miles in all. After a short break, I pushed myself to do one more mile in 14 mins and had a grand total of 7 miles, that is, 11.2 kms. Not bad, even though I took somewhere around one and half hours. There’s lots more hard work and focus and I think I’d go for that magic number 42.

Huff huff marathon

Mumbai Marathon 2006. I’ve been running since the inaugural event in 2004, but both the times it was the Dream Run 7 kms. This time I am planning to run the half (read huff huff) marathon (21) and had been practicing, though not regularly, in the gym for almost 4 months. But I had never practiced running on the road, so I decided to run at least half my distance (10.5kms) on the actual route.

I took a cab from chembur to Worli sea face. Did some warm up and started walking briskly. With me were M N Singh, the former Police Commisioner of Mumbai, and maybe his wife and some other chamchas. No I don’t know them, but they were just walking besides me. After a while they turned back and I started jogging. Before that I asked a guy, who was enjoying his morning walk, for time and he said it was 7.30

I had my railway pass and I-card, some money, in notes as well as chillars (coins) in my left pocket, a towel in my right pocket and a water bottle in my right hand. All these things were making it more difficult for me to running freely.

By the time I reached Mela restaurant, which is hardly a kilometer away, I was tired and telling myself…Bhai! Do you really want to do this before the Sunday race? My legs were aching and I figured that there was vast difference between running on the road and the treadmill in the gym.

Just then a Japanese guy ran past me…. and I told myself…saale baaag….yeh foreigner tere desh mein aakar baagta hai…(If this guy can run in your city, )you can also do it. I started running again.

A little ahead somewhere near Nehru Center I saw Anil Ambani running towards me. There was a car following him. He smiled when he passed by me. I also smiled back.

I ran…or should I say jogged till Breach Candy and I was about to give up, when someone cheered from behind, “C’mon keep going.” I thought it was for me but it was a guy, on a cycle, who was trying to pep up three of his friends who were running. Anyway it lifted me up a little more…. I kept jogging to reach Chowpatty. I was flat out. I asked a passerby the time and he said 8. Damn it! Only half an hour and I had done quite a bit. I said to myself, another half an hour you can achieve what you had set out to do (10.5kms). I started jogging again.

Marine drive was full of joggers and I was sure most of them were practicing for the D Day, 15th Jan. I saw a handicapped guy running, I saw foreigners, oversized women, enthusiastic youths, steady gentlemen, pot bellied businessmen, everyone was running. All inspired me to run. Oh yes I once again saw that Japanese guy…he was doing his second lap.
By the time I reached Oberoi Towers it was ten minutes to nine. Not bad I said to myself. Ten and a half kilometers in 1 hr 20 mins. Coming Sunday I shall try and complete 21 kms for the first time. I have a goal too. Do it within two and half hours. Let’s see.

A perfect Diwali!!!

November 1st 2005, the first day of Diwali.

I got up at 5 and went to receive my brother, bhabhi, their kids and my brother’s friend and his family from the station. The train was scheduled to reach Dadar at 6am and reached on dot and so did I… perfect day isn’t it?

From Dadar we went to our home in Belapur. Luckily my Bhabhi didn’t have many complaints about my housekeeping (you know I live alone).

We had lunch and then I went to office. I finished work by late evening and then I proceeded to Marine Drive, to watch firecrackers. Normally I go with my friend Anil PD, but now he is married and like a typical keralite is in the gulf. I stood outside Oberoi Towers and saw some amazing display of fireworks. It was not very noisy either. Wow, what a perfect day.

There was many firangs who were also enjoying as well. I waited there till almost midnight. I reached home at 1.30 and at the door I realised that I hadn’t carried my keys.

I keep spare keys at my neighbour’s and one at my sister’s place. There was no point waking up my neighbour cos my brother had taken the keys from them. He and his gang had stayed back at one of his friend’s place. My sister who stays nearby had gone for a vacation in Mahableshwar with her family.

I can’t return to Chembur, where my uncle stays, cos trains had stopped. So I decided to sleep on the staircase. If I can sleep at bus stations, railway platforms and other places…I can do this also. But for some strange reason I’m not able sleep.

At 2 am one guy who lives on the top floor walks up. He’s returning from a party at his friend’s place. Seeing my plight, he suggested that I woke up my neighbour and ask if they still had the keys. But I refused to do so…cos if they didn’t have then it would be embarrassing. He keeps pushing me…'Arey aise waqt neighbours kaam nahi ayega toh kab ayega. You go ahead and knock the door.'

So to convince him I called up my brother, to first confirm if he had taken the keys with him. He says that he has taken them and suddenly I remember that I know a cousin who lives nearby as paying guest. I call him up and he readily invites me to their place. Wow…what a relief? I get a nice chattai to sleep on.

I got up at seven and went to chembur, my uncle’s home, cos I always have an extra pair of clothes there. I brushed my teeth, took a shower, changed my clothes and when I was having a nice breakfast, my phone rings. Hey! It’s my sister. And she was calling from her home. She had returned from Mahableshwar last evening.

Happy diwali everyone!

I have arrived

hey guys,
i have just arrived at blogggers.....hope to come up with interesting stories.
me mumbaikar