SCMM 2013 - Mumbai Marathon

I was not as prepared for this marathon as the 2012 edition as the practice time was reduced to just over a month due to work pressure. Nevertheless, regular meditation and a diet of fruits and juice for breakfast and sprouted beans with salad of tomato, beetroot, onion and cucumber with butter milk meant that I had a low carb high protein diet which helped – dinner was two whole wheat breads with cooked vegetables. In fact I was doing 10km in just about 65 minutes. I did a 20km trial run on the Sunday prior to the marathon in 2 hours 30 minutes or so but this left me with blisters on both feet. I was taking Combiflam on the advise of my wife to reduce the pain and for the blisters to heal. I just ran 6 km every alternate day and rested on Saturday, a day before the run. I was on a complete protein and banana diet on Saturday.

I woke up at 4.15 am and was in meditation for 15 minutes, after which I got fresh and started my stretching exercises. This time too I carried the camera in a waist belt pouch along with my cell phone. We had a couple – Aashutosh and Mona, first timers from our society – who accompanied us. My wife dropped us off at the Mahim causeway-SV Road signal from where we walked down to the holding area. The holding area was better organized this year at the area below the flyover near the Bandra East fire brigade location. This year they had created 3 sections A, B & C based on finish timings of the previous year. It was already around 5.30am and the run was to start at 5.40am. I did some more stretches and then walked into the holding area. I walked down to the B section and as we walked it merged with the C section and only the A section athletes had an independent start enclosure.
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At 5.40am the run started with the VIP and elite athletes being sent off first after which us junta was told to go. There was a huge roar along with cat whistles from the runners and off we went. I hit the timing chip mat at around 5.43am. The start was very slow as the crowd, far greater than last year, took a long time to spread out. I just let the eager beavers go ahead and kept slowing down and giving myself room, as I definitely did not want to be stamped on nor tripped! This year too, like last year, there was a sight which one would probably only get to see in India! As the run started and progressed onto the flyover to a section which did not have street lights, a whole lot of runners suddenly had weak bladders and you could see an entire line of maybe a couple of hundred males standing to water the shrubs planted on the road divider! This year the run was smoother as the start was straight onto the bridge which was wide enough to avoid bunching of runners and I got off to a smooth running rhythm. We got onto the road leading to the sea link, the broader road actually helped in easing the crowd, with the runners also now spread over a larger area.

I continued to run at the speed I had trained for, this year there was water being distributed at the 4km mark on the sea link which was a big help. It was very cold and my muscles were taking time to loosen up in spite of the stretched, hence I decided to walk-run, walk-run – after about 3.5km, I walked a bit before running again. I did not see any of my office colleagues even on the turn at the sea link! I walked and then ran alternately and was outside my best time which I clocked last year and was planning to finish under 2hrs 40 minutes. I had picked an energy drink from the volunteers on the road and a packet of glucose biscuits. I took photos on Worli sea face, drank water which was being handed over by volunteers and generally enjoyed my run in peace and tranquility with my Guru for company. There were a lot of consistent runners this year and the mass which was moving at 2.30hrs speed was the biggest I have seen so far.

About 5km from the finish as we came onto Marine Drive, I saw a glorious sun rise with a huge flock of birds rising into the sky, welcoming the runners. Just as we got onto Marine Drive the lead vehicle with the elite full marathoners for company came into view. I got to take photographs this year as I was prepared and ready for them as they literally flew across the surface! We passed the Radio Mirchi music group who were playing high energy music – the energy which was flowing from there was amazing, I was bathed in cold positive energy. Similar energy I felt at the Navy Band performance at the 18km mark. I had completed only 17km in two hours ten minutes that meant I had just half an hour for completing the last four. At 7 minutes per km it was going to be touch and go! The last two hundred meters or so, I sprinted and finished the race strongly, and finished nine minutes slower than last year. The official time came in at 2:39:17. I collected my refreshments and finishers’ medal and went off to the corporate challenge enclosure, which had a huge crowd waiting for the dream run to start at around 9am. I met Kamlesh Mishra, our HR rep along with the Dream runner crowd, had a photo session with them and encouraged them to push off as their run had started. I got into the enclosure and was asked by a United Way staffer whether I won. I joked and said no way – the winners earn dollars - I just got a finish medal! Deepak Shenoy joined me in the Corporate Challenge enclosure – he finished in about 3 hours, half an hour faster than last year – a great achievement.

Around 9.30am my wife came and we left to catch Aashutosh and Mona who had left and had already reached New Excelsior. The walk to New Excelsior was very circuitous because of the ongoing event and was tantamount to a Dream Run for us as we had to walk almost 3.5km to reach the car parked on PM Road!

Raising money for United Way of Mumbai and running for them was a pleasure and I thank all those supporters who have helped by contributing to their cause. Thanks everyone and God Bless. See you all next year.