Contd…

Day 18^th October

Time: 9 pm

Location: Streets.

Am supposed to be in bed. For tomorrow I couldn’t afford to be a zombie on the loose or on a stretcher carrying a 70kilo bulk to hospital. Why Tomorrow??

Because tomorrow was 19^th October, 2014, the day I was waiting…sulking for having busted my calves and what not…(previous post)!!

I set the Alarm for 3:30am. The last time I woke up around the same time was when we were to climb a mountain in Sikkim. Anyways…

Dreams dawned only after a while of thinking, of tomorrow …

Day 19^th October

RACE DAY!  MARATHON DAY!

Woke up at 3am. It so happens when you want something really badly your body sets its alarm on its own and it does not need any external ones.

I shut the alarm before it could do any damage. If alarm was a person, am sure we wouldn’t be friends for as long as I know.

I wrapped up my bedsheet and pillow slowly for avoiding any sounds. Stealthily picked up the bathroom door and looked into the mirror. This was it, first step towards a dream. I had read just a day back about a girl who had set a goal for her timing...I decided my sole goal was to not quit running no matter how slow… how last I was in the run..that was my only goal!

It was nearly 3:30am when I sat on my couch..finished my morning litre water consumption and sat with jar of Dates (sadly the only dates I got :P). Ate a banana after it. Packed two bournvilles for just in case during the run. Put some soaked almonds in my pocket, which I always keep in pocket while running.

Left a message for John at 4:00 am… I am ready!

John was to pick me up at 4:15am. We were to report to the point of start at 5:05am.

I put my minimalist, told Mom am leaving. She asked had food, I said yes while closing the door. And left.

I was walking up and down the apartment path looking up into the void..while I waited for John to come.

‘The Nano’ arrives. Checked for one last time the BIB numbers and chip, they were there. Lets Go John!

John was like a road sign in his fluorescent green jersey. We zoomed through the empty streets. We could see boards and people arranging Water shacks as we were getting nearer the Stadium.
But before that we had to park ‘The Nano’ somewhere safe.

Airliners hotel at 4:45am. John calls up his friend.

Enter Preeti.

She asked us to wait outside the gate. I look at my watch 5:05am and then I was like chuck being a timer for once...anyways our actual run was to start by 6:05am…we waited ..half napped until she came. A huge SantaFe parks by the side making ‘The Nano’ look puny but let me tell you guys…the way I have been driven in that Nano  by John..any car is yet to get my respect :)…except my own Punto :)

Anyways Preeti comes and yells Bhaiyaaa!! Gate kholo!!!

We parked in, put on our BIB’s and started our morning walk towards the Kanteerva Stadium, where the event would kick off.

As we were getting closer there were people in Orange T-shirts pouring in from all directions. (Orange T-shirts were handed out to the runners by the organizers.) I was...little less normal in a good way…for it was my first time. John and Preeti have run before for some marathons.

As we reached near UB City square, CCD there was folk music played by local folks in traditional attire. As I reached the gate…God! What a rush inside the body it was!!

There were people everywhere...in every direction my eye could look!! 

Then there was an urge greater than the blood rush…its called ‘Nature Call’…and when I looked in the direction saying "Urinals < ---"… there were about 10 read- to-move compartments for doing your-business which was good…who doesn’t like more options…

What was not cool was, atleast for me as I was in hurry, there were minimum ten people standing in Q infront of each compartment…Common guys, don’t you have loo at home was first thought!! Well then applies to me too :P

After 10 freaking minutes, I could see the ‘Not Vacant’ sign turn to ‘Vacant’. Pheww….!!

Now I could Run!!

Time 5:35am and all huddled together as an announcement came over to start moving towards the Start Line!

I was not going to Run without a warm up…for I had a near busted calf, a knee with cmp…!! By the way John, Preeti and Me were split already in different directions after the Loo adventure…

I ignored the announcement and went about my warm-up…fifteen minutes!!

I still had good crowd to go along when I had finished…passed the detector…and I enter into the Stadium….and boy what I see!!

All I could see was Oranges…Greens…Yellows….closest ….ofcourse not so close but it was like Kumbh Mela…there were people everywhere…I mean everywhere…! I had not seen soooo many people together in my life before!! This was overwhelming…I was literally on my toes to find John in the crowd..just to tell how I was feeling…but I couldn find him!!

I was just looking front and back on my toes…God! What a feeling…it was like I could climb a mountain just like that…! Pure adrenaline rush! As I stepped on the running rings of the Stadium I don’t think I was on my feet…I was on my toes, only…

I was already happy with my choice that I had made a month back by clicking the Registration button.

Looked at my watch, there were Three minutes left before the Orange, Greens would flood the streets of Bangalore.

This is It, Just one step at a time till the end I told myself and set the timer to 00:00:00 on my watch.

Time 6:05am and zero seconds…

The rumbling started with a roar…!! Hands in the air!!

00:00:01

Calves were twitchy..!! Like hell you are stopping me! And right there I made two best friends, even though I had them for years with me but never spoke to them so closely, until now. They had carried me for each step I took. I was literally talking to my legs like they were talking back to me.

These sports like I mentioned before if done in right way…let’s you explore yourself deeply and personally. I was about to experience this in a greater way!!

I crossed the Stadium gate, with cheering squad holding placards with encouraging words and claps. Thought this was it by them...but wait for it! :)

As soon all got out of the gate, people ran like they were held in a cage and were given their ever-held freedom. Clapping their hands in the air, opened their hands like they are gonna hug the entire world…God! was this the same place that I had lived for more than 7 years…yet I did not recognize it!!

First up was the Cubbon park. Morning greens are different. When the first left came up I was looking on my right at the State Central Library, right then I jumped over my heart…the stray dog had suddenly came in front…damn!!

Following the Orange trail we came along side on the temporary road in front of Vidhana Soudha. That architecture looked Majestic in its entirety..caught few my fellow runners exclaiming! Wow!! It looks so beautiful…!!

It was (is)…

Next up was the place responsible for Connecting India for years now…The GPO (General Post Office HeadQtrs.)…gone are the days when we used to wait for them…truly admirable people for the services they offer and also the ones who still on their bicycles make sure we get connected.

Then came the place of 22 yards, the Chinnaswamy Stadium…at each interval there were RFID readers for keeping a check on each runners distance and time taken, once such was here.

Then came the turn where the Man with his stick with a lean figure in his khadi, with his distinctive round reading glasses was standing over a stone figure for years now…was watching us all. Well it was his month too!!

Took the first left next to him and followed the route through Cubbon Road. This is from where even I could... I couldn’t think of quiting…

Why!?

Our real Men who fight along the border were out of their barracks, rooms and were on the streets Clapping for each one of Us. Sharing a clap with us as we passed them…with words following us even when we left…Common! U can do it…Keep Running!!

I was overwhelmed…even now I am when I imagine it again while writing here…what a beautiful sight and feeling it was!! Well this was just the beginning!! :)

Right after this were the Placard guys who were waiting for us at the Manipal Centre turn. Let me just say here for anyone who thinks that Aah these guys are paid for that and S&*(…it’s a part time job for them…So be it! It takes something to be there and do this at early 5am in the morning…I’ll clap to that!!

So we took the turn on Dickenson road towards Ulsoor road…few might get the idea already where are we heading next!!

Yes.. Ulsoor lake!! My second hydration station passed. This was another rule I had set for myself, I wouldn’t drink at least until my 10^th K mark. So I kept my rhythm, one step at a time, passed the Gurudwaara onto my around-the-Ulsoor-lake run…there were few runners already passing by from opposite side…well hope to be in that position one day…!! :) but for now the deal was to let nothing stop you…not even you!!

Then came the stretch where I realized I had some Almonds in my pocket…I stuck one in my mouth and let it get chewed on its own…I was trying to save everything for my two best friends…

At a right turn, there were Oldies clapping Come-on you can do it!!…Keep running!! And then one lone lady at another turn kept her tone ‘even’ for as long as I heard her…Keep going!! God what beautiful people!! A moment when you feel like you just want to live among them…!! As tiring it was for my legs it was equally strengthening for my heart and mind!!

Took another turn and saw a mother with her husband and her probably three year old kid having a small make shift table with banana’s and water to give us all. The kid came running by side with a small banana in her small hands…Aah man..good parents, good kid!! No matter how small the amount was there to serve us all nearly 8000 people on that table…I was full already with their caring thoughts!! These are the everyday heroes that we otherwise miss to see…!!

I was already at Gurudwara back now, completing the circle. Next leg of Run was to run along Holy Trinity Church and head towards Domlur and take a U-turn and be back through same path we took so far.

As I reached near Army Accounts Office Signal, I was to get another set of my heroes…!! First up were the Old lady probably with her Daughter who was carrying her young daughter…yep Teen Deviyan!! Hahaha!! What about them…well the Old one was holding the kid’s food in her hands, her daughter was feeding her young one…and as we passed by she clapped and gestured us to keep going!! Well there are no nearby residential areas, so I had to guess the trio made a walk from somewhere else uptill here…!! Where was I…best place on earth…I don’t know!! It was only getting better!!

Next up while reaching domlur…there was an Old Lady who donned a sports shoe and yet was dressed in Saree…and was running the HALF-MARATHON along us…I clapped so loud that all those who were running heads down looked up…and all continued the clapping for her…she had a modest smile on her face!! Bliss!!

Up as we reached near Command Hospital, the traffic was stopped to a long distance!! People were not in good looks all those who were waiting as we were completing our tour!! Don’t wanna even talk them, for once they cannot understand that this happens once a year…and yet it boils their anals so much…!! Pardon the language…but it hurts to see after when, I saw so many good hearted people!! Well some might just say ‘A Coin has two sides and you can’t just look at one side of it’!! yea yea I get it!!

Well what I saw next just undid all my negative feelings in a jiffy…and am gonna remember it I guess for ever..for it was my moment of realization of self-less ness which ofcourse I need to inculcate!! Well I’ll let the picture below do the talking. :)

And to tell there were on the opposite side of the road that is the faster side who were way ahead of me!! What more can I say!! All I could do was clap and make others respect the moment!! One day I would like to be proud that way…!!

Well who I see after few hundred steps…!!

Johnyyyyy I shout!! Yes John was running in his usual chuck-the-world attitude with heads down with his ray-bans!! He lifted his head up to the voice…and I waved upto him…and with his trademark smile goes…Common Cp..Runn!! :)

I took another Almond in and let it happen!! 

Came the Domlur turn…It had good large crowd through out the turn each with placard...a smile and a clap..!! Time for having my first sip…up ahead was the Hydration point…and as I got closer to it and thought I will stop for a sec and pick up the cups…I couldn literally stop…I almost banged two guys on shoulders, picked the cup and drank while on the run!! The momentum just dragged me, crazy finding!! It was like legs were on automatic mode and forgot they gotta listen to the brain!!

Mouth felt the juiciness back!! Sense were a bit more alive now!! Then as far as I remember I just ran…not much around to notice until I reached back to Dickenson road for the last leg of the run. 

As I ran was getting nearer to Manipal Centre I got another three beautiful people. This consisted of a mother, father and a I guess two year old kid.

So I was running next to the mother in purple (yes its still clear as crystal). Well I got to know her as mother only few seconds later. Suddenly a fellow in cycle comes beside her and was riding beside her…I to be very honest cursed in mild sense... whats wrong with this guy he might just bump into her or others who are running… but he maintained a good distance then on!! And as I noticed closely…it was the father with the kid sitting on a small specially made back-seat waving at mother and for him, the father was talking mildly to give her company until they reached the end. This is exactly how you wish your family to stick behind you… I hardly use the term..but I did mention it to one of my friend after my run that how Cute the moment was!! :)

After we got on the Cubbon road…Sun was mildly smiling at us…and it was acting on few of us…couple stopped by the roadside out of exhaustion…!! I had to keep moving…small promise to self!!

Traffic was lifted mildly…could see few vehicles moving on!! I had reached back to the spot where the Old man in his dhoti and stick with round glasses was standing high on stone figure.

Passed by Vishweshwaraiah Museum, and I couldn't believe I was almost there… another 500 meters!! Cheering crowd piled up as we were reaching closer…and one of the placard read ‘Run Now…Beer later’… I said cheers to it!! Hahaha!! I love my people!!

I entered through the same Big Green Gate, out of which I had left about 

2hours : 34Minutes before. And here I was jumping and touching the Finish Line Hoarding over my head.

Drank water till it filled the length of my body…and after some meandering saw John sitting at a distance…!!

I lay there like no was watching me…looking at the sky with eyes ‘closed’!! Letting the breeze carry me!! It was a Good Pain!!

After a while of rest, we had one of the best breakfast’s I have had in months…organized by the Organizers. There were happy faces all around…!! Saw one teary face clinging on to a shoulder...probably she felt the same as I did but with tears…!!

Am not sure how many more am gonna run in future, but am sure this will be my first and one of the cherished runs ever!! :)

Like the Legends of Running say: “When you run on the Earth and run with the Earth, you can run forever”.

~Cp