The Mumbai Marathon post

Year after year, for five years, sitting in office looking at the madness at work in pre-Mumbai marathon week   where people were assigned on-ground duties, handed over schedules & merchandise, I'd always tell myself , "Well, next year I must ran the half marathon" . And that "next year" never came. All I would do is "like" the fb posts of super bosses, colleagues and friends , the day after Marathon. 

Last January (2012) around the same time, it was time for my last chat in Delhi with my immediate boss after submitting my resignation. There was nothing left to discuss since we had had all our chats earlier. This chat was more of a formality just to make it official. Before the final good bye, the boss mentioned that during my sabbatical she hoped I'd resume to do what I had missed doing during my stint at the company - "perhaps Carnatic music classes"., she said. Had konjam tears in my eyes - not just 'coz I was leaving a good company, also because I had no plans and didn't have a 'to-do' list during this break.

Help came in the form of the running group I had heard about and they were resuming the running sessions from February, post the few days' break after Mumbai marathon. Signed up immediately. My first run (and the ones that followed in the several weeks) with them was expectedly , quite a disaster. Struggled to run a quarter of a kilometre and wondered why I had signed up for this.

With intense practice on my own, managed my first official marathon of a 10k in March . Tried to improve on the distance slowly and managed the first 21k in December which was bloody tough. 

The pre-Mumbai marathon jitters had already started to make their appearance on Friday night where I'd get up once every hour during my sleep wondering if the Marathon was on the following day when it was actually on Sunday. Saturday was pretty cool and I was up at 3.30 on Sunday, the D-Day.

Sunday the 20th of January 2013 

Reached the venue well in advance and the crowd was simply phenomenal. Have heard stories about the enthusiastic participation but never thought there would be so so so many people all crazy about running & all set to run 21 kms. It was a superb feeling running on the Bandra-Worli sea link early morning with so many people. Until 13-14 kms I was equidistant from the 2.30 and 3 hour group headed by pace-setters  . I was exactly between the two groups. Somewhere was confident I'd finish in less than 3 hours. Post 15 km was the trouble. Just couldn't maintain the same pace. When I saw the 3 hour bus run past me, kinda felt upset. Add cramps that set in after 18 kms. Felt a little bad about finishing after three hours in the end but told myself repeatedly that a year ago I was pooped out after 250 metres of running and hence this run of 21 kms in eleven and a half months was an achievement in itself.And the high after completing the run was something else indeed. Totally worth the effort.

Talking about the marathon experience, it was quite an amazing sight to see loads of people land up early morning cheering the runners with Jalebis, biscuits , fruits and other mithais . There were senior citizens with posters, kids wanting to shake hands with you , people cheering "Run Run Run" , volunteers constantly supplying you  with water bottles, oranges, biscuits etc.

NandrigaL Pala-p-pala 

• A big thanks to my super duper training group's trainers. Though I was with them only for a few months, the group runs really gave the much needed confidence. 
• Thanks to my husband who , more than I was keeping a tab on my runs during this entire year constantly reminding me not to lose enthu midway (which is typical of me). Had written about him walking the entire route here . And this time he was at the finish point, at VT station despite the joram. Thank you huspand. 
• Brother Guevera & wife , Sister Ammani , brother-in-law and the naughty nephews am terribly proud of. Eyes welled up reading Nephew no.1's good luck mail. Thank you Kanmani. 
• My kalakkal friends and their parents  - Two weeks ago a friend's mother invited me home for lunch and had made the yummiest Tamizh (elai) saapadu with kozhambu, sambar, rasam, curries, pachadi etc. preparing them painstakingly after googling "veg. food for athletes" . Can't thank her enough. Thank you J aunty and her wonderful daughter, my dear friend PR who in the last one month in particular has been of great support with her constant texts / calls. 
• Vones, Tees - Thank you for all the support. I know I can count on you, always.
• The 'thiruchchabai' friends - Albert, Pete and Debbie . Will continue to look forward to the updates on the Sabhai after my runs, yougaiz.
• Rahmaniacs who shared their playlists, songs . Thank you people for your wishes. You guys are 'Rockstars' 
• Marathoner Indi - for being an inspiration
• AP - en friend-a pola... Will continue to 'peetify' on facebook okay?
• AK who mentioned she'd be there at Peddar Road to cheer the runners and was there early in the morning calling out my name. 
• My nutritionist who made me lose a part of the excess baggage by making me eat more rice, potato, paneer, chappati etc. You are awesome Madam M !
• Running Gurus S and A . Yabba, unga level-e vera. Thanks for all the help Gurujis.
• Friends on blogger, facebook & twitter - Thank you for the 'likes' , replies to the constant "I ran 100 mts today" type updates of mine. Really really appreciate you guys.  

Wogay, now off I go to prepare for my next half marathon and I'm totally looking forward to it.This is becoming addictive now.