Tuesday Newbies

I think I may have hit the road in a bit of a mood today.

Coach Ravi started off the run with calling a few new runners to run with me and Gaju. It was easy run today and that’s how I wanted to keep it.

Around the third kilometre, one of the new guys picked up pace and started jostling between me and Gaju. I gave him wide berth and let him pass by.

Gaju caught up to him. I stayed behind. The pace was steady and good enough for today. The new guy further increased pace and Gaju, sensibly, fell back with me.

Naya hai, he said. I nodded. I could see the young kid kick up his legs in a stride. He’s going to slow down soon enough, I thought. Sure enough, he did. By the time we got to the fifth kilometre, he was walking. On the way back, Coach Ravi gave him a lift on his scooter, to catch up to us. Two other newbies were waiting for us on the way back as well to run together. I wasn’t going to have any of it. There had been enough back and forth, crash and burn, from these guys for one morning.

I increased the pace slightly but just enough to leave them. Kawar jaise bhaag rahe hain, I said to Gaju. He laughed at the reference.

On the home stretch, passing Medanta, I turned to look back. They were nowhere in sight. Back home, a quick core workout and done.