It was just past 2 AM when I decided there wasn’t any point in sleeping ten extra minutes. I had woken up several times over the few hours that I managed.
After the morning routine and enough coffee, I went down to meet Amit and the bus that would take us to the start line. This was my first Bombay half marathon.
Without much training over the last month and the missed runs, I was hoping to stay strong during the race and pace myself. Push but pace.
The best way for me to do that is to avoid looking at the watch and to run by feel. If I am racing, then I am compelled to make sure I am on track or better.
But this was no race for me. This would be an effort to enjoy the Sunday pre-dawn run, to take in Bombay, to push but stay within limits and most of all to finish strong.
After weaving through runners traffic for the first kilometre or so, I found a bit of space. The roads opened up and the runners become more sparse. We were already on the Sea Link and I remember hearing nothing but the sound of my feet and the sounds of other runners; sneakers clapping against tarmac.
The route, which in parts runs parallel to the full marathoners coming in from town, took a few new turns on the new coastal road with some not so insignificant changes in elevation. At least for a runner like me coming from flat-out New Delhi.
By the time, I began running on the famous Pedder Road stretch, a few residents were out, clapping, cheering, some even holding signs in this still pre-dawn darkness. I even got a “Go Uncle” shout out from some college age youngster. So that’s what it has come down to.
At any rate by the time we were curving into marine drive, I felt like I was practically flying and later when I checked my splits, my last three kilometres were amongst the fastest in this race.
I finished feeling mad strong and not a phrase I want to use either lightly or with any measure of pride. Just that rush of a strong run and on top of the world.
Writing about Running 