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I had a short half hour today – a progressive run leading up to marathon pace. It felt hard and in that it got a bit of doubt creeping up.

But later I met my friend Rasik and he made me repeat I am fit enough to run this marathon.

Damn right I am.

It seems like a while since I ran in the driveway and I got into a good rhythm very quickly. I’ve been practising some breathing exercises this week. I think it’s helping in one way or another.

After that it was some stretching through this YouTube video. I’ve come across it before – it’s easy – and some of the phraseology used by the instructor seems to be so American to me – it always makes me smile.

Just near the 300m start, there was a Band-Aid right in the middle of lane nine. Perhaps, Lane Nine had a kind runner who had pasted it where needed.

I was careful to avoid stepping on that spot while running for an hour. But looking at it each loop as I gradually increased the pace.

When I began, the sun was already peeking above buildings in the near vicinity. There were all manner of folks here. I recognised some Gurgaon runners who I had been seeing for years. It was a house full morning.

Much needed.

Because I have a week to go before Boston, the run today was a taper.

I started off on my own for an easy six and then the young boy joined me.

We chatted through our usual Shanti Path, Nyaya Marg, Niti Marg loop, combining the arcs, roundabouts and parallel roads to complete seven and after a quick water break, we did one Niti-Shanti loop to close out a fabulous, fun ten kilometres together.

It was a moderate effort for him and had we not stopped for the water break, it would have been a personal best. That we spent it talking, and didn’t race it, was all the more sweeter.

I got a message last evening from Coach Ravi that he was off to his village for a couple of days. That Gaju too won’t be running. So that left me to do the 6 x 2k as a solo effort. Off to Nehru Park it was.

I put on the trusty Jabras and here we go.

Once again, as the Wednesday intervals, I knew I couldn’t keep the prescribed paces. The legs wouldn’t hold to that effort. So once again, I had to run by effort. All told I was slower by 10-15 seconds per kilometre – a lifetime.

All told I was happy with the run. Just happy to be amongst a bit of training before next week Boston.

Friday was just rest. I slept in a bit and that kind of helped in bringing back the energy.

Today was a déjà vu of Tuesday except it was a couple of kilometres longer. Another guy joined Gaju and me and raced off ahead. We caught up to him around the five kilometre mark.

On the way back, he couldn’t keep up and was clearly struggling. I don’t know much about him except that he might be new to distances. But his form was incredible – fluid, strong, powerful running.

I was winded by the time we finished. I need a solid sleep session.

It was pyramid intervals day. 1600, 3200, 6400, 3200, 1600. I knew I was tired from the weekend but recent intervals – at least for the February New Delhi Marathon training – have tended to go in my favour. Usually, I have been pleasantly surprised.

The first two went off at target. But I knew at the second one that I won’t last at the prescribed paces. From then on, I kept it a run by near-max effort. It was slower but it felt brutally hard.

It could be a mix of the weather (hot) and the past weekend. At any rate, I didn’t feel bad. I put in my best and the run was a great effort.

At the end, Gaju who was with me, considered dropping out of the last mile – he told me later – but we did it together anyway – at many many seconds slower than the first mile.

All in all, quite a morning.

And then down the road. On this road that I’ve run dozens of times. Not that it’s been very long but it felt like that today running with Gaju and Coach Ravi riding by our side on his trusty white scooter.

We set off at an easy pace and quickly locked into a rhythm. There was barely any talking but it felt like hanging out with old friends – feet thumping, breath moving, the sun rising.

A dead bird, plenty of frisky dogs, early morning commuters, buses, security guards switching shifts, food vendors making their way with pushcarts and large vessels – just another morning in Gurgaon for all of us.