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Today was the rest day after the half. I’m feeling quite okay and ready to begin a ‘proper’ block of training.

That’s what the kids at the track say when they feel they’re not in form or getting tired.

That’s how it was in today’s race. I wanted to hang up my shoes at 8k itself but then it was best to complete it as a training run.

It was to be expected after a couple of weeks of late night work and not much sleep.

After the race I circled back to the finish line and met Parul and the young boy and we waited for my sister to finish her first Delhi marathon.

Cheering on other runners was the highlight of my morning and meeting my sister, who finished super strong and happy, was the highlight of the race.

The young boy and I woke up around the same time. After lounging in the kitchen, we decided to get ready and hit the driveway for a short run together.

We spoke about joy and opportunities, health and purpose, spending time with loved ones, taking about folks who had passed on and a life to be grabbed fully. A good way to start a very busy Saturday ahead.

Today was rest day before half marathon weekend.

It seems this would be my routine for a while. Early morning meeting for two hours. Afterward, coffee to wake up and get into a different mode. And then because of it is neither here nor there, a driveway run to put in the goods.

I was, admittedly, dead bored in today’s run, and wanted it done as quickly as possible. But I kept it easy.

Whether it was because of one of the aforementioned or a combination, I wasn’t at the required pace today.

It was fine. I enjoyed it. I wasn’t stressed out about the paces.

I slept extraordinarily late last night. I woke up reasonably fresh and jumped on the treadmill for a short run.

Today was one of the days that found me impatient to finish up.

Off from training today.

I began with the run around Niti Marg, Vinay Marg and Shanti Path. At some point, I bumped into Shikha and ran with her. We exchanged our news but for the most part ran quietly. The roads were packed with runners. The sound of shoes was everywhere.

When the young boy came, we ran inside the park. It was enjoyable to run on the soft surface.

Niti Marg is a sun dappled road in the spring afternoon. I am seeing it outside my window now as I type. These roads empty of runners at this time. These roads that were full, early in the morning, heaving with dozens of runners. These roads that are training grounds of hundreds of runners. Training. Training. Half. Full. Personal bests. Or not. Intervals. Talking. Laughing. Sweating. Struggling. These roads.

Dreams. Possibilities. Chances. Time. Rolling seasons. Wind. Rain. Sun. Stars. Moonlight. These roads. Nothing happens here but running. No evil. No world. Nothing belongs here. Only running. Your thinking hat for your running shoes.

Pace. Speed. Time. Distance. Sometimes it’s everything. Usually it’s nothing. Because it takes care of itself. You just move. Breathe. Heave. Sweat. Stop. Recover. Breathe. Race. Pace. Run.

These roads.