Category: Uncategorized

Monday Mania is a good way to put it even as I took the rest day. And so the week began, a lingering cough and a deep yearning for a normal cadence of running and routine.

I am not a foodie. I crave carbs after intense runs and I love eating home cooked food. But I wouldn’t describe myself as being knowledgeable about food or the kind of person who thinks about the next meal.

But I love restaurants. I love to observe and participate in the ambience, interiors and energies of these gathering places.

Because of the aforementioned reasons, of going out with friends and family to new places, and because I love good writing (who doesn’t) I thoroughly enjoy Pete Wells who is retiring as the New York Times food critic.

He has long been one of my favourite writers in the Times. I have so very much enjoyed his reviews and seeing the photos of foods I may or may not try – photos of restaurants – most restaurants that I couldn’t visit even if I wanted to – because I don’t live in New York and even if I did – this task is for the critic or foodie.

But I lived vicariously through his writing many a time, seeing the buzz of a restaurant in the photos made me pinch and zoom in, seeing happy. laughing faces wearing fashionable clothes at a crowded bar or a dimly lit, white tablecloth restaurant that made me think of Gatsby-esque possibilities or secret deals. A Pete Wells era at the Times always had me look forward to his writing and fairyland journeys in my head. I can’t wait for his next project.

On to the running report: Still sneezing and coughing, I made my way to the driveway with as much determination as I could muster. The young boy joined me soon after. I was ever grateful for his company as I could very much feel the effects of the flu. I believe I may have written after effects yesterday but these seem to be in the present. I was woozy, tired and at some point I thought I might fall. Imbalance in the ears. Haha.

We started the game of naming at least three countries with each alphabet that kept me distracted and going. When he stopped, I decided to carry on. I needed a good run under the belt after these missed days.

So run I did, simply head down and kept it going. Finally done and spent, I found I had a bit of engine in me to hit the bars for a quick workout to round up the Sunday morning session.

In the face of stress and illness, things haven’t been at their best for the last few days.

But this morning, feeling better and determined, I set out with the young boy for a run in the driveway. I could feel the after effects of this flu. Although I did get into a rhythm, I ran slowly, my breath catching up already as if I was running at tempo speed.

I made the young boy do some drills as we chatted about this and that. We played the bird game – where you have to name a bird with each alphabet. It’s not so easy when you’re out of practice and rusty.

To run free with the young boy and think of bird names, these are the pleasures of daily life.

Buoyed at the end of the short run, I made my way to the bars. Pull ups, circular leg raises and varied core work lifted me out of this past week.

I must run tomorrow. I might have the flu but after these absences from running, I am losing my mind too.

Even if it is a short run in the driveway, I must run to clear my head and hopefully my nasal passages too. The former is critical, the latter should take care of itself.

Because this is a diary mostly about running, the days when I don’t run, especially due to sickness, feels like futile writing.

But as an exception here – the days have been full and manic – meetings heaped upon meetings – in that I can only hope that I’m expending some energy so as to keep up some fitness level too. A roundabout way to think about things.

I seem to have picked up something from the travels. Flu-ey if that’s a word is a way to describe it. Another missed run and likely the same for tomorrow too.

As expected, overnight travel back and a landing at dawn meant that I couldn’t run today.

Home, a quiet hour, turnaround and to work.

Monday is normally rest day but with the missed run coming up on Tuesday, because of travel back, I made it up with a quick hour early this morning.

The young boy was fast asleep, exhausted from the excitement of the previous night. I snuck out to a near empty Berlin. Near the Gate, city cleaners and authorities were beginning to dismantle the Euro Cup festivities.

The tangible remains of celebration or despair, depending on the side you supported, littered the streets – bottle caps, smashed glass and barricades askance. A clear, blue sky above marked the start of the week.

I thought I would be much slower than the pace I managed to adapt today. Perhaps leftover adrenaline and gratitude at witnessing human beings coming together to celebrate sport, witness awesome athleticism and fierce patriotism – had me propelling forward.

I look forward to routine as the week comes up ahead on home ground.

This morning, jet lagged and awake, the young boy and I stepped out to a rainy Berlin. It was quiet and empty.

Save for the barricades near Brandenburg Gate, it would be impossible to tell that today was the final of the Euro Cup.

With several detours and unsure of where we were going, we managed to find our way down the Tiergarten. We posed for a quick selfie at the Gate – that has marathon connotations for me – having run the marathon here a few years ago – as also that anyone in long distance knows that Berlin is probably the Mecca of world records broken.

I dropped him back at the famous Ku’damm avenue and turned around for another loop to close off the Sunday long run.

The evening events at the Euro Cup were as exciting as could be but what caught my eye and attention was the players warming up before the match. The drills, stretches, near acrobatic moves, power surges of athleticism, activity and action – this is the way to warm up. I showed this to the young boy who nodded but I could tell was only waiting for the match to begin.

I debated whether to wake up at two forty five, hit the track for intervals and then the airport. I’ve done that several times but this time I took a pass.

The young boy was travelling with me and it was one of those things. While missing runs is never a decision I like to take, this time I told myself to chill out.

At any rate, it is travel for a few days and it seems there might be more missed runs until mid next week.