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Earlier it was lane ten. Now because of the Garmin track mode limitation, there is no lane ten, so I run in lane nine instead.

On interval days, I run the first lane and love it especially when I’m running with the track gang.

They push me, I push them and of course in general they are so much faster than I am in the short distance.

In lane nine, I’m bothering no one. I’m doing my thing. Time on feet. Sometimes a bit of tempo.

Lane one is performance. Lane nine is out of the way from anyone. Lane one you better make sure you’re running.

I wouldn’t know what to do in those in between lanes.

As the night changed to morning, silvery light shone through clouds; all sorts of clouds filled up space in the sky.

When I reached track, I wasn’t sure how the intervals sets would go. I had pushed myself yesterday on the easy run and I had long intervals today.

Today, without my sister and the young boy, the car felt empty and my mind was full of work thoughts.

I hoped some of the track crew would join me. And they did – Ashwini, Monu and a few others. It was timed intervals and the track folks set off at a pace I couldn’t keep up with, but I stayed at my target pace.

By the last interval, the track folks were spent, and I was feeling good, so I ran a blistering set to complete a very grateful and much needed workout.

Today was time on feet at track. But it seemed like a while since I got a good run in so I ran faster than usual.

When I saw some of the track gang, Monu, Ashwini and others running in formation in lane one, it was too much to resist and I joined them for a few rounds. It certainly got at tempo plus at that point.

Choo-choo train, the young boy called the formation. He had been doing stairs and short interval workouts.

When I finished, the track was teeming with people. Many more than the winter months. Spring had truly arrived with the hustle and bustle of life.

Back on home ground, the month of April starts with a rest day.

The training ahead is essential and exciting.

I woke up to a perfect morning. My sister and I decided to do a short one in the driveway. Today, a combination of altitude and over excitement of the past two days seemed to have caught up with me.

Yet, it was necessary to move. It was cool, quiet and the rest of the folks were asleep. While it was not a Nehru Park Sunday, a Mussoorie Sunday was a dreamy way to end the week.

Later in the day, I visited Doon School to meet my nephew briefly and l was taken in by the beautiful, quiet campus, thinking what wonderful running it would be here.

Tomorrow, I will rest and April should see a semblance of real training.

I was prepared, happily, to take the Saturday off. I had put in the goods for the week.

But, Jayati and Mohan’s place in Mussoorie turned out to be a constant carousel of food, drink, football, Jenga, table tennis, tennis, pool, games, more food, and endless hospitality. And then some.

At a somewhat quiet interlude before lunch, the sharp incline drive proved to be too tempting.

I started with short repetitions, and then longer ones, rounding off twenty five such rounds to complete thirty five intense minutes.

The hot dogs, burgers, shawarmas and such need to be worked off.

Before the weekend trip, the young boy and I hit the track early, and did a short time on feet. We were both feeling the effect of the week’s training although within a few rounds we found our rhythm.

Just as the sky began to glaze into a new morning, we ended, stretching for a few minutes and leaving for the airport.

It’s been a while since I did a long run on the track. Perhaps last on New Year’s Day in Goa in 2023.

The Peddem track at Mapusa was a gift – it was close to where I was staying and open to the public. New Year’s Day saw me run solo for a couple of hours and in the wee hours of the morning, I had the track to myself.

Here, at Tau Devilal, the track was bustling with people soon after I began. The young boy did a steps and strides workout while I continued on at my rightful place, lane nine. A teenager in a cap joined me for a bit. Mr Lamba, the older gentleman I’ve been seeing since I began track, joined me on many alternate rounds. I was grateful for the company, even as for most of this run, I had my headphones on, which I rarely use for running.

I avoided looking at the watch until the sun began to rise. At that time, I was just over the halfway mark in mileage.

But by now, I had picked the pace considerably and while the last few kilometres seemed to get tedious, I finished strong and thoroughly enjoyed the morning.

I didn’t feel my best when I reached the track today for intervals. Nowhere close. But that I was there felt infinitely good.

For every 800 I did, the young boy did 400. The weather was sultry, the pace felt a tad too much and I felt out of shape. But I was perfectly at home right here at track.

Track would fix me.

The weather has changed dramatically in the last week to ten days. It is proper hot in the afternoon, but the mornings remain comfortable. At least, luckily for me.

I adjust better to warm weather running than the cold and in a sense enjoy being soaked in sweat as what will happen in the subsequent months.

I woke up today tired from the raucous Holi celebrations and managed a short time on feet. While it wasn’t a struggle, I could feel the effects of the past weekend, indeed this past week in itself.