Because I missed my run yesterday, I ran today but on the driveway after a reasonable night of sleep. The young boy joined me in the middle for five rounds. A perfectly wonderful make up session.

A late evening entertaining for work and a missed run today.

Mile intervals today at the track. The pollution is incredibly bad but it is impossible for these to happen on the treadmill or with a mask.

Gaju joined me for all the repeats and it was quite relentless. Other than the first one, I aced the prescribed timings.

I’ve started to go a bit late to the track, preferring to run when the light is about to come up rather than doing most of the run in the dark.

Back home, the young boy and I did a quick, effective twenty minute workout to finish up the morning.

Because I woke up late, I jumped up on the treadmill and did an hour’s run. My shin has been hurting lately and usually warms up after a couple of kilometres. But on the treadmill, I never quite found the rhythm today.

Long today with work commitments. it’s is what it is.

I wore the mask for most of the run this Sunday as the AQI is worsening. I kind of got used to it after a while even carrying on a conversation with Gokul and increasing the pace. Towards the end, I took it off and ran “free”.

Back home, I made the young boy run on the treadmill.

When I saw the interval set Eilish had inputted in, I thought they looked manageable. But I know how these things go. You see interval sets that look manageable and there is only one thing to do – go hard.

Gaju and I warmed up as the sky turning pink beyond Medicity. There were dozens of folks of all ages on the track despite the AQI. Runners seem to live in a bubble of their own.

I went hard through the paces, and Gaju accompanied me effortlessly. But I would like to hope that he enjoys them.

I got back home and did a short workout with the young boy. Throwing the Swiss ball hard at each other while performing alternate lunges was a sweet killer. Set the tone for the day ahead.

The AQI is getting worse. Friday is an optional day so I jumped on the treadmill for a very easy run. I played with the speed toggle every few minutes keeping it light.

These optional days that turn into short run sessions – I love them. The day just starts off the right way.

Last evening Gokul messaged me asking if the track was open. It wasn’t. The track has been closed for the Haryana State Championships. My plans were to go to the track parking lot and run on the road with Gaju and the usual folks. Instead, I replied to Gokul asking if we should run Nehru Park together.

We met just before six AM; the morning was yet to arrive. The moon hung like a globe in the sky. Yesterday, when I was driving to the track, the day of Gurpurab, the moon was low in the horizon and a giant orange ball. It was a beautiful, awesome sight.

We looped around Shanti Path and made our way to Nyaya Marg. The light was just beginning to come up. We ran silently. I had the pollution mask on too.

In the second half, we spoke a bit, quietly, conversationally. After over three decades of knowing each other and running on many occasions together, there is an automatic comfort in silence and conversation alike. I am well aware of the privilege of the depth of this relationship.

I had remarked that he was wearing the 2019 Berlin marathon jacket. We had run the same race and stayed at an Airbnb that autumn with other friends. That was but one example of the many races, the many birthdays and celebrations, drinks, dinner and life’s milestones – the usual and the special – where the memorable easily blur these lines.

In that, another usual run finished with a five and a hug. All that friendship is about encapsulated in an hour.

Today the intervals on the road were ruthless. The newbies joined again but this time, they gave me and Gaju a wide berth. Frankly, I didn’t care.

The intervals were hard as nails and explosive. For the most part, I hit or bettered the targets but I increased the rest between sets slightly. It was heart in the mouth running. Let’s see how this plays out down the road.

It ended with a two mile tempo effort that was enjoyable and felt surprisingly manageable. I was glad though when it was all done.

Back home, a solid and hard workout ended with a plank.