Missed the intervals this morning. Long work day. Thought I would make it up perhaps in the evening but was bombed after work.

Rest day today.

Hit the driveway because I woke up late. Glad I did it and got it out of the way.

It was good going today at the park. The timings were so-so but given the weather I might forgive myself.

Ran this morning in the driveway and was joined by the young boy for the second half. Easy peasy followed by a good core workout and a big breakfast.

This morning (on my rest day) as I swung out of Defence Colony, so did a boy wearing a bright yellow T-shirt, matching the summer mood, on a bicycle. He came quite close to my car, didn’t flinch; I turned about this way and that to catch a glimpse of him.

There he was already at the main Moolchand crossing, taking a U-turn towards South Extension. He was about the same age as the young boy. The way he pedalled his bike – what spunk!

One day, perhaps, he will be a Kohli on the front page.

And so said a middle aged man like me.

I’ve been seeing you for so many years, he continued. Same to you,, sir, same to you, I replied.

All this happened in a few seconds as I ran past him during the last kilometre. It is time. I had been seeing him for many years too. There are a few of us who I like to call the OGs, the ones who have been at Nehru Park, Rose Garden, the earliest Delhi half marathons and local runs way before the surge of marathon and triathlon popularity. I don’t know whether I deserved his praise because then he was equally worthy of it too but I will take the blessings.

I feel lucky to have seen this change take place before me.

I did a long, long loop, not stopping for water until the very end where my brain clearly told me to stop because I was nearing the car. A few sips and a gulp of gel and I was on my way to the last aforementioned kilometre.

I started earlier than usual today affording me the opportunity to get a coffee at Fig before the morning rush hour in this cafe.

This is where I sit and write this post from the first floor singles counter.

Longish interval workout today combining mile and 400s. It’s was hard, as these are meant to be, but it felt great to do a tough interval session after what seemed like a while. Sweated it out.

Back home, the workouts are getting slightly longer. Atomic habits, as it were. Slowly building it up.

I met Maneesh and Amit today. Our runs together are sparse. Once every few months if we are lucky to tie up when Maneesh is here from Nepal.

But it always feels like yesterday.

After, when we sat to have chai, we were discussing the athletic frames of elite runners. Only bones, Amit commented on a particular runner. Just like Aseem, he said pointing at me. I scarcely wanted to tell him I’ve put on weight.

When you’ve got 30 x 200m that totals up to only 6 kilometres, you tell yourself, ‘it’s all good.’

Whatever !

Man, these just felt absolutely ruthless, endless and outright bananas in the heat.

Back home, a workout with the young boy rounded up the morning to an avocado and toast breakfast.