This Sunday I started on my own. An easy run with no music. Just the environs and the cacophony of Sunday runners, plentiful and buoyant the day before Diwali.

As usual this time of the year, there was even a mini race organised by the Navy.

Shanti Path was a medley of runners out for their usual Sunday and the runners participating in the race. Many had brought their families.

The young boy joined me midway during my run. We started with the usual loop of Niti Marg and Shanti Path and then went out towards Nyaya Marg picking up pace along the way.

The run finished at the exact zebra crossing just past the car.

We rounded up the morning with fresh lime sodas and breakfast at Fig at Malcha, well earned heading to a relaxed Sunday ahead.

At the last moment this morning, I decided to go to Nehru Park for the long intervals. I asked Gaju if he could arrange a car and come to NP instead.

I just didn’t want to deal with the dogs and Coach Ravi shooing them or driving faster to make sure they didn’t get in our way. Even as I have done intervals and regular runs dozens of times on that doggy dog road.

There are plenty of dogs at Nehru Park too. But then there are dozens of runners and I think for the most part the dogs mind their business. What is certainly nuts is the number of cars and traffic at Nehru Park now.

At any rate, I reached and started a three kilometre warm up as prescribed. I had a total of ten kilometres of interval work packaged as 2k and 400m.

Boom. Stayed on target if not a bit better. Gaju arrived at some point in the middle and his company was very welcome.

A fabulous Saturday morning before heading into Diwali weekend.

When I stepped out, the eastern sky was a lazy grey. I ran controlled, nose breathing, lost in thoughts as time whisked by. It was a short one this morning.

This morning when Coach Ravi called and asked if I am coming, I responded saying yes and that we would run outside.

After parking at the stadium, Gaju, another young man and I set off with Coach Ravi alongside on his usual trusty scooty.

They asked me about the Delhi half and I shared some stories. Ab ki bar alag si training karni hai sir, said Gaju. I nodded vigorously- whatever nodding vigorously can mean while running. But I meant it – I wanted to put in a different level of training over the winter.

Hill training bhi karo, said Coach Ravi from the scooty. I nodded again. By this time we were approaching Bhaktavar Chowk and the sky was turning colours, dawn fast approaching.

Usually we went left or straight. Is taraf said the Coach pointing to his right, flyover hai. Agle hafte.

And just like that, why next week, I thought. Let’s start. And we turned right.

It was up and down and up and down again and again till we were winded and full of exhilaration and exhaustion. The new young man fell off and climbed on the scooty. Gaju and I settled back into flat road running and a good tempo rhythm for the last mile back to the stadium.

Back home, a solid circuit workout earned me breakfast.

I knew I would have a late evening. I woke up and decided to take the day off. I’ll make it up going ahead.

Instead, I went to work fairly early and had a full day.

Woke up slightly late in the morning. Too late to go to track or Nehru Park. Contemplated the treadmill or the driveway. Chose the driveway and completed an easy, effective and wonderful run.

Slept at 2 AM after the music festival and a marathon day – literally. Well, half marathon day anyway. Breakfast meeting in the morning and ending up with a longish day.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect at today’s Delhi Half Marathon. My bib said 13 years and counting and this year was the twentieth year of the event.

The best surprise was at the start line where I met Maneesh and Amit, my old running partners and friends. We hugged and wished each other luck. Pure joy.

The run started at 5 AM in darkness. Down Lodi Road, a few pools of streetlights punctuated the length of the road.

Retracing back towards India Gate, the sky was rapidly changing colours. By this time, I needed to consolidate the race. I gave a slight leeway to a couple of kilometres but managed surge again to have a nearly exact even split.

It wasn’t anywhere near my PB timing but it was nicely done – strong, controlled and experienced.

An hour later, I found myself listening to the Veena, played by Jayanthi Kumaresh for a morning concert to the sound of birds and fresh crisp air in the astoundingly beautiful atmosphere of Sunder Nursery. Pure joy.

We ran a short one in the driveway after ages. It’s freezing, he said when we stepped out. The weather has changed quickly this week.

Perhaps because we ran the driveway together after a long while, he suddenly remembered that when he was about five – during the Covid time – I yelled at him for running on the “crack” in the centre of the driveway. I did. I was afraid he would twist his ankles and he did fall several times. But looking back, yelling and getting impatient with a five year old? What mistakes I have made through the years.

I apologised to him. He in turn apologised to me for fussing all the time. Not true at all, I said and meant it. Of course he fussed once a while, warming up. Warming up can be a pain in the ass and don’t we all know it. Getting in the groove many days can be a challenge.

We adults would, if we could openly fuss about things like that. I am sure, regardless of age, we continue to fuss about nonsense. I know I do. Case in point right here. Yelling at a kid is terrible.

Then we spoke about the many, many good runs we have had. He spoke about the six kilometre run he did on his sixth birthday. He said that at the last hundred metres, he kicked off and ran way ahead of me and I stopped. That I was just admiring the way he had the ability to run in such beautiful form and rhythm, kicking up his legs, striding effortlessly. That I told Parul waiting to celebrate his birthday, with a Belgian waffle breakfast morning, how amazingly he could run and that I repeated it several times.

I have done that so many times over the years. Admired his form and his ability to run with such grace. It doesn’t right the wrong of yelling, but hopefully there is more on this side of the balance sheet. Of course, I know there is, but it’s important to remember to be mindful. For me. As much as I can.

Took the day off, didn’t I. Still managed to be reasonably hectic, up and down various locations through the day.