Mumbai Marathon 2010
The distance run that I look forward to, the whole year. This year, the trip to Mumbai had become more than just a trip for the run. A long weekend due to Pongal, 3 more friends (Ex-Nevis, Pune, currently in Bangalore) joining me right from Bangalore for the trip and run kept the 4 day vacation very very busy.
We left Bangalore on 13th and spent the time in train in playing cards and venting out frustrations at work, and reached Pune on 14th evening. Friends at Pune were ready to receive us and treated us to an elaborate Dinner at Malaka Spice. We spent 15th too in Pune catching up with friends.
We left for Mumbai the next day and directly headed to the Marathon Expo at World Trace Center. This being THE most popular Marathon in Asia, the Expo would normally be quite lively the day before Marathon, with lot of stalls sporting performance running shoe, energy drinks, running gadgets, lifestyle products etc., I have been waiting for almost 6 months for this Expo to buy Asics running shoe, supposed to be the world's best, and available only at Mumbai Marathon Expo in India (Not any more, Reliance Footprint is bringing Asics to India soon). So, immediately after collecting the goody bag, I rushed to the Asics stall and picked Asics GT2150. This particular model is the editor's and runner's choice and shows up in the home page of Asics :-)
On the big day, we got up before 4 AM and were in a local train by 4:30 AM. The weather was innocuous and not particularly unpleasant. We were expecting a comfortable run. Soon, it turned out the other way. I was very comfortable up to 26 KM and was following strictly my 1 KM run and 1 minute walk and cruising through the cheering crowds. We reached the new sea link at Bandra at 27 KM, and mercury shot up mercilessly. To add fun to it, for some reason, organizers didn't get permission to keep water stations on the bridge. 5 KM long bridge, hot sun, no water, 26 KM run behind, perfect combination. What else one needs to test one's determination to finish the run :-). We all were game for it. Slowed down, walked, limped, dragged ourselves, but, finished.
Timing chip noted my timings as follows:
Split @ 14.7KM - 01:44:34
Split @ 17KM - 02:00:47
Split @ 24KM - 02:58:49
Split @ 29.7KM - 03:57:13
Finish Time - 06:02:56 (42 KM) (Position - 655)
Volunteers received us with a medal and a water bottle. As usual, we rolled on the grounds of Azad Maidan for a brief time, after crossing the finish line. On our way to CST, we met an old man in his 60s, who commented on the way we were walking (We were walking, as if we were carrying a 9 month old baby). He later took out the medal he just received, after finishing the 42 KM run in just 4 hours, with bare foot. And, I was admiring my Asics for hours, the day before. ( I couldn't use them this time, as they were brand new, and thinking of improving my timing next year with them :-) )
I could spend some time in NCST, Kharghar and Bandra quarters as well. This trip had just made me look forward to Mumbai Marathon 2011 more eagerly.
Photo Courtesy: dangiankit