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| Last 300 meters |
Seriously? You
completed it? This is what I got to hear from most people around the next day
of run. Around 2,116 odd people (~1,960 males and remaining females) managed to
complete the Mumbai marathon this year. For me, this was the second full
marathon with the time being 4:55:30. I bettered my last years’ time of
5:44:01.
But why do you want to run so much in one
go?
Umm… not sure, why do I want to run 42k in
one go. Running has got me fitter than ever before. Besides all this, simply
stating, it feels great to be a part of it. The kind of triumph it feels when
you cross the “finish line” is inexplicable. The adrenalin rush which is felt
once the board of “1000 mt to go” is visible is immense. And I quote from the
movie “Spirit of Marathon” – When
you cross the Finish Line, No matter how slow or fast, it will change your life
forever. It does indeed!!!
After all it’s completely a Mental game
Running 42 km takes a toll on your mind.
For me, the distance between 25km – 30km is the toughest part when the mind
starts to dictate on you to “give up”. You need to keep telling your mind “No I
won’t/ a few km more/I am half way through/I can’t give up” and constantly
fight with yourself, your limbs, your brain. You keep calculating “how much
time is over/how much time is left for my target time/whether I should walk a
bit”. On the marathon day anything can happen and new breeds of pains would
creep in. Lots of people use ipods/music players to constantly distract the
mind. For me music is a must and I played it the whole 5 hours of the run.
Rarely runners would find other companion runners running with them as everyone
runs at his own pace. Everyone has to fight the mental battle on his own. I had
5 of my friends who were running FM this year and everyone completed the race
in his own unique time.
Does it pain?
Ofcourse !!! And it’s a dreadful feeling
when you start to feel it within the first five km. Many amateur runners
(including me) take pills on the way to kill the pain. There are also a numbers
of medical stations on the way to help you with the pain relief sprays/ice
packs. We always want to go to the Run-Day with NO injuries. But I don’t think,
we have full control over this. On a bad practice run day, one can injure
himself and keeps hoping that it will get well before the final D-day. This
pain also feels exaggerated owing to anxiety and we go for all sorts of
treatment to get well. During the run lot of people take “Gu-gels” which
are typically high energy gels and easily digestible which helps in
rejuvenating your body’s energy level. I took 5 of them during my run.
Run up to marathon day!!!
You run, you stretch, you run more, and
you stretch even more. Runners do many long practice runs during their training
over the year. Over the past year, I ran 21km five times and 30km once. Longer
runs are possible on weekends, while shorter 3-4 km distances are doable on the
weekdays. Frankly, lots of runners do much more training than me.
In the last week, the tension starts to
creep in. All sorts of pains get psychological; you start doing icing/heat
treatment even if it’s not required. Injury at the last time is awful, when all
of sudden you start to feel that you might not be able to run this year. The
appointments for the Sport medicine doctors are difficult to get in last week.
We just keep wishing that we be perfectly fit on the marathon day. It is
suggested to have a good carbohydrate-full diet ("carb-loading”) atleast
for 2 weeks before the run. The day before the run-day is famous for
organisation of pasta parties.
I along with my friends had loads of pasta before the run-day. In the morning,
you need to wake up really early as you are required to reach the race spot by
5:40 AM. You need to take a quick bite of something (preferably carb-rich) so
that you stomach doesn’t feel empty during the run.
Who can actually complete the marathon?
I bet anyone. Determination and mental strength
(more than stamina) – is all it takes to complete the run. If you have friends
(other companion runners) with you for company and practice runs, that helps a
lot. I know a close friend, with no major “athletic physique or background” who
managed to complete the 42-K run this time under 6 hours.
3 cheers to Mumbaikars!!!
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| Celebs at Mumbai Marathon 2013 |
It feels very “Kingly” when you walk
through 1000’s of Mumbaikars applauding for you. People from all walks of the
life – poor to affluent, all ages – small kids to aged uncles – would be there
to boost the spirit of runners. It’s enthralling to see crowds shouting the bib
numbers, almost everywhere on the route you would find people cheering/clapping
for you, offering you biscuits/chocolates/bananas/water and much more. All the
arrangements by organisers are exquisite, and you hardly feel short of water as
water stations are present within every Km distance. The traffic is stopped,
the police is extremely supportive. There is also a lot of Bollywood Hoo-halla around the event. Many top-notch
corporates/ Bollywood stars also take part in the run (FM/HM/dream run).
Mumbaikars and the race organizers are – Truly legendddd – wait for it – dary.
Winners are Winners!!! On the finish line
it’s the spirit which triumphs!!!
Howsoever fast you run, a normal runner
would come across sea of sprinters on the way pacing at 17-20 kmph – along with
bikes/cars clearing the way for them. These are called the “Elite runners” who
start late at ~7:20AM and most of them finish off the run between 9:30-10:30 AM.
Many of these runners have separate drinks arranged for them at the water
stations. This time in Men category, Jackson Kiprop (Uganda )
won the Men’s FM finishing the race in astonishing 02:09:32, while in Women
Valentine Kipketer (Kenya
