I almost wasn’t allowed to run the half marathon. Five minutes before the run, this official comes up to me and says the number on my chest is meant for the 10 K run and not the half marathon. A small flare up, getting hold of an organizer, letting them know that I hadn’t come to the venue to run in some stupid 10 K run. Having them find an alternate chest number and safety pins (Mom had stitched my previous number) before the countdown for the run started.
The run was extremely enjoyable if you leave out the last couple of kms., which were a test of the mind as my legs were pleading me to slow down and walk. But that was one of the two things I had resolved not to do. The other was to look back.
The weather was wonderful, nay, charitable. A harsh sun later in the morning could have seeped out my last resolve, who knows. The old city of Hyderabad is enchanting. It’s a pity that one can hardly notice it in the daily chaos of the traffic. I got a rare opportunity to go around the Charminar on near empty roads and take in the sights. It was also fun watching the motor vehicles wait for a long, long time at busy intersections, as we runners trudged our way slowly over their roads. I felt a lot of bad vibes.
The race got extremely irritating at around the 15 km mark when we started sharing the track with the 10 K runners whose run had started an hour later. As every Tom, Dick, Harry and Jane overtook me in every direction, I wanted to shout out, "Hey Bozos, show some respect! I am running the half!". But they wouldn’t have cared and it didn’t matter any way. I just put my head down and kept running.
My thanks to the volunteers, who handed out the water to me during the run. It kept me going. 0641-My chest number. They even gave me a certificate notwithstanding the fact that the guy who finished first could have done the run twice over in my time.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Keane- Can't Stop Now
I noticed tonight that the world has been turning
While I've been stuck here dithering around
Well I know I said I'd wait around till you need me
But I have to go, I hate to let you down
But I can't stop now
I've got troubles of my own
Cause I'm short on time
I'm lonely
And I'm too tired to talk
I noticed tonight that the world has been turning
While I've been stuck here withering away
Well I know I said I wouldn't leave you behind
But I have to go, it breaks my heart to say
That I can't stop now
I've got troubles of my own
Cause I'm short on time
I'm lonely
And I'm too tired to talk
No one back home
I've got troubles of my own
And I can't slow down
For no one in town
And I can't stop now
And I can't slow down
For no one in town
And I can't stop now
For no one
The motion keeps my heart running
The motion keeps my heart running
The motion keeps my heart running
The motion keeps my heart running
While I've been stuck here dithering around
Well I know I said I'd wait around till you need me
But I have to go, I hate to let you down
But I can't stop now
I've got troubles of my own
Cause I'm short on time
I'm lonely
And I'm too tired to talk
I noticed tonight that the world has been turning
While I've been stuck here withering away
Well I know I said I wouldn't leave you behind
But I have to go, it breaks my heart to say
That I can't stop now
I've got troubles of my own
Cause I'm short on time
I'm lonely
And I'm too tired to talk
No one back home
I've got troubles of my own
And I can't slow down
For no one in town
And I can't stop now
And I can't slow down
For no one in town
And I can't stop now
For no one
The motion keeps my heart running
The motion keeps my heart running
The motion keeps my heart running
The motion keeps my heart running
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Travel
Last Saturday I embarked on a trip to Srisailam with a group of friends and covered 475 kms. within 36 hrs. Three cars started from different parts of the city and met in Mehdipatnam at 7 AM where we rearranged ourselves into preferred groups within cars and started off. It was my first long drive and I was quite looking forward to it for quite sometime. Though the Santro is not really an ideal highway vehicle, Jenny still managed to hit 120 km/hr for decent stretches of the way.
I am planning to run the Hyderabad half marathon on the 26th of this month. My registration’s done and the acknowledgement is safely in my wallet. Yesterday was my last long run as preparation for the half marathon. Ran 16 kms from my home all the way to my office in Gachibowli. It gave me enough confidence to think that I will be able to complete the run with the extra five kms. as well. I was slower in my run than I thought I would be, though in my defence, I must say that a lot of the course was uphill. Anyway, I am mentally prepared to run for three hours if needed. I will run 10 kms. next weekend and I should be all set for the D day.
Our first stop was at a petrol bunk outside the city, as one of the ladies wanted to use the washroom. The rest of us fooled around with our cameras taking pictures of groggy companions who were complaining about their lost sleep on a Saturday morning. At around 8.30 AM we made our next stop near a dhaba. Tea was ordered and sandwiches- vegetable, cheese, and potato- were unfurled and hungrily eaten. Another half-hours till our next stop at an embankment and we were definitely in the country now.
I had only five hours of sleep the previous night, not the best preparation. And on top of that, forgot to fill my pockets with dry fruit, which I had planned to eat while running. Left home at 6.50 AM and trotted out. It was two weeks since I had a good run. I had planned to run while in Srisailam but that hadn’t materialized. Without a significant warm up, the first few kms. were not comfortable but I expected the run to ease out which it did. Running on city roads is not the most pleasant experience. In the morning, you cannot avoid the view of people relieving themselves on the roadsides. I could have run in the park like I usually do but wanted to run on unfamiliar terrain to prepare myself. Found myself in traffic in Krishna Nagar with trucks parked all over but hit Jubilee Hills soon and it was better.
Once we took a left to hit the road leading towards Srisailam, roads became better and driving, a pleasure. It’s a hilly area around Hyderabad and there were quite a few hillocks with huge weather-beaten rocks making for a good view. Onwards, we hit fields on either side, the sun came up and smiled on us quite benevolently. I noticed a lot of beautiful yellow flowers along the way on either side. My window was down just enough to allow the pleasant cool breeze to whisper its way around my ears while sister changed the CDs as they ran out of songs to play. I have a good collection, in my opinion, mostly English though.
Jubilee Hills is a good place to run if you don’t mind the uphill terrain which slows you down. Roads are cleaner befitting a posh neighborhood. I wasn’t worried about my speed yesterday, just wanted to run all the way without having to stop or walk or break down. There was a chill in the air, just how it should be in November. Turned into the main road leading to Madhapur and it was downhill for sometime and I was really enjoying the run now. I was breathing well and there was good rhythm halfway into the run. Then suddenly I had to stop to hold a trolley of rusks and biscuits which was coming down the slope towards me while its owner was relieving himself on the side of the road.
Srisailam is at an altitude and pretty soon we were climbing winding roads up hills. Srisailam also boasts of a very well managed Tiger reserve, which is not open to wildlife tourism but you do drive through the dense forests on either side with adventurous monkeys frequenting the roads being spoilt by the nuts thrown for them by passers by. Pretty soon we were making frequent stops to gather the beautiful view of tree lined hills below us into our respective cameras. Soon we were going downhill heading towards the dam built on the Krishna. The Srisailam dam is an impressive sight, an oasis of man’s significant effort though dwarfed by nature’s own astounding architecture all around it.
Madhapur is Hyderabad’s IT destination. The sun was up now but thankfully behind me. It started getting tougher around the 11-km mark when I hit Kothaguda junction as the calf muscles started complaining about the uphill route which continued all the way till the company gate. The last 500m was quite tough as the eyes had started watering, it being two hrs. and some more of running without any liquid replenishment. But I was happy that I made it.
From the dam it’s again uphill all the way till you reach Srisailam town, which is a quaint little place. We had rooms booked in advance. There’s a ropeway, and some boating. I had taken my guitar along and there was drinking that night as well. The drive back was faster with fewer stops.
I paid 130 bucks for the auto ride back.
I am planning to run the Hyderabad half marathon on the 26th of this month. My registration’s done and the acknowledgement is safely in my wallet. Yesterday was my last long run as preparation for the half marathon. Ran 16 kms from my home all the way to my office in Gachibowli. It gave me enough confidence to think that I will be able to complete the run with the extra five kms. as well. I was slower in my run than I thought I would be, though in my defence, I must say that a lot of the course was uphill. Anyway, I am mentally prepared to run for three hours if needed. I will run 10 kms. next weekend and I should be all set for the D day.
Our first stop was at a petrol bunk outside the city, as one of the ladies wanted to use the washroom. The rest of us fooled around with our cameras taking pictures of groggy companions who were complaining about their lost sleep on a Saturday morning. At around 8.30 AM we made our next stop near a dhaba. Tea was ordered and sandwiches- vegetable, cheese, and potato- were unfurled and hungrily eaten. Another half-hours till our next stop at an embankment and we were definitely in the country now.
I had only five hours of sleep the previous night, not the best preparation. And on top of that, forgot to fill my pockets with dry fruit, which I had planned to eat while running. Left home at 6.50 AM and trotted out. It was two weeks since I had a good run. I had planned to run while in Srisailam but that hadn’t materialized. Without a significant warm up, the first few kms. were not comfortable but I expected the run to ease out which it did. Running on city roads is not the most pleasant experience. In the morning, you cannot avoid the view of people relieving themselves on the roadsides. I could have run in the park like I usually do but wanted to run on unfamiliar terrain to prepare myself. Found myself in traffic in Krishna Nagar with trucks parked all over but hit Jubilee Hills soon and it was better.
Once we took a left to hit the road leading towards Srisailam, roads became better and driving, a pleasure. It’s a hilly area around Hyderabad and there were quite a few hillocks with huge weather-beaten rocks making for a good view. Onwards, we hit fields on either side, the sun came up and smiled on us quite benevolently. I noticed a lot of beautiful yellow flowers along the way on either side. My window was down just enough to allow the pleasant cool breeze to whisper its way around my ears while sister changed the CDs as they ran out of songs to play. I have a good collection, in my opinion, mostly English though.
Jubilee Hills is a good place to run if you don’t mind the uphill terrain which slows you down. Roads are cleaner befitting a posh neighborhood. I wasn’t worried about my speed yesterday, just wanted to run all the way without having to stop or walk or break down. There was a chill in the air, just how it should be in November. Turned into the main road leading to Madhapur and it was downhill for sometime and I was really enjoying the run now. I was breathing well and there was good rhythm halfway into the run. Then suddenly I had to stop to hold a trolley of rusks and biscuits which was coming down the slope towards me while its owner was relieving himself on the side of the road.
Srisailam is at an altitude and pretty soon we were climbing winding roads up hills. Srisailam also boasts of a very well managed Tiger reserve, which is not open to wildlife tourism but you do drive through the dense forests on either side with adventurous monkeys frequenting the roads being spoilt by the nuts thrown for them by passers by. Pretty soon we were making frequent stops to gather the beautiful view of tree lined hills below us into our respective cameras. Soon we were going downhill heading towards the dam built on the Krishna. The Srisailam dam is an impressive sight, an oasis of man’s significant effort though dwarfed by nature’s own astounding architecture all around it.
Madhapur is Hyderabad’s IT destination. The sun was up now but thankfully behind me. It started getting tougher around the 11-km mark when I hit Kothaguda junction as the calf muscles started complaining about the uphill route which continued all the way till the company gate. The last 500m was quite tough as the eyes had started watering, it being two hrs. and some more of running without any liquid replenishment. But I was happy that I made it.
From the dam it’s again uphill all the way till you reach Srisailam town, which is a quaint little place. We had rooms booked in advance. There’s a ropeway, and some boating. I had taken my guitar along and there was drinking that night as well. The drive back was faster with fewer stops.
I paid 130 bucks for the auto ride back.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Happy Birthday
My 28th birthday was pretty eventful. Birthdays are generally another of those things about which I don’t lose much sleep over. Yes, there are some people whose birthdays I can’t (afford to) forget but I can count them in the fingers of my right hand. There’s nothing that I have against it. I think it’s a charming practice and all that and it gives us another reason to get in touch with people who were, are, or we wish were an important part of our lives. But when push comes to shove, I always seem to have other things on my mind. Like that day, when I had to get a haircut, or when I had take Jenny to the service station.
Due to such bad behavior, I could generally count the number of people who remember my b’day and take the trouble to let me know that they did with the help of half of my fingers of my left hand, give or take a half. But we live in a networked world now. Orkut reminds the 77 people that I am connected to on its website about my birthday from 15 days in advance. My company, which has the details of my date of birth, announces its privy knowledge gleefully to the 1000 people within my business unit. Yahoo! Groups is obviously not left far behind.
As a result I was quite flattered with the number of messages, emails and smses which found their way into my various inboxes and thanked all of them. There were also at least two cakes, which had my name on it. One of them also had some of my face on it. I think I acquit myself rather well those couple of days, without resorting to my usual frowning countenance at being fussed over. I am 28 now, remember. Even irksome chimpanzees pick up certain social skills in this time.
Anyway, I was in Chennai that day. Went jogging on the Marina in the morning (There’s a half marathon in Hyderabad later this month. Let’ s see.) In the evening, treated myself to ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ after I am sure the whole world had already watched it. I liked it, I guess, but I had higher expectations. Personally, I don’t think it’s a patch on ‘Munnabhai MBBS’. The characters were etched out a lot better in the original. At least I felt about it that way.
Other memories of my birthdays-
Age 7-Dad delivering a biscuit tin (he worked in a company, which made biscuits) to my school. Most birthday kids generally brought toffees to distribute to their classmates. Dad thought it was a great idea. It would make me stand out and all that. Of course I was mortified for the same reason.
Age 12- Lunch at Gaylord, Connaught place in Delhi. My sister and I got two choices for our birthday celebrations. I always chose the lunch. She would throw the party.
Age 18- Bumps at midnight at ISBT in New Delhi. A motley group of college students going home and a moment of indiscretion.
Age 24- A disc in Juhu, Bombay. Bunch of management trainees. I had money in the bank and knew how to jive.
29thOctober. In case you missed it this year.
Due to such bad behavior, I could generally count the number of people who remember my b’day and take the trouble to let me know that they did with the help of half of my fingers of my left hand, give or take a half. But we live in a networked world now. Orkut reminds the 77 people that I am connected to on its website about my birthday from 15 days in advance. My company, which has the details of my date of birth, announces its privy knowledge gleefully to the 1000 people within my business unit. Yahoo! Groups is obviously not left far behind.
As a result I was quite flattered with the number of messages, emails and smses which found their way into my various inboxes and thanked all of them. There were also at least two cakes, which had my name on it. One of them also had some of my face on it. I think I acquit myself rather well those couple of days, without resorting to my usual frowning countenance at being fussed over. I am 28 now, remember. Even irksome chimpanzees pick up certain social skills in this time.
Anyway, I was in Chennai that day. Went jogging on the Marina in the morning (There’s a half marathon in Hyderabad later this month. Let’ s see.) In the evening, treated myself to ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ after I am sure the whole world had already watched it. I liked it, I guess, but I had higher expectations. Personally, I don’t think it’s a patch on ‘Munnabhai MBBS’. The characters were etched out a lot better in the original. At least I felt about it that way.
Other memories of my birthdays-
Age 7-Dad delivering a biscuit tin (he worked in a company, which made biscuits) to my school. Most birthday kids generally brought toffees to distribute to their classmates. Dad thought it was a great idea. It would make me stand out and all that. Of course I was mortified for the same reason.
Age 12- Lunch at Gaylord, Connaught place in Delhi. My sister and I got two choices for our birthday celebrations. I always chose the lunch. She would throw the party.
Age 18- Bumps at midnight at ISBT in New Delhi. A motley group of college students going home and a moment of indiscretion.
Age 24- A disc in Juhu, Bombay. Bunch of management trainees. I had money in the bank and knew how to jive.
29thOctober. In case you missed it this year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)