Well it has been a while, since i updated this space . I got into various commitments, and some restrictions, that kept me off blogging. In the meantime, the Marathon is approaching fast. No I am not missing any training in all this chaos, other than a few short runs, that technically don’t affect me as much as they do mentally. So I have been running for all the reasons that will see me through the Marathon, but in what state of health and fitness I still don’t know.
So I did not find either the time or the resources to blog it all. Not that I have too much of it now (time), but I to try hard to make it. In which I realized that what started as a means to update my development as a marathon runner, turned out to be a purpose in itself. I had to update it. Seemed like I am moving ahead and blog was left behind.
Last I claimed was a sense of confidence above what was expected as per the training running the grand 32km. As per what I read somewhere it was also called the graduation day of training. Once you are done here you are done for all practical purposes. I am done too, and in style. 32km was a matter time, not energy or mind, for that I had plenty left, more mind actually, and more than a little energy. Let’s say I could imagine at the end of the 32km running/ dragging another 5km and walking another 5. There!! That was my 42. It was the peak of training, end of a week of 64km of total running. I was expected to be proud of myself and proud I was. And it surely was a matter of time, which I realized when I looked at the watch into the seventeenth minute of my run and the thought struck me - "another 3hrs +". It messed with my head a bit. I thought I would get bored, running without music, just like the real marathon, but no empty roads or regular cheers. Just noisy traffic and dust. But I did fine for the next 3hrs and 7min, and finished with a glorious 3:25 and some ambition, explained earlier, the mind n energy thing.
That was two weeks ago, nearly.
Since then I have been following the routine what they call as taper, which is to reduce the distance of runs and let the body recuperate, rebuild and create energy reserves. A popular side effect of taper is withdrawal. It is a state of worry and self doubt. You worry if you will lose all the endurance you have built up in 15weeks or if you would be up to it on Marathon Day. Woulld three weeks of less training take all the form out of you? I feel it too. In-fact I feel a little disinterested, bored. As long as there is an increase in distance every week, you have a challenge. But when the distances reduce, you don’t look forward to it, or worry about it as much. In turn what it does is to take your mind off the one most important thing that occupied your head since three months. It’s odd, and leaves me clueless.
I ran the 19km long run this week with a rather disinterested head. To make it better I did in the marathon route itself, Worli to Marine Drive and back. It was an interesting run, for I came across a lot of runners who would give me thumbs-up as they passed me. Some wondered who was the new face. But most displayed camaraderie. Another new, which I really hope does not happen to me on Marathon Day, was a midway bowel call. Imagine that happening in India, the country ranging of no toilets to stinking ones. And then there was another intervention of destiny. Right under the marine drive over-bridge, where this happened, I noticed a toilet that turned out to be by far the most cleanest I have ever seen. And at the cost of 1 rupee and 5 minutes, I was back with hope, to finish the run. And in all the excitement of not letting the 5min loss affect my overall time, I ran the second half hard. I should not have. But these things don’t occur to you at a heartbeat of 150 per minute. All you want to do then is to not compromise....and this was an easy distance. I had the energy. So I ran, to the utter confusion on the face of another fellow I overtook before the misadventure and then passed him again as he sat resting after his run. I let him wonder what happened. However, he deserves a special mention for on his way back home he passed by me in his car, rolled down the window and gestured his spare Gatorade at me. That was nice of him. I refused gesturing my glucose drink at him and thumb up in appreciation. Hope he has a good run and that I don’t have to over take him twice.
I continue with taper this Saturday too with the last long run of 13km. Body is little fatigued with some hectic life outside training. But I guess it’s my mind I need to tame more.
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