Full Marathon no 3 – SCMM 2017

A Brief History of Marathon: Legend holds that the world’s first marathon was run — unintentionally — in 490 B.C. by a Greek soldier, Pheidippides, who ran the 25 miles to Athens from the town of Marathon to announce a battleground victory over the Persians. “Greetings, we win!” he shouted — and then fell to the ground, dead. It would be more than 2,000 years before the marathon would make its return, at the revival of the modern Olympic Games in Greece in 1896.

This was my third 42km and like the other 2, there was that incredible joy and feeling of strength till the 20th km mark, then slowly the pain took over  and eventually intensified as the sun slowly came overhead. However I made it to the finish line with the same feeling of last year, the feeling of practicing more and coming out strong the next time.Really thank all the people who came out to cheer and offered us food on the way, without their support this run would not have been possible. 

Every run teaches you something, this marathon was about: how things will never be  absolutely perfect to do something. We often procrastinate stating the reasoning that I will travel when I have enough money, I will run after i lose some weight, I will say sorry if she also apologizes, I will change my job once i get a promotion etc. There will never come a situation in life when everything will favor you, it will always be about you making do of what is there.I ran this race with barely 4 hours of sleep in 48 hours, though it was tough to run I had no choice, I had to do and I did it. I learnt a big lesson: to adjust to what constraints the life imposes on you and make the best of it. 

Overall I was slightly disappointed by the weather and the race management but it happens. I was more happy and upbeat about Mumbai the previous day when i was traveling to collect the bib. I scribbled few lines then and true to every word, every time I am in Mumbai, the city never disappoints me.”That time of the year when Mumbai has the perfect weather. Asked the cab driver to switch off the ac and just rolled down the windows. Took a long ride from the airport and experienced the morning scenes. Such a place, so full of life.Mumbai I must say getting ready for the day, children at bus stops, crowd having food at street shops, high rise buildings amongst jhuggis , a very old couple holding hands and crossing the roads, a man vigorously cleaning the cars, girls posing infront of a store, birds flying in the back drop of a church. I think will get my camera next time and spend 10 days clicking.”

I have decided to train properly from now on, a mix of both mileage oriented and leg strengthening training. This is one place I can write about the training, follow this page for running tips and food guidelines.