Unfinished business!

People begin running for any number of motives, but we stick to it for one basic reason-to find out who we really are - Dr. George Sheehan

When Ryan replied saying, “You have unfinished business Pal!” upon reading about my debacle in SCMM 09, the words felt like a skewer going thru’ the inner recesses of my mind. It was these nagging thoughts that prompted me to consider the Auroville (forest trail) Marathon as an opportunity for redemption. It became a foregone conclusion when fellow marathoner and friend, Bhasker S offered to share his room at the Auroville Guest House where accommodation is scarce, combined with the cheering prospect of traveling together with ex-IITian runners; Bhasker D, Madhur and Rajat.

The journey to Chennai and on to Auroville was uneventful baring the humorous but futile attempts by Bhasker D to flirt with the airline ground staff and air hostesses. The atmosphere during bib collection and pre-race briefing was full of camaraderie considering that this was a marathon for non-elites with a view to encourage runners to experience the sheer pleasure of finishing the grueling distance. The pasta party was nicely arranged with simple but delicious pasta and chocolate chip cake thrown in for good measure. Bhasker S introduced me as a ‘veteran’ (in more ways than oneJ) marathoner, to his friend Naina, who cautioned me about running a ‘trail-marathon’ when she learned of my injury.

Bhasker S and I retired to our rooms and after preparing for a 3:45am wake up, discussed marathon running and our future aspirations. I sank into a much needed deep sleep only to wake up with a jolt to the loud strains of “I like to move it, move it. I like to move it, move it. I like to - MOVE IT!!” Trust a marathoner like Bhasker S to have an appropriate wake up callJ. We went about our ablutions and after munching on bananas, reached the race start point at 4:40am. The race started at 5am without much fanfare.

The first one hour was run in pitch darkness with faint illumination from a mini-torch, thoughtfully provided by the organizers. However, since the trail was mostly soft mud with uneven surfaces, there were muffled curses and apologies as one or the other runner lost his footing or fell forlorn to the ground. This was my first trail run and it brought some surprises as I realized that traction being less than that of a road surface, the pace felt very taxing. I longed for daybreak as my hand ached from focusing the torch light to the ground. Bhasker S kidded me about running at the “back of the pack”. I was running under pace as a precautionary measure, considering my groin injury was still a bit raw. We plodded thru soft soil and aid stations that were strategically provided every 4K with bananas, electrolyte and water. There was an especially bad patch at the 17K / 38K (this was 2 loops of 21K) mark that caused me to wince as I felt my ankles working hard to absorb surface irregularities and shortly reached the half marathon point in 2:08.

Bhasker D was at my heels and was attempting his first official marathon. He hung on to me as I reached the 30K mark feeling strong. I passed by a woman who wore a T-shirt that had “I run because I am”, written on it and gave her a thumbs up. Even as I imagined pain dragons spitting fire at the 32K mark, I realized that I had cruised thru’ the wall without feeling any slack in my pace. At the 35K mark Bhasker D smashed into the wall and I had to leave him behind to lick his wounds. At the 37K mark a French man on a bicycle (one of several ‘race-keepers’ tracking runners) called out in a characteristic Gallic accent, “You are in 14th position and you have 5 kms to go. Are you alright?” I could only manage a somber nod as I was now focused on the pain that had set into my calves. (Running is a mental sport...and we're all insane! – Anonymous)

The groin injury was giving me problems since the last 10K but it was not incapacitating this time. I was feeling strong and decided that since I was going to finish way above my normal target time, I would work on trying to catch up with the guy in 13th position. I cruised thru’ the 39K mark and a while later a French woman on a bicycle said, “not much further now”; I smiled even as I thought aloud “You liar!”J Well, she was doing a super job of shoring up the flagging spirits of a runner, possibly in pain and struggling to the marathon finish.

I saw No 13 running now, about 400m ahead, his head bobbing up and down. I was now running at what I estimated to be my tempo pace and whizzed past him shortly. He didn’t bother to look up as I saw, from his shuffle, that he had more serious things to contend with than someone taking his position. The French man caught up with me again and nodded encouragement when he saw that I was now zipping. He flagged down a passing car (near the finish) and waved it to one side to ensure that I had a clear path. I felt like an “elite” going in for the finish as I bounded into the finish enclosure and heard the loudspeaker going, “and here you have bib no 68 finishing in 13th position”. Those words were pure music to my ears because they conjured up fantasies of finishing like a “Kenyan” even though I finished in a time of 4:17:47 and was met by Rajat who high-fived me. Long after the finish time is forgotten, the race is still remembered - Unknown

I must hand it out to the organizers because it was the best organized race that I have run in India and it scored an “A” on all parameters such as safety, aid stations, km / trail markers, race-keepers, pasta party, post run refreshments, certificates and a post run massage! My only disappointment was that, due to my post-run trauma, I did not see that there were French women giving gentle massages to the men (men to the women) under a shamiana, until it was too late. Catch Bhasker D missing on this action; he not only faked some pain in unlikely and inaccessible areas, but also proposed to one of the masseusesJ

I met up with my dear friend Manu (Purnendu Bhikash Dattaroy – thank God for the nickname!) who drove down with his son, Ron, from Chennai just to spend time with me and give me a lift back. We spent time on a leisurely lunch of Pork Roast / Chops, sea food platter and beers in one of the French restaurants that are the signature of Pondicherry. Even as I hobbled around the airport for my departure, I reveled in the aches that seemed to be present all over my body and that reminded me that I had got my redemption after all. Au revoir Auroville!
When people ask me why I run, I tell them, there's not really a reason, it's just the adrenalin when you start, and the feeling when you cross that finish line, and know that you are a winner no matter what place you got - Courtney Parsons