When you put yourself on the line in a race and expose yourself to the unknown, you learn things about yourself that are very exciting. - Doris Brown Heritage
The 6th edition of SCMM 2009 was looming close even as I sunk into a contemplative mood; looking for answers that I knew didn’t exist. The 4 weeks before the marathon saw me cutting short my long runs at the 23 – 25K with progressively increasing groin pain. There was a tendon that had somehow gotten inflamed – probably in one of my speed workouts. I had ignored it thus far but I felt the specter of failure and impending doom clouding my mind during the last week of my “taper”. I was elusive with my answers during the final briefing I held for my Aarey & Colpal runners, when they queried me on my state of preparedness. I silently prepared myself for the worst.
I woke up on race day and routinely checked my clinical parameters ie blood pressure and heart rate. Perfect; they had to be because my endurance was in place. After all I had run the Lausanne Marathon less than 3 months back and had done three 20 milers. I reached the venue and went out straight to the holding area; minimizing my own unenthusiastic high fives with fellow runners. I whispered a prayer as I set off from the start line. At the 10K mark I was dot on pace with a 54:36. I rounded the INS Trata corner after giving Mahesh the thumbs up – I didn’t let him know that my judgment indicated that he would miss his sub 3:30 at his present pace. At the 20K mark I saw the lead runners go by like a pack of hounds – amazing! At the 21K mark, I clocked a 1:57:23 and compared it to my 1:56 at Lausanne; still in good shape and time.
The curtains started coming down at the Bandra Reclamation point as a dull throb made its presence. Dark clouds gathered in my mind as I realized that it would be a tough call. At the 25K mark I saw my bro-in-law, Joe and waved out but there was despair writ large on my face. For the next 3K I held a reasonable pace even as the roar in my ears (due to my brave attempt to bear the pain) rose to a crescendo. I suddenly felt a surge of blinding pain and dropped pace to a shuffle. Rajesh came by and I looked at him in consternation, as it dawned on me that I was now slowing down substantially. I was now at 29.5K and I made a decision that I’d touch the 30K mark (which I did in 2:52:26) and drop out. It would be foolhardy to continue as the troublesome tendon would surely give. This would mean a 3 months rehab; at the least. This was the only Marathon in which I was advised by Monsoon to carry my cell phone – did she have a premonition? I called Joe who broke through police barriers to fetch me in a taxi and we rushed to the start line medical tent for pain relief. I hobbled around as I rued my humbling experience in this Marathon that I had looked forward to so much. A strange peace suffused my being as a voice echoed in the recesses of my mind soothing me with, “whatever happens; it happens for the best”. I reassured Monsoon and Bryan that I was fine. We scheduled lunch at “Pratap” with Bamoo (aka “Hagar” but not “the horrible”J). A few beers and the delectable seafood cuisine saw us joking as if all was well. Au revoir /Auf weidersehen SCMM!
Running is like life, it's a long journey, but well worth it. - Unknown
