Hard Lessons & the Novena

Last night, as I set my wrist watch alarm for 5:30am, my mind was spinning with the many things I had to do after waking up. I had to wake up Bryan and make coffee for myself and a protein shake for him, help Bryan get a "rick" to go for football practice, do a speed workout, cool down and wash up, and rush off to catch the 8:30am Novena at Mahim Church.

I had an ambitious (nay audacious) plan for doing a speed workout; little realizing that it would come to a grinding halt! It is rather distressing to realize that despite running 13 marathons and knowing that a thumb-rule exists, that for each mile run, one needs a day of recovery and that makes 26 days for 26 miles run, to reach full recovery. Why in God' name, Dan, do you behave like a dolt when you know this as fact?? It is exactly 10 days since my marathon and you zip off at VO2max pace! The short story is that the lactate buildup in my blood as well as the pain from partially healed micro-trauma from the 42K, caused me to have a stupid grin on my face upon finding my time was way off:-)) What were you thinking Dan? Don't emulate Emil Zatopek, when you are not exactly in his league. Thanks for trying though!

The quiet ambience at Mahim Church reminded me of how we need to humbly bow down to a supreme power that we cannot comprehend but acknowledge. I bowed my head in silent prayer, placing my petition in God' hands, as I mumbled, "....that never was it known, that anyone who fled to thy protection or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I cry to thee....". I felt a deep peace descend upon me as I rode to work in the car.

Restive recovery

Post marathon I had to go on business tour to Salem and Coimbatore. The tiring road journey from Coimbatore to Salem and back, each way requiring 4 hrs, was too much for my body to handle. It compounded the latent exhaustion of the full marathon and my mental state of torment due to flagging revenues made sure that the endocrinal system was in sufficient turmoil. I ended up with high fever on the night I returned to Coimbatore. I did try to ward off the intense shivers by taking a tot of "Old Cask" which is again a rather foolhardy measure as an antidote. But then, how does one convince a seemingly intelligent guy but is otherwise a "country bumpkin" and who believes that rum is an elixir for most ailments.

I somehow managed to return to Mumbai and home sweet home, and took the Saturday off so that I could entertain Allen' family and Rajni, who were invited for dinner. Rajni made some delectable Biryani and there was roast pork and mutton kheema; all of this a non-vegetarian' delight. While Allen and I sipped on "Signature", we discussed, much to Monsoon' chagrin, existence or otherwise of morbid topics such as death, ghosts and black magic. She finally intervened with a "Can we discuss something more pleasant, please?":-)) The dinner was rounded off with a dessert of Rabri and Roshogollas. I had promptly hidden the "Phirni" that Rajni and made for me because I am possessive of just this sweet dish. Actually she had made enough for all but then any amount is not "enough":-)

Sunday morning, I woke up and looked out the window, stretched, did a calf raise to check whether my achilles tendon would take a short run and then walked out the door for a run. I did a gentle one hour run and met Pankaj who congratulated me on my marathon finish. By then dark clouds had gathered and it rained incessantly causing gushing streams to incapacitate running. I returned on my bullet drenched and in mortal fear of going down with a severe cold. How about a tot of "caju, Dan?:-)))))