Me and Marathon: A Pipedream.
I was into serious distance running last august, The world half marathon was coming to Delhi in October and I had to run the 7.5 Km run. I was training hard, running 5-6 kms daily and by the time the moment of reckoning came, I was fit enough to run 7.5 kms in almost 35 degree heat and on an almost empty stomach.
StanChart marathon was scheduled to be held in Mumbai on January 16. This was the next target and it needed extensive planning. Good old Hitesh was the partner in crime. Infact, he was the guy who got me into endurance running. Detailed training programmes were charted out, sometimes focussing on speed and sometimes on time and sometimes on both. All links on distance running were scanned, fartlegging, pacing and all techniques were being used to train. Equipment was imported from USA. Professional quality shoes and even an accessory belt in Hitesh's case. Meanwhile, entry forms were out and were duly filled along with drafts, Hitesh was running for a cause, I was running for the sake of it. I modified my diet according to the recommended diet for endurance runners. I almost had illusions of winning the race. Distances were increasing by the day, from 6 to 8, 8 to 10, from 10 to 12 and further.
Everything was in perfect order, we were discussing our progress on daily basis, spending hours on telephone and boosting each others morale. Target was within shooting distance. Plans of a running club were on the drawing board, where ppl would emulate us were chalked out. This was going to be our biggest achievement in life. Sunday used to be the big training day. People in office were asking every monday about the progress.
Cut to 17th January. I was fast asleep when the race was over and don't know about Hitesh. Surely he was somewhere in Gurgaon, perhaps its Everest next for him.
StanChart marathon was scheduled to be held in Mumbai on January 16. This was the next target and it needed extensive planning. Good old Hitesh was the partner in crime. Infact, he was the guy who got me into endurance running. Detailed training programmes were charted out, sometimes focussing on speed and sometimes on time and sometimes on both. All links on distance running were scanned, fartlegging, pacing and all techniques were being used to train. Equipment was imported from USA. Professional quality shoes and even an accessory belt in Hitesh's case. Meanwhile, entry forms were out and were duly filled along with drafts, Hitesh was running for a cause, I was running for the sake of it. I modified my diet according to the recommended diet for endurance runners. I almost had illusions of winning the race. Distances were increasing by the day, from 6 to 8, 8 to 10, from 10 to 12 and further.
Everything was in perfect order, we were discussing our progress on daily basis, spending hours on telephone and boosting each others morale. Target was within shooting distance. Plans of a running club were on the drawing board, where ppl would emulate us were chalked out. This was going to be our biggest achievement in life. Sunday used to be the big training day. People in office were asking every monday about the progress.
Cut to 17th January. I was fast asleep when the race was over and don't know about Hitesh. Surely he was somewhere in Gurgaon, perhaps its Everest next for him.
posted by Ankur Pruthi at Monday, January 17, 2005
1 Comments:
Amit,
Yaar you forgot to mention that I used to be the one who did all the collection (of notes, photocopies etc.) and you were the one who used to do all the studying, but still ever since fifth semester when we started this "night-out studying together" funda, I always did better than you...
Dude, ab to aaraam se keh sakta hoon, you were in bad company!!!
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