It’s the
night before the race, the night before the annual running mela, the maa of all races in India –
SCMM 2016. I have a bib number but I haven’t collected my bib. I am not carb
loading or getting my running gear ready. Infact I am not in Mumbai. But at home writing this and will
miss this year’s turbo charged SCMM. I have been at the start line of SCMM for
the last 5 years – first 2 for a HM distance and last 3 for FM. I had all plans to run this edition too. But there I
was, flying out of Mumbai on a Friday before the SCMM, when all my friends were
flying in to Mumbai that same day, very well aware of all the fun and
excitement of the weekend that I was leaving behind.
The countdown
to SCMM, like all previous years, began in August last year when I did the
registration for the race in the very first week. I even got D to register for
the HM, this year. The hotel and air tickets were booked in September /
October. In October, I started training for ADHM and the plan was to build it to a FM training post the ADHM. ADHM came and though not a strong
performance but I was happy with the results with whatever little training I
could manage – you reap what you sow !!! I got hold of a training plan which
was to help me train for SCMM in January and a faster HM in February. And then…………..Life
got in the way !!!!! What started as one missed training run, soon became two,
three and before I realized I had a long list of excuses for missing all my
runs!!
And it was with
a heavy heart that I cancelled my tickets and the hotel booking end of December
when I for sure knew that I was in no shape to run a FM distance in January.
I have always enjoyed my SCMM outings - despite the
weather and the dreadful inclines at Peddar Road and Sea Link. I don’t know if it is the Mumbaikars who
come out in big numbers to support the runners and are there all through the
42.2 km of the race, or meeting the running junta from all over India or the
thrill of running on the Sea Link or that mixed feeling of joy and anxiety when
you reach Marine Drive or the after race party at Leopold – and the party is
always fun whether you have had a good race or a bad one – SCMM remains a very
special running event.
Tomorrow as
all you people – my special runner friends – run the streets of Mumbai, I will
cheer for you from here, pray for you to have a strong and an enjoyable run and
you in turn have an extra pint on my behalf at Leopold !!!
I, in the meanwhile, will get
down to getting my life, I mean- excuses out of the way !!!!!!
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