On 19 January 2020, I crossed the finish line of the Tata Mumbai Marathon to complete my first ever full marathon. With a lot of runners, it is just an item to check off their bucket list. Perhaps it was for me too. But in the months leading up to the race, I fell in love with running all over again. You can read more about my first full marathon and its training journey here:
https://kartikiyer747.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-journey-towards-marathon.html
https://kartikiyer747.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-tata-mumbai-marathon-2020-my-first.html
Thanks to COVID, there had been a nice and long break in a lot of races, especially big ones like TMM. In this period I had thought to myself that I would register for the full marathon only when I am able to devote so much time in a week, only when I will run some mileage every week, only when I can get a particular timing in the full marathon, etc. When the teasers came out about the Tata Mumbai Marathon coming back on the 3rd Sunday of 2023, I jumped with joy, excited about the return of the event which had kindled the fiery love for running way back in 2007 (though it manifested only after 10 years). One of the important aspects of training for something as time intensive as a full marathon is to have your support system aligned with your decision, preferably before making it. So I did an encore, having a heart to heart discussion with my wife. I told her that if I register for the full marathon, it would be only if I am able to hit a time target and that it would be extremely tough and intense. I told her that if the time I spend running would be too much, I am okay with registering for the half marathon too.
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| Post-registration travel with the better half |
This was when she reminded me about how much I enjoyed running. She asked me why I was taking away the joy, by adding such an obsession for timing. That struck me like a bolt of lightning. Next morning, I registered for the full marathon. I did have a target in my mind, but the focus was on working on the little building blocks like mileage, endurance and speed and also devote more time for strength and flexibility.
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| Not exactly a yoga pose. But better balanced through practice of yoga |
Having the right people to teach you the right thing at the right time is worth its weight in gold. TimTim Sharma had helped me train for my first full marathon back in 2019. This time, all the knowledge I gained from 1 year of attending her morning yoga sessions helped build the blocks to combat my Achilles heel from the 2020 edition. I got regular with short yoga sessions and I could see and feel the improvement in both strength and flexibility. My resistance bands and dumbbells too were put to good use.
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| After a 32k run on a hot November morning |
On the running front, the mileage ramp up commenced after the Satara Hill Half Marathon. Fewer hills, and more easy runs. The hot and humid weather through September and October continued well into November. TimTim again guided me with the running workouts similar to 2019. But thanks to the time target this time, the pace and effort level in all of them were much higher. And guess what! My body showed how much fitter it had gotten over time. The love showered on it through the seemingly innocuous short yoga sessions, strength sessions and slow paced runs, showed their worth through some amazing results in the faster workouts.
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| In action at Vasai-Virar |
This time, I had the solitary half marathon intermediate exam at the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation Marathon. TimTim had told me that I was supposed to hit a half marathon time of 1:50 and a 10k time of 50 minutes. And I almost did both in the same race. A 1:48:25 half marathon with a 10k segment of 00:50:29 in between. It showed that the training was bearing fruit. But after this came a twist.
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| A nostalgic run to my old office |
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| A run to the best milkshake waala in Marine Lines |
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| The best rehydration drink in hot weather |
With the mileage and intensity both peaking in December, to a nice taper down till raceday, the journey has been amazing. A big thank you to all friends who made the runs fun, my family who endured my antics again, all the metro stations, petrol pumps etc. which served as pit-stops and also the mind and body for staying fit and fine through the journey. Tomorrow's race is for all of you!!
