21km in 2:10 ....Just did it

After having heard so many times about the marathon run and the 'zing thing' in it from Saand, just to make him stop teasing me, I finally registered - with a slight doubt in mind. The deal is 21km and his dos and don’ts involved 'eat lot of carb... samosa, kachori.... etc, have a good rest before the day of the run, don't push too hard, get yourself into a rhythm,... tried to do just that.... somehow got a week’s time to 'train' my poor legs. So this Hyderabad run is an annual event here.... and mood of the city is to have it filled with gala events where there is live band (making sure some gals are there to jam and dabble with electric guitar), singers who hold you in the tired moments after the ordeal, then some eye-candy parachute landing manuvers, ... Unlike usual Hyderabad beaming sun over your head, we got a surprise hill station-ish weather and slight drizzle. Amidst the recent terror events in Mumbai, the mood was sombre but people were brimming with patriotic fervour and groups with different agenda's and motivation for the run were also there, a group of displaced Kashnmiri pandits, green movement groups, some loksatta volunteers with placards raising the right questions about the security lapses etc.... The IST was followed sacrosanctly and we were flagged off at 6:20 .. 20 minutes late than the scheduled start. First 14km were breezy, me and my buddy could cruise smoothly looking at each other and pushing ourselves, then things started to slow down, on the psychological tiredness than physical, eagerly watching out for the intermittent sight of the board showing distance left. Somehow got past the finish line. The last 7 km took as much time as first 14km. Lessons were learnt, got richer by experience and promises were made to make it for the next time even better. Let us the sea. Did I mention, this is by far the most well organised event by any city administration I have seen. I am starting to admire the outlook of the city as a whole. She knows she is not as big to be in the leagues of Mumbai and NCR ...but she is getting there.