Tag: mumbai marathon 2014

Day 74/ 365 – Mumbai Marathon

~ Akshay ~ Leave a comment

Yesterday, I participated in Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon in the half marathon category. I have been running the half marathon for the last 5 years and this was the first time when I was running without any practice. I started to practice sometime around Oct/ Nov for this year’s marathon but because of scheduling conflicts I was not able to prepare for it all. I started running around 5:30 am in the morning; but then there would be sometimes I would reach home from work around 4 am and sometimes around 6 am and would be like super exhausted and just didn’t feel like going for a run(mainly because I would be tired and just felt like hitting the bed).

So I reached the race start point on time at 6 am and was hoped for the best. I did get to see John Abraham (who is the event ambassador for SCMM) and started running hoping that I would be able to complete the race. I was targeting to complete by 2 hours 45 mins and I decided to join the 2 hour 45 mins bus. I kept following the group for 6 kms before the lack of practice caught up with me and I started walking. After walking for a couple of kms, I started to run again however by this time my lack of practice had really started to hurt my legs. I was cramping up and was in some pain. At around 12 kms mark, I stopped running altogether and decided to walk to the finish line no matter how long it took. In between I met Prem, my old colleague and we talked together for a few kms before he took to finish the race.

Post this experience, I am not sure if I am going to participate in any further marathons unless I am able to practice regularly.

PS: A shoutout to all Mumbaikars for coming out to support the runners. It is really amazing to see so many people out on the streets cheering the runners and offering them with biscuits, water, bananas, and in some cases jalebis!! You guys are awesome!!!

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Day 29/ 365 – Preparation for Mumbai Marathon Begins

~ Akshay ~ 2 Comments

Finally got my confirmation to participate in the Mumbai Marathon 2014. With less than 60 days left for the race, it is about time I start practicing for it. I ran the Vasai Virar half marathon last month and was seriously not prepared and it showed in my race performance wherein I finished in 3 hours and 17 minutes. In the last edition of Mumbai Marathon, I finished in 3 hours and 1 minute (here I was also trying to help a friend run his first marathon). However, in this edition I intend to finish the race in less than 2 hours 30 minutes. And with this goal in mind, I seriously need to start training and running. Also, we now need to finish the race within certain time limits to participate in the next year’s event and hence I really have no other option but to prepare seriously. Every year I start preparing for the marathon and then half way give up or in some instances, just don’t prepare and run and it really used to show up on my race day performance. So this year I am not going to procrastinate and ensure I practice. The good part is I have lost quite a bit of weight since I have joined my new workplace, as I have been working nights and have reduced my food in take. However, not sure how much of that is really going to help me prepare for the race. The 8 week training plan begins from today!!!