Of late, I have become one big-time cribbo.. Here is raising a glass to myself!! shhh..
It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs. - Confucius
Easy to comprehend - you can't be troubled by something you have no control of. Ah well! So, difficult to implement.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
A 9hrs of my life..
It was great, great fun taking pictures of Team Asha at the finish line, and just being there at the finish cheering people and seeing people finish. I don't think it will be possible to do this sort of a thing at a big marathon. Thanks to SV marathon and the small numbers, I could do it. Standing close to the official race photographer and clicking away heaps of photographs, sorting them, identifying Asha pictures with all the bib numbers. Great fun, got to wear the shoes of all those official event photographers for a day or two. :)
It was about as tiring as a marathon mentally, actually!, and I was drained & tired being up and on my feet from as early as 5AM till about 2PM. One good thing was MCM one week ago seemed a long time back, so, at least the legs were good enough to last me through. And the whole thing was lot of fun. There was disappointment at the end, in the sense the food at the volunteer tent was over by the time I was done with my coverage and by that time I was so hungry and tired that I was really pissed. Had a big chunk of dessert to keep myself happy. Got a ride home and crashed to my heart's content and my stomach's discontent!! I woke up in a trance, totally soaked in the experience. I realized.. as I was reliving the memories.. this is why:
I was excited for this event. I wanted to cheer people on. I wanted to go to different places along the course and egg runners on & take some pictures. Be there between 18-26mi. I knew what it would have meant. I knew it took a lot of effort for that, to plan the course, to plan the travel, to make arrangements & to co-ordinate. Of course, being with TeamAsha, all of that was really a piece of cake! I wanted to all this but someone up there had different plans for me. I had to be at the start/finish area since the need was there. I read this once somewhere - When you don't get what you want, that's what is called an experience! And a lovely one it turned out to be..
The day started early for us, even as it ended late for other Asha volunteers and co-ords the previous night. A bunch of us landed at the Asha tent in the morning, and almost required was neatly packed and taken care of. We just had to be there. :) There was not too much to do, really, early in the morning at the hospitality tent but for taking care of the stuff that was there and answering few questions some people had about Asha, and preparing for the marathoners. Soon, they were pouring in. By the time Raghav was back, we knew it was time to get ready for warriors to return home. The SAMOSAS were there, and the work had begun. And soon I headed off to the finish line to take some pictures.
Waiting at the SV marathon finish line for the runners to finish, I was looking at all the high school children who were so happy for the finishers, cheering them, congratulating them, handing over the medals to them. It would not have been possible without them. It would not have been possible without ALL THE VOLUNTEERS. The whole atmosphere there was so festive!! Three cheers to the race organizers who bring about this event every year. Silicon Valley marathon was celebrating its 10th anniversary and I think the race was a HUGE success. At least, that's what I as an outsider and as a spectator think about it.
The spirit at the finish line was unbelievable. What made it so special was all the families and the kids that were running along the last few meters (the green carpet). Slowly, one after the other, the Asha runners returned 'home' after conquering their challenge. They were runners of different categories - first timers hoping to finish, experienced runners aiming for their personal best, expert runners pacing the experienced runners, coaches and mentors running with their mentees - they all came in at different times, but they all came in! They all crossed the finish line.
After a barren marathon earlier this year, I had decided that I would not run a small marathon again. After seeing (living) SV marathon, I have to take my words back. If it is the home marathon of Asha SV chapter, the marathon no longer remains 'small.' The Halloween outfits, the big hugs, the great cheering, the lovely water-stop-volunteers, the mentors, the helpers (people who get you through the last mile), the coaches, the assistant coaches, the friends, the family, the ultras running the marathon mainly to cheer, you name it... it was huge!! And from the pictures that I saw, I am sure it was fun all through the course. If it is TeamAsha, it ought to be fun!!! Go Team! I doff my hat to ya!!
This was just a small part of the story. The part I was witness to. The part I was part of, I was glad to be part of. :) It was not just Asha. Asha was a BIG part of it, yes. But I raise my glass to all the volunteers who were involved - Asha and non-Asha - and all the runners and their families. Metro Silicon Valley Marathon 2007 was a triumph of spirit, and my first experience as a 'marathon spectator' was memorable as hell!!
Friday, November 2, 2007
This is 'our' marathon!!!
For all the times where I lacked cheering,
I do realize how much it means
to the people who are running.
The joy at the sight of a familiar face,
I would like to share
when the runners struggle for pace.
Be assured you will be cheered,
Hugs and love
And best wishes showered.
So Go Runners! Scorch the arena,
It's all too familiar floor, so
dance like the prim[a/o] ballerina.
Time has come to give back,
let's go cheering squad.
SV marathon is in Silicon Valley
... our very own backyard!!
I do realize how much it means
to the people who are running.
The joy at the sight of a familiar face,
I would like to share
when the runners struggle for pace.
Be assured you will be cheered,
Hugs and love
And best wishes showered.
So Go Runners! Scorch the arena,
It's all too familiar floor, so
dance like the prim[a/o] ballerina.
Time has come to give back,
let's go cheering squad.
SV marathon is in Silicon Valley
... our very own backyard!!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
A story in numbers...
MCM time splits
mile 5 - 0:54:51 (10:58 pace)
mile 10 - 1:46:53 (10:24 pace mile 5-10, overall 10:41 pace)
mile 13.1 - 2:24:26 (12:07 pace mile 10-13.1, overall 11:01 pace)
mile 15 - 2:47:19 (12:03 pace mile 13.1-15, overall 11:09 pace)
mile 19 - 3:28:11 (10:13 pace mile 15-19, overall 10:57 pace)
mile 22 - 4:28:05 (19:58 pace mile 19-22, overall 12:11 pace) --> hmm these last two lines don't seem right! was that how I ran? wow..
mile 26.2 - 5:19:35 (12:16 pace last 4.2mi, overall 12:12 pace!)
mile 5 - 0:54:51 (10:58 pace)
mile 10 - 1:46:53 (10:24 pace mile 5-10, overall 10:41 pace)
mile 13.1 - 2:24:26 (12:07 pace mile 10-13.1, overall 11:01 pace)
mile 15 - 2:47:19 (12:03 pace mile 13.1-15, overall 11:09 pace)
mile 19 - 3:28:11 (10:13 pace mile 15-19, overall 10:57 pace)
mile 22 - 4:28:05 (19:58 pace mile 19-22, overall 12:11 pace) --> hmm these last two lines don't seem right! was that how I ran? wow..
mile 26.2 - 5:19:35 (12:16 pace last 4.2mi, overall 12:12 pace!)
Monday, October 29, 2007
Great run!!
The following were the other contenders for the title of this blog
- Two Thumbs Up Washington D.C.
- An account of stupidity
- It was a breeze ;)
- The M-files, Asha SV chapter
It took 3 years to recreate my first marathon experience of NYC in '04. The crowd was fabulous!! And the marines were awesome. It had been a downhill marathon experience after the run in NYC but DC was as close to it as possible (both in distance and experience). Very glad to have run it. 5 stars for the organizers and the weather Gods.
Frankly, I owe one Biiig thanks to my body for keeping up for the last 2-3 months. So, when I started the marathon itself, I was not sure how long before one of my injuries showed up. I had my fingers crossed. And it was one fun roller coaster of a ride. The fact that I ended up with a 5:20 time when I was looking for something like 4:20 will not take away the sheer joy of completing my toughest challenge so far. This was one marathon where I completely utilized all the pre-marathon best wishes.
They say the real marathon starts at mile-20. Uh oh, mine started at mile-10! I started out slow, the fact that the first mile was uphill helped that bit but it was difficult to control the pace. It was like up-a-mile and down-a-mile. It was fun - I liked the downhill part of it. :) Few miles into this up&down business, my feet did not like it. I could feel it. I remembered Shraddha say "Listen to your body," and I was watching closely for the signals. Mile 4 was my first photo-op: host and friend Srikanth on the Key Bridge. Milestone #1. :)
I was motoring along, trying to use my hands as much as possible. It was around mile 8 or 9ish that my both feet began to hurt (heel of my left foot, ball of my right foot). And I had figured the end was near. And that this was going to be a disaster. So, I consciously was not putting too much effort. Took 2min walk breaks instead of my 30-second break. Some time before mile 10, my left calf started cramping and I of course did not know what to expect in the remaining 16miles!! It was not even half-way there! How am I even going to walk it all off?!!
At mile 10, I stopped. I walked a mile. Monitored my legs. And slowly started running. The 2-minute walk breaks became 2-minute run breaks! And I began to think of what Moningi said "If it is too difficult, think about us" (undergrad friends). I sure did. After mile 11 were first signs of life (Asha company) - Raman and Nitin passed me, looking very strong. Aaah.. good. I am not lost. And boy, the weather was awesome. Gentle breeze and sunshine. I remember thinking to myself, what a shame if I have to walk all the way through the rest of the marathon in such perfect weather for running. I picked up running and kept running until I felt like. At this point, I was just enjoying my time out there, running through the DC attractions - Federal Reserve, Washington Monument, to name a few. After a few slow miles the halfway mark arrived - wow! It was amazing! 13.1mi. now, that is a good distance to run. :) Milestone #2.
It was such a perfect weather for golf too, actually. And running around the course was just not justice. Past the halfway mark, when we were going around the golf course was not great fun. Not too much crowd, not too barren either - there was this occasional orange or a banana. hats off to DC crowd, really. However, I enjoyed my stroll on the grass. I thought I better use it to reduce the stress on my feet. I became part of 'the cheering crowd' and did my bit to some Asha folks and other runners. I was not tired for that. Only my feet hurt. Then, there was another milestone. I saw Coach Martina and Deepu. Milestone #3. Go Martina!! I tried to keep up with them until mile 19 or 'Beat the Bridge' - one of the cut-off points. Felt like.. oh.. now, we can walk this off. And still get a medal. :) Martina and Deepu took off, and I followed behind at my place.
Just under the bridge (frankly I don't know what was a bridge and what was a freeway there) was G3 vehemently cheering and running around with a 'Go Asha' placard. She was just jumping around trying to catch my attention. When she did, it was a big boost of energy. That part - let's call it bridge - was one thing I did not need. A gradual uphill, and I was looking for my other friends (they were friends until yesterday) who were supposed to show up and cheer for me. Didn't find them. But found Anusha. Good job you guys. Seeing G3, Anusha and the rest of the cheering squad see us through mile 19 - Milestone #4.
That mile was 'the' longest 'mile'!! Between 19-mile and 21-mile marker. I used up my sister's wishes, fighting with all my might. But I did not realize the next mile was the second-longest ;). That was because we were running alongside runners coming in the other direction - only problem was that the anticipation of the turn around point was sapping us of the energy. mile 22 was right at the turnaround point. Just 4 more miles to go! Impressive. Now, I was just looking for familiar faces. I was thinking to myself that coach Char and Madhu should be around and I should be seeing them before I completed that 2-mile loop. And I saw them just as I was beginning to get worried! Just as I was nearing mile 23, they crossed mile 21. "Yes coach, I am doing fine." - Milestone #5.
The last few miles, I had enough to keep me going. Plenty of crowd support and the feeling that I would do fine with my feet took me through to the finish line for some more photo ops. :) Veena and G3 capturing my last mile burst (well, not really a burst) and Srikanth providing coverage towards the finish line. The last mile was a real teaser. Half-mile gradual slope out and then back again with a steep ascent right at the very end. FUN. I just tagged along one VT girl and managed the mile non-stop and also a small sprint at the end. Good finish! End of my race!! I had to dig in to my deepest mental reserves to complete it. I remember telling Raman around mile 11 that I was going to stop. I couldn't have imagined this kind of a finish then. Somehow, it was possible. I don't know how! Here is my story in numbers.
The medal is the biggest I have seen so far! All-in-all, it was a great race for me and I was on my feet at the end of it, with no cramps. Took some pictures, went back to the charity tent, had some samosas and sandwiches, got a nice massage, and missed the Asha group picture!
All through the past few months, I wondered how stupid of me to attempt what I was doing. And that maybe I was not ready for it. Why all this?!! Maybe it was not needed. Maybe I was pushing myself. Maybe. In the end, it was fun. Lot of fun. Thanks everyone!! Cheers. Happy reading, and happy recovery! I am off to the pool!!
The summit (Arlington Cemetry):
On February 23, 1945, the fifth day of the battle of Iwo Jima, Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal reflexively shot a photograph that has since attained iconic status. The picture captured, in silhouette, six soldiers struggling to hoist, on top of Mount Suribachi, an American flag they had tied onto a flagpole improvised out of a water pipe.
- Two Thumbs Up Washington D.C.
- An account of stupidity
- It was a breeze ;)
- The M-files, Asha SV chapter
It took 3 years to recreate my first marathon experience of NYC in '04. The crowd was fabulous!! And the marines were awesome. It had been a downhill marathon experience after the run in NYC but DC was as close to it as possible (both in distance and experience). Very glad to have run it. 5 stars for the organizers and the weather Gods.
Frankly, I owe one Biiig thanks to my body for keeping up for the last 2-3 months. So, when I started the marathon itself, I was not sure how long before one of my injuries showed up. I had my fingers crossed. And it was one fun roller coaster of a ride. The fact that I ended up with a 5:20 time when I was looking for something like 4:20 will not take away the sheer joy of completing my toughest challenge so far. This was one marathon where I completely utilized all the pre-marathon best wishes.
They say the real marathon starts at mile-20. Uh oh, mine started at mile-10! I started out slow, the fact that the first mile was uphill helped that bit but it was difficult to control the pace. It was like up-a-mile and down-a-mile. It was fun - I liked the downhill part of it. :) Few miles into this up&down business, my feet did not like it. I could feel it. I remembered Shraddha say "Listen to your body," and I was watching closely for the signals. Mile 4 was my first photo-op: host and friend Srikanth on the Key Bridge. Milestone #1. :)
I was motoring along, trying to use my hands as much as possible. It was around mile 8 or 9ish that my both feet began to hurt (heel of my left foot, ball of my right foot). And I had figured the end was near. And that this was going to be a disaster. So, I consciously was not putting too much effort. Took 2min walk breaks instead of my 30-second break. Some time before mile 10, my left calf started cramping and I of course did not know what to expect in the remaining 16miles!! It was not even half-way there! How am I even going to walk it all off?!!
At mile 10, I stopped. I walked a mile. Monitored my legs. And slowly started running. The 2-minute walk breaks became 2-minute run breaks! And I began to think of what Moningi said "If it is too difficult, think about us" (undergrad friends). I sure did. After mile 11 were first signs of life (Asha company) - Raman and Nitin passed me, looking very strong. Aaah.. good. I am not lost. And boy, the weather was awesome. Gentle breeze and sunshine. I remember thinking to myself, what a shame if I have to walk all the way through the rest of the marathon in such perfect weather for running. I picked up running and kept running until I felt like. At this point, I was just enjoying my time out there, running through the DC attractions - Federal Reserve, Washington Monument, to name a few. After a few slow miles the halfway mark arrived - wow! It was amazing! 13.1mi. now, that is a good distance to run. :) Milestone #2.
It was such a perfect weather for golf too, actually. And running around the course was just not justice. Past the halfway mark, when we were going around the golf course was not great fun. Not too much crowd, not too barren either - there was this occasional orange or a banana. hats off to DC crowd, really. However, I enjoyed my stroll on the grass. I thought I better use it to reduce the stress on my feet. I became part of 'the cheering crowd' and did my bit to some Asha folks and other runners. I was not tired for that. Only my feet hurt. Then, there was another milestone. I saw Coach Martina and Deepu. Milestone #3. Go Martina!! I tried to keep up with them until mile 19 or 'Beat the Bridge' - one of the cut-off points. Felt like.. oh.. now, we can walk this off. And still get a medal. :) Martina and Deepu took off, and I followed behind at my place.
Just under the bridge (frankly I don't know what was a bridge and what was a freeway there) was G3 vehemently cheering and running around with a 'Go Asha' placard. She was just jumping around trying to catch my attention. When she did, it was a big boost of energy. That part - let's call it bridge - was one thing I did not need. A gradual uphill, and I was looking for my other friends (they were friends until yesterday) who were supposed to show up and cheer for me. Didn't find them. But found Anusha. Good job you guys. Seeing G3, Anusha and the rest of the cheering squad see us through mile 19 - Milestone #4.
That mile was 'the' longest 'mile'!! Between 19-mile and 21-mile marker. I used up my sister's wishes, fighting with all my might. But I did not realize the next mile was the second-longest ;). That was because we were running alongside runners coming in the other direction - only problem was that the anticipation of the turn around point was sapping us of the energy. mile 22 was right at the turnaround point. Just 4 more miles to go! Impressive. Now, I was just looking for familiar faces. I was thinking to myself that coach Char and Madhu should be around and I should be seeing them before I completed that 2-mile loop. And I saw them just as I was beginning to get worried! Just as I was nearing mile 23, they crossed mile 21. "Yes coach, I am doing fine." - Milestone #5.
The last few miles, I had enough to keep me going. Plenty of crowd support and the feeling that I would do fine with my feet took me through to the finish line for some more photo ops. :) Veena and G3 capturing my last mile burst (well, not really a burst) and Srikanth providing coverage towards the finish line. The last mile was a real teaser. Half-mile gradual slope out and then back again with a steep ascent right at the very end. FUN. I just tagged along one VT girl and managed the mile non-stop and also a small sprint at the end. Good finish! End of my race!! I had to dig in to my deepest mental reserves to complete it. I remember telling Raman around mile 11 that I was going to stop. I couldn't have imagined this kind of a finish then. Somehow, it was possible. I don't know how! Here is my story in numbers.
The medal is the biggest I have seen so far! All-in-all, it was a great race for me and I was on my feet at the end of it, with no cramps. Took some pictures, went back to the charity tent, had some samosas and sandwiches, got a nice massage, and missed the Asha group picture!
All through the past few months, I wondered how stupid of me to attempt what I was doing. And that maybe I was not ready for it. Why all this?!! Maybe it was not needed. Maybe I was pushing myself. Maybe. In the end, it was fun. Lot of fun. Thanks everyone!! Cheers. Happy reading, and happy recovery! I am off to the pool!!
The summit (Arlington Cemetry):
On February 23, 1945, the fifth day of the battle of Iwo Jima, Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal reflexively shot a photograph that has since attained iconic status. The picture captured, in silhouette, six soldiers struggling to hoist, on top of Mount Suribachi, an American flag they had tied onto a flagpole improvised out of a water pipe.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
On my way..
The Check List
Just pack my bags, fly to D.C. and enjoy the day I guess. Thanks for all your e-mails and wishes. I will post a race report when I am back. You can track me here.
Raghu
- Fundraising
A bunch of thanks to everyone for the donations!! The FR goal has been met. And I have a spring in my step!! - Laundry race day clothes
Done. In the nick of time. :) - Call up hosts
Done. - Online checkin
Done. All set. - Hydrate yourself over the next 3 days. Do not do stupid things. :)
Hopefully, will do.
Just pack my bags, fly to D.C. and enjoy the day I guess. Thanks for all your e-mails and wishes. I will post a race report when I am back. You can track me here.
Raghu
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Marathon, Marathon
First, my earlier marathon this year needs a mention. Orange County - Jan 2007. It featured a whole of 1500 runners! But for the cheering provided by 4B, Buss, Meher & Sridhar and company by PC, I would have utterly bitterly hated the experience. Those people made my day. Coming back to the marathon.. I have not seen such a barren marathon before, and it was really very hard to run those middle miles without any people in sight. Only things that were there were blazing sun and fields around. It was then that I decided that I am going to run only when there is going to be cheering. One way to ensure that (I hope) is to have large number of runners. That was how I picked up MCM - the Marine Corps Marathon in D.C.. I had read good things about it too. Now, it is within 7 days!! October 28th 2007 - the D-day is fast approaching.
This marathon is different from all other marathons I have run, in the sense that I am actually trying to stick to a training regimen. And I pushing myself just a little bit. (It would be nice to beat my time for the first marathon.) And all this brought its own share of injuries. What this means is that I am more jittery before the marathon than I was before my first marathon 3 years ago!!
First it was the hip. Now it is my foot. Part by part, my body is crumbling. It needs rest and recuperation. I can't wait till the season is over! (1 week from now.) I felt good in my last long run yesterday. But marathon is a different thing. And the after-effects are a different thing altogether. So, crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. And I need as many wishes I can get.
The one thing I am certain about is that I will not miss the cheering part as long as I am running with Team Asha. Also, it is great to be running among friends - Chicken, ADP, here I come!
This marathon is different from all other marathons I have run, in the sense that I am actually trying to stick to a training regimen. And I pushing myself just a little bit. (It would be nice to beat my time for the first marathon.) And all this brought its own share of injuries. What this means is that I am more jittery before the marathon than I was before my first marathon 3 years ago!!
First it was the hip. Now it is my foot. Part by part, my body is crumbling. It needs rest and recuperation. I can't wait till the season is over! (1 week from now.) I felt good in my last long run yesterday. But marathon is a different thing. And the after-effects are a different thing altogether. So, crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. And I need as many wishes I can get.
The one thing I am certain about is that I will not miss the cheering part as long as I am running with Team Asha. Also, it is great to be running among friends - Chicken, ADP, here I come!
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