I feel, Matunga (one of the only 2 suburbs of Mumbai that falls in western line as well as central) is a great cusp between the flamboyance of SoBo and the cuteness of Suburbs.
I had an opportunity to run a Marathon today that was organized by the iconic ICT. This is THE institute when it comes to Chemical Engineering.
Whether it is food or education, Matunga has always taken a pride of standing ahead and apart.
Beyond the suburb, this one is more about my experience today at the Marathon.
Firstly, till late in the night yesterday I had no confirmed booking. A friend of mine called and asked if I was keen. It was the laziest hour for me and hence I gave him a cold response by telling him that if I don't text you in the morning assume I have ditched.
I didn't keep alarm yet naturally woke up and shot a text to him.
It flagged of a little past 6 am and I was amazed to witness a huge number of participants for the 10k run.
I wasn't mentally prepared and during the initial 500 metres, I started experiencing mental fatigue. I felt like I am unable to tolerate the crowd around.
My mind was constantly poking in and yelling - back off and let the bunch pass, today isn't your day.
As I was keeping up with the moderate pace, my ears could hear a foot tapping sound and nearly a couple of seconds later, I see a dog running with us. I was quite surprised and on the next look, my surprise tripled when i saw that the dog was running on 3 legs and that too fearlessly.
I reverted to my mind by taking swifter steps ahead.
Soon I could notice the 55 minute pacer and I was able to catch him. This made me realize that I am already ahead of the 60 minute pacer whom I had eyed before the start of the race. He was my target.
Looking at the 55 min pacer boosted my morale and as I passed him, I told my mind - Nothing doing, you have to finish today in 55 or less.
The mind raised a demand for thirsty throat. I fulfilled by picking up a bottle of H2O. Sipped in a bit of it.
Before the second loop began, may be at around 4.5 kms, the shoe lace was feeling uneasy and wanted to free up. Without scolding it, I had to tie it back and praise him for the help by saying - Stay on! You are a good boy.
Mind was looking for an opportunity and saw from a distance that some kind of energy drink is being served.
One more demand to which I said - dude, the water is still in there.
Mind objected that water is not enough, it needs taste. The Judge sustained it and the freaking mind got what it wanted.
This resulted in slowdown and the 55 minute pacer that had already passed was now around 100 metres ahead.
I overpowered the culprit mind and went ahead of the pacer, who was now motivating all around him by telling - Come on guys, don't walk don't stop, if you feel tired, simply jog. Only 3 km to go.
This naturally pumped me up and not to my surprise there was this good lace boy back in action.
I was enjoying the conflict between me, mind and the shoe string.
During the beginning of 9th km, I could witness a few females and a couple of males panting with deep breathing. I was surprised with a thought that how come these guys are ahead of me when I had passed them like during my first kilometer. It took me more than a second to assume that these people might have not yet finished their first loop.
My assumption turned into reality when I saw a lady who was striving to push her body ahead and simultaneously speaking to someone on phone. I eavesdropped and could hear that - There are people about to finish the run and I am in no spirit to finish the first loop yet. How can they run so fast?
With the feeling of pride in heart, I was zooming ahead and in a couple of minutes once again, I hear this pacer - Come on guys, last 1 kilometer, let's do a sprint.
My mind yelled at me and I silently shouted referring to the pacer with the same rhetorical question that was yelled by mind - Have you lost it?
The pacer was ahead by 50 metres and I was stamping on the tar with an intent to catch up.
At the corner, there was a left turn which was the last leg of the track and exactly at that point, the pacer was on the top of his voice saying - Last 200 metres.
This is where I chucked everything and flew off towards him as if he is taking all my wealth and I have to grab him. At the same instance, a scene from the movie - The Walk - flashed. It conveys the importance of last few steps.
I thanked the pacer at the finish line where we clicked a selfie.
Missed hogging on the delicious breakfast at Matunga as had a predefined agenda to run in the material world.
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