Bala's KTM Story

Bala is Chennai Runner and he recently ran Kaveri Trail Marathon on Sep 18, 2011.  Here is his story.  (Good luck for Hyderbad Heritage run Bala..May the force be with you..)

 

MY FIRST KTM RUN ON 18^TH SEPTEMBER 2011

After the August Hyderabad run, I wanted to test my endurance.  So I upgraded from half to full for the KTM.  This is the first time I am doing a back to back run within a span of 3 weeks. This is the first time I am also running the KTM. 

Prior to the Big day, I did my Tuesday / thurdsay runs regularly with a bit of strengthening and stretching exercises for 2 days. The Thursday before the Run, I had an opportunity to run with Ram.  Amazingly I could do 11.76 in an hour and ten minutes.  So this was a sort of a confidence booster for me. 

This time I travelled to Mysore with my entire CHEER TEAM (my wife Shanthi, Son Krishna and Daughter Shreya).  

Before leaving to the station, My son gave me a best of luck card which read “FINISH THE KAVERI TRAIL QUICKLY. Best of Luck, I will roar for you”.  (His definition of QUICK is for the likes of BOSTON RUNNERS)

We reached Mysore on 17^th Mid-day and after checking in at the Hotel, I went on my own using the public transport to reach Sri Rengapattnam.  I collected my racer kit and returned to the Hotel. I enjoyed the evening with a visit to the Brindavan gardens with my family.

Race Day morning, I had a nice cold shower. Me and my cheer team went to the Mysore Palace main gate. Surprisingly the first BUS trip from the Mysore palace to the starting point HAD THREE CHENNAI RUNNERS ONLY.  (Ridhima, Mukesh and myself).

After reaching the resort we were transported to the starting point.  There were rows and rows of cars and the entire place looked festive.

I knew Ridhima was a good runner and she did the Hyderabad in 4 Hours and 32 minutes.  So, my son’s command to finish the run quickly made me to follow Ridhima. 

The trail is absolutely a nature’s wonder and I did get a chance to pass by the most fertile agricultural lands with tomato harvests, flower gardens, acres of green paddy fields.

Occasionally the traffic jams were caused by the bullock carts.  These bulls are HUGE and with their sharp horns you can visualize 6 feet double monsters staring at all the RUNNERS who have encroached their peace.

By the 6 kms mark, we did overtake a bullock cart, but the person who was riding the cart did wanted to prove that his bullocks were as good in running as the runners. So, he made no attempt to slow them down and the cart.

For me, the sound of the constant (following) jingles from the bullock cart and the fear that I should not be attracted by the bulls (due to my fluorescent green shirt), made me run faster. 

If the bulls had gone wild looking at all those colorful shirts of the runners, I bet the first prize winner would have done the run in maybe a sub 3 hours. So the increased pace due to the above circumstances made me shadow Ridhima.  So I must thank the bulls to that set the tone to finish the KAVERI TRAIL quickly (complete the run as against returning to the starting point from the 6 kms mark !)

As I was enjoying the nice weather, Cauvery river and the green fields, stray dogs were getting anxious looking at the herds of runners who were trying to outsmart them. Even in the early morning runs at Chennai I slow down not to annoy the dogs and clash with their ego.  So, I did surrender to the dog’s ego, but within a few minutes, I lost track of Ridhima.  The dog also let me go in my way after a friendly wag of it’s tail and I started running as if the dog was chasing me to find out  ridhima  in the crowd.

So after the best possible start up, I kept following ridhima till the half stage.  Of the two loops I completed the first half in two hours and 5 minutes.  (Ridhima should confirm this since she was technically wired all along !!!)

In the midst of all the noise and din at the starting point, one voice stood out in the crowd.  I couldn’t believe myself when I saw Balaji cheering all the runners.  I was thinking of all the efforts I took to do the run and on seeing Balaji travel all this way to be part of the festivity, made me feel small.

Balaji cheered me and was about to give me a HIGH FIVE, when a fellow runner got annoyed at the Long hand that interrupted his speed and timing !.  I posed for  picture for balaji to shoot and continued the journey after balaji’s encouraging words.

 I was trying to keep up to my son’s wish to finish the run quickly.  At the half way mark, Ridhima took a short break, but I continued the run.  So, for a few minutes (maybe 10 or 15 minutes), I had the elated feeling of running ahead of Ridhima.

But the joy was short lived. 

Ridhima my pacesetter, went ahead of me and encourage me by saying that I was doing well and if I wanted to I can go ahead of her instead of following Her !  Fatal words !!  After this I just could not keep the pace with Ridhima and the gap grew wider and wider till Ridhima  built up a 4 kms gap.  Fortunately, my physical status was not bad and my cramps were not getting worse.  I was cautious enough to swallow a few spoonful of salt and sugar till I reached the 38.5 kms. (Not to swallow too much of sugar and salt to throw up). 

I had the company of a few tortured souls dragging their weight to the finish point.

With my wish of a quick finish vanishing in thin air, I was worried getting back home to be at the railway station to board the Shatapdi express scheduled to depart Mysore at 14.15 hours.  So, the thought of reorganizing the journey and going through all the pains of a missed train with the family made me run, run, run, till I saw my son waiting agonizingly 200 metres from the finish line.

He came running towards me with a happy look and at the same time with a look which conveyed me the message “So many good runners have finished the run and are enjoying the meal and  you fellow are making us wait in this no man island with NO food.”  So, with the help of my son Krishna I reached the finish line at 11.15 or maybe 11.20.  I am waiting for the timing results to see if I did the run in 5 hour

As soon as the race was over, I collected my medal and took an auto to the Young Island.  The organizers made an announcement that the LAST BUS for Mysore is leaving in another 10 minutes.

So, the advertisements by the Runners for Life, to take a bath in the pond and have the post run meal all vanished in a few minutes of this announcement. Ridhima and her husband came from the prize distribution ceremony and informed us that Ridhima came third in the women’s category.   The entire gang was happy for her and we wished her well in her future runs.

So, I got into the bus and to add salt to injury the co travelers were PRIZE WINNERS IN VARIOUS CATEGORIES. (First prize winner in the Women’s category, First prize winner in the Veterans category and of course one of the members in their group who did the run in four hours)

I  looked at my son and told him “Krishna, these are the people who go by your wish card of finishing the run quickly.  But as you can see they are also going back to Mysore with us in the same Bus”

The icing on the cake was when my wife said, Thank god you finished the run by 11.15.  If you were late, we would have been in a big mess going back to Chennai.   

I made everyone smile by saying “Look I have reduced your waiting time from 5 Hours and 25 minutes to 5 Hours”.  Isn’t that an achievement to be proud of !!!

The entire family went back to the hotel, I had a bath in freezing water (the management had put up a notice informing the occupants that hot water will be provided only between 8 am and  10 am)  this is after they charge Rs 2000 for a night.  

After the bath we all had a delicious meal at the Dasaprakash and went to the station (half an hour earlier) to board Shatapdi back to Chennai.

We had the privilege to travel with another prize winner (a seat before us) and it was none other than Priti.  She came first in the half marathon with a fantastic timing of 2 hours and a minute.   I was floored at her speed and agile running.

 I had a memorable run in many ways.

As a passing note, I like the marathon runs where in there are multiple loops. This is because I get a chance to see the top runners running as against a single stretch run, wherein you can’t see these champions who would have already left by the time I normally finish. (of course after collecting their prizes)
I am running the Hyderabad Heritage full October 9th and hope to do a 4.45.

Bala