Forget Padmavati .....Read DeboNair....my story of Flying Kisses !!!!!

As I saw her Running opposite side  …. My heart was like ….lalalala…… but that’s what happens when you are at 32kms… u tend to halluciniate , she was not Vidya Balan ….. but my friend Arun Balan who was also looking like vidya balan …..at that time …..

Ekach Dheyey hota ……mee majyawar Zinknaar yandha (there was only one and one aim ….. I will  win against me )

My training began somewhere when I crossed  the finish line of scmm 2017, as I plucked my toe nail after my SCMM 2017 , I cried In pain ……I knew I had buggered up . How come a basic mistake of not trimming the nail . I had trained , but not systematically , not trained the right way . I crossed the finish line in style though (remember that whistle wala pic)  ….. I believe whatever happens to you , the style must remain embedded in you . A 5.13 in 2017 SCMM.

My wife and daughter are the biggest support , since Mala knew how important it was for me to do a good FM , since she sees me dejected every time  after previous FMs .

I was not hoping to come back on the Full Marathon circuit , but only a FMer knows ,the calling is from within . I had made two promise to myself , I will come back strong with all might and I will strive to be  amongst the most improved category in the MRR Awards Nite.

So the season began in March 2017 with 100 days of Running , with an average of 8kms per day ….if I look back I may think it is foolish…..but hundred days changed the way I run (but not advisable) . I worked upon my weight and the way I train . Here came a dear friend Viv Menon, who helped me with my training schedule , he plotted based on my 5k Timings trial , another samartian was dear friend Nikhil Lathey , who during my running assessment suggested me to change my GAIT and he advised me more of tempo and speeds . So Vivs plan was exactly the same “Run less , Run Strong” .

My wife and daughter are the biggest support , since Mala knew how important it was for me to do a good FM , since she sees me dejected after previous FMs .

So began the toil in September , many a times I would run alone , but many a time with buddies from GoS . Thus could see the improvement in my running , though I am not finicky about the timings but this year I wanted to move in to a better zone . I enjoyed my training , though was very demanding with my work and travel .

Many times , I cudnt keep up with Vivs Plan and buggered up racing in few events  , had I not missed couple of long runs , then perhaps TMM would have been much better guess .

In the quest to run a Sub 5 , I achieved a 10k Sub 55 i.e 54.02 and a podium in corporate category and a sub 2.10 at Navy HM , see it was all part of the process of achieving the main goal .

As I was addressing a book reading session in pune on 20^th Jan , my thoughts were wandering towards the finish line , but like other times and other previsous FMs , this time I could actually see me crossing in sub 5 , was it over confidence or was it confident towards my training .

What worked for me :-

1.       A good sleep previous day ( slept at 9 )

2.       Light food (had around after noon in pune)

3.       Strong training to back up

4.       02 Kerala Banana at 0300 AM

5.       10 litres of water with salt / fast and up the previous 2 days

6.       Smart Gel plan ( 07 fast and up gels)

7.       Visualised and divided my run in to 5 Halves.

8.       First 9kms in 1 hr,  18.5 kms in 2hrs , 28 in 3hrs, 36kms in 4 hrs and a last 6kms in 45 mins or 1 hr .

9.       Planned worked well , since I did 4 long runs above 30kms and 3 above 27kms .

10.   Lots and lots of speed and tempo runs .

11.   Taped my pain area spots like ITB and Right Hamstring.

12.   And fast up reload and activate strategy

Me , Bobs , Krunal , Reji , Atul , Satish sir we all started from mulund and more or less was on start line .

 The race began , around 5kms I took a water break , since first 5 was in 31 mins , so I knew I am on target , ran peddar road with ease along with BR pacer Deepak . Once on peddar road ,sighed at the house of Mumbai Indians , Antillia (kitna Kharcha kiya) , had a look at peddar road and silently requested god “mujko bhi tu lift karade while coming back “ ……then a silent prayer at Haji Ali,  ran down hill till mela and waved to my HM friends , many of whom were cheering . I was strong and was ahead of 4.30 bus . 

Manasi , was telling me slow down take it easy , but I was enjoying the strong run . Sourabh was along for the seaface stretch , once on sealink , my fear came back calling ,since every year I falter here on sealink . This time though I was running good , around 18^th Km ran with Parul , as she was steering the 4.30 bus , so the first thought was 4.30 toh gayo .

 Around 19^th my dear friend Ram Subramaniam was running along and must say such a happy soul he is we crossed each others path many a time in the remaining distance . From 15^th Kms till 22 Kms I was running along side Jayanthi , who was running in Saree and she bettered her guiness record . As I crossed Siddhi Vinayak , I recited a silent prayer to keep me going , around 26^th Km I saw the hullaboo and the sudden gush in the air , it was the pack of jaguars running along and wow , I just paused , saw them running and blushed and started my cruise …. Mentally I was happy since , I was 3kms ahead this time from the last time when they crossed me . So means I have chance to better my timing . Around the turn on worli seaface , I hate this looping , I could see many of known faces on the other side . I saw my buddy krunal running and saw him in cramps , unfortunately it was a bad day for him and saw many of my friends victim of the weather change . I am sure all of them will rock back .

Thanks to Poonam , I ran along with her for some time , she is my rock star too , a comrades finisher . Around 32kms I was feeling a discomfort a stomach cramp a slight chest congestion , I took a walk break for long reassessing my timings , someone did ask whats your target “ I was like bhai tu nange ko pucch raha hai  GUCCI ke kapde chalega kya “ .

The rerun began and I knew I was off target by a km , unfortunately the distance was 800 mtrs more too . As I approached Peddar road , the romeo horse of matheran came back , as Reji my dear friend says , I am good on inclines , I love inclines may be ……the body screamed in unison lets go on peddar road , I could see lata didi at balcony , no no it was illusion …… I ran strong on peddar road and was so happy to see so many known faces and my buddies from across, my buddies from MRR. I saw Yogi , Anku (Anku tu muje pace nahi kiya…..). Saw shibani running , such a strong runner she is  . Along side , stood PC and Pranav with a bottle of Coke and they ran along side for some time then they ditched , seeing someone more interesting . As I declined from the peddar road , thereon it was buddy sushil Sharma , who egged on me and we were like running from pillar to post , he was aiming for his first sub 4.45 and I could see he getting it 

As I say stories are written on the marathon track , so here was sushil who was constantly by my side , we ran walk strong at times sub 6 and finally I have to request him to move ahead , reluctantly he moved and glad he got PB (beer is due bro) . Around 40.5 , I saw team Adidas Runners cheering me and dear friend Ayesha  ran along as I cramped , she offered me water (thanks buddy) . I was doing run walk and then saw MRR cheer zone 2 , could see many friends , I hified Saurav, Sanjay,  Ritu and moved on…. Thereafter it was looking at the oblivion for a strong finish and I ran strong the last odd 400 mtrs , around the turn Karthik Paced me and I could now see the finish line , I wanted to break in to my swag style ….. unfortunately the photographers couldnot capture me (but Abhay , Meeta , Priya and Mike captured some good swag pics)  . …. I looked at the clock it showed 4.53 …..

Phew I did it …… no I didn’t shed any tears at finish line …………..i trained for it .

So happy for all my buddies who ran and completed , I hugged Sangeeta when she crossed the finish line , she is one of the inspirations in my life and like my elder sister ……she knew what this sub 5 meant for me and she later said ….. the hug said it all Biju .

Abh Sach batao ……how many of you checked my splits to see ….kya yeh sach bol raha hai ))))))))