MUMBAI: “The reason we race isn’t so much to beat each other, but to be with each other,” writes Christopher McDougall in his bestseller, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen . Mr. McDougall’s book is about a Native Mexican tribe and running ultras (distances greater than the marathon), but it’s as true for people like me, running the half-marathon, or those in all the other sub-events.
This year was my third at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (after the second edition in 2005, and then again last year) and I think the event is only getting bigger and better each year.
There is some criticism too, so let’s get that done first. The half-marathon had nearly 15,000 participants registered, and the start at Worli Dairy was cramped, forcing many to run on the footpath on the Worli Seaface to avoid the rush and get ahead of the slow runners. There were a good number of water stations but those with energy drinks were far and few. Many runners were seen asking for energy drinks only to be told “you will get it ahead.” I could lay my hands on one for the first time only around the 12 km mark; I could have got one earlier, but the road was so crowded that that would have meant breaking my rhythm. The organisers should definitely get better lighting in place since the race starts at 5:40 a.m.; the lights on the Sea Link went off by the time the runners were back at Worli Seaface, while it was still quite dark. Not the organiser’s fault, but a fire near Land's End made the air near the Sea Link quite smoggy.
As the race gets bigger, maybe the organisers could look at placing some bands and DJs in other places aside from Marine Drive. Elsewhere, runners did have the local residents to pep them up, but when you reach the promenade, it’s like running into a new world of bands and music that sets this marathon a class apart.
Many things have changed since my first run in this event, and some things, as I have said, still need to get better. But one thing that has stayed the same is the determination of runners to not just push themselves but also encourage and egg on fellow runners. You get the feeling, as a participant, that the people you are with are not competing against each other but with their own selves. This is one event where everyone is a winner and gets a medal for finishing it.
It’s not just silent running, though you would think that runners would need all their breath. Many strike up conversations along the way, to divert the mind from the monotony of putting one foot after another and not not letting lethargy creep in. An interesting subject that I heard many runners — especially those from out of the city — talking about was the design of Antillia, Mukesh Ambani’s residence. It is difficult to miss the imposing building as you turn on to Peddar Road, just ahead of the 13 km mark. “Is that where the Ambanis live?” asked a fellow runner. I nodded and he said, “Do you like the design?” Luckily, I didn't need to answer that as he slowed down as the incline of Peddar Road took over.
Another hot topic of discussion post the run was the course distance. I heard many, including some serious runners with high-end GPS-enabled bands, say that the course was around 200-300 metres more than the stipulated 21.097 km; my own GPS watch showed that I ran 21.32 km!
This year, I was nowhere near the race leaders — I clocked 2:24:48, compared to my 2:33:10 last year and 2:45 in 2005, and the winner, Devinder Singh, did it in 1:18:22 — but I’ll be back next year. Not to be first across the finish line, but to hopefully improve on my own performance and just to be part of this experience. Because everyone wins here.
