My first 10 K run...

Registrations


This was my first race in India, having earlier run the 5K charity run organized by the Asha Foundation of Chicago in September 2009 in Wheeling. The Pune marathon had an online registration facility, which I used, but the site was missing key information like start place and time. They had tied up with a payment interface to process registration payments. No responses to “ask me” questions and no contact could be made to any of the phone numbers listed on the site

· T Shirts

Reached Deccan/Alka talkies square at around 7, saw people had already gathered in groups, wearing Pune Intl Marathon T shirts (for girls) and vests/banians (for guys). Lots and lots of NCC volunteers to manage the crowd. Lot of corporate presence – many companies had 10-50 member teams planning to do the run. Tried to see if I could get my marathon vest, and my chest tag, but was told that this was supposed to be collected from the office of the organizing committee in advance. I grouped with the group 5 folks, and talking to them, found out that the full marathon was already flagged off at 7 AM sharp. Mr Kalmadi was the chief guest, few politicians/ministers, 2-3 track and field Asiad medalists present for their felicitation, and also Vivek Oberoi and Sameera Reddy for the Bollywood presence. Lot of balloons, and few speeches, and finally the half marathon, 2K, 3K, 5K, 10 K races were flagged off at 8 AM. (my registration card that I had printed online said 8:30 AM J)

· Petals

The crowd was mostly people in the 15-40 age group, with good participation from children, and the 60+ folks. Lot of goreys as well. The route was ‘runners only’ and all vehicular traffic was routed on alternate roads. As we passed down Laxmi road, at each square you had school children showering runners with flower petals

· Live band

At each intersection, big crowds to cheer you on, and live bands, dhols, to create a fantastic atmosphere. This was true on the first 5 KM of the route though J. All along the route the stopped traffic was patiently waiting for the mama folks to give them the green signal – no honking no road rage – a welcome change in the road manners from Pune-ites

Enough water stations and first aid stations to cater to any medical issues. No mobile loos though, anyone wanting to take a leak had to go in to the ‘PATLI GALI’ and relieve yourself. Don’t know how the girls managed though!

· 1 lire bottles

Most water stations – almost every km or so, were handing out 200/500 ml bottles but some were giving out huge 1 liter bottles – running 10 KM is hard, and trying to lug around a heavy bottle – no chance – people just took a sip and discarded them- you could see water being wasted like anything.

· School kids live band

On MG road, school kids in uniforms were having a blast belting out loud drum beats – no tunes, just raw energy hitting the drums with all their might!

· Architecture tour

As we passed through the old areas of Pune, with 200 year old WADAs and houses choc a bloc with each other, some of them being replaced by concrete buildings, you could almost have a ‘architecture’ tour similar to the French Quarter in NOLA. Well, almost J

· Police

lots and lots of traffic and regular police – they did an excellent job! No more lathis, but lot of cops were carrying modern fiber glass sticks :J

· Rasna and Venky’s ‘Gatorade’

Some water stops were actually handing out Rasna in plastic glasses, while some of them were promoting the Indian version of the energy drink Gatorade – manufactured by Venky’s –the same company which bought a EPL football club

· Missing 9 K mark

Completed the 5 K milestone in 40 minutes, 2 minutes shaved off from my previous best – thought of quitting at that point and going home but saw a pretty face chugging along, and thought, what the heck – have paid for 10 K, might as well run the entire distance.

· HSBC & Capgemini

Passed the main branch of HSBC bank somewhere after the 8 K mark, and saw a steep incline of a flyover on the route – switched to the ‘walk’ mode, and saw the welcoming sign of Capgemini’s MIKON office. Did the run-walk-run routine, I was averaging 8 minutes for a KM – and after spending 14 odd minutes, still no sign of the 9 K mark. Went ahead, made a right turn towards Koregaon park, and the finish line for 10 K was right in front of me. I guess the organizers missed putting the 9 K signpost.

· Did it! Boiled eggs

A good crowd was waiting at the 10 K finish line to encourage people who were running the 10 K and also the people who would continue ahead for their half marathons. There were crates and crates of hard boiled eggs being handed out as ‘refreshments’ haven’t yet understood the logic of eggs though. Couple of buses were waiting to take the people back to the starting point. So finally completed my first 10 K in 83:23 J Something that can be definitely improved. Have a bad sprain now in my right foot – waiting for that to subside before I run again – abhi to haalat aisi hai ki chalna mushkil hai J