Yesterday we did our last long run as prep for the half marathon on the just announced route of the Delhi Half Marathon. We had around 150 enthu runners land up at Nehru Stadium starting at 545am for a 630 am start. Just as the last couple of cars rolled into the parking lot, so did a bit of mist. We started at 630 sharp - on time, like runners always do, and just as we hit Lodi road, the mist swirled around thick.
Looking across the road for the meteorological office was a stretch - but then we saw the display Weather forecast N/A, Humidity N/A, Temperature N/A- we knew we had reached the right spot for the first U turn!! By the time we reached the Mathura road crossing the mist was so thick that a lot of us including myself took the wrong turn, got totally disoriented, and ended up running a few kms off the route.
It was romantic, super weather, but also had to be extra careful while crossing the road with the odd few vehicles on the road.
We meandered around a bit and then finally got on to Mathura road and then turned to Subrmania Bharti road and then Zakir Hussain road to India Gate.
India Gate in the thick mist is something I have never seen through my many decades in Delhi and that was awesome. Running on the red gravel sidewalks along Rajpath felt like home since I have run here for years and years given my folks stay on Ferozshah road. Then all of a sudden, in the fog, I missed the Rafi Marg crossing and realised that only when many of us saw the Vijay chowk lights closer than what they should have been. We did U from here - not going on to Rafi Marg and Parliament Street to the Tolstoy Marg U turn point ( which we would be doing on the 27th) and did not take the Janpath left turn and loop around the Meridien Hotel either.
We hit India gate soon enough and then again to get to Zakir Hussain Road, went off a wrong radial and found ourselves next to the National Stadium. So here I was - a true blue DilliWallah and a person who has grown up and run here several years, getting lost yet again. But the extra distance did not matter, the pace was better than expected and the weather was superlative.
Soon we were on our way back and headed to the Nehru stadium and THEN, yet again, I almost took the turn before I needed to, to get to the finish point. I know there will be no issue of getting lost on race day thanks to the barricades and volunteers and police and a few Delhi spectators along the way, but the flag off may just be to a On your marks. Get set. Get Lost!! Which would be a little different.
When we reached back we realised that many of the sub groups of runners had also lost their way a bit, here and there. The fog was not as thick as when we were running but it was reasonable, nonetheless - but what the heck it was phototime. All of us posed and looked our best, hoping that something would be visible - much like the emperors new clothes.
To see some more snaps check out http://www.facebook.com/RunningAndLiving
Running in the mist in Delhi can be real fun - and it looks like that's what all of us running in the Delhi Half Marathon on Nov 27th - need to probably gear up for. Else you may just say - heck! I mist this run!!
Looking across the road for the meteorological office was a stretch - but then we saw the display Weather forecast N/A, Humidity N/A, Temperature N/A- we knew we had reached the right spot for the first U turn!! By the time we reached the Mathura road crossing the mist was so thick that a lot of us including myself took the wrong turn, got totally disoriented, and ended up running a few kms off the route.It was romantic, super weather, but also had to be extra careful while crossing the road with the odd few vehicles on the road.
We meandered around a bit and then finally got on to Mathura road and then turned to Subrmania Bharti road and then Zakir Hussain road to India Gate.
India Gate in the thick mist is something I have never seen through my many decades in Delhi and that was awesome. Running on the red gravel sidewalks along Rajpath felt like home since I have run here for years and years given my folks stay on Ferozshah road. Then all of a sudden, in the fog, I missed the Rafi Marg crossing and realised that only when many of us saw the Vijay chowk lights closer than what they should have been. We did U from here - not going on to Rafi Marg and Parliament Street to the Tolstoy Marg U turn point ( which we would be doing on the 27th) and did not take the Janpath left turn and loop around the Meridien Hotel either.We hit India gate soon enough and then again to get to Zakir Hussain Road, went off a wrong radial and found ourselves next to the National Stadium. So here I was - a true blue DilliWallah and a person who has grown up and run here several years, getting lost yet again. But the extra distance did not matter, the pace was better than expected and the weather was superlative.
Soon we were on our way back and headed to the Nehru stadium and THEN, yet again, I almost took the turn before I needed to, to get to the finish point. I know there will be no issue of getting lost on race day thanks to the barricades and volunteers and police and a few Delhi spectators along the way, but the flag off may just be to a On your marks. Get set. Get Lost!! Which would be a little different.
To see some more snaps check out http://www.facebook.com/RunningAndLiving
Running in the mist in Delhi can be real fun - and it looks like that's what all of us running in the Delhi Half Marathon on Nov 27th - need to probably gear up for. Else you may just say - heck! I mist this run!!
