It all started with a casual conversation during May 2009. VPS and Shahid had then started a "Chapter" of Chennai Runners; morning runs were started at MCC, Chetpet during weekdays, in addition to the 'home ground' at Alwarpet. A new runner had started running with them. A regular walker until the age of 64, he …
Category: Running Events
Come out to Cheer….
On the eve of my attempt to run the 89 Km Comrades Marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, I met an elderly gentleman, who had completed the event more than twenty times. Our discussion was largely centred on the event and he was helping me to ease my anxieties. He gave me one important piece of …
Training for Coimbatore Marathon
Legendry Boxer, Late Muhammed Ali once said, “I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” Training to run a marathon, which largely comprise of drudged long runs, hardly excites anyone and contrary to the experiences of the running at the …
Nilgirs Ultra – Part 2: Hot Air Chasers!
In December 2008, I, along with few Chennai Runners, participated in the Singapore Marathon. On returning back from the trip, there was a burning desire in some of us to organise running events of that standard and magnitude. It was this desire that got us into organising long distance running events a.k.a marathons. It would …
The Nilgiris Ultra
Disclaimer: None of the medications suggested below is conclusive or scientific. Please do not try them in your daily life or before long distance runs. Saturday, January 28, 2017 - The night before the run, I was still unsure of whether to run or not the following day. It has been a quite painful three …
10 Years on…
Being nostalgic is often seen as a virtue of getting old and best avoided. Despite depressing on most occasions, largely for the those at the receiving end, and occasionally elating, it does help one to get a perspective. As George Santayana would say, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" Turning …
Pacing the 5:30 Bus
To be a pacer in a marathon is an unique challenge, for it comes with a great deal of responsibility. You not only run your race but also help someone to run their race. My only experience as a pacer was during the Hyderabad Marathon in 2011, when I and KP tagged along for the …
Running and Environmentalism
After Religion, if there exists a social group that breeds more hypocrites, it must be Environmentalism. Although, my friend Rajesh does not see much difference between the two as he considers environmentalism as just another new age Religion. We still do not know where the green brigade stand on iconoclasm, whether they will fight crusades, …
Mumbai Marathon
During the run-up to the Mumbai Marathon this year, the Race Director, Hugh Jones said, “This is where the running movement started in India. People in urban India have taken to street running,’’ Tall claims! Nevertheless, one has to agree with the fact that it is one of the well established running event in India. …
Tirunelveli Halwa-Marathon
In the blog for upcoming Chennai Marathon, Ram Viswanathan wrote an interesting post entitled ‘Running Takes You Places.’ Reflecting on the article, I realised that there are many places that running has taken me - both in India as well as outside of it. However, in all these trips, running the marathon has been the …
