ADANI AHMEDABAD MARATHON 27/11/2022.

	AHMEDABAD MARATHON

Ch1. Night before the Race day:

Saturday night, @9:30pm;

It's half past 9pm, tomorrow is the Adani Marathon, my mind was still wondering what I am supposed to do?! How do I plan my race and race pace?! Rewriting the pace and target plan is that viable?, I wasn’t sure about that. These thoughts will flood when you are with the bunch of runners who always motivate you. 

As I Am trained to fix the target and go for it, training has been very strong and during tapering I fixed the target for 3:08 hours, that's @ 4:25 minutes/km for the Ahmedabad Marathon. Running mates evoked the potentials in me, made me rethink about rewriting the race pace strategies for sub3!! 

Decided 2 plans, Plan A - go for it sub3: start @4:20 pace and give best whatever it takes later.

                            Plan B - run start @ 4:25 pace then maintain 4:20 pace throughout.

Visualized entire route, for sub 3:05:00 target, I had clear vision of finish line for Plan B

But, to run at 4:15 pace for sub3 targets no vision at all. I do not see myself there. ..

NO VISION – NO MISSION FORMULA- in this case I do not risk myself, hence dropped planA. . …..

 . ….

Ch2. TRAVEL PLAN:

Looking back of the things;

15days prior to the race, Manasa Shetty(Madadi) wished to meet Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. I said okee. Later realized ****!! It’s 200 kms from the airport, 4:30 hrs cab and COSTLY AFFAIR to rest -recovery -replenish.

 

Ahmedabad travel plans were made from Friday 6:00am-9:00pm Sunday, 25-27 November22. Arrival at Ahmedabad 9:00am- cab to Statue of Unity- reach back same day late evening and  Saturday morning easy run-stretch with the pack- breakfast. Then 11:00am-6:00pm no clear plans- sleep early. Sunday race – post race hiring cab roam around, shopping and 9:30 pm departure to Bengaluru.

Plan fixed, pre booked cab fixed, backpack ready, race-bag with all fuels checked✅ Manasa check ✅ Praman✅

All Goes Good When Think – Things and Plans Were Good.    

Landed safely-Boarded pre booked cab to Kevadia. What a Mesmerizing beauty, what a huge structure, what a personality of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel “Statue of unity”. 

SinceWe had an express pass pre-booked the time slot, did not waste much time, went up to the top of the structure to witness the mesmerizing beauty of the nature, Narmada River bank. Did not spend any further time and heading back to Ahmedabad. Surely shall visit once again to witness the beauty and stay in tent house and visit nearby attractions. Never missed the tea and the Gujarathi cuisine, Dhokla and Fafda became my favorite 🤩. Race BIB collected so no rush, reached the hotel much earlier than expected and met a running tribe where I belonged to the PaceMaker family. GOODNIGHT SLEEP. Never forget to mention that I had one focused eye on RHR (Resting Heart Rate) which was very much under control!

	Ch3. I AM CLOSER TO THE LIFE:

Good morning Ahmedabad. Beautiful Saturday morning, beautiful sunrise at riverfront, Gandhi Ashram. Short run, stretching exercises and a lot of photographs. 

Bunmaska Masala chai, ummmmmmmmah..

Indeed a very good complimentary breakfast at the property, got ready for the predestined location called AKSHARDHAM.

 

Photos downloaded from BAPS Swami narayan Sanstha.

 Bhagwan Swamy Narayan temple, thought awakening place one must visit. Read and goan through all the wall posters and paintings, birth, life history, miracles, deep connection with living kind, human beings all touched my soul. Ifelt Im very closer to Life.

Sat there for sometime, bought autobiography book of Bhagwan Swamynarayan. Deep thoughts running in my mind. What is my existence?! what is my purpose?! Question is in mind for a decade.

Iam always driven by some force, very strong energy, unexplainable but felt every time, always puts me in right path, never allows me to commit any mistakes, it’s beyond my understanding and definitely I shall pen down some other time!

Evening accommodation with speedster Devatbhai Suresh Rathod. I was at most cautious and worried, not to disturb him when he decided to fly @ sub 4:00 pace the next day.

         

. …. Night before the race day:

Sub3 - 3:05:00 - 3:08:00 ??! 

. …. Saturday night, night before the race day.  Time is somewhere around 10:30 pm, (I do not check for the time when it’s late, reason being not to disturb the consciousness of not sleeping well) it’s a habit from childhood. 

Plan B was confirmed and my mind was riding a roller coaster. Trained best for 3:08:00 and rewriting the target is a very big question mark.

Fell faster sleep, did not forget to cross check alarm, race day fuels, BIB, attire etc.

 

Ch4. AHMEDABAD MARATHON: 

Race day; Got up early, 3:30am. First thing first -God-demigods- inner soul- Guru- salutation performed, washroom activities, foam rolling basic stretching, dal rice one full bowl and fueled well. Drove to the venue with speedster Tilak, denied driving cause last important task was still pending that’s, to set and reset the pace in watch. 19 kms drive, total focus. I wasn’t aware of surroundings created warm and strong AURA, set the watch @4:18-4:23 minutes/km

Decided 4:20 pace throughout till finish line, cross check done ✅. Did good warmup, drills, stretching, and started walking towards the start line. I was calm and relaxed, never anxious because I knew the race outcome!

 “You achieve what mind believes”

Bowed down to the ground, race started 3 minutes late. Initial pace was 4:25 for some distance. Felt it was too easy @4:20 pace, chanting mantra named “NEVER CARRIED AWAY”. Running with bunch of runners maintained same pace, @ the mark 21.1k I'm all alone, pitch dark, generator is on but no lights made me little worry about foot on potholes since my shoes were not uneven road friendly. Race was along the Narmada canal, 25km one stretch and come back to Shantigram Cricket stadium. In between pitch dark made me really scary, right side canal filled with flowing water, panicked situation in between (water phobia), while coming back on same road, couple of places potholes, really thanked with hands closed for taking care of me. Sunrise made me more energetic. Crossed 30km mark @ 2hr10min @ constant pace 4:20/km. Too good feel! Well maintained HR, muscles are still fresh, could take a deep and long breath. I was feeling i am back on track. 

“Mad mind was asking for sub3 at 2 hrs mark” I told him shut the ****up!

Every 20 minutes I was increasing the pace and speed  to assure not to  get into the process of musculoskeletal or neuromuscular accommodation.

Badly hit the half marathoners crowd, it didn’t slow me down but I lost lot of energy by asking for the way and navigating slow runners, joggers, walkers walking Shoulder to Shoulder. Lost my cool in between, controlling mind kept saying that what big I have to achieve?! ORGANIZERS SHOULD ACT SERIOUSLY UPON THE FEEDBACK BY THE MARATHONERS. Most serious runners cannot slowdown, they tend to bang slow runners  with the speed. I am worried about them, walkers and joggers. Please, organizers look into this.

My best time for the best effort, successfully chased the magical number 4:15 with the best time 3:02:25.                   

Best of the best in this season, this year. Sooooo many times controlling the pace to 4:20. Racing after a long 20 months, did not had a courage to push it harder than this.Never got carried away by the mind and crowd. Controlled pace through and through till the finish.

Followed best strategies for Pace, Gels and Hydration. Extremely Happy with the Run and the progress, SYSTEM CHECK IS DONE ✅. I know my next race pace and timing and I am very clear about it. Being a Physiotherapist, I Am quite experienced about strategically tightening and loosening with myself and with my clients performances.

I felt I Am theee best 😁 

 

Ch5. NOT ENDED YET!:

Guruvandane;
Rejoiced post run with the runners and PaceMaker packs, clicked many photos, surprisingly I stood 3rd  in my age category. PODIUM IN MY AGE CATEGORY IS MERELY A SURPRISE.

 

 

Thanks to Manasa Shetty for the breakfast arrangements even though we were late. Visited  Sabarmati Ashram, spent a good time, market for beautiful Bhandhani and relished Gujarathi cuisine and back to Namma Bengaluru, flight@9:30pm Sunday.

Soooooper doooooper run, sooooooooper and quality family time, what more I can ask for, I AM A HAPPY MAN! 

Always family first, Sri Gurubhyo namaha 🙏