Going good

The alarm rang; it was 4 am. I woke up and got ready for another half marathon. I was waiting for this run for weeks. I got ready; pinned my bibs '187' on my chest, tied my running shoes. There was no rain and it was cloudy - the perfect weather for a run.

Early at 5, when I reached the Patan Durbar Square, I saw that a huge crowd had already gathered. I was among the many, many other runners, unlike in my office, where I am among a few runners. The vibes were incredible. Many were taking selfies in the middle of temples and old palaces. The running distance varies all the way from 1kms, 5 km, 10 km to 21.1 km. It was satisfying to see that the running culture is not only increasing but also exploding. I whispered my prayers to the gods around the square. The king, Yog Narendra Malla, was witnessing the event from the pillar at the centre.

I squeezed into the crowd at the starting line. I spotted some familiar faces; I knew no names of them, but I had met them in previous marathons. We wished each other. I was also happy to see my nephews, new runners, who had been practising for this day for months. They also had the same target, as I have, to complete within 2 hours.

The Lakhe dance and Dhime Baja fuelled the environment. I set my playlist. The crowd got excited as the countdown started: 5 - 4 - 3 - 2—and 1. The run began. The running shoes tumbled on the cobblestone and brick-paved courtyards.

We were soon on the streets. This time, I focused on my speed, not to over-exhaust myself at the initial stage. I had made such mistakes in the past, where I used up my energy in the beginning and was flat later. I let many runners overtake me. I kept my pace steady. Volunteers were helping us navigate through the roads and crossroads, with water and encouragement. They were helping stop vehicles at road junctions, prioritising runners, what an unusual event for Kathmandu.

The real runners surpassed us with the speed of a fighter jet. At the U-turn junction, they were returning much ahead. To console myself, I looked at many more who were behind me. Not as a pure completion, but we all are human. I continued my pace around 5-6/kms with difficulty. The playlist switches from 50 Cent to Rage Against the Machine to Hanumankind. The final few kilometres were the most difficult. I wanted to complete the run sub 2. The time was ticking, and the finish line was so close. The final push, and I crossed the line..exactly 1:59:12. :)

The feeling of accomplishment, I had my three personal records: fastest 5kms, 10 km and half marathon. I patted myself. I was better, better than my last run. I know - I can never win any of the races, but I can win my yesterday self.

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