Random hits on the keyboard

On 23 May, I ran another half-marathon, One Run.  Before the race, I carried some overconfidence. I have completed tougher races before; longer distances, harder elevations and more painful conditions. Somewhere in my mind, I see myself completing the distance without much difficulty. But running has a way of correcting assumptions and teaching life lessons. The morning was beautiful. Familiar runners gathered around the start line, all in the orange t-shirts. I felt the same enthusiasm and energy as in previous races. One thing I love about the running community is that it feels less like competition and more like a reunion. And then the race started, with the  Lakhe dance and Dhime drums. For the first few kilometres, my confidence remained intact. My pace felt controlled, and my breathing was normal. But somewhere halfway, my breathing started to go heavy. The Sun started to burn my confidence. Experience helped, but it did not ease much.  That realisation became ...

The Kantipur Half Marathon, held on May 31, is one of the most anticipated runs in Kathmandu. I was privileged to be among the runners. As always, the environment was energetic. Although the weather was less ideal, the majority of the runners were participating for fun. I met many of my friends, and I met many familiar faces at the starting point. The drones were hovering above us, and cameras were surrounding us. It was live on national TV, and it was lively.  There were some mismatches. The inauguration by the Prime Minister was a bit of a disappointment. Any sports person would have been a better choice to kick off the run. The PM made the runners wait. He was not on time. He came 17 minutes late. Furthermore, he arrived in the long car convoy. The slogan 'let's run for greener tomorrow' was an unnoticed joke. The crowd was not impressed. They (we) boo the PM. He was about to further delay with his speech, but the crowd was visibly annoyed. The funniest and embarrassing ...

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 mara...

This past Saturday, I achieved another milestone in my running. I’m incredibly proud to complete a half marathon in under two hours. Not only was it my fastest half marathon, but I also broke my personal bests for 5K and 10K distances along the way and I’m thrilled to call it an achievement. The event, titled “Run for Protein,” was a lively gathering of thousands of runners across eight different race categories. I didn’t know much about the organizers, I joined purely for the joy of running. In fact, I barely knew anyone at the event, but that didn’t matter. What I truly loved was meeting other running enthusiasts—each one had their own drive to be there. The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, filled with runners spanning every age group, from energetic kids to seasoned athletes (and yes, older participants like me). At 6 in the morning, there were Zumba warm-up sessions, police music bands and cultural dances. The crowds and the noise heated the environment in the cold morning....

It was an incessant rain on 28 September 2024, the whole night and day. Kathmandu started to flood. I have never seen the Bagmati River this angry. According to the Meteorology department, this was a record-high rain in 24 hours in Kathmandu, which far exceeded expectations. Bagmati River rose up to the bridge. All houses and roads on the bank of the river were flooded. The rest of the roads in Kathmandu were quiet, whereas the roaring Bagmati continued to sweep away squatters and people. Little out of the perimeter of Kathmandu Valley, the landslide on the highway swept three vehicles killing at least 35 people. The total death has crossed 200 and the numbers continue to rise. Thousands of people were stranded on the highways, without support. It was a disaster in the true sense. Despite this, the race continued. The Kathmandu Marathon organizers decided to go ahead. The reporting time was 04:30 hrs. I woke up and got ready. It was raining. My son was supposed to run 5k but I stopped ...

I have a desire to achieve another milestone. I signed up for the Kantipur Half Marathon. I had never attempted that long run. 21.1 km is a long distance, and I am less excited and more nervous.  On 18 May, I got myself ready. I tied my running shoes and reached Thapathali. The Prime Minister shot into the air to start the run. I ran through the crowd. The runners of 5km and 7 km sprinted ahead of me. I monitored my Garmin to make sure that I wasn't running too fast. I had a long way to run. By 6 km, I was already tired. I used to run more than this without feeling fatigued. I continued slowly. By the time I crossed 8 km, I saw the real runners returning from the midpoint. Oh, they're like superhumans. I trudged through the vehicle exhaustions until I finally reached the midpoint. Pausing for a moment, I took a leisurely walk and replenished myself with some much-needed hydration. My journey from Kathmandu to Bhaktapur was difficult and a return trip was going to be more diffic...