Last year I started going to marathons. Specifically the Juhu Marathon which has a dream run leg of 4 kms. This was my second year attending and I arrived early at the venue with Harshaja, who was considerably more enthusiastic about the whole thing than I was.
The Venue
The marathon took place at Jamnalal School grounds — the seventh year of the event. Over a thousand participants had registered for the dream run category alone. Even though the event was organised by the Rotaract Club, there were other sponsors and communities participating as well, which gave it a proper festival feel.
The Run
Calling it a “run” is generous. What actually happened was a scramble very much like the one you do to catch a train on a crowded station — hustling and bustling, dodging other folks, trying to find your stride in the gaps between people.
It reminded me of commuting to various corners of Mumbai as a kid: the same cheerful chaos, the same feeling of being part of something larger than yourself, except here nobody was checking your pass.
Why I Keep Going
My personal performance is nothing to write home about. But that is not the point. The point is to take a positive step towards health and to keep showing up. I’ll be back next year.