Book excerpt: The Running Soul
05 Mar 2015
Sunday: 5.25 am
The holding area is full of runners of all ages, shapes and sizes: some young guns, a lot of middle-aged ones and a big bunch of seniors. To an observer, this scene would resemble a circus! A gathering of men and women in extremely brightly coloured clothes (plenty of neon!), a lot of people wearing Spandex and looking like trapeze artists! Everyone is in motion, some warming up and stretching. Drinks of all colours are being passed around, hi-fives and cries of ''all the best'' fill the quiet air of the morning.
This is a happy group, united in their mission, having shared the misery of training, who will strive to complete the whole distance of the marathon to the best of their ability. One goal. Five thousand people.
It is still dark. Lights flicker around us like fireflies and thee is a nip in the air. Heads bob around us as we slow jog towards the start to take our places. These are the last, most unnerving five minutes before the race begins.
The glorious and emblematic train station, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, or Victoria Terminus, towers above us in her full glory. A UNESCO world heritage site, the Lady of Progress holds her torch atop the central dome and various celebrities on the podium flag us off.
The loudspeaker is blaring: the countdown begins: 10-9-8…2-1! The SCMM 2014 has officially begun!
Groups A and B head out. We follow after at three-minute delay and we run. We run like a herd of cattle that has been let loose after being imprisoned for a year. We are finally on our way, eager to show the world what we are made of.
Race day wakes me up. It reminds me that I can train till I know the roads like the back of my hand, but at some point I have to go for it. For real.
As we begin to run, the strains of the national anthem are in the air and a lump wells up in my throat. It is an emotional moment. This is the culmination of our efforts of over six months to a year, a year of purely self-inflicted pain and hardship. All that sweat and anguish has come down to these few hours.
This is the end of the road, whatever the result; I head out into the unknown, filled with faith in myself and in my training.
Yes, even though his is my third marathon, it still feels like am running into the unknown, because each race is different, just as each day is different. Most importantly, I am a different person. I am a year older with experiences that changed me.
It is a glorious day and I feel invincible.
I am running with faith that I can make it happen and with confidence that it is my day. With the belief that I can do it.
I will do it.
(See interview: An Architect's journey from the sole to her soul)
