Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024

Race category: FM (42.195 kms)

Timing: 04:56:52

It's with a mixed feeling I'm writing this post as I'm glad I could complete my 2nd marathon but at the same time sad that I couldn't produce a PB.

Well, here are few highlights:

• A strange thing happened after the 37th mark i.e. Peddar road; I was able to run quite fast and maintain a good pace for 3 kms, but last 2 kms were terrible as I walked most part of it.
• My plan was to run at constant pace between 6:25 - 6:30 to achieve somewhere at 4h 30m mark. I could achieve that till about 30 kms mark but after that I somewhat slowed down.
• Due to all this, including the Peddar elevation, I clocked about 11 mins slower than my 1st FM which I ran last year at TMM itself.
• During that last mile when I realized I couldn't achieve my PB, there was a feeling of taking it slow to avoid any strains or injuries. Not entirely sure if that was a right approach though. (Mind plays games during those phases, isn't it?!)
• I'm still uncertain why I slowed down during 32-36 kms mark when I could run faster during 38 - 40 kms mark.
• Post run, I felt comparatively better than what my state was the previous year. So my core & strengthening workouts would've worked well there.

That's about it. 

Not completely happy about it, but I found solace in my team captain's wise words:

"We have reached a state where running a full marathon successfully isn't an achievement anymore. We are looking to get fitter and finishing faster. And that is progress!"

Wipro Bengaluru Marathon 2023

Race Category: HM

Timing: 02:12:41

Happy to announce I recorded my HM PB in this 2023 edition of Bengaluru Marathon. Well, the race route was changed compared to previous years and I liked this one better.

Due to good taper and rest in last couple of weeks, I was able to pick up a faster pace than intended quite effortlessly. There was a slight hesitation in maintaining that faster pace initially as I was afraid that I might run out of gas towards the end. But since I couldn't really stop myself I decided to go with the flow. At the end of 16th km mark I was still happy with a good pace, but boy!, the 17th km was a killer. Took like forever to complete that. I was kinda tired for next 2 kms; may be, missing those gym strengthening sessions proving to be costly. Somehow managed to finish bit strong at the end. 

Crossing that finish line with the realization that I've improved my previous PB set way back in 2018 by 3 minutes gave a sense of accomplishment.

Now, onto the TMM 2023 preparation.

HM races summary over the years.

Bengaluru 10K challenge 2023

Race category: 10K

Timing: 00:56:33

After coming back from EBC trek, I could manage only 4 runs in last 4 weeks running 3k, 5k, 5k & 9k i.e. 1 run each week. And this insufficient preparation was  something which I wasn't really happy about.

So I had only one target in mind on the morning of this race; finish the race with a  sub-60 timing.

Well later into the race, after crossing the 6 kms mark in 32 odd minutes, I was feeling good and there was this 1 km stretch with a good elevation ahead and I said to myself, finish up this km steadily and then lets push a little harder. I could do that and in fact finished the last km with a good timing of 5:17 and hence finishing up with a PB timing of 56:33, which is an improvement by 13 seconds achieved earlier this year. It was a strong finish with a good sprint in last 200-300 mts.

That's the story; be positive and keep on improving.

10K race summary over the years.