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5th August, 2015: It had been raining the previous evening and I was biting my nails if I’d be able to test my newly honed running skills the next morning.
The last few anxious hours of the night gave way to a sparkling Sunday morning. The skies were clear and the spirits high. The venue was the Manyata Embassy Tech Park, Hebbal, which boasts superb connectivity from all parts of the garden city.
The temperature was a pleasant 21°. An avid runner couldn’t have asked more from Mother Nature . The race began as scheduled, at 6.00AM. I could start only 3 minutes later, courtesy a brief warm up. I was running the open 10k, my 5th run so far. Runners were still pouring in in droves and the enthusiasm of runners was only going higher.
The track was a little slushy at places, but mostly even. Lush greenery greeted us all through the run on either sides of the lane. Security guards kept a strict vigil to avoid any untoward incidents – mostly involving the vehicles that had to enter and exit the tech-park and criss-cross with the run-route. They made sure no runner was disturbed, and we were able to run undisturbed.
At about 1.3km milestone, a water station was installed, serving enerzal and water. Post this point, the track grew wider and exposed us to a plethora of IT-companies and their exotic campuses.
Children as young as 5-years-old were bursting with energy, ready to finish their 5k runs. This was my first run, however. Expats from various countries made sure this run was not just a national event, but an international one.
The 50-year-olds at the run put any 20-something to shame with their sheer speed and stamina. This highlights how highly health is perceived by people all over the world, of all demographics. The run was diverse in every sense of the word.
Close to the 3km mark came the cheering station holding banners, offering adrenalin-pumping high-fives, and a huge shout out to all runners. Acknowledgement and appreciation go a long way in aiding any athlete to complete his/her run successfully. The cheering stations made sure the early-risers of the day got their dose of encouragement as they neared the first lap of the 10k run.
The photographers left no stone unturned to make sure the athletes felt like real celebrities.
The 10k runners had to complete 2 laps of 5km each. The best runner in 10k clocked a timing of 33 minutes. Salute to army-man Harish Negi and his endurance. The best finisher in 5k category clocked a timing of 15mins which was simply unimaginable.
The Puma run just keeps getting better every year with such accolades added to its kitty. Post finishing, everyone was served nutritious breakfast and the delight of every finisher, the finisher medal was received by everyone with great honor and pride much akin to military titles.
It was the perfect start to a perfect Sunday, all thanks to Puma-Bangalore organizers. Hoping for a better and more enriching event next year.
