Report: Kaveri Trail Marathon (KTM) 2013 Half Marathon

I was feeling good. First kilometer at 5 minute pace and then we took it up to a 4:30 pace. And we stuck to that pace for the next 4 km. But after the 5th km is when the drama began – it started with slow cramps and a feeling of the legs being heavy. I could not keep up my pace, the same pace that I had sustained for 42.2K only two weeks back, and I just could not keep it up.

Anil looked at me quizzically and tried to goad me on. I tried to pull. I just could not. As I looked beside me, Shweta ran past. I willed my legs to move but alas! They wouldn’t. I looked at Anil and asked him to carry on. My new plan was a simple one, just do what you can. And so I continued – I tried to stick to the 5 minute pace. It seemed too hard. Slowly, my pace dropped to 6 minutes to 7 minutes and I couldn’t do anything about it. I felt helpless – I have never felt so helpless before.

Around the 8K mark, I saw Vaishali overtake me with ease. Watching her strong stride filled me with a sense of pride – to know that this will be one of the first few Indian women running for the Indian tricolor at Boston in 2014. For a minute, I contemplated quitting the race and walking back to the start line – but then I decided against it.

For me, it was time to put my ego aside and complete this race to the best of my ability, and so I did. I continued my super-slow pace and had so many runners run past me, some cheering me on, some looking on quizzically. I soon reached the half way point i.e the U-turn to start back.

Not bad, I just need to plod on for that much more was what I thought. Around the 11.5K mark, I was honestly tired of my pace, it was just so slow! So, I decided to pick it up. I ran the next 2 kms at a 4 minute pace and that felt good. But those 2 km did all the damage possible – my knees and feet started screaming out in pain, my cramps kicked back in, and then began the longest 8 km yet.

I started walking – I don’t think I have walked so much in any race. The only time I have actually walked in a race was a year back at the KTM and that was because it was my first ever 21.1K distance, and that race saw me walk way lesser than what I walked this Sunday gone by.

By the 15 km mark, I had decided that there was no way I could pick up my pace, but a 6 minute slow jog was a possibility and would take me through to a sub 2-hour finish. I was not tired and had all the energy on this planet, but my legs were not supporting me.

So, I did what I do second best, I jogged slowly and cheered the other runners on. Chatting them up, motivating them and pulling them to the finish line for a sub 2-hour finish. I had fun, to say the very least. I also had all my favourite photographers in general and Vijay in particular screaming out my name, nudging me to the finish line with the biggest smiles on their face.