Mumbai Half Mooathon
Hi there!
A few weeks into my rotation here in Mumbai I decided to sign up for a half marathon with Rashmi. I have always loved running and I knew it would help me focus my energy on something outside of work here. Over the past couple of months I have been running at least 4 days a week and my Saturday mornings have started with a long run. This wasn't my first rodeo because I have run three other half marathons in the U.S., so I was not concerned with my ability to complete the race. Instead, I was more unsure about what the weather had in-store on race day.
The half marathon was called the "Monsoon Madness" race because they schedule it with the anticipation of heavy rains. Normally running in the rain is not a great experience, but the heat in Mumbai makes running in the pouring rain seem like a walk in the park.
I woke up at 3:45am on race day hoping it would be raining outside. Unfortunately, it was humid and already in the 80s. Rashmi picked me up and we drove to the race site. It took place in Aarey Dairy Colony and the roads there are all dirt and the paths were dark. I was telling her how the race packet warned of milk traffic and saying that I did not know what they meant when we nearly hit a cow in the road. We swerved to avoid the big cow and continued on our way.
It was still completely dark out when we began the race. One notable difference between half marathons in India vs. half marathons in the U.S. is that here, the races are about running. There were no DJs or major events. Instead, the focus is on the open (and pothole-ridden) roads ahead of you. No one listens to music, there are no fancy water stations or markings along the course.
I spent the run being cheered on by cows, birds, crabs, goats, and dogs. It was truly an incredible experience where I was completely immersed in the nature around me. The entire course was, as I said, dirt roads. They were completely full of holes and rocks and mostly uphill. It was unlike any other course I have ever run. Additionally, the 84% humidity was brutal. The road was not closed off, so it was probably for the best that people did not listen to music. There were buses and trucks coming around turns. It definitely kept me on my toes for many reasons.
Aside from oncoming traffic and cows, another reason I was on my toes is because the path was utterly confusing. There were signs with numbers on them that I assumed were marking the distances that we had run in the race, but boy was I wrong. We were instructed to turn around at a sign that said "10.55 km". One would assume that meant that we were halfway through the race. Going that distance in that time is possible for me if the race is flat and weather is ok, so I thought maybe I was having a great day. Then, from there we were told to run back to the finish. Excited by the fact that I was half-way, I was completely energized. I ran through the finish line with a person holding medals right in front of me. She did not, to my surprise, give me a medal. Instead she told me "turn around".
That's right. I was told to turn around and keep running with no guidance as to where I would be turning back around or ending the race. For any runners out there, that is a complete brain buster. Running is more mental than it is physical and the mental portion of my run was turned upside down with that turn. After running for another half an hour I asked someone on the course how much longer and they told me 1 km. Turns out, it was 7 km. Luckily for me they had Parle G biscuits along the route and I ate a pack of those to keep me going!
Nothing was sweeter than running BACK through the finish line. Everyone in the race had a much slower time than I am accustomed to in the United States because the course was so rough. It was almost like a Tough Mudder combined with a half marathon. I found out that I came in 4th for women overall and 26th in my age group. My timing was not my personal best, but I was focused on just finishing the run once I saw the course!
Regardless of the chaos, I am so thankful that I completed the race. It was the cherry on top of an absolutely incredible rotation here and allowed me to spend time with my thoughts (some of them angry post-turnaround) and India.
Cheers,
B
Milk traffic in the flesh
Post-race
Serious side eye happening
With Rashmi after the race