- Miles:
- 7709 total / 698 in 2012
- Goal:
2012: FM time < 4:45. Maintain ~174lbs. Swim2K_b4Dec'12. Live Happy, Healthy, Smiling, and Fit :-)
Yogesh Rao ran: There are good days, ...
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- 27 miles
- 05:24 time
- 12:02 pace
- 3361 calories
- details
There are good days, so-so days, and days that you just want to forget. Barefeet, Tooth-ache, Fall, Terrible knee pain, and a missed shuttle bus summarize my Auroville Marathon experience. It took a complete replay of the movie, "Death before dishonour" in my brain to avoid a "DNF"! In fact, brain kept screaming "Semper Fi" all along.
A nagging tooth-ache I had gotten checked by a dentist on Friday became unbearable enroute to Pondicherry. The eight hour journey was filled with misery and pain that went up and down the brain. I took Combiflam 500mg which did not stop the pain. I called up my dentist when the pain became unbearable. He prescribed 2 X 100 mg Nimesulide (thank god, this is not banned in India). The pain became numb enough for me to consider running the marathon the next morning.
Reached Auroville, picked up the bibs, and met the star of that evening, Barefoot Ted (from Born to Run). Nice guy and President of Luna Sandal company. He was telling us how his Luna sandals were close to Tarahumara Huaraches in our 1:1 conversation, He also gave us a 45 minute address after our 1:1. I was undecided about running with barefoot with my Vibrams. I made up my mind after listening to Ted and decided to run with my VFF.
The shuttle bus was supposed to be at the hotel at 3:50am. I was out at 3:49am, but the bus had already departed. Just as I was cursing myself for not getting ready 5 minutes early, a few Mumbai runners were getting ready to leave from Ginger hotel. They were kind enough to invite me to join them from Pondi to Auroville. So, nice of them. Thanks Mumbai Runners!
The run started off at 5AM. Understanably, it was dark for the first 1hr30mins. There was a sharp right turn at the 9th km point. Just as I turned, my left feet tripped on something (guessing it was uneven ground). Next thing I know I was on the ground, but on the way down my right knee hit something (do not know what it was). I was more shocked than in pain. Walked for 4 minutes and restarted running with a niggle in my right knee.
Finished the first half in about 2 hrs. That's when my troubles really started. I stopped at a water stop and had some electrol. I was unable to resume running. My right knee was hurting and as much as I tried to restart running, I just could not as it hurt real bad. So, walked for half hour (about 6kms) and was able to restart a jog at 8.6kmph. Jaikant K. who was also running barefeet soon caught up with me and we jogged together for about 2 kms. We took another break at the 32nd KM point and THAT WAS IT. I just could not find my feet after that. I walked most of the rest of the distance (spare about 2 kms).
All said and done, I completed the freaking marathon on my feet. But, boy this will go down my memory lane as something that I would much rather forget (but I know I won't).
My hall of shame: http://connect.garmin.com/splits/149286612
Sorry about the trouble, Yogesh, but congratulations on finishing the marathon in spite of all this.
That said, a 5:24 FM is something that I would be proud of, if I could do it :-)
BTW, how did you walk 6 km in half an hour? Typo?
4 months ago • Like • 1 person
It's events like these that'll make you stronger. Great guts to finish in spite of all the hardships!
4 months ago • Like
I agree with Arvind!!! Amazing determination :)
4 months ago
Hats off Yogesh.
4 months ago • Like
Awesome run Yogesh with all the pain.
4 months ago
Amazing determination Yogesh!
4 months ago
sorry to hear.....hats off for your completion
4 months ago
Great run and your effort, Yoge-san!
4 months ago • Like
It needs an amazing willpower to go on.. Hats off.
4 months ago • Like
woah... thats such an intense marathon.... falling during the 1st few km can be quite a shock, i experienced it myself at the Ultra. Glad u kept at it and finished in pretty good time.
hope u are feeling all well now.
4 months ago
Ashwatha, Arvind, Sabine, Pani sir, Sudhindra, Brijesh, Anil, Honda-saan, Kirtan, and Ridhima: Thank you all very much.
Ashwatha: I got 3kms, 1/2 hour, 6kms, and 1 hour mixed up in my brain. My hall of shame is at: http://connect.garmin.com/splits/149286612.
Ridhima: I was thinking about you when I fell. It some how made it easier knowing someone had finished despite the fall.
4 months ago • Like
Awesome determination!!! Just to finish the run with all that you went through is great..
4 months ago
Wow! You are a great athlete! :+)
4 months ago
Great run and awesome effort Yoesh !!! Congratulation.
4 months ago
Awesome tale of a determined runner!! 3 cheers
4 months ago • Like
You should start with a warning message in the beginning of the post with something like "If you read this you will never have a good excuse for DNF!" :)
4 months ago
It was very inspiring to see you to continue walking in spite off all the trouble you had during the run..takes some courage to finish the marathon when things don't exactly go as per plan but hats off to you sir..you are a fighter
4 months ago
Rajesh, Henrik, and Sunil, Thanks!
Henrik: Thanks for the nice words...I know how strong a runner you are.
Sunil: Congrats on your first full marathon. I hope you celebrated it well with your family.
4 months ago • Like
Eh! I wrote out one long congrats note and it vanished :) Anyways, Congrats. I saw you as you finished this one, despite all your pain and your fall, you finished with a smile. You are a Guru and a true source of inspiration for so many of us. Well done.
4 months ago
Thanks Vasumathi! Avalavu aethathinga pa. Angendu kilay vilunda vali thanga mudiyadu :-)
4 months ago • Like
cant be worse than a RCT. So chill :P
4 months ago • Like • 1 person
Awesome! After the race when talking to you, you appeared pretty cool and there was no hint about all this suffering!!
4 months ago
Thanks Venkat. When the run was over, all I felt was relief that the run was over :-) You caught me at a good time.
4 months ago • Like
Hats off to ur spirit and determination. This is something I would be proud of...cheers and happy feet for more.
4 months ago • Like
somehow missed u Yogesh at the Auroville ....but even with those tragedies...you did a pretty good job....cheers....By the way was it 43.32k...or you did u include a pre- and a post- marathon warm up/down too.
4 months ago • Like
Congratulations Yogesh. A job well done, running barefeet in trails is tricky and difficult and you have done very good. A hall of fame I must say !
4 months ago
Priya, Rajesh, and Neeraj: Thanks for those kind words!
Rajesh: The Auroville organizers got the distance markers wrong. All our Garmins registered at least 0.75kms more.
4 months ago • Like
Remember it for the grit and determination and learn lessons for what not to do. Remember also the kind aid station families and the ambience, you can go back and exorcise the Auroville ghost next year. I will meet you there at the finish then. Cheers!
4 months ago • Like
Vishu sir: Yes, Auroville is indeed a great place to run in. It's a lesson on doing more with less. They charged us Rs.400 for the registration and provided us with so many things - t-shirts, water, electrol, chocolates, bananas, biscuits, and much more. Made me wonder if they were able to cover the cost of organization. Auroville folks rock!!!
4 months ago • Like