A tale of 2 medals - Bengaluru Midnight Marathon 2024 and Vidyashilp Academy Sports

Build up: In hindsight, the injury from the fateful accident that I expected to recover in 2 weeks, took all of 22 months to finally give me a full marathon fitness. Over the months, the 'hustle' has been constant - first to get back mobility, then strength, then aerobic capacity, proprioception - it's been two steps forward, one step back over month after each month. But the hustle has been constant.

The Geelong half marathon in March this year, during a trip down under was well under target, the recovery was painstaking.

In May, I took part in a month long step challenge, making 26000+ steps per day in a slow shuffle. Then in Sep and then Oct, I ran an average 9 and 10kms per day. This gave me the confidence to include the weekly long run and some speed workouts.

About then, Rotary Club reached out to my employer, to consider sending a team of runners to participate in a "all proceeds go for charity" Bengaluru Midnight Marathon. About 25 of my colleagues expressed interest in the 5k, I felt I was ready for a full marathon.

I started incorporating the Yasso's 800s into my runs. One day an email from my kids school announced their Sports day and a 1500m "long" distance run for parents. I was unsure of how this 1500m morning run on the same day as the midnight marathon will play out overall, but this was a perfect chance to show the kids the 'art of possible'. I checked with them, and they emphatically said they wanted me to register.

And so it happened, that I would run a 1500m race in the morning and within 15hours get to the start line of a midnight marathon!

Strategy, Execution and Outcome

1500m race

With my kids looking on from the stands, this was a high pressure race for me. As I was warming up, I sized up the competition. I met RC, an alum of the school and a track athlete in his school days. We made some broad pacing plan - deciding to be on pace from the go and build a strong lead getting into the 4th lap. I knew from my training in Kanteerava stadium, that I was able to hold a 4min/km pace and suggested RC keep a 3:40 pace. I warmed up a bit, to ensure that I don't start with a 'cold' knee.

Two categories (above 40 and below - male) were combined together in an open start. As we took the first corner, RC & I were in 2nd and 3rd position and my Garmin was showing a blistering 2:50/km pace. Too fast. As I came into the next bend, I shouted "3:30 pace" to RC and that we needed to slow down. He was focussed on the parent in the lead, we decided to take him in the 3rd lap and to keep steady the next 2 laps.

In the second lap, I moved ahead of RC into the 2nd position and continued to reduce the gap to the 1st. In the third lap, now with a steady breathing rhythm, I was in earshot of the lead runner. I could hear his heavy breathing and passed him in good form. By this time, the cheers from the stands had reached high decibels.

I felt the rush, as the bell sounded the last lap. At the final corner, the kids were screaming out loud. As I ran down the final stretch I pointed to my kids in the stands and upped the pace. One mis-step, oops, but recovered quickly to pass the finish line with "rizz".

I stopped the clock at 5:22 - a proud moment for me and my kids!!

Next up - Bengaluru Midnight Full Marathon

I joked that this 42.2k would be easier than the 1500m - this was a no time pressure run. I toyed around with a sub-4hr possibility, had decided to keep to a sub-4 pace for the first half and then take it as it comes.

A few of colleagues were running the 5k starting at 6:30PM. I made my way to the start line with them for the photo-op. I then headed to a cousin's flat nearby for some BBB dinner and feet-up time.

The midnight marathon is conducted in Whitefield and since its inception in 2007 (read my race report from the archives), it is run in a 5k loop x 8 times! The traffic is blocked, there are some festivities and music, the loops come and go quickly - I like the model.

I sat quietly through the warm up - half anxious, half nervous. There were just a couple of familiar faces at the start line. Gul, the race director, gave instructions, "Each lap is 5.274km, you have to run 8 laps, if you forget how many laps you have done, take a look at the race time clock and calculate". This drew some laughs at the start line.

The full and half marathons started within 10mins of each other and must have had 500 participants in all.

Within the first km, Satish (who runs a self supported 100miler every year with a friend, Jay) joined me. We quickly realized we had similar finish goals and decided to stay together. For the next 4 laps, we did just that - sometimes a little ahead of pace, sometimes behind but keeping a healthy average - 28:38, 29:03, 26:06, 27:49 for the 4 laps.

I had to take a long 'one' break and a short 'two' break which turned out to be a 'fart' alarm, but didn't lose time (remember how some fans timed Paula Radcliffe's portaloo break during a race).

I expected the HMers and faster FMers would be done with their race by 3hours and then the last hour would have very few runners on course. By the 4th lap, Satish had also fallen behind and I was preparing myself for a lonely night ahead.

But then, Manju popped up - he had finished his HM with a personal best time of 1:27 and decided to join me for a lap or two. This was his way of returning a favour - he was a part of my 3:45 pacing bus a good 6-7years back!

We chatted a bit and held pace and before I knew that lap was over - 27:41

I knew if I was able to keep pace for the next lap, I would have enough in the bank for the last 2 to come in under 4hours.

On the 6th lap, I had a gel which I had hidden on the course. Manju was on and off, but helped me with some plain water to pour upon my head and mixed some salt in water at one of the aid stations, he then decided to call it a day. 6th lap in 28:02

I began to break the remaining 2 laps now into sections and despite a higher perceived effort still managed to keep pace. 7th lap in 28:29

By now, I had 12mins in the bank - meaning, I could finish the 5k in 40mins and still be under 4hours for the marathon! I found no reason to slow down and kept steady. 8th lap in 28:56

And that is how I finished my first marathon in 673 days in 3h:45m - finishing strong and managing a steady pace right throughout.

Yes, my last full marathon distance was on 11 Jan 2022, a self supported run to Nandi hills. Who would have thought it would take me 21months after that fateful accident to run my first marathon.

I am filled with gratitude for this opportunity to relive the feeling all over again. Thank you for your support!