An Incondite Adventure: First Race in India

Sunday, October 23, 2016

First Race in India

I don't usually write about half marathons. Hell, I don't usually run them. But since was my first race in India, I felt it worthy of a post.

I should have expected something from my registration. It took me 30 min to get down there, 2 min for the packet pick up, and an hour 20 back (thank you very much Uber).

Bathroom lines...what lines? Apparently you just push your way to the front and hold your ground. Sanity eventually prevailed. (Sanitation, on the other hand...)

Most people's preferred method of warm up was dancing or imitating a seizure. Except for the dance party Zomba that broke out. The music was totally inappropriate for 4:45 am and I mean that in a couple of ways. First, it was pumped to about 1 am levels in Ibiza. I hope no one lives near here. Also, content. I arrived to the repeated phase of "Who the @#$% is (indiscernible name)" blasting over the holding pen.

I experienced plenty of smells and sites on the run. Some notables:

I saw about 50-60 men for every woman; clearly there is a gap.
About 400 cars and motorcycles came into the running lane, most of them head on.
One guy stopped at 16K, went down into a sprint start position, and took off. (Later that same guy ran into me as he danced around a corner. And after that he sprinted up to me then stayed with me at a pace too much for him until an ambulance wailed up and he stopped to jump in with an apparent knee "injury."
A pack of stray dogs surrounding and harassing a group of "stray" pigs
About 300 garbage-munching pigs
A cow with a rack of horns so large it couldn't walk up the street

Kept it smart as I am not in much shape. Pollution was bad. Rolled pretty even 5Ks except for the final 3k where I pushed it up just a bit. 1:32 flat. I feel like I am finally getting back into running, although still a far cry from where I was.

Which post-race meal should I have first? Maybe the tin of rice? How about that white bread fish sandwich? Maybe the pack of green liquid that was open in the bag? Or the chai, ginger buttermilk? I at the cupcake - the only thing that was sealed.