Yeah, the tag line goes along very well with the Deccan Chronicle 10k run and if you have any questions why it is being mentioned on mnagomandiaries the answer is simple, it was race for the common people and they made it successful. People from all walks of life, all age groups, men, women, kids thronged the People's Plaza today morning to be a part of it.
Now, let me share my experience. From the past two weeks I was planning to start jogging. Every day I used to wake up at 6 am put away the alarm and sleep again. It was just not happening or it seemed that my blanket was warmer than the air outside.
Today, it was different. Don't know what propelled me to actually wake up at 4 am in the morning, get ready and reach People's plaza by dot 5 am. The air was cool but I was feeling good. The party was just beginning, the atmosphere around was getting electrified. The stage was set, DJ was ready and people had started pouring in. I got my runners kit and moved towards the holding area. There were two categories - the 10k and the 7k run. These two categories were again subdivided into - the elite and the fun & corporate runners. I was running for the 10k fun run.
The race was flagged off at around 6:30 am. The 10k route was a complete tour of Hussain Sagar, starting from People's Plaza going towards NTR gardens/Lumbini park. From there to Gems street via Tank Bund and then coming back to Necklace Road. The 7k route was just the necklace road, starting at People's Plaza going towards Yogibear park and coming back.
I started good, small steps slowly paced and went on for about two kms which was till Lumbini park. There they had kept water for all runners. I stopped to get water and that was it. My legs they were not listening to me. I told them to run and they said we will walk. I said run, they said walk and so our fight continued for about a km and half. Finally, I was able to force them to run. But as if it was destiny and there came another water stop and they stopped. I said no, we don't need water but they refused and forced me to get another bottle. Then they walked for another km. But now I was more determined to make them run and made sure that they run. I reached 6 km mark and the legs said "Come On! man!! you can't expect us to run all 10k in one shot that too when you don't wake up regularly and let us exercise". I thought that was right it was not there fault and gave them a break. Slowly, along with the flow I reached 9km mark and then I told them guys its the last km come on lets do it. Let's push ourselves for just one 1 km and they agreed though not readily and I finished my 10k. I knew from the start that I could complete the race but it took too much of time, one hour and 40 mins to be precise. The elite runner who won gold medal for 10k finished it in just 30 mins.....huh. God only knows what he had for breakfast.
The good thing about the race was the enthusiasm of the participants. I saw kids aged 8-10 years running along with their parents. I saw men and women in their 50s and 60s running. It was an awesome crowd. People from everywhere, the locals, the corporates and there were even a few visitors(I think they must be the corporate clients visiting their Hyderabad offices). There were police personnels, newly recruits, NSS/NCC cadets, students from different schools.....wow. There were hunks adding to the glamor quotient of the race and then there were beauties raising the already heated mercury. It was an extraordinarily amazing experience for me. This was almost after three and half years that I was participating in any such race, that too on such scale. It is going to take quite long for the feeling to sink in and surely the memory is going to last long.
However, I still have one small complaint with the people of Hyderabad. They were running for a cause. "Run for Fun, Run for your city" that was the tag line. But people remain people they simply don't understand simple things. When you drink water and empty your bottles, those need to be put in the dustbins after they are used. But it seems nobody had time to put those empty bottles in the dustbins. After the first water stop at Lumbini park I saw a huge line of bottles spread along the entire tank bund stretch. But there is always a ray of hope and saw it too. Of all the people I saw this young lady who took the water bottle, waited near the dustbin till she finished it, put it in the dustbin and then moved ahead. Salutes to her. If only other people also could think equally logically.
At the end I would say, it was great great experience and a lot of thanks to Deccan Chronicle and its associates for organizing the entire event so nicely.
