21.1 kms and 1 paper cup later…

Had a nice time at the Kaveri Trail Marathon – such a beautiful trail – I can’t believe I haven’t run so far! It was great to see so many smiling faces after a long time in a run.

Baring it on the Finish Line
Source – http://kaveritrailmarathon.com/gallery/2013/?show=3698

Bangalore runs are becoming very serious and competitive types. Not that this was any less competitive but there was such warmth in the air! 🙂 Extremely inspiring runners in the full marathon runners (also in the half marathon troupe). Some of them made running look so effortless – hope to get there sometime! :)) Rachel the lady who was the _winner_ today was like gliding along with hardly any pressure on the feet.

Thanks to Vijay High On Marathon for this capture! 🙂 Source – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=531001913641289&set=a.530999363641544.1073741837.380111958730286&type=1&theater

Lovely weather – I was almost tempted to stop and start clicking – anyways the barefoot shoes were a little painful today! 😀 All running was on forefoot today but had to walk a lot after 12th kilometer due to lot of discomfort in theleft leg. Towards the end around last 3 kilometers

I just got rid of the ear phones and the shoes, went to the stream dipped my legs in the cold water (what relief! :)) and ran – that was the best part of the half marathon today. The timing went for a toss but I improved on Auroville timing (3:15 mins). Need to work on that and importantly the comfort of the feet! :)) I am coming to believe that no shoes is the way to go.

That’s how you do it! 🙂

Karthik (in the pic this side <<<) did much better barefoot – ran most of the trail on forefoot and finished in under 3 hours! 🙂 I am thinking I will chuck shoes for running fully barefoot very soon! Already did a 5 km barefoot on tar. Might do the coming Wipro Spirit run 21K barefoot or at least in the Vivo shoes without the sleeve (the sleeve was a big mistake!!!).

Glad to see so many people turning to barefoot footwear. Saw at least 3 runners with no footwear! 😀 This is a healthy trend indeed. Shoe making companies will get into trouble and so will the doctors that recommend knee replacement like nobodies business (actually their business!!! :D).

Such a relief taking off the shoes at KTM!!! 🙂 Source: http://kaveritrailmarathon.com/gallery/2013/?show=3698

KTM and Auroville remain close to heart. Notes to self –

1. Carry a hydration bag – holding that one paper cup was not pleasant but later I figured just rotating it in the hand kept me going actually! 🙂
2. Reach start point on time and not rush through the start!
3. Eat healthy night before – ate some very delicious Andhra food at RRR – looks like they use soda in the unlimited meals. Lotsa trouble during the run! 😀

Look forward to clocking more miles err Smiles! 🙂

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