shukriya ani meherbani

i would like to thank:

• the guru - because guru bina gatti nahin!
  
• my sister meezo for helping me break the inertia and also being a source of inspiration as she practiced what she preached
• the young (jurno) lass from jharkand for ensuring that the momentum did not die away and for enabling the once dormant power to dream
  
• dearest grand-mommy who as per instructions prayed for me and shared little moments of happiness
  
• dearest mommy for making me realize the importance of electrolytes thus helping me deal with cramps; her recommendation of coconut water and ORS were priceless
• dear flatmate n for taking the altered diet plan with loads of grace and suffered unending breakfasts of sprouts and also my ramble each morning after training
  
• dear friends j and n (again) for helping me with procurement decisions and also serving as mute sounding boards, patiently listening to my self evolved stratagems and counter-stratagems. j in his standard selfless style even lent me his cap for almost a month (which i never used eventually)
  
• cousin marry-am from across the globe for providing extremely valuable and tangible inputs (the pasta dinner advice for instance)
• mamu dear for his very practical one line advice "bus dheerey dheerey bhagna ... "
• my elder brother, sports mentor, most dependable coach for the enthusiasm in his voice when i told him about the run ... he might never know how infectious that spark was
• pops dear for his post run wisecracks and a little this a little that trademark talk
• r from the team whose sms provided cheer on the race day morning
• numerous residents of this great city who were out on the streets, cheering and encouraging ... that one random stranger whos "rukna mat, bus himmat rakh" remark still echoes
  
• prema aunty for just being around and ensuring that my running dress was washed daily, also i think she prayed for me when she went to church yesterday
  
• fayaaz bhai for bringing me back home and for playing those excellent qawallis; honest to god had he not agreed i doubt i would have gotten an auto
• youtube, for making available quite a few inspirational clips
  

thank you all. thank you very much!

1382's hero

Emil Zatopek

"Out of the silver heat mirage he ran. The sky burned, and under him the paving was a black mirror reflecting sun-fire. Sweat sprayed his skin with each foot strike so that he ran in a hot mist of his own creation. With each slap on the softened asphalt, his soles absorbed heat that rose through his arches and ankles and the stems of his shins. It was a carnival of pain, but he loved each stride because running distilled him to his essence and the heat hastened this distillation."
- James Tabor, from "The Runner," a short story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yIbsvMxTgQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d44tCjd6reg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFl829WefFQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmaAGDre-iU&feature=related

stumped at chinnaswamy

Life really is a never ending learning experience. I must have been 14 when i last went to a cricket stadium to see a match, its taken me as much time to become capable of appreciating the same. Then i had been foolish enough to conjure up an almost definitive opinion about the futility of such endeavors. It is reassuring to see opinions alter.

It was one hell of a crazy ride from leaving office to reaching the stands. It wasn't a packed house so we managed to get decent seats. Mesmerizing, that is what it was. Bathed in ethereal light the stadium was mantramughd-able, with the players clearly visible dressed in their sharp attire etching out the frame. The lens' limitation became so dramatically apparent, it would not be an exaggeration to say that poor cousin television shows us no more that a quarter of the actual match. There is a magic about the arena; teeming with spectators witnessing the spectacle of man in contest - little wonder the Romans took their sport and stadia so seriously!

The sound of the willow striking the leather, piercing through the din of cheers is etched in memory. The middle of the bat has the power to produce miracles.

A little note of concern: The authorities should make such events more spectator friendly, especially a concept like IPL, whose success rests upon involving the aam aadmi. If these stadiums were to invest in infrastructure, creating more comfortable seatings with well laid out aisles and walking bays coupled with good f&b services, i am certain they would make much more money. If airports can be privatized, stadiums most certainly should. However hats off to the junta who had come, it was one of the most well behaved and fun loving crowd i have ever seen - parents with little children, newly weds hand in hand, old couples dancing, a spirted group of sardars supporting Punjab in full gusto and a bunch foreigners figuring out cricket; what a delight it was to see such an assortment.

My two cents worth on IPL: With the way the teams are progressing the deciding factor for clinching this tournament is leadership. Never before has the role of the captain assumed such significance, with such a motley bunch of players nothing matters more. It is evident too, the teams leading right now have the most articulate and assertive leaders, Warne is doing a terrific job with his boys while Yuvi and Dhoni are marshalling well. The Mumbai team is really lucky as Bhajji's departure has resulted in Pollock assuming the reins and handling his bunch with great discipline. I guess it is now a wake up time for Dada, Laxman and Viru, lest the royals steal the cup away!