I applied for the "lottery draw" of the Berlin Marathon 2023, with registration starting in October 2022. At that point, I had no plans for a Full Marathon. I wasn't physically or mentally prepared. In 2022, I was recovering from laparoscopy surgery for an ovarian cyst and dealing with a heel spur, a common ailment among runners, which sidelined me for a while.
However, I registered and promptly forgot about it. Then, on December 5th, I received an email saying, "you are in!"
I was overjoyed and couldn't contain my excitement. I spent the entire day smiling, blushing, and feeling goofy with happiness. I was ecstatic! But soon, the realization hit me that I had to train for a full marathon.
Sometimes, I think the universe has a sense of humor. I had told my running friends that running a full marathon seemed impossible given my limited time due to my daughter's school schedule and my morning-only running routine. But as they say, "where there's a will, there's a way." It seemed like the universe was having a good laugh at my expense, and it had a plan for me 😊.
I've mentioned this in multiple posts, but it's worth repeating: my heartfelt thanks go to my running group, Bavdhan Bridge, and the trio who lead it – Narendra sir, Rajesh sir, and Sandeep sir. This journey would have been impossible without them.
We crafted a training plan to accommodate my time constraints while ensuring I still logged around 300 kilometers during peak training. Narendra sir, the master of running techniques, always emphasized improving gait and posture, providing valuable corrections. And Sandeep sir, the early bird, consistently reminded us that a good run is a byproduct of good training and practice. His mantra was simple: show up, and we will take care of the rest. He led by example, always present at our starting spot at 5:30 am.
But there was a challenge: I needed a running partner for those long training runs. During my previous Delhi Full Marathon, we had a group of 25-30 runners who trained together, celebrated together, and made it a memorable experience. However, this time, since I was the only one running in Berlin in September, I needed someone to join me.
Enter Mr. Prasad Kulkarni! He hadn't even registered for any events, but he assured me that he would keep me company. In his words, "Even if I don't run, I will support you on a bicycle." There was no need for a bicycle, as he ran alongside me during every training run. Hats off to him for being so dedicated and committed to the plan, even though he had no reasons to. Committing to something you hadn't planned to is commendable. On tough and challenging days, he'd humorously remind me, "Who told you to register?" :D :D
I must applaud his dedication because it's easy to give up, saying, "Why am I running so much when I'm not even participating?" But he didn't give up, and he ran his Full Marathon on September 24th in Pune as "Apla Berlin" 😊. After all, he followed the entire training plan to the T, so it was only fitting to see it through to the end. Thank you, Prasad; you were a godsend during this training season!
Here's Prasad after completing his FM with our run buddies and mentors
Having been a runner for nearly six years, I understand the importance of strength training. After my heel spur injury, I realized I needed to work on my upper body strength. That's where Mr. Yash Rana comes in 😊. He's a knowledgeable individual with profound expertise in strength building. He understood the subtle nuances of various exercises and stretches, tailoring them to meet the specific needs of a runner like me.
I remember asking him once, "Can we focus on stretches today? I'm feeling tired from all the running, and I thought stretches would be lighter." Oh boy, was I wrong! He guided me through such deep stretches that I exclaimed, "Yash, let me grab my dumbbells; that's easier!" :D The stretches brought tears to my eyes, but over the past ten months, I grew to appreciate their impact. Kudos to Yash for pushing me beyond my limits. There was no negotiating with him. If he asked for 50 mountain climbers, and I requested 40, he'd raise it to 60 :D. So, I learned to just buckle down and do 50.
In August, after a long run (I had to cover 32 kilometers that day), we skipped the cool-down, which turned out to be a big rookie mistake. Abhishek and I had plans to visit a beautiful waterfall nearby, as Pune becomes a paradise during the monsoon season, and the allure of unexplored places was hard to resist, even after a tiring 32-kilometer run.
We explored the waterfall, navigating treacherous paths, and returned. However, the next morning brought a sudden back pain, and I couldn't keep my back straight. Panic set in. I kept praying, "No, no, nothing should go wrong now, with less than two months to go." I made frantic calls to my mentors. They reassured me, telling me not to worry and that I was well-prepared. They advised me to rest.
In my desperation, I even called my elder brother early in the morning and cried on the phone! :D Well, it was morning, and I was already awake, unable to run, so why not vent to a sibling? 😊 I'm super grateful for having such wonderful siblings 😊. Thankfully, I emerged from this traumatic experience in about ten days.
I owe a big thank you to Ms. Megha Chaphekar from Lotus Yoga in Pune for helping me with her powerful yoga asanas for my back. Yash Rana once again came to the rescue. Thanks also to Rajesh sir for introducing me to Captain, who specializes in treating various back injuries, including slip discs, through unique calf massage techniques. Captain believes that any back issue can be cured by pinpointing the right spot on the calf and providing a deep massage. Don't be fooled by the word "massage"; you'll be praying for it to end when he starts his session.
After overcoming these hurdles, I completed my training, covering close to 800 kilometers in the 12-week training plan.
Expo day arrived, where we collected our BIBs and, in my case, and bought the BMW Berlin jacket 😊.The emotional value it holds is priceless! 😊. For lunch and dinner, it was the trusty rice, dal, and sabji. Thank goodness for Indian restaurants all around the world 😊. They were my saviors!
And then came race day!
Oh, the butterflies in my stomach! Although the race started at 9:15 am (my start block was H, so I didn't begin until 10:15), I was up and ready by 5 am! I couldn't contain my excitement. For once, I wasn't nervous at all. I was just happy and grateful to be part of such a significant event. Results were secondary; the best wishes and messages I received all told me the same thing: "Enjoy the run, don't worry about the timings." And that's precisely what I did.
It was a beautiful experience to share the space with 47,000 other runners, all going through the same emotions and excitement. We were divided by nationality and color, but united by one common emotion – "Run for joy." Just run!
I'm an extremely emotional person who easily gets overwhelmed. I found myself crying as we moved forward toward the start line (I can feel the tears welling up as I type this). I couldn't believe I was there; it felt surreal! I scolded myself to stop crying, and I eventually did when I crossed the start line 😊.
The first kilometer had a pace of 5:55 min/km, and I thought, "Oh, I'm fast." My plan was to start at a slower 6:30 min/km pace. However, I quickly realized that although the pace was faster, my heart rate was around 160 bpm, which was okay. So, I decided to maintain it and not push further or slow down.
I was surprised that I managed to maintain this pace for 20 kilometers. I completed the first half of the run, 21.1 kilometers, in 2:06 hours, which was a personal best in a Half Marathon.
My goal was to complete 30 kilometers in 3 hours. I achieved that for the first two hours, but in the third hour, I started feeling the heat, and things began to go downhill. This is the nature of a full marathon. It was around 12 noon, and the sun was shining brightly, directly on my face. There were a few patches where the buildings couldn't shield me from the sun. You can see it in some of the photos – I was getting roasted under the sun :D. I wasn't accustomed to running in the sun in India, as we aim to finish our runs by 9 am at the latest.
By the end of the third hour, I was falling short of my target. I completed 30 kilometers in 3 hours and 7 minutes, missing the mark by 7 minutes. I kept consuming gels, but once the sun starts sapping your energy, there's no turning back.
By the way, I absolutely loved Berlin's water 😊. It was unusually sweet and refreshing. I found myself drawn to it at every station, even though you're not supposed to drink so much during a race. I told one of the volunteers that I was in love with Berlin water :D.
The crowd was amazing – super supportive and cheerful. The entire 42-kilometer stretch was lined with people cheering for us. I would hear random strangers calling my name in various accents, which was incredibly motivating. Whenever they saw me walking more than necessary, they'd shout, "C'mon In-dra-ni, run, run, run!"
I also realized that I was completing kilometers faster than the markers indicated, which meant the course was longer than the official 42.2 kilometers. In fact, I ended up running 42.7 kilometers. It might seem like just an extra 500 meters, but believe me, it's a lot!
The pictures from Berlin show how roasted and tired I looked, but I had no complaints. I was thrilled that I could complete the marathon in a respectable time. I was 20 minutes off my target, but that was okay. My deepest wish was to finish in 4 hours and 15 minutes, with a maximum of 4 hours and 30 minutes. As I mentioned earlier, I'm just grateful to have had this opportunity. 😊
As I crossed the finishing line, I left the venue with a treasure trove of cherished memories. I'm eager to run another Full Marathon soon, and I dream of visiting more countries in the future as part of my marathon journey.
What touched my heart deeply was the number of people who were tracking my progress, giving live updates to each other during my run. I noticed all the unread messages on WhatsApp and realized that people back in India and my family in Germany had spent their Sunday afternoons tracking my run. It was a remarkable feeling to know that so many were with me in spirit during this journey. I felt as special as I did on my wedding day, and coincidentally, both of these memorable days fell on the 24th – February for my wedding and September for my first world major marathon. 😊
Big thanks to my better half , Abhishek Raha for being my biggest supporter. Could not have achieved without you by my side :)
Just two observations (comparison to India)
1) Super late start. Delhi FM started at 4 am 😊
2) Lack of proper “food” support. In India, you get support stations having, oranges, biscuits, banana, dates etc. I found just one station towards extreme end with banana.
3) I missed seeing India flag or India representation. I saw flags of many countries but none from India ☹ Should have carried my own flag
What I loved –
1) The water! Omg! What was it? It reminded me of Kolkata water. Cold and sweet and refreshing
2) Running with runners from different nationalities. There were aussies around me for quite some time in a group. They kept on shouting “ausi ausi ausi oi oi oi” 😊
3) Crowd support. Imagine spending your Sunday afternoon cheering random strangers.
4) The Berlin jacket 😊 the newspaper kind of thing which someone just handover randomly. With no charge. Only thing which did not cost me money :P
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