Movie Diaries - My love for old english movies

Neighbour: Bro, see this movie I am sure you will like it very much. 

Me: Who will see this movie made in 1957 and all. I don’t even have the patience to see a short film.

Neighbour: Just see it once. I can give it to you in writing that you will like the movie. If you don’t like it I will stop recommending you movies once & for all”.

Me: Trust me I seriously don’t have the patience. I will see it some other time. Movies hardly fascinate me excepting one or two.

Neighbour: If that’s the case then I am definitely sure that this movie will fascinate you. (He also played few scenes from the movie)  

Me: Ok give. I will see it later.

I saw the movie the same day and lo & behold I was blown away and was feeling flabbergasted.

If there are movies that has left a lasting impression on me old English movies like Witness for the prosecution, 12 angry men, Anatomy of a murderer, To kill a mockingbird etc would easily win hands down. Here I’d like to differentiate between liking a movie and leaving a lasting impression. When you like a movie you simply say “it’s nice”, “can be seen once” whereas when movies leave a lasting impression you talk more about it to your friends, you recommend them to watch it, amidst the movie you will feel like why its ending so soon, the dialogue deliveries gives you goose bumps and much more.

I sensed the curiosity in my neighbour’s eyes. His words somehow made me believe that there has to be some magic in the movie. For, this guy doesn’t know that I am a sucker when it comes to knowledge of movies. My friends even go to the extent of disowning me during their brain storming discussions on the latest grapevine in the woods. 

First I’d like to get down to “Witness for the prosecution” as I saw that before 12 angry men.

The curtains open at a chaotic English courtroom hall where the judge enters and an appeal is made to God to save the queen & her crown before the proceedings begin for the day. The movie was set up & shot exclusively in London. 

Sir Wilfred Roberts (Charles Laughton) is a senior and a leading Barrister practicing in Criminal cases and is better known as “Wilfred the Fox”.

Leonard vole is the man who is suspected for murder of one Ms. Emily French. Naturally the police arrests him as he was the one who was last seen with Ms. Emily French. He is introduced to Charles Laughton (Sir Wilfred) who is the Barrister defending Leonard.

Charles Laughton the protagonist has lived his role as a senior barrister. Despite being at the brink of his acting career Charles Laughton effortlessly maintains his dominating screen presence. His body language perfectly resembled that of a senior barrister who can take on anyone with sheer experience.

His flawless usage of the queen’s language in the chambers & the court room, the slap stick humour with his grim & tough look, the cross examinations & the war of words between the public prosecutor and the barrister, the way the case is built up at various phases of the trial, how facts of the case is deliberated upon has been perfectly shot.

The movie is definitely intriguing at every stage. Overall the movie is a neatly packed combo of courtroom drama, mystery and a healthy dose of humour by all the artists. 

It would not be fair for me to reveal the plot here. Well I could even be sued for breach of contract for you will get to know why when you see the movie. The movie will keep you seated at the edge of the seat until climax. In other words witness for the prosecution goes very well on a lazy weekend with a couple of butter popcorn's. 

12 Angry Men: 

I was introduced to this legendary movie when I appraised my brother about Witness for the Prosecution. He goaded me to see 12 Angry Men and was very confident that I would like it as both the movies are made on similar story lines. 

Unlike Witness for the Prosecution 12 Angry Men gets into the plot directly.

The Jury consists of 12 Men and is called upon to decide the fate of a juvenile who was being tried for Culpable Homicide. 

Apart from a brief epilogue the movie was completely shot in a jury room. The jury consists of individuals from various walks of life.

The jury is also instructed that they should be unanimous on their decision. The jury is also reminded that their decision whether the defendant is ‘Guilty or not guilty’ will be the final conclusion as the right of appeal has been exhausted.

Once the story gets into your head you get the feel of as if you are sitting next to the jurors and deliberating upon the facts of the case. The dissection of the mind when the facts of the case is broken down into pieces gives us mindgasm for sure.

The society’s influence on individuals, how thought process can be flawed by privilege, psychological hacks, pre-emptive motive and the emotional tilts that goes into decision making is perfectly discussed in the movie.

Following are some of the traits which I could make out from both the movies:

1. The subject matter deals with Judiciary & justice system. WFP deals with murder and 12 angry men deals with culpable homicide.

      2.  WFP is shot on the lines of British laws whereas 12 angry men deals with the justice system in            the United States.

      3. WFP puts forth the arguments of the public prosecutor and the Barrister. In 12 angry men the               Jury puts forth the facts of the case and discusses them in great detail before deciding on the               conviction.

I’ve seen few old English movies like Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Dial M for murder. However movies like WFP, 12 angry men, anatomy of a murderer, to kill a mockingbird blew me off. Such movies never had unwanted fight scenes, voyeurism, sci-fi hacks nor illogical scripts.

Those were the golden age of movies. Actors like Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, James Stewart didn’t have ripped bodies or displayed their style in swanky cars. Their body language defined their style.  The plot, the scripts were impeccable. The dialogue delivery and a simple cigar denoted the best styles than ever. Simply put the sensation and the suspense shown in yesteryear movies can never be replaced in present day movies nor are the present day directors talented enough to write such brilliant scripts (even though there exists some exceptional present day movies).

Both WFP and 12 angry men were definitely huge eye openers to me. The other mind blowing movies such as Anatomy of a murderer, to kill a mockingbird will be reviewed for another day.

Thank you for the patient read. Do let me know if you watch any interesting old English movie.

Cheers, 

Motorcycle Diaries - My first Solo Bike Trip

MY FIRST SOLO ROAD TRIP

Having bought my favourite Royal Enfield Classic 350 I couldn’t take it out anywhere for a road trip. I bought it at a time when my work pressure was at its peak and I could ride it only for a day’s trip or so.

Finally the gruelling deadlines ended and I planned for a 3-4 days road trip. I called only very few of my friends and none of them were in a position to come at a short notice. Google maps helped me explore few routes.

I have been to Kerala few times and a road trip in Kerala fascinated me. After a few phone calls with my biker buddies I finally decided on the route. My good friend Sarath offered to give me company for a short distance in Kerala and I was all set to leave.

Day 0 - CHENNAI

Transported my vehicle through SRM transport to Madurai. It was supposed to reach Madurai next day by 11:00 AM.

Day 1 – Madurai to Munnar via Theni – Bodinayakanur (175 Kms)

As expected the vehicle arrived on time. I took it to a local mechanic and ensured that all the spares are fit & proper so that there are no breakdowns. I started off from Madurai by around 12:15. The weather was hot and my riding gears made me sweat like hell. Being a state highway the road until Bodinayakanur was really good and there were green covers all around.  

There was a huge U turn at Kottagudi which marked the beginning of the hill road to Munnar. The road was well laid and literally there was not a single soul in sight as it happened to be a weekday. The road was serpentine and the views of the sprawling mountains from the roads were awesome. I stopped to have lunch at a small town which was 30 km away from Munnar. If you are a veggie then Kerala cuisine can be a huge setback. The menu didn’t have anything much except veg biryani.

I was in for a rude shock as my biryani was made in thick Kerala rice and not from the usual basmati rice. That was the worst biryani I have ever had in my life. The owner of the restaurant pissed me off further by saying that Elephants might be lurking in the ghat roads.

Reached Munnar by around 5 PM. Sarath was on time and we met almost after 2.5 years. Quickly we checked in at our homestay and ventured out to explore some local places. After a mini ride in & around Munnar followed by a sumptuous dinner the weather was getting cold. I felt the work pressure getting off my head and the feel good factor engulfing all around. After bitching about our work lives we crashed for the day.

Day 2 – Munnar to Valparai via Athirapally Falls – (257 Kms)

We packed our stuff’s and started from Munnar by around 9:00 am. I made up my mind that I will be visiting this beautiful hill station more on a leisure note. The day didn’t start well as I cut my skin with blade while cutting a rope. The bleeding didn’t stop until I had to arrest it with a band aid.

We stopped at Adimali for breakfast and had delicious parota with Rajma before starting to Athirapally falls.

I have read a few blogs about the ghat stretch from Athirapally falls to Munnar. Majority of them have stated that the forest cover is a thick one and possibilities of sighting wild animals on the roads especially elephants & snakes are very high. Thinking about it sent me shivers down the spine as Sarath will be accompanying me only until Athirapally falls. In order to be doubly sure about the condition of my bike I took it to an official Royal enfield service centre at Perumbavoor and got the vehicle thoroughly checked. I replaced the clutch & accelerator cable and changed the fuse.

We reached athirapally falls by around 3:30 PM. We couldn’t go near the waterfalls as it was already late for the day and the ghat roads are closed by 5:00 PM. I bid adieu to Sarath and started to Valparai.

The entrance to the ghat road had a huge check post and every person entering the ghat road will have to register his name, address, mobile no & vehicle no with the forest guard.

Once the gate was opened I felt like as though I was entering Jurassic Park. No sooner I drove half a mile the thick forest cover was evident. There was a sign board which read as 'Wild animals cross the roads, drive cautiously'. The board irked me a bit. As I drove further I saw elephant's dung lying in the roads.

The dung marks were present along the stretch and it made things scarier. On driving further there was a sign board that the stretch was a place for leopard crossing. That made my fears worse.  

There were blind turns and one couldn't spot out if wild animals were roaming in the roads even from a distance. Every blind turns gave me jitters. I had this thoughts if elephants were waiting in the corners to charge me head-on. 

At some crisscross I noticed the head of a speeding car. I was happy that i had company. Suddenly the head disappeared even though the road was visible for quite some distance. I feared if it could be a wild elephant. Quickly I took a U-turn and stopped my bike and turned around to see if any elephant is approaching. I was ready to speed away in the opposite direction if the elephant was to charge me. 

Thank god my fears faded away as it was only my imagination. I even had a thought if I was hallucinating.

After a few minutes of ride there was an opening I saw a couple of cars & vans and few people standing on the road. There were a herd of elephants grazing some 20 meters away from us. I quickly snapped them and got going on my way.

On proceeding further I noticed that my vehicle was producing some whistle kind of noise. I thought it to be a bird. The noise kept appearing when I accelerated and ceded when I decelerate. I thought if my bike stops anywhere, this was it and that my fate will be decided in this god forsaken forest for sure.  

I got my breath back on seeing the check post after an hours ride without any major glitches. It took two hours to get out of the ghat road. The entire stretch of the ghat road was well laid and the roads were maintained in excellent condition.

The fear of wild animals and the prospects of where my bike breaks down I would be stranded in the middle of nowhere with possibilities of outside help being very minute sent shivers down the spine.

It was around 5:15 pm when I reached Valparai. It was a 75 Km ride from Athirapally falls. I made up my mind to never ride in such dangerous stretches alone. With outside help being remote one can get in serious trouble if our vehicles are to create some mechanical problems. Riding solo in this stretch is a big no.

I dumped my bag at a lodge and went for a walk. Valparai is very small and doesn’t have much places to check out. The weather was cold. I went for a long & refreshing walk in the cold streets of Valparai. I spent my time reading books and thinking whether I should drive all the way to Chennai or pack my vehicle to Chennai from Coimbatore before crashing for the day.

Day 3 – Valparai to Chennai – (704 Kms)

I decided to drive all the way to Chennai as packing my vehicle at Coimbatore and collecting it in Chennai 2 days later is a boring task. I quickly started from Valparai at 6:30 am. I was excited to drive through the ghat roads leading to pollachi. The route to pollachi has 40 hair pin bends; the second largest in Tamilnadu after the 70 hair pin bends at kolli hills.

Driving early in the morning in the ghat stretch was amazing. The roads were completely deserted, birds chirping and fresh breeze were blowing across my face. The roaring sound of my beast was the only one in the vicinity. The winding ghat roads were simply one of the best I have ever driven so far. After stopping for a brief period at Aliyar Dam I proceeded further towards Pollachi.

From Pollachi I took the route to Chennai via Karur-Trichy-Villupuram-Pondicherry-Chennai.

I reached home around 8:30 PM and I would say that this was one of my best road trips ever. The State Highway between Karur to Trichy was butter smooth and resembled that of a national highway. Cruising through Trichy took me down the nostalgic lanes which only made the trip more pleasurable. Every aspect of this road trip fell perfectly in place. I clocked 1136 km totally with 704 km alone on day 3. The beast cruised really well on the butter smooth roads.

My first solo road trip opened up lot of avenues. My joy knew no bounds as my day 2 experience received more than 100 upvotes in quora for the first time :D. Indeed it is true that spending for travel is an investment as it broadens your mind. Just looking forward for more & more amazing solo road trips in near future.

Sharing a few pictures shot during the trip:

My Beast

Munnar

Athirapally Falls

Poringalkuthu Reservoir

Athirapally Ghat Section

Valparai ghat roads

The hair pin bends over looking the Aliyar Dam

The last shot in the twilight at Mudhaliyar Kuppam before leaving home

With my beast

My First Book Review - The River of Doubt

I have read a couple of books on adventures, notably, Edmund Hillary’s ‘View from the Summit’, Reinhold Messner’s ‘The crystal Horizon, Lewis Pugh’s ‘Achieving the Impossible etc. but the only book which forced me to write a review is Theodore Roosevelt’s journey to chart an unmapped river at Amazon Basin ‘The River of Doubt’.

The book was authored by Candice Millard and first published in 2005.

Theodore Roosevelt or Teddy (even though he hates it) Roosevelt is well known for being one of the greatest orator, the youngest president of USA and was the first president to receive secret service protection but the other side of him was known very little to the outside world. He was a naturalist, explorer and a great lover of outdoors. As a child he was supposedly a loner, someone who falls sick very often. To overcome his sickness he would often take up difficult physical challenges. He was also taking up myriad physical challenges whenever he experiences severe setbacks.

After bitter defeat in the presidential elections, Roosevelt instead of retiring at his estate at Sagamore Hill preferred to take up a physical challenge once again. Having met his travel companions and other like-minded souls including Roosevelt’s son Kermit they set off to explore the virgin forests of South America.

After an arousing welcome by the Brazilian government Roosevelt embarked on a speaking tour all over Brazil. On completion of the speaking tour Roosevelt was offered to be accompanied by Brazilian naturalist Candido Rondon who later went on to become one of the greatest explorer and military man in Brazil’s history.

Roosevelt having heard about the river of doubt insisted on the expedition down the river with Candido Rondon much to the shock of the other members of the expedition.   

Candido Rondon was commissioned as an Army engineer with the Telegraphic commission. He was in charge of laying the telegraphic lines from Brazil to Bolivia and Peru through the rain forests. He named the river as ‘River of doubt’ as the source of its river could not be located. During this time he was in contact with several hostile Indian tribes and vociferously fought for their rights. He was the first director of Brazil’s Indian Protection Bureau.

After a series of planning and discussion the expedition commenced with a huge team of comrades (who are responsible for carrying the supplies). It was supposed to be a two month long expedition along an uncharted river which had grave dangers at every inch.

During the expedition many baggage were left behind to cut the heavy load and members who were unfit were sent back so that they don’t mess up with the other members of the expedition.

A beautiful friendship developed between the members of the expedition. During the expedition Roosevelt was neither arrogant nor demanded any perks of being a past president. He & Rondon led the expedition from the front and ensured that every member maintained strict discipline and worked as per the expedition’s rules & regulations.      

Throughout the expedition the members were facing grave dangers in the form of Poisonous snakes, infectious insects, deadly piranha’s, incessant rains, violent river rapids and threat by the Indian Tribes.

Indian tribes were known to be brutal and killed everyone who by-pass their territory.

The way the expedition members were getting over river rapids, losing the dugouts in the rapids and building them again & again deserves to be mentioned here. In the forests, especially on expeditions in charting rivers losing dugouts and canoes can prove to be very expensive.

On every rapid crossing the dugouts were either washed away or the members themselves were immersed in the danger of being swept away. The members would often lose the dugouts and every time the arduous task of building dugouts would take place amongst incessant rains and high fevers.

Just merely reading through the lines made me imagine how difficult the expedition would have been.

Roosevelt admired Candido Rondon & the comrades of their skills in building dugouts and carrying rations & supplies under the most testing circumstances.

Roosevelt strictly abided by the rules of the expedition. At one point of time he becomes very sick that he was carried by the other members and his health was continuously monitored. He literally gave up and suggested that he be left behind to die in the forest so that the other members could carry on with the expedition.

How Roosevelt endured the journey forms the crux of the story.

While every members of the expedition would often succumb to sickness Candido Rondon had an iron man’s gut. He ensured that the spirit of the expedition is not defeated and single handedly ensured that the expedition successfully fulfills its purpose. 

Roosevelt carried with him the attitude of mind over body and the rigidness which every military man has. He was a no nonsense guy. Embarking on relaxed & comfortable tours like his peers was not his cup of tea.  While the members of the power corridors were busy grooming their children to take over their legacies Roosevelt taught his children to swim in the oceans, shoot elephants, skin hare’s and embrace nature.

Had he been aware of the existence of Mount Everest Roosevelt would have attempted it way before the British Reconnaissance expeditions in the early 1920’s. His sheer will power would have driven him to bag the summit. Even though Mount Everest was closed to outsiders from the South side through Nepal Roosevelt would have used his diplomatic skills to ensure that he was allowed to climb the mountain.  

The book is a must read for those who travel & adventure. The toughness involved in the expedition forced me to write a review. I may not have deciphered about the book properly in this blog but I can guarantee that you will never keep the book down once you start reading.

Cheers, 

The Expedition pic that went viral throughout the world

RUNNING IT MY WAY

So when are you going to do a full ?

Do a full, its high time. 

Those were some of the sweet words which were often uttered by my running buddies every time after I finish a half marathon.

My heart always wanted to go for a full, but my mind said no until I finish a half marathon in Sub 2. I was expecting a sub 2 finish at Bangalore city marathon but the traffic chaos at MG Road junction ensured that I finish only at 2:05 hours.

The next scheduled full marathon was the Wipro Chennai marathon. With just around 40 days left for practice I registered for a half marathon. Few days before the race fever & body pain ensured that I skip it. Towards the fag end of December the Thanjavur rural marathon excited me. Without second thoughts I registered for the marathon with the hope of finishing at a sub 2.

The race was flagged off at the outskirts of Thanjavur. The first few kilometers were on tar roads. As soon as we entered a village I felt like as though I was running over green carpets as the route was surrounded by lush green fields on both the sides. Puzzled innocent children from the nearby villages were waving at us. At the end of the village we were greeted by the Grand Anicut canal.

Running alonside the grand anicut canal

The grand anicut canal was built by Karikala Cholan of the Chola Empire during the 1^st AD and has the reputation of being the world’s oldest dam still in use. It was a treat to run across the silent canal under the shades of tall coconut trees with the chirping sound of birds.

This time I was confident of finishing the marathon in Sub 2 but the last 2 kilometers were really treacherous. It had its own ups & downs and ensured that I finish the marathon once again at 2:05 hours. Nevertheless Thanjavur marathon gave me a special kind of feel good factor which no other marathon has given me.

The Grand Anicut Canal

Back home I was still racking my brains on registering for a full or half for the upcoming one at Auroville. After charting a little training plan by myself I decided to register for the full.

I began training immediately after New Year but once again work pressure ensured that I skip few sessions. As the long Sankranti weekend turned up I rushed off to Bangalore. I finished a half marathon during my training at Bangalore as the early morning cool weather made my run easier.

The following week I ran the Cool Runners Half marathon. It was a run which I will cheirsh forever as I accomplished my goal of finishing a half marathon in Sub 2.

I was very eager to do the Full Marathon and trained really hard.

The D-day arrived finally on February 8^th. I was all set to run the race of my life. The race was flagged off at sharp 5 am.

It was pitch dark. As luck would have it my torch light did not work and I had to borrow my fellow runner’s light by running alongside him. The dawn broke much to my relief and I was on my own.

I was ecstatic on crossing the halfway mark at 1:59 hours. However on completing 29 kms I realized that I could hardly run any more. Heavy work, driving the previous night continuously and little sleep for about 3 hours ensured that I get muscle fatigue. Heavy sweating clamped down my run. I started walking to avoid losing the momentum of the run. The heat started setting in and I couldn’t take it anymore. I desperately wanted to finish the marathon since this is my maiden full marathon and giving up after crossing 32K makes no sense.

I made friends with the fellow runners and we ran in groups encouraging each other. As the finish line slowly started getting visible I got very excited. I badly wanted to take off my tees and swing it in the air like how Sourav Ganguly did after winning against England at the NatWest Series.

On crossing the finish line I felt like a dream come true. I finished at around 5 hours and 35 minutes. Even though I was ill prepared for the race it made me realize how tough a full marathon can be. It also taught me myriad lessons on pushing limits come what may.

2014 was the year where I completely unearthed my passion for running. I was running throughout the year. It all started in 2012 where I use to run little in the open grounds near my home just to stay fit. I am indebted to the inaugural edition of The Wipro Chennai marathon in 2012 which sowed the seeds for the runner in me.

To all my inquisitive friends who still ask me why I run:

Running isn't a sport for pretty boys, it’s about the sweat in your hair and the blisters on your feet. It’s the frozen spit on your chin and the nausea in your gut. It's about throbbing calves and cramps at midnight that are strong enough to wake the dead. It's about getting out the door and running when the rest of the world is only dreaming about having the passion that you need to live each and every day with. It's about being on a lonely road and running like a champion even when there's not a single soul in sight to cheer you on. Running is all about having the desire to train and persevere until every fiber in your legs, mind, and heart is turned to steel. And when you've finally forged hard enough, you will have become the best runner you can be. And that's all that you can ask for – Paul Maurer, The Gift – A runner’s story

Namaskar

Running a Ultra Marathon

After finishing my 7^th half marathon at Bangalore I was quite confident that I could do the hill run at Javadhu. Confident not in my abilities but over the event as it was organized by Chennai Trekking Club (CTC). The test run video and the jaw dropping scenic views made me register for the event. Even though I have never done a hill run before I relied more on strength training than running as you require more stamina to climb the steep hills.

Four of us I, Rajkumar, Balaji and Prabhu got our bags ready on Saturday (Nov 1st). Rajkumar is a doctor who has done a couple of half marathons and was the first one to call me as soon as the registration for javadhu opened up. Balaji is attempting his maiden full marathon after finishing the Bangalore half marathon with a fantastic timing of 1:55 hours. Prabhu is a body builder who is running his second marathon after finishing his maiden half at Chennai trail marathon.

After driving for around 3 hours in the National Highway the landscape suddenly changed from small town’s to thick forest cover. The ghat road section between Polur and Jamunamaruthur (about 40kms) was fantastic. Very rarely did we see any vehicles passing by. It was around 7:30 pm when we reached Jamunamaruthur and the weather was really good. It was very quiet all around and I felt very relaxed. After collecting our bibs at St. Joseph school we retired to our guest house (special thanks to Rajkumar) early to catch a nice sleep so as to make the most of it on the D-Day.

At Polur - Jamunamaruthur ghat roads

Wake up, it’s already 5:45. Exclaimed Balaji.

I sprang from the bed and scrambled to get my watch. The race was supposed to start at 6:00 am and I cursed at myself for getting up late. I felt relieved when my watch showed 4:45 am.

We were ready to leave but I was in for a shock after knowing that it has rained the previous night and a greater part of the route has been partially covered with mud. Disappointed we made our way to the start point and it was still raining. I was convinced that it is going to take at least 24 hours for me to finish the marathon as I hate to run in the rain.

My joy knew no bounds after the rains slowly dissipated into mild drizzles after which it completely stopped. It was still dark and the start point was completely engulfed in a thick blanket of mist. The start point was at the huge playground of St. Joseph school.

After the stretching session the race was flagged off at sharp 6:30 with the ultra-marathoners (50K) taking the lead followed by 42 and 25K runners respectively. 

 

The first 4 km was through tar roads and had its own ups & downs. There were curious on-lookers. The women folks were just out to fetch waters, there were men sitting outside their houses brushing their teeth with small sticks and children waving at us with innocent smiles across their faces.

After hitting the trail I realized that the actual marathon has just started. Felt like entering a forest after jumping across a small stream. The steep climb at 6K mark took its toll. It was literally vertical and almost all the runners walked the steep climb. I was slowly running to preserve energy during the last leg of the race.

Finishing the 10K mark at 1 hour and 15 minutes I understood how difficult a hill run can be.

There were hardly around 200 runners. I was in cloud nine as I was all alone for around 2 km stretch running in between the scenic mountains, lush green fields, and cool weather.

 

Beyond 13K some of the climbs were really steep and I felt the effect on my thighs. I regretted for not working out after the Bangalore marathon as my work pressure was really high. I did only 2 strength training sessions and ran a 10K which I know is not sufficient to train for a hill run. However the cool weather melted my regrets. I kept running at my own pace.

 

At the 18K point I couldn’t take it anymore. I munched on few bananas and oranges and walked briskly so that I don’t lose the momentum. Runners passed by at regular intervals and we kept encouraging at each other which was the biggest motivating factor. 

You don’t often smile at strangers in India!!!!!!

I ended the brisk walk at 22K point as it cured the pain in my thigh and I was back in my heels again. The weather was so damn good that I never felt like turning on my music player. The last 3 kms had very few ups & down and was almost flat.

I finished the race at 3.5 hours. It was the toughest run I have ever done in my life. It was not just a marathon but a ‘mind over body’ game. Exactly 2 weeks before I finished the Bangalore marathon (half) at 2:05 hours which clearly depicts the difference between road running and hill running. I was elated that I have officially completed a marathon beyond 21 KM in my life. Rajkumar and Prabhu completed the marathon with a fantastic timing of 3 hours and Balaji finished his maiden full marathon with a superb timing of just 5 hours.

After the Completion

In fact the following are some of my ‘Firsts’ in this marathon:

Ø  First hill run

Ø  First ultra-marathon

Ø  First time walking during the run

Ø  First time running without turning on the music player

Ø  First time talking with fellow runners while running 

A big thanks to the organizers for organizing a lovely marathon amidst the sprawling hills and also organizing a tree plantation event which will be etched in my memories forever. They spared no efforts to ensure that runners don’t feel uncomfortable at any point of time.  

To all my friends who ask ‘Why do you run’

“Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.” – Frank Herbert.

Thanks for the patient read

Cheerssssssssssss  

Run-a-blog Dedicated to Madras

The alarm went off at sharp 4:45. I slowly wake up with a sleepy eye. The sun was not yet out. The milkman was pedaling his way across the street, early birds chirping their way out of the nests, dews settling on the leaves. I hang up my shoes for training for The Wipro Chennai Marathon.

I start my run at Radhakrishnan Salai outside the famous Savera Hotel, one of the most sophisticated hotels during my early school days and still continues to be one and pass through the big palatial house of the then 2^nd President of India Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. The road was named after the great philosopher. After passing through Citi centre mall I cross the Queen Mary’s college which has the reputation of being one of the best women colleges in Chennai. It feels good to know that majority of my friend’s mom’s including my mom studied there.

Gandhi Statue at the junction of Queen Mary's College and Beach Road

Image Courtesy: My Chennai FB Page

The dawn was slowly setting in at the Marina beach. The policemen were busy in not allowing any motorists inside the service lane to facilitate walkers & joggers. A few confused lots were clueless about the activities of the Marina laughter club.

I pass through Vivekananda House (erstwhile Ice house built by the British to store ice). Swami Vivekananda stayed in the house for a brief period. Today a tall museum stands dedicated to the great monk and a centre which imparts the saint’s wisdom. I take a left turn at the Ice House to be greeted in ‘Madras bashai’ by one of the city’s oldest tenement’s.

Vivekananda House

Image Courtesy: My Chennai FB Page

Yes, there is no other city in the world that can boast of a language dedicated exclusively to it.

Taking a right turn at the arch of ‘Lord Parthasarathy Temple’ built during the 8^th AD I enter the madaveedhi through T.P. Koil Street and was greeted by the deity himself directly in the street. The lord was up for the early morning procession around the madaveedhi. Men clad in Dhoti’s were reciting the hymns alongside the deity and the women folks clad in nine yard saree were busy in drawing up kolam outside their houses.

South Mada Street

Image Courtesy: My Chennai FB page

Quickly out of the bustling streets of Triplicane I join the Marina beach road again to be greeted by the clock tower of the Prestigious Presidency College established by the British. Incidentally the musings from the blockbuster movie ‘Mouna Ragam’ runs through my music player.                      

The sprawling campus & the senate hall of the University of Madras which certified my UG degree certificate was being decorated for a speech by a prominent politician. I increase my speed over the landmark Napier Bridge to escape the stench of the cooum.

Senate Hall of the Madras University

Image Courtesy: My Chennai FB page

     

The sight of the victory war memorial makes me stop for a minute and pay tributes to the unknown soldiers who guard us relentlessly day & night. At the Fort St George where our legislators meet on a daily basis the security guards were patiently sipping on their morning coffee and making arrangements for the VIP’s cavalcade.

The Napier Bridge

Image Courtesy: My Chennai FB Page

Running further the tall buildings of RBI’s regional office and Chennai Port Trust stand opposite to each other like big brothers. A U turn at the junction and taking the same route back the numerous statue’s of erstwhile legends who have created some impact in the society are lined up along the coast.

Completing my heritage run at the footsteps of the gigantic light house I quickly run up the stairs of the light house to the top most floor which was thrown open to the public recently. The east coast welcomed me with open hands from the top. She was stretching endlessly on all the directions displaying her prowess.

View from Light House...

Image Courtesy: My Chennai FB Page

Finishing the after-run stretches I head to Ratna café for carbo loading. Morning walkers in their conventional shorts were busy enjoying their filter kaapi with a dose of current affairs, humour and criticism.

I notice a man parking his BMW 7 series in the congested road next to a rickety old cycle, patiently walks up to the parcel counter stands casually to the guy next door and runs out with a packet of idly & sambar.

Upon reaching home the newspaper and the milk packets were lying at my door steps. I pick up the papers and the front page was flashing with the news ‘Chennai is the only city in India that features in the ‘The New York Times 50 places to be visited in the world’.

Sorgame aanalum namba Chennai pola varuma?