'Do not attempt a record. Just finish the race.' I heard one of the organizers say at the pre-run briefing of the Baikal Ice Marathon. It was Nikolai, translating in English all the instructions and details that Alexie, the race director spoke in Russian. Since, the English translations were brief and intermittent, I held this … Continue reading Baikal Ice Marathon
26/03/2020 Day 2 The morning began with Roald Dahl’s short story ‘Galloping Foxley’. I delayed picking up on news. It has a flooding effect. Photos and videos from the first day of shutdown across India are disturbing. The country has normalized violence and brutality by the police. There are reports of migrant workers who were … Continue reading Lockdown Diary: Day 2
March, 2020 Bengaluru 25/03/2020 Day 1 Looking out from the balcony there’s complete absence of the usual noise. The stillness at 6 AM is unusual in the neighbourhood. This is a typical residential area with the usual mix of people, places and performance. I recollect a distant memory - of a morning four days back. … Continue reading Lockdown Diary: Day 1
Bangalore, 2020This evening the city had some of the best civil servants and policy thinkers to speak on reforms in India. The group was brought together to discuss Vijay Kelkar and Ajay Shah's new book In Service of the Republic: The Art and Science of Economic Policy. There were the authors themselves, Govinda Rao (of … Continue reading Public Policy in India: A discussion
Mumbai, 2020 "How is Mumbai's course?" he asked. "I don't know, but not the fastest for sure'' I said. This isn't a kind of question that concerns me. But being asked I began thinking of it from a recreational runner's perspective. I haven't quite thought of marathon courses that way. The seconds haven't mattered. Maybe, … Continue reading Chasing the Fast Pack: Tata Mumbai Marathon 2020
We are two weeks into the new year and I realize that some behaviours get so much more difficult to gain control of as one adds years. To include some writing everyday, has been a constant struggle. Ahead of tomorrow’s Mumbai Marathon, this yearly round up must go out. Since some years, a typical year … Continue reading Roundup 2019
Malnad Ultra, 2019Underneath a high silver oak canopy, about an hour and a half into the run, I knew that there was much to be thankful about on that morning. To be able to stand there, on a quiet mountainside trail and watch the daylight break made me feel thankful to be able to get … Continue reading Malnad Ultra 110
