Lately, I have been going thru a running rut. I cannot seem to get enthused to go for the long runs that I used to love. Worse, these days after a couple of miles, I feel tired and out of breath. I guess age is starting to slow me down.

Last night, I wrote to a few of the old long distance runner friends to see if running with the old friends might get my energy back. Lia agreed to run a 10 miler with me. It has been a long time since I have run 10 miles. In fact, I checked my record book – that was on Feb 3rd.

I got hungry, tired and wanted to quit after a few miles today too. But thanks to Lia, I continued to keep up with her and finally managed to finish 10 miles.

I think I am going to run with the long distance runner friends of mine till I can get back to my old energy level.

Thank you Lia for keeping me going.

5 miles today in about 43 minutes. With one break to grab a drink.

The first run was a 5K with Nikita. I am loving the runs with her – although, I have to admit, she is kicking my butt in the last couple of K’s. I absolutely need to take a break in the uphill portion of the run but she just keeps ploughing thru.

To prove that I am not completely done, I went back for another 5K run by myself…

Saw an interesting sight when I went out for a run a couple of days back. I pulled my car up to the parking lot of a city park and then got out. As I started stretching those old, creaky muscles, I came upon this unique sight. In my thirteen years of running, I have certainly seen runners change clothes mid way (I myself have done this for long 20 mile runs on very hot days). But this is the first time I came upon a runner who had laid out his clothes to dry out on his car. A Mercedes SUV, no less! I assume he washed it in the bathroom sink, set it up for drying and went back for running.

Which is something my mom would completely approve of. Every morning, when I call her up, invariably, she would start with the weather. I can tell you, from the mere tone of her voice, how much it has rained that day. A great weather day means that there were no clouds, no rain – the sun out in full glory the whole day. Terrible weather means it has been raining or at least has been cloudy. A disastrous day means it started very sunny and quickly the rains came in.

See, for my mom, the barometer for weather is entirely defined by her ability to set the clothes she washes every morning up for drying in the clothesline up in the terrace. Continuous, merciless sunlight? Sounds like a perfect day. Nothing messes her up more than being stuck with a bucket full of washed and wrung clothes and no ability to put them up to dry. Well, there is something that messes her up more. It is those days when the clothes start drying in the sun and then are completely undone by sudden rains!!!

“But, mom, this is monsoon season. We need rains. The farmers need it. The crops need it”, I tried arguing with her.

In a determined bid to stand her ground while empathisizing with the farmers, she retorted “Saara raat brishti poruk na. Ami to kicchu bolcchi na.” (Let it rain the whole night. I have no issue.)

Wanted to put in a five mile run. Was so dehydrated and drained of energy that I pulled out a mile early…