Night ride on OMR Road – The first century
After multiple 10K runs during the week, it was time to rotate the legs over the weekend. The new Merino wool Baselayer and socks to provide the warmth for the cold nights of PBP arrived a couple of weeks back from UK and needed to be tested. So it was to be on the night of Friday, a quick 100KM on the Old Madras Road to (nearly) Kolar and back. A delayed start made it Sat early morning and I left at 00:40.
Quiet roads meant a smooth exit via the hanging bridge @KR Puram to OMR. As I progressed the road became quieter and lonelier. Trucks parked on the side of the road, tranvestites decked up garishly and soliciting, a quiet wind pushing me to 30kmph with no effort. Sheer tranquility, the mind calm and observing the various flitting thoughts. The baselayer and socks were working, I was warm. The reverie was broken as I crossed CCD where revellers parked in the Cafe Coffee Day complex were enjoying the music blaring from their open car. A couple of more kms later the Garmin showed 2:20|50KM.
Turned back, the cool wind blowing continuously in my face was making me thirsty and I finished off a half a litre of water. The flyovers showed up one after another, a delightful set of climbs. Nearing the century mark at 4:20AM (in 3:50 hours@25.4kmph average) ,I decided to go home to refill water bottles, grab a bite and walk my dog. Forty five minutes later I left for the second century ride, to Wheelsports at Chamrajapet for Anil Kadsur’s ride to Janapadaloka.
The second century – Rolling terrain in Manchanabele
Sunday 6AM – Kesari bath served by Venkatesh was heavenly and set the mood for the second century. After the calorie boost, started from Wheelsports down the Mysore road to Decathlon, turning right to Manchanebele dam and then all the way to Ramanagaram, turning right at the Mysore road to Janapadaloka. The ride after the Decathlon turnoff is scenic and undulating. Just what the doctor ordered as practice for PBP.
A hearty breakfast at Janapadaloka and return back on the same route. Gentle long climbs stretched the legs followed by blissful downhills repeating multiple times over 25 kms. Post this undulating peaceful ride, turned into Mysore road and it was back to the chaos of the city. Back to traffic jams, honking, the smooth exit in the wee hours were amply compensated with a ‘trafficky’ return back home! 234kms done averaging 22.7kmph. The woollen base layer & socks passed the test and ride provided a decent practice for PBP. Couple of hours of sleep on Saturday afternoon to make up for the night out on Friday.
Sunday run
Bengaluru Marathon Promo Adidas run was happening at Turahalli the Sunday. The lure of ‘climb’ runs was very strong and the rotating legs needed some linearity! A 12.5km out and back course commencing from KSIT off Kanakapura Rd to the Turahalli forest, it is shaped like a mini valley. Down hill for the first half and then an uphill gets you to the half-way mark and it is same in reverse. Was keen on doing a 25km, that was reset to 12.5km run after completing this in 63mins(5:02 pace), as I was not too keen to run the second lap at a slower pace.
Running with the crowd for the first km, the legs were raring to take advantage of the downhill, speeded up and then the second half climbs showed up. And Ashok Nath’s imagery tip of ‘you being a puppet being pulled up in the climbs’ helped me in maintaining a relaxed steady pace uphill, bending forward to use gravity. Little drops of sweat caught inside the bandana and evaporating cooling the head, and with Armin van Burren music synchronising the legs, the experience is bliss. The U-turn shows up, and aah the nourishing welcome water! After a couple of sips, it is downhill now. The legs energised with new beat music increased the stride and I went all out, enjoying the running like a free animal. After a few minutes of sheer joy of running and cheers from the oncoming runners, it was back to climbs, the imagery of puppet came back and it was steady pace all the way to start point. 12.5 mark in 63minutes at 5:02 pace- Nice. Lovely run. Wish the legs could have repeated one more loop.
Two more weekends to PBP!