Marathon meanderings

Since we are still in the second week of January, the hail of calendars continues. All these calendar makers now take pride in their creations. One sees an explosion of creativity and talent, with each corporate vying to make the best calendar. From desktops to tabletop calendars, from calendars big enough to cover walls and slim enough to give Priyanka Chopra's size zero body a complex, they come in all shapes and sizes.u00a0

So, with just two days to go for the Mumbai marathon, I wonder if it is time for somebody to come up with a Mumbai marathon calendar. The images from the race are stunning, given the nature of a marathon and they can be especially apt for an inspirational start to a New Year.

There is an explosion of creativity and talent, with each corporate vying to make the best calendar
Pictures that capture the intensity of the race u2014 'those finishers with their gamut of emotions' u2014 triumph, relief, pride and pain at the finish line to those doughty wheelchair participants for whom taking part in the race is a victory in itself. Then, come those sights that really make a marathon u2014 amateur runners with their knees strapped up, grimacing at the thought of a killer incline at Kemps Corner, older runners racing past youngsters and runners at medical stations getting some quick ice treatment.

Those grey-haired runners laughing through the senior citizens' run and the throng espousing various causes through the fun Dream Run are all vintage calendar subjects.

Meanwhile, still on the marathon route but striking another note, race organisers strive to add another dimension to the race every year in order to keep it fresh and exciting. This time of course, the Sea Link is the new facet that would have photographers going into a tizzy. The landmark has been included in the route as a powerful city symbol.

The half-marathoners too begin at the Bandra Reclamation instead of the CST in another first. Organisers often talk about how half-marathon runners are looking to move up to a full distance 42 km. Maybe, next year, another dimension like a 30-km distance could be added to the schedule. Elite distance runners can compete in the 30-km race. The thought of lots of amateur half-marathoners doubtful about completing the "full" finding an "upgrade" to the 30-km race is not too daunting. Well, logistics might make that difficult, but it is worth thinking about.