This year`s inaugural Bangalore marathon revealed that to us.The marathon itself was unique in its on sense.It wasnt the normal full marathon (40 odd Km) or the half-marathon...but a 10 Km run.Besides it was also termed to be the richest marathon....anyways we never had any intention of winning it..:-P...our sole aim was to complete the 10 km distance.

  After the normal registration process was completed , we were handed  over a GOODY bag by the sponsors;with lots of goodies inside. Frankly speaking getting  the goody bag was ONE of the prime  reasons for our  participation  :-)  . As the race day started  gettin closer; we decided to put in a bit of effort so that we could atleast complete the marathon.So it was  finalized tht we would start jogging/running every morning . But Alas......we hardly went for more than 4 days i guess .. :-P...

  A day prior to the event ..we collected the TIMING chip...that would record our running statistics on the actual raceday.Hey ....by now ..we were gettin the FEEL of the event !!!!!!! .....On the D day got up early morning as we had to reach at Kaanterva stadium by 8.45 AM....bt then it dawned upon me that my  shorts were nowhere to be seen. I had to borrow my roomies ones and proceed for the race.Somehow we did manage to reach the venue on time.The atmosphere over there was somethin I had never experienced before.People of all ages and in such large numbers!!!!!!

   We headed straight to the start line.Exactly at 9.00 AM the race begun..I started making my way forward...first  1-1.5 km was pretty good.....conserving my energy and breathing deeply.Around 2-2.5 km...and yaa...by now ....I started to feel the heat..I could see fellow marathoners go past me....hence...took an energy drink and gradually started building up pace...now... I could see myself goin ahead of those poor chaps  who had overtaken me  :-)...However this phenomena of them going ahead of me ...and then again me overtaking them continued for the entire race duration :-)

  There were signboard marking the end of each and every Km. My eyes would always eagerly await the sight of the next signboard  .And ya..thhere were those press photographers and media persons along with us in the race (but on their moBikes.. :-(   ).  I have got to accept that the very sign of the photographers and people cheering alongside made me go furhter. However the best thing abt the race was that , we got to see a lot of places in bengalooru that we had never seen before ....for eg..The Majestic VIDHAN SOUDA,HIGH COURT,Ulsoor lake etc etc etc ....We never would have thought that our much anticipated BENGALOORU DARSHAN would be materialised this way..hehheh..

   Between 5-7 km , I began to feel as if they had forgot to place those kilometer signboards...my eyes kept on starving to see one ..but they were nowhere to be seen...the distances now seemed to be never ending.....a Kilometer was looking more than a mile now.The very sight of the 8KM signboard , brought some life into me. Now all i wanted ..is to finish the race..Again i had a quick draught of energy drink...proceeding further gradually...9 th Km went by....and by know i could see myself running the last lap in the stadium in front of a 1000 odd crowd!!....Man ..wht a feeling!!!....this very thought made me more and more eager  to reach the finish line.I kept on goin..kept on goi...kept on goin......and then suddenly I could see the finish line!!!quickly i saw the clock above the finish line... it read 1:14:26....hmmm..not bad ..especially for amateur like me..The very feeling of completing the race was a feeling of accomplishment!!Although was a bit disappointed that didnt get to run on the track in the stadium.. :-(

P.S  * "Maadi" in the title is the kannada word for "Do"

       * After the race we somehow stumbled across a person....he was a fellow VESITan...92 batch...AND he was the captain of the college HOCKEY team!!!

   Still remember the day  of our departure from Mumbai @ the airport all friends turning up to wish us farewell for a  supposedly bigger ILP.Pretty emotional moment ...knowing that... u might never know when next u`d see ur best pal.Days,weeks,Months or perhaps even years!!!

    Hours later we were in Bengalooru...The GARDEN city,Pub city,IT capital,pensioners paradise,air-conditioned city and many such sobriquet`s. Man...how excited we all were!!!!!Most of our felllow ILPers had got their desired  Base-Branch,barring a few like us whose destiny was written to be Bengalooru..I guess!!

  After dropping off our luggage @ my cousins guest house..we headed next morning to the office.All of us alloted to some domains.Had to meet some PL.Goodness gracious interview over.....and out was the result....REJECTED...really had no idea as of why tht  could have happened.And then started those looooong trips to MATC. What an experience with all the MATC employees,some of the most rudest adamant ppl u could ever come across on the earth.For about an entire month ; they gave me all sorts of trauma that they could possibly give.Right from the usual ..COME TOMMOROW to.. YOU WILL HAVE TO LEAVE THE JOB....everything!!!!!

 Meanwhile ..our house hunt was in full flow.We saw about a dozen of houses for rent in matter of couple of days.Some were too small,some too remotely located,whereas some had astronomical rent rates.We knew we had to finalize on one by the end of the first week.So....aftr hrs of discussion..we finally selected ONE...Our Sweet home for atleast the next few months!!!

A couple of days more.....and we were feelin completely at home.Bengalooru turned out to be as good as xpected if not more.The chilly evenings were somethin u could die for !!! In course of time we came to know abt the most happening places of the city..aka MG road and Brigade road.Almost all of our weekends....u could spot us here.