A week ago, I asked for your good wishes and positive vibes, as I tackled my first ever trail run in the Himalayas. And you all came up trumps.
This weekend, I’m back again, once asking for thoughts and prayers and good luck, as I tackle the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon tomorrow, my first road race since March 2019.
March 2019!
Yikes.
That race was a 5km, so I haven’t actually run a long distance race since February 2019, when I ran the Delhi Marathon.
In the course of the ensuing years I have:
- aged
- had major surgery
- had a zillion silly injuries
- and…kinda lost my nerve for road racing.
So…yes…I’m understandably worried about tomorrow 😛
For those of you quietly wondering “Why the drama?” “Why run at all, if you’re not in shape?” here’s the thing:
1) I hope to run an ultra next year – hopefully 55km at Doc Chauhan’s La Ultra in Ladakh.
2) Therefore running a full in Mumbai in January (that’s 42km) would seem to be good preparation
BUT.
Theres always, always a but, right?
3) In order to run Mumbai, I need a timing certificate not later than October 2019.
4) Which I don’t have, because of above mentioned surgery and injuries.
5) Which means I need a timing certificate quick quick.
6) So I decided to apply to run the Delhi Half Marathon.
7) But the same rules applied for this race – I needed a timing certificate not later than October 2019, so I was stuffed again.
8) Luckily for me – SERIOUSLY lucky for me – the Delhi HM (tomorrow’s race) has a special application category for women without a timing certificate.
9) Whew!
10) Applied.
11) Fretted.
12) Breathed a sigh of relief when I was accepted under that category.
SOOOOO…tomorrow, it is a case of back to Square One. Literally.
I am in the last starting zone, zone F.
In order to qualify for Mumbai, I have to run my race tomorrow in under 3 hours, a time I have (without sounding boastful) never needed before, usually clocking in around the 2:05, 2:07 mark, but that was then and this is now, and that is why I NEED ALL THE POSITIVE VIBES I CAN GET!
I’m not being in the least disrespectful about tomorrow’s race, which I am oh-so-grateful to have got into, but I am running tomorrow. Not racing.
I need to cross that finish line in under 3 hours.
I need that certificate so I can get my road running back on track.
So, yup – that’s why I need bucketloads of positivity. Please 🙂
To those of you whom I met today at the Bib expo – it was SOOOOO good to see you all, and to hug and wish each other for tomorrow.
Here’s hoping we all have a safe, fun run.
(And here’s hoping that I get that darn timing certificate after SO much planning!)

We will all be positively vibing away, I promise.