“Go, go, go Auntie-ji! Chalo! Run!”

I met many lovely people this morning during the course of my half marathon through the streets of Delhi.

So many kind greetings, and “Well done” and “Keep it up”, mostly from strangers.

Every time I race, I am blown away by the kindness of strangers, wishing each other well, and chivying fellow runners to keep running. Totally unselfish.

At one point, I was flagging (one of MANY points when I flagged, if I’m being honest!!) and a brisk “Don’t walk, jog!” from a young woman behind me got me running again.

But the best encouragement of all came from a pavement dweller, on the road leading back to the stadium, in the last kilometre of the race. He was picking up discarded plastic water bottles, and without being judgey, was wearing dirty rags with matted hair, but he gave me the MOST radiant smile and said “Go, go, go Auntie-ji. Chalo! Run!”

Too lovely.

He must live such a desperately miserable life, and yet there he was dispensing free smiles and encouragement.

To every lovely person who wished me well on the course today – thank you.

It wasn’t my finest race.

In fact it was borderline disastrous with my problematic hamstring deciding to act up, after a week of physio and stretching and dutiful foam rolling, and even medication to keep it at bay.

I started out well, I know I did.

Was feeling good.

Was bang on target for the first half of the race…and then the second half went pear-shaped. More walking than running. Volini stops. Yelps of pain.

All very tedious, but it is what it is.

Trying to be all Pollyanna-ish, I am, of course, super grateful that I can still run at my advanced age blah blah blah.

But part of me is irritated that a stupid niggle derailed what was, for once, a seemingly well-planned race.

So anyway tomorrow, Auntie-ji will “go, go go” to the physio and sort this wretched hamstring out, once and for all.