Image Credits : CaitChock.
If you are a female, have been pregnant, and have had cravings for food, I know your feelings now. When running the Pune International Marathon in December 2014, I experienced this feeling for the first time. The Pune Marathon has a route that covers the heart of the city. It started from the Baba Khandoji Chowk and ended at Swargate. The entire route was through the streets and flyovers in Pune. The race started at 6:10am and with my pace of 6 mins per km, I was aiming to finish the race at around 8:20-8:30am with a timing of 2 hours 10mins. The first few kms were easy as I maintained a constant pace of 5:35 mins per km. After the 12th KM marker, I started to get tired. it was close to 7:30am and the roads were slowly getting busier with traffic. As we crossed a small street, there was a corner where many people gathered to have breakfast. Idly-Vada Sambar sellers setup their stalls and the hungry crowd gathers. I got so jealous of these people enjoying the warm breakfast, I wanted to stop and have some with them. Poha, Upma, khichdi, So much to offer. This was my 12th Half Marathon and I had never experienced this kind of urge to eat something. The smell of the various food items went into my nostrils and that's where I lost it. My mind and my body wanted to have that idli-sambar. "Those damn lucky people having Idli-vada and I am an idiot who paid a hefty sum to running around the city on a Sunday morning." I crossed the food stalls and within 400 meters, was a small snacks hotel where there were a few people sipping tea in those small plastic cups. Again my mind was distracted. Now my mind wanted to have some tea. I was seriously thinking that I stop there and have tea. "Nothing will happen if I finish 5 mins late." I am glad that I didn't stop there.
Next was a fruit seller where I again started dreaming of food. This time for bananas. I could see myself eating bananas in my mind. I promised myself that "Bananas are waiting at the finish line. Don't stop here. "
While running, A Newspaper guy crossed the road on his bicycle while we were running. I almost collided with that guy. I gave him an angry look and then I noticed, he was carrying Half liter milk packets in the bag hanging on his bicycle. Again the same urge to have the milk. "Ah ! Cold Milk ! I can easily drink 1 Liter right now. I can pay the guy right there and run with 2 milk pouches in my hand."
Stopping for Idli-vada, Tea, Banana, Milk was a stupid idea that could have come to my mind only when running a marathon and feeling very hungry. Later I found out that this kind of a feeling has a word for it. "Runger". Half way into the race, I was confident, I will finish the race in less than 2 hours. Then this Runger struck. With frustration in mind about not able to eat breakfast when running, I completed the race with a timing of 2 hours 11 mins.
After completing the race, I wanted a Banana. NOW. But too bad, the organizers had not arranged for any snacks like fruits, biscuits, buns etc. That was very disappointing. I gulped 1 liter water and cooled myself off. I called my sister where I was heading after the run to have a bath and breakfast. She told me "How about Idli for Breakfast ?" I instantly replied, "Yes. A lot of Idli".
