Huh Huh Huh Huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
We were panting..We were falling..still running :)
Adventure runs in the blood...Winter break started and my cousins were back home from their boarding..Yes, my 9 and 11 yr old buddies came from Welham's Boys School for their winter vacations. They were all set for the fun and adventure at home. And, they can't possibly enjoy without their Naha di (long story in a line..the kids somehow never called me Neha di..dunno if thats outta love or just a pronounciation error..Whatever it be..I love being called Naha di :))..
Our first adventure spree..
We decided to have a Family Marathon..Noone would be spared. All have to RUN. From grandpa to dear Sahej (youngest of all), all have got to participate..
Gearing up: A day before, Saturday 2nd Dec '06 Everyone got on their feet, preparing for their sportswears - head gears, joggers, track suits, bandanas..and what not..Enthusiasm was overflowing..
Participants: All family members
Time : 5:00 am
Day: Sunday, 3rd Dec '06 Mid Winter Day
Routes: We decided to have 2 tracks and distinguished it by age group..Kids and oldies one group and rest in the other..hehe..guess what? where could I fit in..Well, well, well..If all oldies/kids fall down on their way..there needs to be one at least, to get them onto the vehicle (We had a vehicle running for the drop outs :))..one caretaker for all and that was ME...
Route 1: 5 km, round the colony inner circle
Route 2: 8 km, round the main road to the inner circle to the colony welcome gate
RULE: All will be timed..No Cheating..:)..No short cuts..
Reward: Right, thats what we were all waiting for :P..What for are we running! Gifts were decided by the oldies and they dint tell us..deliberately..As if they were to cheat and keep them anyway..hush hush..Anyway, to get it, we were to run..run..run..
Family Marathon begins..the Sunday morning ..4:30 a.m...no sunshine and chilly weather.. WAKE up alarm..ringing..eyes tight shut :)
Noone got up..My grandpa..first one to get up..inherently devoid of sleep due to old age.. ringing around everybody's ear..Get up! Get up!.. Anyway, the second one to get up..Sahej..He to0k the torch and now everybody off the beds :)..Literally poured glasses full o' water to wake everybody...naughty boy zzzzz...zzzz...every body awake..out of their beds..
Time: 5:00 am. 5 mins to get set and go..That's all, thats the time line and and all had to abide by it or out of the Marathon..Everyone was actually wondering who could be the LUCKY ONE :)
Anyway, On your marks... Get Set....Gooooooooooooooooo.....
Route 1 runners:
All started from the house front gate. Oldies, kidz, TATA Indica (car for all drop downs over the way..) and me..Everybody, was actually deciding when to drop down to be seated comfortably in the car thru the Marathon :P ..A few like Nakul were also planning to take their known short cuts to get back home earlier..
Started..running..huh..huh..huh..Sahej was the fastest of all running at hare pace and slowest...hmmm..not to wonder..grandma..she was not running..she was taking baby steps..knew when everone covers lil more distance, she could take her seat..Well thats what happened..hehe..Naniji (we call her nanni too) dropped first..So 1 wicket down.. Next, Nakul..mottu..dropped and then grandpa..Sahej, Shruti, Swati and me..actually completed the route..Yeah..Mission accomplished...
Sahej - 26:05, Neha - 28:50, Shruti - 31:56, Swati - 34:45, Nanaji - 35:05
Drop outs - Nakul and Naniji
Route 2 runners:
Mom, Dad, Mamaji, Mamiji, Neeta di, Navneet, Jiju, Masi, Masa, Gaurav, Ankush
They started, dont think any one dropped but they seemed to have taken ages getting back..We were all waiting at the welcome gate for their arrival. Sahej decided to time them.
Gaurav - 56:04, Ankush - 1:02:09, Mamaji - 1:02:14, Navneet - 1:04:56, Jiju - 1:05:23, Papa - 1:09:53, Masa - 1:13:23, Masi - 1:13:26, Mom - 1:20:21, Mamiji - 1:20:24, Neeta di - 1:21:02
Finally, all reached..driving force..each other..hehe..ya we were actually looking at each other to run better and earlier..Nakul never got a chance to cheat thru his short cut..dropped the second.. So, was our Family Marathon...full of fun, tiresome and enjoyable..
After Marathon, we were all so tired..drank lemon water and all dropped back to our beds :)