18K run on 07 Sep 13. I got up at 0420 am and sat down for my studies. I am preparing for my PMP certifcation exam on 24 Sep 13. I studied till abouyt 0515 A.m. and then started my preparations for the morning run. The morning routine starts with a fresh lime and hot water combination followed by a banana or two which sets the bowels in motion. Then I prepare my gatorade bottle for the run. I normally run with a bottle in my hand to hydrate myself in the return leg.
  I left for NCPA at around 0545 am and reahced there at 0555 am. Not many runners had arrived,. I just saw Rishi and  Rajesh Shah. Today happened to be our coach's birthday too. So a party is planned in the night at radio club. However, it is also my pop's birthday, so I may not be attending the party. Vidhi also arrived then and at around 0612 we started our run - target was 15-18 km to be finalized as we run. Generally when this is said, it means the larger distance only. I had mentally prepared for 15 K only. The group I ran with today consisted of Vidhi, Rishi, Kiran, Chetan and Sagar, led by the great Abbas Sheik. Abbas runs 7 days a week, has a FM timing somewhere around 3hrs and 20 minutes or maybe better than that. He has a great stride to emulate. Rishi is a strong built guy with bulky muscles and is an extremely strong runner. Kiran , I guess is older than all of us, but the best and fastest, because all were saying that he is running slow for us to keep pace with him. He has an amazing spring in his stride and runs very smoothly.  I normally go with a slower group, but today I decided to take up this challenge of trying and matching with these elite runners. So the run started and  though Vidhi was complaining of sleepiness and late night, her strides and pace did not show that at all. I started feeling in the first Km itself that maybe it was a bad idea to have started with this group and I am going to be left behind very soon. The mind started playing tricks. Somehow, I decided to overcome this mindset and hang on by staying close to the forerunners viz. Rishi and Vidhi. So I  mentally tried to copy the running strides of Abbas and tried to control my pace to get into a rhythm that i could sustain. It was really tough as I was not used to starting fast. Normally, the first 4-5 km for me is very slow and then i get my rhythm. Here I was stepping out in the 2-3Km mark itself just to keep in pace with this group.
Running in a group is a different experience. Your mind can be controlled easily as you are not thinking much and jsut following a leader, i.e if you are running with a group faster than your normal pace. So i played this game with my mind and built my rhythm to match up to the pace of the group and voila, I was comfortable at the 6Km mark. Just before the 6Km mark there is a small upclimb stretch, where I really felt that I was cracking, but as soon as that got over, I was charged up and able to smoothly move ahead. Then came the downslope near mahalakshmi, a favourite of mine to loosen up and I suddenly found myself campering loosely and very fast much ahead of the others. I continued the lead till the Haji Ali juice shop and went ahead till the 7.5 K mark and stopped to turn around. ( mentally prepared for 15K) when the group signalled to me to go ahead, so I slowed down and waited for the group who then told me that we would go upto "mela" which is the 9K point, so I again started out with them. Here I felt that i was exerting myself more and could cause an injury or would not be able to keep up with the group in the return leg. Again the devil of a mind was playing games. I told myself "Just hang on" and keep moving step by step till you reach at least Marine drive.  So I continued with the group, Chetan is also an ace runner(1st  FM: 3hrs 45 min) and he was being chided by Rishi to keep up. Now it was a real issue, I couldnt be left behind at any cost, it would be shameful if I couldnt use my will power to manage to stick on, so I gritted my teeth and continued with a  half confidence level. As we turned into the Peddar road climb, Rishi was cruising along easily and moving ahead, fortunately I had Vidhi alongside who was panting a bit, and that gave me some confidence that i could keep up. Abbas slowed down for Vidhi and matched steps with her and then both of them started going ahead. I was again getting left behind, and so I focused on my mind and maintined my rhythm with Vidhi and managed to hang on. Then there was a small pit stop for water which Abbas got and then as we started running, I found Vidhi and Abbas speeding to catch up with Rishi. Sagar was also alongside all this while and I also decided to follow them. I was panting badly by now but I didnt want to give up now. I was successful in catching up with them and managed to be with the group till we reached Marine Drive. This stretch is my bug-bear and I always find it tough to maintain my pace in this last stretch. But I  made up a resolve not to leave this group and I continued keeping close to the group. All of a sudden Rishi looked at the watch and said something about going home early and he just took off as if he was running very slowly. Amazing guy!. I continued with my pace and all of a sudden as we crossed the flyover on marine drive( about 3km left to reach NCPA), I found my pace increasing and i easily overtook the group and went ahead. I was panting a bit but was comfortable, this was a pleasant surprise to me. I managed to even sprint up the last 500 m. I finished the 18k at about 0745 AM. Sagar just finished seconds behind me. Vidhi and Abbas went for a longer stretch of 18.5-19.0 Km, i think so, as they came in much later. Phew! I made it! It was a great feeling to have kept up with the group and doing an 18K in 1hr 32min approx. My PB for an 18Km run. But I must mention that it would not have been possible if not for this elite runners group which motivated me to increase my pace and keep up with them, So thanks to Kiran, Rishi, Vidhi, Abbas , Sagar and Chetan. Great Running with all of you.