My first DNF – Tata Mumbai Marathon 2019

DNF (Did Not Finish) is a very painful word in the context of running. But, it is said that every runner – no matter how big or small, fast or slow, amateur or pro, will have a DNF (atleast one if not many).

I tasted my first DNF at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2019 (TMM). I spent some time reminiscing about my running journey so far to check if I have ever had a race not finished; couldn’t remember any.

TMM is like a pinnacle for Indian amateur marathon runners. There is a very sweet  charm about this event which no other city marathon in India can replicate. I plan my running calendar and training around TMM; it is a like an end of season race where fruit of hard work over previous 12 months are to be cherished.

I went to TMM with great positivity and high hopes of putting in my best possible FM time. I was having a fantastic running season through 2018 and hence I was very confident of breaching the 4 hour barrier and actually going significantly below it.

Starting in B corral meant that I had little issue around encountering the crowd at the start. Start, as usual, was slower than than the race pace and guarded. As expected, the weather was humid and I started feeling it right from the first KM. I eventually got into a nice rhythm and hit the race pace. Owing to high humidity, I had budgeted for more than usual aid station stops so the run time and pace had to be precise. At 10km mark, I was within the target pace and set for another 11km of best pace sector. I was also eagerly looking forward to running on the sea-link. Things went as per plan, I hit 21km in around 1:50:XX, comfortably within my target and I felt good about the next 10km which typically makes or break any FM. I had some bananas and chikkis (my customary race fuel) and hit right back into the race pace. Next 5km were routine and then out of no where I felt some loss of energy. I took a salt break, stretched a bit and moved on hoping that it was a temporary blip. Next 2km I had to struggle hard to keep up the race pace. For the first time, I had a look at my heart rate and I was alarmed. I tried to run on for another km hoping that HR would stabilize but it wouldn’t and on the top of it I was struggling to hit the race pace. I knew something was wrong and that is where negative thoughts crept in. Have I hit the wall?

I took a quick stop at the medical tent and requested the volunteer to check my BP. She promptly did and then asked me to lie down immediately and handed an ORSL pack to sip through. She asked me to take 2-3 mins of break. I had no option but to oblige. I got up promptly after 3 mins and hit out out the medical tent determined to get my race back in order. Next 3km were most terrifying – my head was messed up with negative thoughts, legs wouldn’t move, pace wasn’t setting it. At around 30km mark, I took a stop at the medical tent again. This time the BP readings were not so great. I was asked to lie down again. Someone else came in and asked if I needed an ambulance, I politely declined. But, at that moment I knew that my race was over. I spent next 5 mins lying on the bed of the medical tent. As I got up, I saw the 4hr bus pass through. With that, I decided to call it off. Took some more time at the tent, got my bearings back and when I felt good enough to walk I took a taxi and got back to the start point.

I actually learnt a lot during this unfortunate DNF episode; a lot more than other successful runs. The list of learning is a long one and that is probably a topic for another blog.