Sunfeast World 10K Run- 23rd-May-2010

Event name: Sunfeast World 10k
Event date: 23rd-May-2010
Event venue: Bangalore
Run distance: 10 KM
Bib #: 4513
Overall time taken: 69 minutes (Exact to be shared by event organizers)
Overall run Speed: 6.9 minutes per KM
Route: http://images.photogallery.indiatimes.com/photo/5917754.cms?
http://sunfeastworld10k.indiatimes.com/race-day-information/Open-10-K-Category/articleshow/5670861.cms
Time of run: The run started at 8:10 AM
URL: http://www.sntrun.org/
Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/amagazine/Sunfeast10KRun2010#
Image source: http://images.photogallery.indiatimes.com/photo/5917754.cms?

Running experience:
Certainly the most special run for me as this was entirely dedicated to my new born son- Anusheel born exactly 5 days before this run.
The start of the run had a same story as with some of the previous runs i.e. i could not get much of the practice, infact no practice at all for last 2 months or so (except the occasional RFL runs). Something i need to seriously consider changing in the coming time.

From my experience in the past runs, i knew that the traffic situation is quite messy during the Sunfeast 10K run. So i parked my vehicle around 3 Km from the venue and boarded an Auto till the venue. Reaching the venue was quite challenging with loads of traffic diversion. Despite all this, i along with my cousin (Rahul) managed to reach on time for the run.

I heard the event organizers announce that for Open 10K run there were around 7000 participants. Thats a huge number for Kanteerava Stadium to hold but as it happened in last 2 years, this run was quite well managed too. Unlike last years, the timing chip was mandatory for all the participants.

The run started at an sluggish pace. With scores of people around, it was tough finding space to put one's feet on the group so the first kilometer went quite slow. After that it was fine. I purposefully ran slower than my usual pace. Since i was out of practice, i was trying to find out how my body was responding. This is one thing i learned in today's run- Learn to respect one's body in marathon. We cannot take for granted that the body will be able to carry the load always. This knowledge helped me immensely as i was not in best of shapes for the run. I knew when i had to slow down or catch pace.

The water stations were at regular Intervals and i deliberately took Electral and water at regular times. One of the new things that i saw introduced in this run was the Cool zones after about the half the distance. Cool zones were nothing but a covered place along the route with constant spray of cold water. I did not find it very effective, may be it did not work as expected.

Another new thing was the presence of Cheering stations along the route, it was not there in any of the last editions. It helped to hear the cheers like- "Go Bangalore Go", "Dont listen to your legs, only your mind", "Only 3 Kilometers to go..."
I was able to complete the run in around 70 minutes, may be less but i am happy that i was able to sustain myself throughout the run.

Feet on the street- 09th-May-2010

Event name: Feet on the Street
Event date: 09th-May-2010
Event venue: Bangalore, Cubbon Park
Run distance: 5 KM
Overall time taken: 34 minutes
Overall run Speed: 6.8 minutes per KM
BIB number: 533
Route: Marked route in Cubbon Park
Time of run: The run started at 7:10 AM
URL: http://www.feetonthestreet.in/
Pictures: None

Running experience:
I was on the running track after quite a lull. For some reason, hadnt been training for 2-3 weeks so getting to this run was mentally challenging for sure. But as usual, in the end i was glad i made it.
For a good change, this Feet on the Street run was run to support 3 charaties (details mentioned in the next section). The one that quite caught my attention was tGo Support, which was working towards a rather unconventional cause of providing the right means to prospective Olympians, which is an often neglected cause. I hope to associate with them in coming time.

With time to be given to 3 Charitable organizations to give their introductions, the run started around 7:10 AM. Being out of practice, i purposly decided not to push myself hard. So i went on to cover the entire distance at a steady pace. The only time i accelerated was the last leg of the race when i suddenly realized that amount of reserve energy that i have and went on in a full throttle.
Overall, a satisfying run and glad to complete it without much of after effects- read pains. :-)

Other Notes:
Below content taken from Feet on the Street May 2010 announcement email-
GoSports Foundation
Registered as a non-profit trust in September 2008, GoSports Foundation was conceptualized by an Olympian, and graduates of Harvard and Oxford who wanted to translate their passion for sport into a concrete idea that strengthens the future of Indian sport.
In India, junior talent in Olympic disciplines has very little recognition and funding support to motivate them to stay in their sport and proceed to senior and international levels. At GoSports Foundation we believe that champions are created when the right talent gets the right support at the right time. We have directed our efforts toward providing crucial financial support for high-potential athletes. We are committed toward building an India where the best sporting talent, regardless of economic background, physical ability, religion, caste or region is given fair opportunities to perform and incentives to excel.
We invite you to be a part of the GoSports Foundation Sporting Revolution.

India Literacy Project
India Literacy Project, ILP, is a volunteer based non-profit organization dedicated to the cause of literacy in India. By empowering every individual they serve with functional literacy and an understanding of their basic rights and responsibilities, they strive to be a catalyst for 100% literacy in India.

proVISION ASIA
proVISION ASIA was started in Bangalore with an objective to assist the differently abled and encourage them to live a life of self reliance. To enable them so that, they provide differently abled people from very weak economic background, free mobility aids like wheelchairs, crutches, calipers, walkers; provide physiotherapy and sponsor corrective surgeries; sponsor education to many of the special kids who are disabled or whose parents are disabled; provide job placement services and mobility aid camps in villages with an aim to reach out to the people who cannot afford to come to Bangalore.