The Running Soul / March 3, 2026

TMM 2026: The 10th

Its 4.30 am on Saturday. I have woken up early to sleep early to wake up early on Sunday. (!!)

Like the same 4.30 am on the race Sunday exactly 21 years ago, but a different person. But I had the same mission. To complete the race. As this years. To complete my 10^th TMM. My younger self could have never imagined this journey.

Of course I was looking for something that I didn’t know of.

In the dark abyss, I thought that my life was over.

But, more and more, it’s becoming obvious to me that life is in the doing, not in the being done. How I do something feels far more important than any end-goal objective. Little did I know that it was a period of transition and there was going to be so much more ahead.

There are moments in life when we are reminded that we are unfinished, that the story we have been telling ourselves about who we are and where our life leads is yet unwritten. Such moments come most readily at the beginning of something new. SCMM 2012: My first full marathon in Mumbai.

The “Risings” trained together with unwavering discipline, bonding over sweat and film stories.

TMM 2026:

Things that went wrong: (Hind sight its always 20/20 vision)

First thing that I did at 5.45 am on the Monday morning was to check my Garmin data on the mileage that I had done over this training block of 4 months. I had had a nagging feel over that last week when I was planning my race strategy that my legs did not have enough mileage to hold the pace that was required for an early 4 hour finish. Sure enough, numbers don’t lie. Data showed that I had run a 60km average over the last 3 months with 4 days of running. I know that it wasn’t enough. But when doing it, I thought- maybe it was enough. Now I know that it isn’t. Not for the distance that I was training for.
We began in coral A- with the fastest runners of the field. Whilst it felt great at the start- to be amidst this quick fit group (I even commented that I have never begun a TMM so fast!) we went out too fast. That was a super-fast 10k- 57 mins!! And I paid a price for it at the end. With the slowest 10km 25-35km 63 mins!! That was the story of my race. Never before have I ever had so much variation amongst my 5km laps.

Well, now I realise the significance of beginning slow. I have always believed that the way we training is the way we race. So how did I imagine that with my low mileage I will be able to hold my fast finish pace for most part of the distance? Especially with this ridiculous start?

I ignored all signs, discarded what common sense was telling me, and stupidly believed that maybe it this new system will work.

I gave it a chance. And saw it fail.

You live and learn.

THE RACE: (my only photo with Vishal )

After running together for the first 10km he was gone. I enjoyed the first half (2.02) despite the long coastal road climb, the pitch dark 400m patch. The highlight was a shout out from my son, Arnav, who was running his second half and managed to spot me amidst the crowd. “Mom” he shouted, “Arnav!” I responded! It was smooth sailing until 25km, chatting with runners from all over the country.

Then things began to unravel.

My cadence dropped. And the next 10km were probably the slowest that I have run in a long time. The weather held up, but the inclines threw me off. No excuses here. I just didn’t have enough miles in my legs.

Russa joined me at Haji Ali (to prevent my stroll like last year!) and paced me until the end. After a short walk of 30m on Peddar road, I found my rhythm and flew in the last 6km. Ashish was waiting at Chowpatty, Parin, Rahul and Rohan a little ahead.