February 16, 2024 to February 18, 2024
5.00 p.m. on Friday evening driving through bypass roads and hot sun, culminating with narrow village roads, we arrived at Afsaneh Guest house, Auroville (our home for the next 2 days). Deciding against staying in Pondicherry (having stayed there twice before), we decided on Auroville instead – we were here for the Auroville Marathon (the first edition after the pandemic).
Afsaneh Guest House is not what you think of what you say “guest house” – designed in Japanese style architecture, we were staying in one of their Japanese cottages (each one styled differently). Stone paths lead you around the property with the large dining room area centrally located surrounded by floating lotus, pools of water, fishes of all kinds and immaculately placed plants.
Our cottage made in stone with windows open and covered with mesh standing on stilts with a ramp leading upward hosted a quiet peaceful stay for us to connect with nature. The welcoming veranda promised respite from the sun with a chance to embrace and experience nature in all its wonder (including the pesky mosquitoes once the sun went down).
Afsaneh lies in the middle of a thickly forested area around 2 kms from the visitor’s centre. With the only way to get to the Visitor’s Centre (where we knew for sure we would get some food) being to walk or have a 2 wheeler (either bicycle, e-bicycle, or bike), and it being too late to rent anything (most places in Auroville shut down at 5 p.m.), we wondered how to reach the visitor’s centre. Chancing upon a local rickshaw driver number, we called hoping to have our stomachs filled before we turned into bed that night, and as luck would have it, we did that.
The next morning, exhausted from the previous days’ travel, we decided to take it easy and have a leisurely breakfast at the guest house (the only meal the guest house offers). We ate locally grown fruit, and locally made Aurovillian bread and eggs, watching the fish and inhabitants of the pool outside the dining area chase each other and play. Hoping to get our hands on two wheelers before the Saturday visitors to Auroville centre took over, we once again relied upon our trusted rickshaw driver (who was fortunately available). Unfortunately, no cycles were available once again and we were forced to rent a bike from our guest house (which would be available in an hour).
It was now time for bib collection for the marathon (the reason we were here in the first place) (not to forget how beautiful the place is). Being one of the earliest to pick up our bibs, the volunteers greeted us with smiles and cheers, sending us good luck for our race the next day. The marathon market with its colourful stalls and a shopaholic’s paradise, was just setting up preparing for the throngs of runners who would visit for their bib pick-ups.
Having our trusted steed, I now hoped muscle memory would kick in, and I would be able to ride a bike (having not done so in years). Muscle memory did not fail me, and we were now set for the remainder of our stay in Auroville. After a hearty lunch and watching a baby turtle eat the lotus leaves in the pool outside our veranda, and watching nature unfold in the quiet silence of the guesthouse property, I decided to test out my shoes for the next day (I had hurt my toe two weeks earlier, and I had not been able to wear closed shoes for the preceding two weeks without pain). I was now beginning to suspect a hairline fracture but was too scared to check it before I left (worried I would be advised not to run). Trying various shoes (barefoot running shoes which I had used the previous two weeks to run, and normal running shoes), and taping my toe with medical tape in various combinations, I finally found the perfect match.
We needed to have an early dinner and turn in, and decided to go to the Right Path Café at the Visitor’s centre (we knew it would be open and with most Auroville eateries closing early didn’t want to be stuck). Runners were milling about after having collected their bibs, and some of them like us getting an early dinner. Stomachs filled to capacity; we made our way back home. It was surreal riding through Auroville in the night – the route from the visitor’s centre to our guesthouse is not lit, and there were barely any people or vehicles around. Cool wind blowing against our backs, the trees rustling in the distance, the sounds of the night forest, and the steady hum of the bike engine, with the bike headlight being my only guiding force on the dark winding roads surrounded by forest on both sides were our companions – it was brilliant and gave me goosebumps.
Turning in for the night with the only sounds being the odd rustling of leaves with some animals in the distance, we slept a fitful sleep to awaken to the consecutive alarms we set. It was pitch dark outside, all the occupants in the surrounding rooms of the guesthouse sound asleep, the lights around the property also off. Pinning our bibs on, taping my toe, and grabbing our supplies, we made our way to the gates of the property with a flashlight hoping neither of us would fall.
The turning of the key in the ignition and the sound of the bike roaring to life threatened to disturb the silence around with not another soul for miles. Getting on the bike and riding to the race, I felt excited, grounded and at peace (and I hadn’t been feeling this good for a while). As we reached, the 21km runners were poised to start, rows of restless runners were lined up before the starting line whilst the commentator droned in the distance. Dropping our bags at the bag drop (whilst still debating changing shoes – I had packed the barefoot shoes (just in chase, in true Christina style)), we stretched and warmed up, worried again that I had picked the wrong shoe, and that my taped toe would not hold me in good stead. As I warmed up, the brightly lit start line, the hordes of runners warming up and eating the pre-run snacks, the energy and atmosphere of the runners around, and the activity reaching a crescendo, spurred me on.
Warmed up, we decided to go to the beginning of the start line, waiting for the race to start. Hugs between runners who met another runner after ages, runners stretching up in various positions, conversations about the route, the breakfast and when the race would start lent a frenzied exciting vibe to the proceedings. Itching and raring to go, the bamboo blocking runners from starting was lifted and so it began.
Trying to get away from the crowds at the start, I started to pick up the pace treading cautiously whilst testing whether my toe would hold. It seemed to be doable, so I pushed onwards, hoping I wouldn’t regret this decision later. Sounds of pattering feet against the road, and the breaths of runners around with the light wind against my body, pushed me on. We ran past signs directing us where to go, local residents out on this early Sunday morning, and past various guest houses and workshops of Auroville. I was thrilled – this was what I loved to do – explore a place whilst running. We finally descended on some of the best parts of the trail, the reason I was here, through narrow mud paths with barely enough space for 1 person at a time, with trees and large shrubs engulfing the paths from both sides, sometimes threatening to leave scratches if a runner didn’t avoid them tactfully. The smell of cinnamon, coffee and the forest waking up for the day engulfed my senses – I wished that this path would never end. There were the occasional shouts from runners to their friends and other runners, but I was finally here, and this was just white noise for me. With the mud paths, there was sometimes the occasional runner who would miss a fall, followed by “careful”. The aid stations were spread throughout the run and as usual, they were a runner’s delight – oranges, limes with salt, chikki, and chocolate not to mention the electrolyte and water, and cheers from the enthusiastic volunteers of “you can do it”, “come on, come on” – the energy was electric and electrifying. The mud path through the forested area came and went in spurts with intermittent road in between, but for the majority of the race the forests were my companions, and I kept reminding myself that I was so privileged to be able to do this, and doing this.
As we ran past the trail, I sometimes saw the errant 21 km runner, taking a shortcut, and one landed up missing a whole portion of the 21 km route. It was not just the registered runners (sometimes, on the trail, we would encounter bib-less runners who I guess joined the route for the sheer fun of it). At portions of the trail, there were drum circles, and locals dancing, and photographers clicking away candid photographs of each runner. The energy was exhilarating and I wanted the run to never end. We ran past guesthouses, manufacturing facilities, thick forests, Auroville residents bicycling around, and roads which were being constructed. Stray dogs sunning away looked at us wondering if we were completely crazy (humans – crazy creatures – they pay to tire their bodies). I was hoping the run would never end, and there would be one more loop (and wishing I had signed up for the 21km run). As I reached the end of the run close to the visitor’s centre, just when everyone was too tired, the loud beating of drums and enthusiastic residents dancing and cheering gave runners an additional boost. The signs marking “to the finish” put a fresh spurt of energy in my steps, and whilst being wary of my increasing heart rate, I decided to make a dash for it at the end.
I was in tears when I finished the run – my trusted partner waiting and cheering me on. I had had one of the most trying months of my life, and I was not sure I would make it for the run and not sure I would be able to run (with my injured foot). But I managed it – maybe I would be crying with pain later, but I was overjoyed I had finished the run and with decent timing too (based on my earlier runs).
Runners stretched out after the run (and I think the course distances were maybe 50 meters less than what our watches showed), so there were also runners finishing the 50 meters on their own after having got the medal, just so to have the watches and numbers synced up.
It was a non timed run and a run for the joy of running – and truly that what was it was for me. Breakfast was upma, poha, idli and wada (of course we were in south India) with hot cups of tea. Breakfast done, we made our way back to the guesthouse – we had to check out but spent the rest of the day lounging in the cool stone comfort of the dining area watching the creatures of the pool laze around on Sunday morning.
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Chronicles of an overthinker 