Mumbai Marathon 2008

6am and dawn was still an hour away as we started our journey into South Bombay in the first class carriage of the western line train. We were to meet up with the Leighton mob who were running in the corporate "Dream Run" raising funds for their chosen cause. The Mumbai Marathon has become a yearly fixture of the Asian marathon circuit and is a embraced as part of the Mumbai festival. More than 20,000 people take part corporate run with a total of more than 40,000 running, walking or getting around the course any way they can, while the supporters enjoy the festival atmosphere.

The main marathon had been run and won by the time we hit the road. 9am and the streets filled with colourful sponsored shirts and banners, some runners keen to test their time and others happy to spend a few hours having a walk around the city. It was a great experience to see the empty inner city streets at a slower pace, happy to be in the middle of the road without the threat of being cleaned up by a mad taxi with a family of ten bursting out of the windows.

I'd been asked to join the team a week ago so I trained hard, tapering from walking to the shop to a few beers (carb loading) the night before the event. In all it was a fun event with bands and entertainment along the course. At the finish was a Mtv sponsored DJ playing some good tunes to mild appreciation, but when she started with the Hindi beats the streets, the medians the trees were alive with hands in the air and big smiles. I loved the moves... screw the light bulb, pat the dog all whilst biting their bottom lip. These people love to party and love being in photos, the old bloke beside me just wanted to be in a photo, gotta love 'em..