This is the view right now from our Hotel window. Yes, we’re still stuck in Delhi; tomorrow (fingers crossed!) we will finally escape, after ten days of waiting. This has been a truly miserable experience, not helped by bomb scares, massive political meetings and the ongoing heatwave, all of which have made our stay in India’s capital even less agreeable than it was already going to be. I also still have the embarrassment of returning to work a week and a half late to look forward to. Splendid.
What you are looking at above and below is a fourteen lane highway, and Indira Gandhi International Airport behind; although most of it (in common with much of Delhi) is a vast dusty construction site at the moment. It so happens that – despite recent inconveniences – I am still entered to run my first marathon, this coming weekend. Busy times at work in March, the two week whitewater expedition in Nepal and the current situation have meant that any form of meaningful and consistent training has long since gone out of the window.
I’ve gone from an earlier attitude of insouciant confidence to now seriously doubting my ability to complete the marathon this weekend; but I’ll still give it a go, not least because of the phenomenal and much-appreciated support I’ve been given.
I’ve carried on doing what running can in the circumstances; in Nepal this meant a few early morning jungle jogs, in Delhi it’s a little more demanding; I get up at 5 am to miss the heat (by then it’s already above 30 degrees C) and the worst of the traffic (about 20% less than you see below and above), and run along the motorway hard shoulder for as long as I can endure before the dust, fumes, heat and smell turn me around. To be honest, we’re not talking about huge (or even worthwhile) distances, but I’ve been determined to give it a go, at least. Actually, the ‘hard shoulder’ is nothing of the sort; it’s a strip of mud, rubble and random holes, with the occasional interlude of an open sewer. If this sounds ridiculous, it actually appears to be the accepted way to go running hereabouts; I have met plenty of Delhiites along there, dodging the pre-dawn traffic with me.
I have to remain positive about all of this; this Sunday, nothing can go wrong.*
*But first, I have to get home…
You’ll be fine. It’ll be tough but you can do it.
Looking at those pictures reminded me what a crap-hole Delhi is, and you lot are staying in the “nicer” bit!