Running For No Cause

This morning when I went for my usual Sunday long distance walk I r literally ran into a Marathonb> I went out on the roads only to find a lot of guys in yellow tee shirts groaning and panting overtaking me.

It was obviously some kind of run but I was not sure which kind. Every Sunday people here run for some cause or other –for girl child, for women, for literacy, for cancer awareness or fighting common cold. I assumed that it must be for some cause.

So I asked one of the tired looking poor devils desperately trying to overtake a speedwalking yours truly for what cause they were running, he got thoroughly running. “Cause what cause? “ he asked me instead.

“Dunno. You are the one who is running anjd must know the cause”. A look of dejection came on the poor fellow’s face. He was thoroughly stumped. He was running without even knowing why he was running! He slowed down to a snail’s pace and gave up all idea of overtaking me or anybody else.

After walking a littlew bit more I found a board DELHI MARATHON 2018. IT WAS SPONSORED BY A BANK. Looks like banks do more than letting people run away with thousands of crores of money taken as loans. They also spend your and my money in buying tee shirts for hundreds of people who were supposed to run but were only walking.

A little distance away from the board some guys were sitting at a table thoroughly confused over who was the participant and who was not. They were offering water bottles and energy drinks to anyone passing by almost taking it for granted that if anyone was on the road he/she must be a marathon runner. I grabbed a bottle of energy drink and only after I had walked a distal bence I head the shout “EXCUSE ME!!” behind me. Obviously the tubelights in human form had realized that I wasn’t a participant. That motivated me to speed up and move faster than the marathoners.

I had to cross the road to go toa south Indian grocery store to buy some stuff. The shopkeeper complained that lot of provisions that had to come in the morning had not arrived as roads were blocked for the marathon. “If someone’s palm itches they organize a run”, he complained. That was only a slight exaggeration.

When I was returning home a cop gestured me to stop. I thought the marathon organisers had complained about a bottle of energy drink being gypped. NO he was just trying to stop me from crossing the road so that the marathon runners, oops sorry walkers, sorry again staggerers could move freely without being hindered by us humble mortals.

They must have felt like VIPs, these runners. Even armed cops were hovering around to protect thesre bigshots from some terrorist attacks. Never mind even if they wouldn’t qualify for paper medals at Olympics.

 

Cheeniya sir, thank you very much for lifting me at least to some extent to the level of Tom Hanks.

 

Kalcandu thanks for the d suggestion that I should write a newspaper or magazine column. IU used to but have given up in favour of internet.

 

No they don't. What ius the point of running for something in urban areas comprising almost educated professionals. Awareness needs to be raised on many serious issues in the backwaters of India. They should put up such shows there.

 

Sabitha, I bear no grudge against runners. But I find that lot of people who take part in marathons just walk and don't run. They are there licking their chops over freebees like Tee shirts.. They just wealk. Also, when traffic diversions can be announced in advance for Republic and Independence days why not for a Marathon. ? This Marathon led to traffic snarls as drivers ran into the race anfd were stopped by traffic cops.. If it had been planned properly, such a thing wouldn't have happened. I have my reservations about long distance running. I prefer long distance walks. The only running I do is on my treadmill.