The Post Modern Duathlon (TPMD)

TPMD consists of about 360km driving, 20km running, & followed by 360km driving - at least my first TPMD did. The drive back to Bangalore, in my limited experience in driving, was tough - consistent rain, mostly in the dark, and the occasional 'motor-water-boarding'. The last mentioned occurs when an on coming, over taking or to-be over taking vehicle passes at reasonable speed over water on the highway, and causes a generous splash on your windscreen. Momentarily it creates an effect of suddenly plunging into water, car borne. Dont ask me why but my first reaction has been to brake hard - in hindsight, not the best thing to be doing. Any suggestions what one needs to do in the instance of being motor-water-boarded?

My only tip to those thinking of the ECR runs is this - read up a bit on the monsoon patterns on the south eastern coast of India. Pretty straightforward - Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan it is the Northeast Monsoon - so if you are headed toward Mahabs from Muthukaadu, then the wind is behind your back on the way out...for any fellow novices (may I add a hundred 'stupid's too, although Mr.Vasu counts that a 'bad word') - the run up to the half way point is as good as it gets. The good people at ChennaiRunners (they rock) had excellent arrangements for refreshments, encouragement and watchful eyes every 2.5kms of the way. Didnt matter that the traffic wasnt stopped - it is after all a state highway, and as far as one stays way over to the right there wasnt much of a problem - except, of course, for the immediate challenge of running.

Appears that running aground at about the 14km mark is my problem. I need to read/ chat up on how to overcome this 'barrier'. Mr. Nitin - the most learned runner, cyclist, treasury guy - suggests that training might help.

Also, the first TPMD is only the second time in my adult life till date that I have made it up and down this road without being drunk at least one half of the way. The first time was this final year trip to see something of architectural significance - a group of stone carvers & their work - all thanks to Dr. Srivatsan. A number of things were vastly different then - and I guess there is just no time before heading to office to get into all that. Couple of guys fell off their bike, somebody was examining the 'axis' at Mahabs and it restoration/ conservation, somebody got to spend the entire ride back with a pretty awesome girl and the lucky idiot was me.

Maybe it is this particular previous trip which makes me call it the 'Post-Modern' Duathlon. My run measured by any Modern (read: objective measurement like timing) benchmark can't be anything but mediocre and an utter waste of a weekend & petrol money. But you add 'memory' and maybe it is not entirely useless. There is something about going back to the same place but doing slightly different things.