Blog 7201: Run of the Mill

My presence in a gym is known to evoke emotional responses from my friends.

Last time I went to the gym, Chakri saw me and said - "Oh. Ohhh. Hallelujah. Today I feel good about the decision to set up the gym".
*Tears rolled down his cheeks as he said that*

Today, Mundra came beside my treadmill and fanned his palms in speechlessness.
Someone offered him water.
Others prepared to hold him before he fell.

I take it all in my stride. 

Just another day.

*low whistling*

Anyhoo.

The hard part, actually, is getting myself up on the treadmill. 

Its not the running that I'm scared of.
(Or so I like to maintain.)

I just dont know what to do with my mind for those 20 mins.

I survey the surroundings for the first 2 mins.

I check out the readings on the meters for the next few minutes.

And then nothing.

Its just standing there at one place and letting the legs flail themselves.

*yawn*

Not today. 

In a moment of mindblowing brilliance of the same order of importance as Newton and his apple, I decide to run 2.2 kms and picturise Kgp's 2.2 while running.
:)

For the uninitiated, IITKgp had a ring road that was 2.2 kms in length.

Go.
First lap - SN to Veggies.

7.5 kmph.
I imagined random cyclists on the road.
Gokhale and VS Halls on the right.

This part has always been the easiest. 

A slow trot. 

A peep into Veggies to look for any budding stories.

A few hi's and bye's on the road.

A few middle fingers to friends who were unable to hide their glee at seeing me run.

0.5 km on the dial.

That wasn't too difficult.

Hah.

Vegies to Pan Loop.

Took me a while to recollect what lay in between these two.

Of course.

JCB.

And Gymkhana.

And the strategically pooping birds in the trees outside the Gymk.

And Iosys computers.

I still don't know what business those people did.

I've never actually seen anyone walk into or out of their shop.

Maybe it was a part of the interior decoration of Kgp.

Landscaping, they call it.

I hit a brief lull after Pan Loop.

This was around when I'd start keeping my mouth shut. 

And tell myself to not stop.

I hear myself say in my head "Tempo se Anjai Laaal... hoga hoga" 

:D

1.3 km.

Diro's Bungalow, approximately.

By now I've varied my pace between 7.5 and 10 kmph multiple times.

I try and think of what I used to do between the Diro's bungalow and Harry's.

Blank.

Probably coz by now I used to look down at my feet and just think of finishing the 2.2

Except once.

Me, Naween and Chaks running a 2.2

Pinky and her parents walking on the other side of the road in the opposite direction.

From the footpath - Mom then dad then Pinky.

As we neared, we waved each other a 'hi'.

Change of configuration.

Dad sends Pinky packing to the middle and puts himself between her and our side of the road.

We suppressed our smile, looked down at the road and carried on.

1.8 km
Damn, I've lost it again.
What was there on the 2.2 between Diro's and Harry's?
Ah, the bhoot bungalow.
And SN's backside.
Ahem.

I figure I'm near Harry's by now.
I'd always had half a mind to stop by this point and go to Harry's.

"Tempooo se Anjai Lal..."

I decide to sprint the rest of the way to end it quickly.

12 kmph.

2.0 kms.

I mentally picture myself seeing the gol chakkar outside the insti main gate.

Automatically, the speed drops down to 6.
Nescafe shop on the right, check.
SN's sneak-out-by-jumping-over-it gate on the left, check.

I try all sorts of variations with the legs.

Lift them high.

Keep them low.

Hop on front part of leg.

Anything to keep my mind engaged.

2.1 kms.

The left turn into Scholars' Avenue.

Around now, Dotty would start peeping into SN. 

"Koi nahin dekh rahi hai tujhe... rehne de" 

Dotty: "So what... main to dekh raha hoon na"

2.2. kms.
I'm done for the day.

Quick stop.

I trudge along on the treadmill while it comes to a stop.

Its the slow walk in the SN-RK lane.
I get off the treadmill.

There's till time to get the chai in the mess.
The snacks would be over by now.
The biscuits changed over the years.
Began with simple Parle-G in 2nd yr.
Some flavoured cream biscuits later on.
And finally, some cashew nut 5-buck biscuit in 4th-5th year.

Whoever says that it takes a lot of effort to go gymming.
The way I see it, all it needs is the right kind of imagination.
:P