Sometimes, I do think, real life, is stranger than fiction... We've got mechanical lives, with no break, no time for the stereotypes we once stood for (freedom, Maya Angelou-esque "Im with you kid, lets go!"), no time to think about whats really important... the air that made us or the air we are currently made to breathe! I was sitting around moping about the finer qualitites I did not have, finishing school, a love for cosmetics, a love for political correctness and a knowledge of WHEN to give up? Ive had the same person say "sorry! It wont work because I cannot see the good parts of what we had, my head is stuck on the negatives" for about a year and a half now.. my stupid head cannot accept (forget the heart, that one is a big wimp) that egos are very real things!


This is definitely the jet-age. Facebook updates, quick SMS-makeups and break-ups, Sam Hamilton is a dinosaur of modern times! Sadly, Im stuck on the dead poets and the almost dead rhetoric. Rhetoric IS a far cry from practise!


I was thinking about my own tendency towards verbal diarhhea as I boarded my second auto-rickshaw for the day.. I think air-conditioned Toyota Innova's are not in my near future, by choice. As arent Business Class travel, champagne or other silly things, like high-heels. I mean, Im a primate from the Indian sub-continent. The world can deal with that!


A chatty rain had started to fall, as we hit Double-Road, en route work. My most favourite client had told me "I think you should focus on sport, you are sitting on a life-time opportunity". I was thinking, "he cant be serious, who knew people actually READ the sports page??!!"... but with all skeptics, they philosiphize on the logic behind their skepticism... Im just a little different... Sometimes, I think the pursuit of a dream requires a personality truly like Holly, from "Breakfast at Tiffany's"... a "true" phony, with achievable pipe dreams..... Back to the rain, FM 94.3 was not doing the job today. Neither was thinking about what the heck was holding me back. We stopped at the last stop signal, before reaching the dreaded destination, industry. There was this kid, same story, "amma, Im hugry!"... my cosmopolitan, non-celebrity self was not going to cave in... The signal was not about to change quickly, either! Second kid, "sanjay vani newspaper beka"......... hmmmmmmmmmm............. a little girl in what looked like a school uniform at 5:30pm... post-school. working a second job. Not very unlike scraping dishes for scholarship in Chicago! Sure enough, the service industry had a few high-points today. So many philosophize about the silliness of supporting begging.. but, this kid was not begging.. she was a common citizen, involved in local commerce. A big purchase was in order. Sorry, I really despise Esprit from the bottom of my heart! I like brand-commerce, though.

Ever had one of those days when you couldnt WAIT to tell the boy you liked that no one else would do? That you really really wished he were by your side, rather than thousands of miles away? Or one of those days when you couldnt WAIT to tell your friendly neighbor that life does extend beyond what they have seen so far, identity and achievement being part of that vision? Or one of those days when you wished desperately that you could leave it all behind and run away, towards a non-existant utopia.. the only trouble being that utopia neither suited your purse nor your sleep quality (I cannot sleep in perfectly silent places anymore!). Or one of those days when you were fed-up with your own restlessness that you wished you liked being in a beauty-parlor instead ???

Ive been on forced rest in the last month after my crazy racing mileage in August. I have been working a lot, training consistently (albeit, shorter sessions) and sleeping every chance I get. Last night, I slept for 13 hours.. I was in bed by 8pm! I suppose my body needs the break, as does my mind. Speaking of my mind, I dont know where its been, lately.

If I could sing a song to my mind, it would be "jaane kahaan gaye woh din.........."....... :) My mind IS a sucker for old romantic songs, heavy rain and pakodas after running in said rain.

Today is one of those REALLY SLOW days at work, when Im waiting, waiting, waiting and too unmotivated to put on my sales cap. So, Im off to write a few songs to my mind, hoping it will come back to me soon........... I miss it already!

And by the way, I am a wreck of emotions (WOE) today! What can a stir-crazy girl do but run? Here I go!!

I was in Mumbai today for all of 6 hours. I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
India is a beautiful, abused woman in a cotton saree, jasmine flowers and a strength that would scare steel manufacturers :) I love Mumbai for so many reasons....................
-- It smells of optimism and hunger
-- When hungry, it looks no different from any other city, when full, it looks nothing like any other city
-- I was so thrilled to toe the line at the mumbai half this year, 3000 extra competitors past what happened.................... BRIng IT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-- Mumbai embodies the great running talents of my age.............. burn out or fade away, baby!
-- Slumdogggggggggggggggg millionaire doenst stray too far from the jhopadpattis in this city
-- I-heart-slumbdog-millionaire
-- Sleepless in Santacruz would be my Bollywood directorial debut!
-- I-heart-Mumbai
-- OWNERshiP.. this city "gets" it!

In an attempt to get me to brush my hair, my mom booked an hours appointment with a *gasp* beauty parlor. The last time I was in one was before my brother's wedding.. the last time before that I cannot remember.. an HOUR? I must say that beauty is an endurance sport.. or much harder. I started off the Monday morning with a very relaxing visit to the dentist. I couldnt stop laughing as I kept thinking about what a terrible way this was to start a week, ears ringing with the sound of water being jetted down your teeth and a hundred work deadlines zipping past my brain at alarming speeds. I worked for a bit, after having worked on Sunday to make up for a bit of time as I had to travel again today... but, the sense of calm was shattered with the beauty parlor appointment..

These places are usually staffed by really beautiful women who know how to do things amazingly quickly, be it their hair or makeup, another no-no in my life. I am usually the ugly duckling who looks like she has stepped out of a war-zone but, its all very entertaining. There are hundreds of magazines about "The ten things he wants", curious looking pointy instruments in cups and the general smell of products that will render me "fair and lovely" and the light chatter about everything in general. Its totally girl time. While I used to have a healthy dislike of all things to do with sitting still, I have new-found respect for people that can endure this sort of event. The time today was spent being smeared with what felt like mud, laughing my head off (much to the lady's consternation), cracking my face-pack (I think thats what its called.. my face in a pack.. what has the world come to?) and continuing to drive the women inside the parlor nuts with my inability to take this seriously.

I clearly have a lot to learn. I was handed some more magic cream to make my troubles go away, err... complexion troubles that is... so, Im off to douse myself in some of that and hit the sack.

I am seriously fine with being brown and beautiful :) Why is it that all my non-desi friends would kill for a tan and yet at home all that is fair is lovely??

I signed up for Ironman Canada sometime during my Ultraman Canada journey. I was not thinking very clearly at the time.. some combination of the strong sun and the incessant voice of two jobs on my back got me to do it. I've realized that I have a very difficult time sucking up to people. Be it potential sponsors, sugar-daddy's or other providers of "free things"...

In my world NOTHING is for free. This includes hurdles... even those you have to earn :) I need to work, period. I have found a few intrepid souls to help me this year though and more importantly, I've learned to ACCEPT this help. I want to say a big thanks to Tracey Macquair and her partner Michael for being my host family. Tracey is my twin sister from another mister.. or maybe our parents forgot to mention this.. She is one of those amazing age-groupers that I am going to see have a star next to their name on a slowtwitch report... where she has creamed 10 pros. It's going to happen.. just wait and watch. I finished IMC for you and Steve King girly!! You guys ROCK!!

The post Ultraman low was much bigger than the post-Ultraman high. I did get back to work right away even though there were many times I felt I should have gone home right after. I think one meets a lot of strange people on this road...Ultimately, one has to have the street smarts to figure out what works for them, rather than the people they are working with or the ego of a million others they will run into.

I had trouble finishing my long runs so, I knew it would not be an easy day at Penticton. The reasons were not just the recent Ultraman finish.. the reason was also that my training had marginally suffered during the time from last August.. but the only way to get out of the red is to keep moving. This race was nothing short of spectacular.. both in spirit, spectators and simplicity. I had no reason to quit. Not in the 18 miles I walked, not in the swim where I was in such high spirits, I was thinking I was a studly swimmer, not on the bike, not once.

Canadians are crazy. They love their triathletes. I am so impressed with this country since 2006, when I did my first race in Ottawa. I also have my number #1 supporter here, Dev Paul... Back to the race.......... no rambling report.. just a story to tell from my first race ever..

My parents were with me then and I used to take nearly 3 hours longer on the half ironman at that time..than I do now :) :) The first thing my mom said when we were getting ready for a practise swim was "why are these men standing around in their underwear"... This question has come back to haunt me on many races... added to this, my dad mispronounced "buoy" and this made my mom and I giggle for days. Even now, I cannot look a buoy in the eye without a big snort under water.

The swim was awesome and stress free... The bike was awesome and stress free... The run was awesome and a bit slow......... I dislike walking......... I have quit races before for the fear of being reduced to a walker in this sport. It makes me very angry..... but, I realized my ankles are not hulk hogan's ankles and they had their limits. I'll tell you though, some of the most amazing stories are at closing time in an Ironman. My friend Tracey gutted it out on a hard day and did not give in to her anything..

I heard many people call out my name (THANKS!! I think they called me Ann but, who cares).. THANKs anyway.. I heard ALL of you!! I heard a lady say "that's anu, from XTRI"... thanks!! I do try!!! You looked spectacular out there.......... I heard a woman telling her fellow competitor that she was reading a letter from her son because she was having a hard day.. I wanted to cry!! I'm not the crying kind, trust me..My mom bounced me on my head as a baby and I have no tear glands as a result.. Sometimes the battle is in not giving in to anger and frustration, two regulars in my life.. or any half-intelligent person's life. A stranger held my head when I barfed for the fifth time. Tonnes of volunteers did a PROFESSIONAL JOB of volunteering.. THANKS!! Tonnes of supporters brought out their lawn chairs and rang their cowbells for us all night. A very cute
doctor gave me a hard time about doing the Ultraman and doubling up with the Ironman.. turned out he had visited Tamilnadu (my native-state) and he IS Canadian so, never beyond reprieve.

I've always thought of two women to be spectacular and others are vague approximations.......... It made me very happy to be in the land of the former and try to have the mental game of the latter. I'm sure both these ladies have had hard days.. just because they smile through it doesnt mean they didnt have 'em. I hope to be the frowning version of one of the two in 7 years..

Watch for the book... its titled "How the Bangalore Buffalo overtook the BC Bullet" (in all of 3 decades.. but that's the fine print)