The Magic of the Mumbai Marathon !

 I ‘ran’ the Dream Run this morning at the Mumbai Marathon from the comforts of home…..What a spectacular uniting Force !

Thankfully it was sponsored,for the sixth year straight and since inception, by a credible ‘S’ ,Standard Chartered Bank and not the likes of ‘Satyam !’…In fact Standard Chartered has signed up as sponsor for the next three years too till the 2012 Race….Tremendous Value Mileage for them

31000 participants across all the runs in this sixth edition….with the Popular Dream Run itself having 21000 participants

The Marathon has always been heart warming,but more so this year,as the memories of the 26/11 Terrorist Attack on South Mumbai are yet very vivid…..What 60 years of Independent India and politicians and Leaders could not bring about in India,these Nine Terrorists in just 60 hours united our Nation like never before !

It was one big Street Party in South Mumbai…as key activity areas of Fountain,CST Station and  Marine Drive were closed to vehicular traffic from before sunrise today……There were lakhs of people swarming these areas and it was a spectacular and colourful sight….From Young Children to Senior Citizens,on their own or for a cause, took part in the Dream Run…If you recall,that CST Station was one of the key locations of the 26/11 Terror Strikes…It has always been the ‘Start’ and ‘Finish’ Point for the Marathon 

My daughter (in red shorts in first photo and sitting second from right in the second) ‘ran’ the Dream Run of 6 km to 7 km with the PIFA …..a Football Academy and a Dynamic Enterprise run by Dynamic Anjali and Nirvan Shah, whose Goal is to Have India qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 2022 !…These kids have exceptional Energy levels….It’s been a hectic weekend for my daughter…Yesterday,she was away the whole day, competing at the State Gymnastics Tournament at the Andheri Sports Complex in Suburban Mumbai from 7 am till 8.30 pm……then joined around 40 of us at 9.30 pm till past midnight for a Victory Football Dinner for the Runner-Up Maharashtra State Girls u-14 Football Team at the Chennai Nationals,of which she was a Goalkeeper Member…Now after the Dream Run,she’s off this evening,to participate in a Gymnastics Demo at a Cricket Function at the Police Gymkhana on the Marine Drive Sea face…Phew ! Sitting at Home,I’m tired for her !   read more