For the uninitiated, the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon was a delightful Rubik's Cube not meant to be solved. While the full and half marathons saw exceptional enthusiasm, drawing about 3,500 and 12,500 participants respectively, the Dream Run saw an eclectic crowd where senior citizens were helped by friends and relatives, able-bodied people walked with the disabled and the crowd cheered for every person of every shape, size and colour.
For the uninitiated, the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon was a delightful Rubik's Cube not meant to be solved. While the full and half marathons saw exceptional enthusiasm, drawing about 3,500 and 12,500 participants respectively, the Dream Run saw an eclectic crowd where senior citizens were helped by friends and relatives, able-bodied people walked with the disabled and the crowd cheered for every person of every shape, size and colour.
The mega event was Mumbai personified as people were lost without their usual walkways shut for the entry and exit points for runners. With no directions in sight or in person, few cops let them pass through the race route much to the amusement of runners.
While there was support for causes, there were also protests, where men ran carrying posters against gender-biased laws. "I am a father, not a sperm donor," read one, while another said, "I am a husband, not an ATM". The handbills given by a few of them stated that every eight minutes, a husband was committing suicide.
Women participants were given a conical apparatus called 'pee buddy' designed to help them relieve themselves while standing up. While a few women didn't find it user-friendly, Sundar Katti, 27, was satisfied with the experience. "Public toilets are dirty and its because of the fear of catching an infection or a disease that I don't use them. The pee buddy can be used daily and in public too. It's quite useful." The envelope in which the contraption came in had all the instructions and reasons for it to exist, including prevention of urinary tract infection.
The ragpickers outside Azad maidan were a little sad at the amount of bottles and plastic plates collected. Some sneaked into the ground to collect trash and sell it for recycling. Aarti looked defeated while picking up plastic plates. "Last year, we made more than Rs1,000 from the juice and water bottles collected. There are no juice bottles this time around. I will only make Rs300 this time," said Aarti, who lives with her husband and five children.
Palak too was disheartened as she picked up empty bottles. "This bag will only amount to 5 kg and the rates have gone down to Rs18/ kg from 35/kg. Who will work the whole day tirelessly for such a paltry sum," said palak, who had been collecting trash since 6am and continued way after the marathon ended.
The one thing that remained constant throughout the stretch was people clapping, cheering and encouraging runners with kind words and everybody, including the runners danced to the drums and bollywood music being played at the event.
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