Auroville Marathon

For the second year running (pun fully intended!) the Auroville Marathon stands canceled thanks to the ongoing Covid pandemic. In February 2020, I came here fresh faced after a previous 21km half marathon and 5 km baby baby run in the preceding years, hoping to see if the 10km would be my sweet spot as far as marathons go. Indeed it turned out to be my running mantra…

Cutting through the ancient forest in which this amazing ‘international’ township is nestled, the trail runs at a leisurely pace, with saree clad senior citizens on frail limbs marking one extreme to lusty toddlers on the backs of their parents the other. Local domesticated fauna greet us as we hunker by. One must remember to always stop and catch either the sun playing hide and seek among the trees, or simply those little nuggets of life that take us by both pleasure and surprise.

And when the run is done one must of course proceed to have a glass of fresh fruit juice, or a smoothie or shake, or a coffee with the variety of traditional and funky snacks available here. Then come back home to a hot shower to ease those protesting muscles. And then back and share the bragging rights!