VDHM 2007: Experience and Results

Net time: 2 hr 16 min
Overall rank: 719

Looks like I am turning a veteran of the Delhi half marathons, with the third straight event done and dusted. I am indeed lucky that I started running in the year of the first HDHM in 2005.

Complete results of the run available at: Sports Timing AG website

To print your timing certificate: Click here

To get your race day photos: Marathon-Photos.com (click on vodafone delhi run)

This years run was not the fastest that I have done, but given that I had not been fully fit, I am satisfied with the results. The route turned out to be as expected, lots of shaded areas. The flyover at Aurobindo came in twice, but as the running experience grows, these things seem to matter less and less. My father was there at the finishing line... I was as relieved to see him as he was to see me. My parents, probably like any other, are always very concerned by my running. A couple of my colleagues from work were there at the finishing line when I arrived. The rest (about 10 more) probably came later.

This years event was by far the biggest yet, with about 9000 half marathon registrations. It came as a surprise that the organizers recorded the timings of most of the participants, the last recorded participant came in at 4:01, rank 1292). As has always been the trend, about 15% of the runners got timing chips and finished (1292/9000).

What did not go that well was the post race management. I had to stand in line for hours to get the medal/certificate. The printer went bad and most of the people were not given the timing certificate, just a temporary copy of the timings. The entire management of the certificate distribution was poorly done, very few queues in a very small enclosed place. It never took me more than 15 minutes to get this done in the past HDHM events. Also, the organizers need to do more to provide refreshments to the runners (paid), with some proper stalls etc, I just don't understand why they don't do this, it can earn them some big bucks as well, and they can sub-contract this to a third party.

A look at all the Delhi Half marathons gone by:

VDHM 2007 Complete results 719/1292 (my rank / total chip finishers)
HDHM 2006 Complete results 422/730
HDHM 2005 Complete results 267/504

Whats next: Singapore marathon (Full, Dec 2)