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The Longest Race
Under their tutorship, Bahadur enters the state athletics championships, where he is declared, at 16, the best long distance runner in India. It is here that Greg Abberley, internationally reputed Scottish coach, spots the talent in Bahadur. With the consent of the sports minister, Bahadur travels to Edinburgh with Abberley who wants Bahadur to be the best in the world. Bahadur’s skill at running and his discipline expose him to diverse avenues. He enjoys being trained by Abberley and he finds in him a guru who lets him follow the rhythm of his body and spirit. The Longest Day Marathon in Edinburgh marks an athletic triumph for Bahadur. He finds himself on the edge of greatness and his sparkling performance puts him on cloud nine but the experience of organised sporting activity leaves him disillusioned. Nations are supposed to take pride in their athletes who represent the vigour of their cultures but Bahadur’s country responds to his success by dragging him into politics. His belief in the wonder of life is shattered by a vindictive press campaign against him. Bahadur comes back to India and joins the National Sports Institute to be trained by an insensitive coach. However it is here that he meets his lady love who encourages him to do his best. Bahadur’s liaison with her irks his coach and a subsequent fallout with him has Bahadur return to Dehra Dun. While at Rajpur Bahadur throws himself into rigorous training for yet another marathon at Delhi, this time without any institutional support. This he does to please his lady love, to win the race, to reach out to Abberley, to thank the PT-sir and the chaiwala, to remember his mother, to please his father—but , above all, to realise himself. Bahadur’s indomitable spirit desires to excel yet again—hopes for more than to "break the record", hopes to touch the peak of his own ability. This is to be his longest race. The Delhi marathon, despite the fact that he had won, cures him of his love for running. Years later, a moment of crisis forces him to return to it again showing him how the human spirit can triumph against all odds. The story ends on a note of hope and peace, restoring his faith in inherent goodness. The book is unique in that it does not simply describe the physical act of running but with rare sensitivity talks about the spirit of running which inspires sportsmen. |
THIS is the story of a
sportsman Bahadur, of emotions, moments and events in his life and his
passion for running. Son of a watchman at a colonel’s bungalow on
Rajpur road, just beyond Dehra Dun, Bahadur’s journey begins when he
wins a race in school. This prompts him to discover the joy of running.
His physical education teacher and the chaiwala at the Dak Patti
are his first coaches and Bahadur describes his time with them as ‘special’.