The Circuit of Life

There is much wisdom embedded in Disney song lyrics – and my personal philosophy is probably summed up best (if not tunefully when self delivered) by a medley of Jungle Book songs. I chose yesterday to dispense with the usual music whilst running round my local race loop (diagram attached) and felt that in this kilometre or so reminded me somewhat of ‘The circle of life’. Cross checking the Lion King lyrics they are rather apt:

There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

So as they used to do when I worked in F1 in my youth - lets take you on a lap of the tricky and variable Indiranagar Circuit.

Pulling away from Harmony with the rubber on my trainers smoking slightly there is a relatively easy down start but with regular speed bumps testing out the suspension in the dodgy knees. This circuit is littered with unexpected distractions so you must stay alert at all times. On the opening straight these consist of:

1) The open air ironing man – with still hot coals scattered around his stall – even more dangerous than the ‘marbles’
2) The building workers collected in a magnetic huddle around a hole watching one person work – if you slow down for a peek here your lap is ruined
3) The local HOPCOM selling fruit – you must ensure you are stocked up on papaya before leaving the pit lane

Then comes the tricky sharp ‘DON’T URINATE HERE’ lefthander negotiating the recently created 4) random piles of debris in the road. You can relax a bit on the shady tree lined bottom straight, hold you nose as you pass over 5) sewer bridge and then smoothly hit the apex and accelerate into the uphill back straight. You do have to keep your wits about you and your eyes open for auto-rickshaws coming up the wrong side of the road.

As you churn up the hill the pacemaker hits the limiter but it is critical that you are not tempted by any of the back straights wiles:

6) The Hindu temple – spiritual needs
7) The Street Vegetable Stall – 5 a day needs
8) and 9) The Electricity & Bottled Gas shops – energy needs
10)The Bakery – food needs (but of course not bread – at a bakery – come on!)

You are now approaching the prime spectator viewing areas as you negotiate 11) sofa corner (avoiding also the head tennis game that is permanently ongoing) and cruise along 12) Washing Line straight. As well as avoiding the washing lines, kite strings and small children being washed in the street – you need to prepare for the challenging corner combinations which end the lap.

Swinging left at 13) Bullock curve with the occasional misfire under braking, you need to watch your grip and then try not to titter as you pass the 14) ‘Vibrators for hire’ shop. The uneven surface of the next short straight tests the ankles and that suspected broken toe, but you can sniff the end of the lap as well as the coffee and ciggies of the blokes all standing outside the 15) local shop doing very little ( a national sport in India). Rounding the final turn is downhill all the way to the finish with the only real distraction being a 16) strolling lemon seller with a sack on his head.

Then in is into the pits supervised by the gate marshalls and definitely time to take advantage of some corporate hospitality!