half marathon: check

This Sunday I finished my first half marathon. It was on the East Coast Road and towards Mahabalipuram. Chennai Runners Club organises this event twice a year and I am so glad this was my first half! I have seen the way Chennai Marathon is organised and it was disappointing, perhaps owing to the larger scale of the event. The run started on time and it rained for quite some part. The route was beautiful and the rains made it all the more divine.

The volunteers were encouraging and nice. It was sad to see that the whole route was littered with paper cups the volunteers had handed us during the run. I can not find words to describe the breakfast at MGM. Subjecting people who have run for two hours to such sad food is absolute sin. And this is where I should stop ranting.

Anunay accompanied me for the first 10.5, a  girl I met on the way for the next 6-7kms. The rest I crawled on my own. Never have I experienced neck pain from running! But this marathon was a first time for a lot of such pains. At the end of 21kms, my face was the only thing that wasn’t hurting. And as is usual with me, inspite of having quite a struggle completing the last 5kms, I felt like I had done nothing only minutes after finishing the race. I am proud of the fact that I stopped zero times as I had wished. Also that I was placed third in girls. A lesser important fact is that only ten ran the race. I finished the first half in about 70 mins and the entire race in 2 hrs 30 mins.

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Le Cafe in Pondicherry where I went later. This is the best cafe in town as far as I know. Although this time it did show signs of a government (mis)managed place. Its good inspite of that, thanks to the view. They serve coffee with choco powder. Also vague french dishes which aren’t very bad.

Unfortunately, the day wasn’t meant for good food. The Cafe had nothing other than veg sandwitches with extra mustard in them.

Bouquet smiling at the prospect of eating chicken lasagna

An unlucky day: Eating veggies instead..

And that is one more item on my wish list checked. Next is a full marathon, after due practice 8)

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cafe pascucci

Next cafe on my list is Cafe Pascucci. Its in the Express Avenue Mall in Royapeth. The mall has quite a few cafes and all I need is time to check them all.

This one gets points for comfortable seating although for some reason, the place looks a little worn out. Its slightly overpriced and I found the music to be somewhat loud. The staff is friendly and the menu refreshing. Please please don’t be like me and order a standard cappuccino. This place has much better stuff, especially the Piadina.

To go: Take 5C from Taramani bus stop and get down 2 stops after Music Academy/Amravati.

*If you are searching for this place on web, you might want to tone down your speakers. This is one of those sites which play music. Shriek.

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cafe Tryst

High on my wishlist is finding out little cafes in Chennai. And I found one homey place which doesn’t play loud music and is open all day long (9am to 10pm to be precise). Although nothing can compare with the small cafe which I had found in La Hacquinière: 1664, Jambon et fromage and Ulysses. Bliss.

Coming back to India, here in Chennai, there is a nice place called Cafe Tryst. Saving all flowery language for some other time (I went through a few restaurant reviews to get inspiration ), it has good ambiance, is easy to get to, is moderately expensive and has a continental menu. They have a small collection of books too, Malcolm Gladwell and a few Arundhati Roys being some of them.

Directions from IIT Madras: Bus to Thiruvanmayur from Adyar, then to Neelankarai by share auto, or 21G from Adyar.

Do’s: Lime mint cooler, Enchiladas

Don’ts: Cheese cake and baguettes

Tryst Café
Gatsby Village
4/ 359 ECR Neelankarai
Chennai
Tel ; 91-44-24495010 / 24495020

Tryst Café Gatsby Village 4/ 359 ECR Neelangarai Chennai  Tel ; 91-44-24495010 / 24495020

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