A Run to Remember
Originally written on: Sept 27, 2026
After almost a week of fighting the flu, I felt recovered enough to go on a long run in the forests of Avalahalli with a fellow runner. The plan was to run for 2 hours. The first hour flew past (or ran past?) while exchanging life stories. The second half was decided to be solo.
I was enjoying the quiet and occasional music from my earphones. But the best part of the run was what came next - unexpectedly a pack of 4 indies roaming the forests crossed my path, sniffing something in the route. I thought they were doing their own thing and paused my run to replenish my energy.
Meet and greet - the indie pack way!
Wait.. was it me or did their gait slow down? Or maybe something was interesting enough to investigate in their path. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I resumed my run and I overtook them (smiling all the while, because that’s just how I am around doggos). After a minute when I looked back, I noticed the leader of the pack racing after me. Five years ago, I would have thought this dog was chasing me. Now, I was just curious and a little confused. Turned out that the leader of the pack wanted to take over and lead my run. One of his pack members did the same, while I kept running at the same pace. And I kid you not - their pace was now matching mine!!!
I thought they’re just joining me for a few minutes and will do their own thing - but no! For the next 20 minutes, I was escorted by 2 bois in the front and 2 bois at the back - my own running convoy. Boy, did I feel special! :’) This will definitely go down as a core memory.
I don’t know what was going on in the minds of these doggos, but I have observed this behaviour in hill dogs across the country (wherever I have travelled). They join you as a travel companion for some stretch and then bid you farewell to continue doing that to other travellers who’re en route. I felt included, safe and protected - even though I thought I didn’t need it in those forests.
Well, I was wrong - around halfway through this stretch, I did wonder if I was going in the right direction and which path to take, so I just followed the pack leaders…
…who were making their mark every few steps
(ifykyk).
Around 10 minutes in, I crossed paths with a walker in the park who observantly quipped “The dogs really like you, eh?” and without skipping a beat, I said, “They sure do!” and continued with a big grin on my face. Ahhh, the feeling of being chosen by these furbabies! It’s an achievement I’d like engraved on my epitaph.
Once I reached the fence at the start of the forest, these furbabies looked back, made very brief eye contact with me (or with their kind running behind me) and then turned right through a small hole made in the fence, while I headed left. The last one in the pack, stopped, paused looking down and then looking in my direction and then headed towards the hole in the fence. If I were anthropomorphising, I’d say he was trying to choose between running with me and joining his pack. But I wouldn’t know for sure.
All I know, with even more conviction now, is that I want running with furbabies a regular occurrence in my life and not just a serendipitous one (although I would never say no to more such spontaneous convoys in the future).
What are your runs-to-remember? All ears to hear from other runners! :)
