The granddaddy of marathons Fauja Singh ran the London Marathon when he was 94. He not only finished the run but also improved his timing. What’s remarkable is that he had actually stopped running when he was 31. It was only when he moved from India to the UK to stay with his son that he took to running seriously—to keep fit and also to give himself a purpose in life. He ran his first marathon at 89 and since then has taken part in at least six, defying age and proving several armchair sceptics wrong about age, knees and long-distance running.
And then there is Dean Karnazes of San Francisco. Last year, between September and November, he ran 50 marathons in 50 states in the US in 50 consecutive days. He finished the New York City Marathon, his strongest finish, in three hours flat.
I met him twice this year—before the San Diego and San Francisco marathons. No wonder, Karnazes is a treasure house of anecdotes.He has run 350 miles non-stop in 81 hours, ordering pizza along the way. He is now a familiar face with pizza delivery guys as he phones them for a drop-off at a particular point and at an approximate time.
He has run in a 199-mile, 12-man relay race, as a team of one, and beaten a few teams along the way. Some years ago, while practising for his 350-mile run, Karnazes ran 101 miles to the start line of the 199-mile relay.
It’s all too easy to have a long list of excuses why people should not run. Or, for that matter, not exercise at all. Remember, when you feel swamped with burdens and worries, and fed up with your daily routine, see how a regular running schedule can help you find a way out, as it has for the people featured here.
Anna Chandy
Motivation
“My severe asthmatic condition and excessive weight.”
Achievement
“I have maintained my weight at 57kg for the last seven years and haven’t had any medication for asthma even once.”
Almost a decade ago, Anna Chandy was an unhappy woman. Severely asthmatic and decidedly overweight at 83kg, nothing seemed to be working out for her. She tried diets to no avail. A friend suggested she hit the gym and, after much cajoling, she eventually enrolled at one near her home. “For six months, I exercised six days a week, running for about half an hour followed by a combination of weights and stretches.”
The results have been amazing. Since she started exercising, her weight has stabilized at 57kg and she says she has never had to take any medication for her asthma. “I realized that after each workout session, I would start feeling invigorated and very happy. That feeling has been my biggest motivator all these years.” Chandy is now a self-styled ambassador for fitness schedules and running. “Being overweight is both a physical as well as a psychological problem. When I tell my clients what I have achieved, they realize that they too can do it.” Chandy’s next goal? “I want to take part in a marathon. I definitely see myself doing it in 2008.”
Sandeep Goel
Motivation