Vaibhav Andhare believes running to be a meditative experience. He has been running for the past four years, and has participated in Satara Hill half marathon, Bangalore Marathon and half marathon, Mumbai Marathon and half marathon, has twice ran Zero Mile Half Marathon as an ambassador of the event. He has also participated in Tuffman Snow Ultra 80km and Comrades Ultra Marathon in South Africa. He motivates people to run, and believes in his motto of

HUM FIT TO INDIA FIT..

Prashant Gurjar is the admin, writer, organizer and Secretary of Orange City Runners Society. He started running after 55, in late 2013. Believes in walk-a-run to be the best technique to develop for long distance running. Pedaling slowly, he has been sticking to half marathon, having finished more than a twenty of them including Satara, Ladhakh, Hyderababd, Matheran – some of the toughest. Sincere & dedicated about his workout schedules he is seen every morning, all seven days of the week either on the track or in the gymnasium. He starts his day with Pramnayama and end up doing exercise in gymnasium or cycling. On other days you can see him running. Work hard and party harder is his motto. If not in the morning, you can definitely catch him at the Club in the evening with his ‘Bud’.

Rarely would one come across someone who is so passionate about running like Naveen.  Naveen Jain is a business man and the organiser of Vrikshathon 2018. Coming from a small town of Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, Naveen has been a mentor and guide for runners, young and old alike.  He is a barefoot runner and has ran 3 Full Marathons and 15 Half Marathons, that includes Airtel Hyderabad Marathon, Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, Lets Run’s Half Marathons, 0 Mile Nagpur Marathon, Pench Heritage Run and Airtel Hyderabad Half Marathon.

Naveen has trained children as young as 6 to run 3km races, and children as young as 8 who have participated in 10km race of 0 Mile Nagpur Marathon in the past. He is one of the reasons that has brought the sleepish town of Rajnandgaon on its toes, literally.

Neena Sahu, who is a practicing physiotherapist and an official trainer for Orange City Runners Society in Nagpur, started running at the age of 44. On insistence of some friends, she reluctantly registered and ran the Mumbai Half Marathon. Six years have gone by, and she has ran innumerable marathons, and is a source of motivation for several others, who have found the joy in running through her.

More than the running, it is the bonding over training that has its own magnetism creating your own happy place. The training is rigorous, but filled with fun, laughter and parties

“Our group has given many podium finishers and ultra runners. I can’t imagine my life without my running buddies :-)”, says Sahu.

Sandeep Singh Jolly has been running Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon for the past three years. Over the span, he has managed to reduce his body weight by a quarter. He attributes his success to structured diet, practicing running systematically and disciplined lifestyle.

Today I will do what others won’t.
So tomorrow I can do what others can’t.

Didar Sokhi, 47 years old, business man by profession, is a pacer for our 2:15 hour bus of 21.1km Half Marathon. He started cycling, and then running, much later in life. He later realized that his share of love for cycling and running is equal, and considers them both forms of meditation.

When I run or cycle, my mind is free of all thoughts. How else do you attain such freedom in today’s World of constant distractions?

Didar has participated in 20 half marathons in various cities of India. He is also a Super Randonneurs (200km, 300km, 400km & 600km cycling in one calendar year) for the last 3 years in a row.