Muhammed Ali once admitted: “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Do not stop smoking. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’
Training to run a marathon can also seem difficult. There is nobody to rejoice, passersby are indifferent and, finally, no one is waiting for you at the end with a medal, Pongal, and Ford! However, Coimbatore Runners, an informal group of recreational runners, are trying to organize the training runs a little differently. They promise to make it fun and meaningful.
Coaches are not hard teachers, but runners who rush to rejoice and want others to do the same. Trainers say that performance has changed their lives for the better and they want it to do the same for others as well.
K Shanmugaraj (35)
Shan, as he is affectionately called, was a ball badminton player in his school and college days and even played at the district level. He started running only in 2013.
“When we trained for ball badminton, we were always obsessed with getting the best out of our opponents but, running, we trained for ourselves, as we aspire to improve ourselves.”
He currently serves as the head coach on behalf of Coimbatore Runners and believes that the injury-free race must be a goal for every runner.
Veeshal S (34)
It was an article about Coimbatore Runners in The Hindu that motivated him to start running in 2014. What really attracted him was the photo of the runners. He had discovered one of his friends, whom he knew was not an “athlete” and wondered about his new celebrity status. His friend replied that Veeshal could be a celebrity too if he could wake up at 5:30 am and report three times a week for morning races.
“The warmth and camaraderie on the first day made me feel part of the group.I felt safe enough to call me a runner very soon.” Veeshal ran the 2014 marathon and was eager to return. So he volunteered as a coach.
“Fitness is not just about physical fitness but also mental fitness. I love running with back runners, chatting with them to listen to different perspectives and make friends for life.”
