‘One is fit to run even at 65’

Hari Har Singh has beaten cancer, undergone two complicated surgeries, and even recovered from paralysis. Today, the 65-year-old is not only fit but also continues to run 10 km daily. It was in 2000 that Hari had a brain stroke that rendered the right side of his body paralysed. “I couldn’t walk after that, but I took physiotherapy seriously and recovered within just three months. I’ve been walking every day since then,” he shares.

In 2003, tragedy struck once again, as the retired ASP was detected with cancer. “Fortunately, the cancer was in the first stage. They removed 80% of my stomach and I survived the cancer,” says Hari, who also underwent an open heart bypass surgery and another one in 2005, to remove gall stones. “After that, I started jogging to stay fit. I wake up at 3.30 am and jog for around 90 minutes, covering 10 km every day. Then I do pranayam for an hour,” says the fitness enthusiast, who has been participating in the 10k run since 2007.

He is now gearing up to run for the 7th year in a row, to be held on November 24. “I want to show people that one is fit to run even at the age of 65. I advise the younger generation to actively participate in these events,” Hari says.

The seasoned runner offers some advice for first-time runners: “It is never too late to start running. You can practice and then participate. You can initially start by running half a kilometer and then gradually increase.”

“One should not lose confidence but should gear up to fight with it,” he says.