Imagine a 70-year-old man competing alongside a 20-something woman. Which sport offers newcomers a chance to be on the same field as the professionals or what we call, ‘the best in the biz’? Running does. It’s the great leveller in which resumes are as useful as shoes to a sloth. And as a famous ad puts it — the roads are always open!
For this week, we meet another source of inspiration. Ramesh Kanjilimadhom grew up in Kerala in typical fashion — he studied, played cricket, grew up to be an engineer and fate and qualifications too him to the United States.
But towards the late 90s, both his brother and mother were diagnosed with diabetes. Kanjilimadhom, as a precaution, took up running.
With a boss who was a marathoner, he soon got much-needed impetus to push boundaries. After a pep talk from the said boss, he signed up for his first marathon and finished with an impressive time — good enough for a mental shot at the Boston Marathon.
But the world’s oldest run would not come before he decimated a few more marathons, finishing each with some remarkable times. Boston was still on his mind and with time and some spectacular numbers on the clock, he soon qualified for the Mt Everest of all marathons. But he ended up running Boston five times!
After his return to India, Kanjilimadhom was urged by friends to give back to the sport that he loved and thus began another chapter in his running career — he started a running group.
“Running offers a completely different vision,” says the man who has run over 40 full marathons.
“There’s a bonding through shared effort, there are enthusiastic people who celebrate real individual accomplishments and there’s a spirit that welcomes everyone without asking any questions except, ‘shall we go for a run?’
Kanjilimadhom is convinced a running group is the genuine coming together of like-minded ‘soles’.
“It brings runners together and becomes a comprehensive resource for people of all abilities and inclinations and helps them build and nurture the spirit of running we all love so much. Besides, it’s so much fun,” he says.
The master running is also brimming with wisdom. “With a few years of running under your belt, sharing your experience can really help others. The only thing more motivating than your own win, is helping somebody else feel a victor.”
Nothing succeeds like success is the old adage, which honestly is way better than “fail fast” and other sorts of failure fetish. But this truth often leaves out which kind of success is most successful. Because the success which creates momentum and passion matters so much more.
Kanjilimadhom agrees. “Tiny successes breed confidence. People now take part in runs for reasons other than serious competition. Calling yourself a runner is more a matter of motivation and self-accomplishment than economics, opportunities, or infrastructure.”
