Get off to a running start

I started running eight years back when I was 40. After a physical in Singapore my doctor told me that I was fit but had high cholesterol and needed to lose some weight.

I started running eight years back when I was 40. After a physical in Singapore my doctor told me that I was fit but had high cholesterol and needed to lose some weight. I started on a regime of 30-45 minutes of running and exercise five days a week,and,in two months,I had lost nine kg and also lowered my cholesterol levels significantly. We moved to Chicago the next year,and nine months after my 40th birthday,from running two-three miles a day a few days a week,I decided to run the Chicago marathon!

I bought myself a book,shoes,shorts et al,told my friends and colleagues,and then there was no way out. My daughters who were eight and six then,had already run their first 5 km race,and Fauja Singh at 94 finished the London Marathon in April 2004 with a creditable timing to boot. There was inspiration at both ends of the age spectrum. Seeing a one-legged runner with prosthetics at the start-up for the Rio marathon was another tremendous demonstration of human will.

Over the last few years I have heard stories from people or read several articles on people who have benefited,some seemingly miraculously,from runninglong-term weight loss,lowered cholesterol,less fatigue,controlled blood sugar,mental alertness,discipline,shaping up,enhanced confidence and above all,an I can do it feeling.

In India most of us love to walk,whether young and old,sometimes even the very old some actually go for a jog or a run. This is what I have seen when I have been running in different parts of Delhi,Bangalore,Chandigarh and Gurgaon over the last few years.

So What’s stopping you?
Decide that you owe this to yourself and have to start right away

Set yourself a goal

To run 100 m within your morning walk without getting breathless

To have a fun outing with physical exercise with the entire family once in three months in a different location

To lose five kg of weight,and so on

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Keep your running gear next to your bed at night

Tell people about your first outing .

How to start
You probably walk quite often,which is great. All you need to do is try and put in 30 seconds of a jog in the middle of your walk,and when youve regained your breath,go for another 30 seconds and you will realize youre on your way to achieving something. If you dont walk yet,start walking and get some friends to do the same so you can chat and catch up with them while you do your physical exercise and in a few short weeks youll discover what enormous benefits one can get from the simple act of walking a little faster and converting it to a jog.

The writer has started a venture focused on promoting running,www.runningandliving.com Run in Chandigarh on July 12! Run is from Elemention Gym at CG. Register on-the-spot

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