It’s been almost 8 years since I have been bitten by the long distance running bug. Though I have been running track in school, never thought I would do long distance. But here I am, a convert to a long distance runner... if I can dare to call myself that... and have been running ever since. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that running has become an addiction (though my friends and family may beg to differ), it sure has become a passion, a part of life, a part of who I am.
Running has given me a lot. Sleepless nights is one of them (like before the Mumbai marathon, or any event for that matter), early risings (after all we runners take to the streets while the world sleeps), how to run faster than the strays that are snapping at your heels.
Jokes aside running given many friends who are dear to me, groups that I can call my family, my tribe, runners who I look up to who I admire, who I call my inspirations, my mentors. To name only a few and it mention the other, due to the greying of the hair and lessening of the grey cells of the brains, would be a cardinal sin. Running has provided me with a platform to do what I do best, scream, howl and cheer and of course run, to touch the lives of others and help in anyway I can.
Running has showed me that you need not run fast to win, you need not stand on that podium to be called a winner. By just completing what you started makes you a winner. To overcome all those running phases, just crossing that finishing line is your sweet victory. Your speed doesn’t matter, same for your body type, your age, gender, background, all that doesn’t matter, your a runner and running embraces you and doesn’t discriminate against you, nor does the runners (well at least not the snooty ones). You cheer for the slowest runner as much as you cheer for the fastest runner. You pump and encourage every runner, whether you know them or not, cause at the end of the day we all need it. Running makes you more humane.
Running lead me to the Mumbai Road Runners. A bunch of runners who embrace the spirit of running. Organising runs by runner for runners, where runners support you in the form of the wonderful Angel volunteers. A running group that’s more than running, that’s there for supporting for the ones who truly need it. A group that’s not exclusive and embraces everyone, no restrictions, no conditions.
Being an admin makes me part of a diverse group of individuals who manage to juggle their personal lives, their personal careers, their jobs, and the coordination of the various training runs and running events. People who work tirelessly to put together events and runs, behind the scenes. Makes me proud to be part of the team.
Being associated with the Bandra-NCPA gives me the opportunity to work with the runners who volunteer, the SPOCs, sponsors, partners and of course runners. Allowing me to give back to running what running has given to me. To meet runners and reach out to them. The only drawback is, I don’t know why people keep calling me Sir. I haven’t done anything great nor have I been knighted by any queen for the matter of fact.
So as we are on the cusp of celebrating the 8th Anniversary of the Mumbai Road Runner, really appreciate and thank everyone that makes MRR possible, without whom there wouldn’t really be an MRR. To every runner that takes to the streets of Mumbai, takes to the street anywhere in the country, anywhere in the world, to every member.
So tomorrow as we take to the streets between Bandra to NCPA, as a runner, as volunteer, we celebrate you. So run with pride, run with a smile, run with your head high, cause you are a Mumbai Road Runner.
Proud to be a Mumbai Road Runner, proud to be MRR, cause I am MRR.
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