Runversation: Running those miles together

Every day, across the country, lakhs of people are hitting gyms, unrolling yoga mats, pounding the pavement and signing up for the latest fitness fad. Maybe they shouldn’t be doing all those all alone. In the world of fitness there are two types of people — the ones who make exercising an integral part of their lives and the ones who do not. If you are an extremely active person, you know very well how demotivating and detrimental a lazy partner can be. Your willpower deteriorates when faced with his or her lazy ways and the next thing you know, it’s been a week since the last session at the gym.

It’s time you considered how physical fitness can benefit not only your own health and well-being, but that of your significant other too. So why not grab your partner’s hand and invite him or her to be the workout partner as well

Likewise, running long distances alone can be monotonous and not motivating enough. Why not try it as a couple

Because here is a running power couple who have run 24 hours together, yes a full 24 hours! It’s a feat that earned them an entry into the Limca Book Of Records. Sunil and Sangeeta Shetty are landing heaps of ultra runs together, including 75 and 100 km distances, first-place finishes and championship titles.

“With a demanding corporate life and travel I had to get my health back on track. This is when the running came in. Now several years and thousands of kilometres later, running has become one of the most important things in our relationship. We have also incorporated running and racing into most of our holidays over the past few years. The joy we experience while running is so intimately tied to the fact that it is something we are both committed to and engaged in.” Sangeeta too agrees with everything her partner has to say.

“We are absolutely a ‘running couple’ and are each other’s best and favorite running partner. Celebrating accomplishments together can increase the bond in a relationship, making you feel like a team, creating an overall feeling of well being and happiness within your relationship. Reveling in this experience together will give you the mutual buzz and will put a stop to that dreaded case of running envy.”

Sunil adds, “While it may be tough to convince your partner to start running at first, marathon running can be an excellent way to take your relationship to a new level. Running a marathon together is an amazing way to bond while staying fit.”

It’s much easier to get out of a routine than into it, so wouldn’t you want someone by your side who is a source of perpetual encouragement and energy Well, this is just one of the many reasons why couples who exercise together, stay together.

Overall then, fitness can be about you or it can be about you and your partner. So why not share this aspect of your lives and discover how doing so might give your relationship a new dimension.

The author can be reached at gs.sudhakarrao@gmail.com