Running to inspire

For retired assistant commissioner of police Muhammed Javed, running comes before his family. For the past seven years, the 64-year-old has been participating in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM), going against the will of his wife, orthopaedician son, and daughter.

“For me running in the marathon is like therapy,” says Javed, who has been participating in SCMM for the last seven years. He points out that he’s always been the “athletic type” and since his school days, was fond of sports. “I used to be a goalkeeper in college,” he recalls. But after he joined the force in his early 20s, he couldn’t follow his passion as earnestly due to his peripatetic lifestyle, “I couldn’t get enough time off from work, sometimes I used to go out for jogging, but that’s all my time would allow.”

Javed, who currently stays in Mazgaon, originally hails from Pusad, a town situated on the bank of the river Pus in Vidharbha. “I came to Mumbai, and since then I started running again,” says Javed, who goes out to the Mahalaxmi racecourse to run for about 25-30 km.

Javed has not only kept himself fit to run in SCMM, but has also been able to inspire a few of his friends to join the stay-fit club. “While preparing for the upcoming marathon, my friends, who are from other professions, took notice of the my sporty spirit and they say that I have become an icon for them. In fact, few of them took inspiration from me and have participated in the marathon,” he adds.

“I run in the senior veteran category where we are supposed to cover 42 kms within 5 hours,” he says. Last year, he couldn’t complete the course on time, but this year is determined to finish better. But it is not very easy when the entire family is against his idea of participating in the marathon. “My family thinks that SCMM is for professionals and I shouldn’t be participating in it, and even if I do, I should participate in the half marathon (21 kms) and not the full one (42 kms),” he says. He says it is the support of his ex-colleagues, Sadanand Date and Milind Bharambe, that keeps him going.

“I think age is just a number,” Javed says. “I would appeal to all the people of my age, to go out for a walk or maybe jog, because it not only keeps you fit, but also has therapeutic qualities — when you feel low, a brisk walk is bound to lighten you up.”

Meera Mehta After raising Rs 25 lakhs for at the Standard Chartered Marathon last year, 17-year-old Meera Mehta will soon be back on the racing tracks this Sunday. Meera, along with 32 students, is looking at raising Rs 50 lakhs to build a science college for the students in Dharampur, Gujarat.

Meera, who has been running the marathon since 2011, reveals that she started participating in the succeeding years only to make a positive impact for her peers. She says, “I aspire to be a doctor. When I learnt that there are no science colleges for students in Dharampur to pursue medicine, I decided to run for this cause. It is sad that aspiring students are denied education simply because of lack of colleges. I was convinced about taking this up annually when I realised that these efforts help society.” Meera and the students are participating for the dream run of six km. The amount will go to a non-government organisation (NGO) Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care.

Tanay Gandhi, who will be running for the first time, is elated about approaching the start line with fellow Mumbaikars for company. He says, “I couldn’t participate last year so this time it’s special. The whole of Mumbai will be participating in the marathon — this feeling in itself is so motivating.”

Fifteen-year-old Sachi Jhaveri, who is also participating for the first time, is hoping to witness the spirit of Mumbai in its full glory. She says, “It will be interesting to walk the race route with my friends, and help my fellow peers have a secure future. I am looking to have fun at the event.”