Marathons help Chandigarh’s fitness enthusiasts find their calling

Starting his day without a 10-km run in the morning is not an option for Ashok Sharma, a 42-year-old sales executive. It is a ritual he has been following for five years now.

And like Ashok, there are thousands in the tricity who have gotten on the fitness bandwagon by taking to running marathons. The popularity of running as a hobby has grown manifold in the four years since the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

For Ashok, his fondest memory is completing an ultra-marathon two years ago. The hobby, he says, the ritual has helped him maintain fitness and energy at work, adding, “I live in Morni and the area is surrounded by hills, it feels amazing to run a marathon there.”

“My passion for running grew after the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020. I was surprised to see hundreds of others joining local running clubs to improve their fitness,” Ashok, who is part of the Chandigarh Distance Runners Group and the Weekend Runners’ Club, says.

While the city has been hosting marathons for long, they were sporadic before the pandemic. However, post-Covid, multiple clubs were set up and they regularly organise these runs that draw swarms of people.

With winters about to set in, the number of marathons will only go up, or at least that’s what the organisers of the October 1 Tuffman Chandigarh Run believe.

“The awareness about fitness has grown. We have seen more women and children reaching out to us to take part in marathons, which are best held in winters as the participation is higher,” Jai Mangla, operations head and co-founder of Tuffman India, which organises a minimum of 15 such events in the tricity in a year, says.

Take the case of a kindergarten teacher Suruchi, 40, who lost almost 12 kg in the last one year after taking up running.

“Due to work pressure, I was not exercising regularly and as a result I had put on weight. I joined the Run Club. I run and cycle everyday now,” Suruchi, who has also inspired her friends to take up the body, adds.

However, Dr Satbir Singh, a seasoned sports medicine specialist from a Mohali-based hospital who had been attached with the Punjab Cricket Association in the past, feels safety measures should be kept in mind before one starts running for long distances, especially the half-marathons and ultra marathons.

With a spike in heart-strokes even at younger age, running for long distances without getting one’s cardiac tests should be avoided he believes, adding, “It is not that heart-strokes to younger people did not happen before, but its frequency has increased. People of the age of 30, 35, 40, 45 are facing this issue. If one is not an athlete then and wants to do high-intensity training and run for 10 km or above, aerobic mobility should be done for six months first.”

Then there are the new techniques that enable quick recovery from high-intensity workouts or marathons. During the Tuffman Chandigarh Run, hyperice, renowned for its innovative recovery products, were used for recovery.

Elaborating, hyperice marketing manager Saavi says, “The technology is very modern and helps athletes all over the world. From percussion massage devices to cryotherapy tools, participants were given access to a wide range of recovery solutions.”

This technology, first introduced in 2011, made its way to India last year.

A set of physiotherapists from the Chandigarh Physiotherapy Centre, a sports rehabilitation facility, which has been running since two years were given the job to coach and assist the runners during the recovery period using normatec leg and percussion gun.

“In order to avoid injuries, beginners should first practise mobility for the body and then run marathons. Using hyperice equipment for better blood circulation and relaxation in the calves really helped the runners post the run,” Chandigarh Physiotherapy Centre’s Dr Laaksh said.

Nitin Sharma, a 40-year-old banker got hooked to running when, on a friend’s insistence, he ran and completed a marathon in 2016.

“I have a job that requires little physical activity. So, it becomes very important for me to be fit. I enjoy running in marathons. When I see people from all walks of life coming together for a run, it seems wonderful,” Nitin says, recalling his 5-km run from last September with fondness.