Inspirational Leader I met in my short Running journey ....A true Story

 This is a little lengthy article ...But sincere request you to please find some time and read it.

Inspirational Leader I met in my short Running journey ....A true Story 

This is about Somasundar Menon (‘Som’ as he is known in his running circle) whom I met first time on 20 Nov 2016 when I participated in my first running event. My colleague Girish Konnur asked us to register his friend for this corporate event. This was the first day I met this multifaceted personality, a thorough gentleman. This first meeting it was a little interaction, being friend's friend. We clicked some photographs and parted our ways from TCS Sahyadri Park.  After a month or so I again met him in another event, where I met him after the event. He was doing stretches and just checked ...To my surprise he finished half marathon and was so cool as if he did not run at all. I could somehow finish 10K and was having difficulty bending 😟🤔.  In one another event at Cybage I met him and got attracted to this personality. 

The personality to his credit now has 

2 Ultra Marathon(50 km)

9 Full Marathon

116 (Half Marathon)

10 km must be 1000 plus

The reason to write this is on 9th December this young energetic power packed runner finished 1000 days of nonstop running and covered over 12,000 km of distance. Which apparently also was his birthday. What a gift to self on the birthday. 

White writing only am sweating ... imagine the sweat he spread around by running this. What a consistency, dedication, passion man… bravo bravo bravo Menon saab. 

These days there are lot of talks about inspiration, way of life and the so called management gurus give those big examples. But here is a person just between all of us who has lived self-setting an example. What a tremendous achievement man. 

We corporate employees have a habit of giving excuses and blaming work life always. Here comes a hero who held very senior positions in the Corporate that too big firms like Tata’s, Mahindra and ARAI. An Engineer grew himself to a CEO level could do all of it. Amazing, just amazing and unbelievable but I witnessed his journey very closely.  

A perfect work life balance also he managed as he is a family friend of my ex colleague Girish Konnur and they are a big group of over 40 Kannadiga friends and families,  who meet  once in a month or quarter and have loads of fun. There also Menon delivers the most energetically packed dance, singing performance and also loves to try variety of foods. A born Keralite, studied in Karnataka and professionally settled in Maharashtra. This group is from an Engineering college in Karnataka and now when their children are engineers they still share the same strong band. They celebrate almost every festival occasion and family events all the time together. Even at times of difficulties, they stand strong with all of it.

Running a WAY-of-LIFE: Practical solution to modern problems. He says in his own words...This I got from him and copying.  I am a runner and started running, around 33 years ago. As a person not inclined to sports, I was unaware of my capabilities in the track. I joined my few enthusiastic friends and have started running in 1987; this was during my 12th standard known as PUC (Pre-University Course) in Karnataka.

The running target was 6 kilometres (km); initially, I found it difficult to complete the whole 6000 meters, however, within 3 weeks I was doing good with running, like my other friends and was able to complete the entire distance nonstop. Not only that I was running faster than my friends. My fellow runners were renowned runners of the college and have participated in various intercollegiate running competitions. 

I stopped running after that, and did not run for quite some time. In 1995 I got married to Ratna and we settled in Pune. No physical activity led to increase in body weight and in 1998 I thought of restarting the running sport to shed some pounds. I was a barefoot runner due to which had some injuries, underwent surgeries and was advised not to run. So a big gap. 

 I shifted to Pune again from Mumbai in 2007 because of change of service. Once again, now I wanted to run, but was little hesitant to do so, due to past experience.

I started going to gym and took some courses on nutrition and some study on gym workout. As part of reducing the fat I started running with shoes once in a while, and that’s too in sports grounds. 

In 2013 I started running more regularly i.e. at least 2 to 3 times a week and this time I was running on roads. Since I was running now for quite sometimes, my body also adopted for running and fear disappeared and confidence started building up.  

I used to look at the posts from people who were running half and full marathons. I was running 4 to 6 km and rarely 10 km, so was really wondering if I could ever run a half marathon like those who run and post. I met my old friend Terence Miranda in 2015 again, whom I knew for a while. He was very lean and lost good amount weight and was looking very fit. He told me that, he had a heart attack and which made him to take up regular running as his fitness choice. He had already run the prestigious Mumbai Marathon. I was impressed and inspired and decided to take up running more seriously. He introduced me to some running group and I understood for the first time running is not just running there is much more into it. I started doing different trainings like interval training strength training etc. Started reading about the running and started understanding the things behind what I used to see. 

In 2015 Nov, I ran my first Half Marathon, and I took some 2 hours and 15 plus minutes to complete it. I ran for nearly 15 km, and then completed the rest by walk and run. This gave me confidence that, yes I too can run! Now I started taking part in the events that’s been conducted by various organisers of the marathons. In 2017 I heard about hundred days of run, but could not register for it. In 2018 I thought to participate in 100 days of run and wanted to do it by running minimum 10 km every day. But, I was not sure if I could run for 3 months continuously 10 km every day. To test and know, how it feels running continuously, I started running on 16th march 2018. I started running and completed 30 days and I was feeling perfectly fine. So decided to continue the streak and then completed 100 days of run. It was a great feeling; I decided to continue the streak and went on and on… completed year 2018, 2019 and now, on the verge of completing 2020 also. I completed the steak running of 1000 days with 12,000 km on the 9th of Dec 2020. When I look back, I ask to myself, did I really do that? And proudly answer – Yes, I did. My family (my mother, wife Ratna, daughter Nireeksha & Son Aakash) supported me looking at my dedication. Because I was eating up on the family time, 2 hours or more each and every day to accomplish this task.

Presently, am in my fifties, and want to inspire as many as people who wanted to have a great health. Inspiration is the only way to transmit good habits in those who are thinking of starting some fitness activity and want to keep themselves fit. Anyone can start / take-up running as one of their fitness tools, which is inexpensive and can be done without any aid and anywhere. Whether you have some ailment (need to consult your Dr / expert), or you are overweight or you wanted to look slim, or you wanted to get rid of your tummy or you wanted to shed a few kg; for all these, running is one of the best solutions. The immediate benefits are quite obvious but there are other benefits like, you make a lot of new friends, you will also learn so many life lessons from the daily routine. You will be amazed to look back on the trail you have negotiated after a few months and you will start respecting yourself. You will be the better version of yourself. So what are you waiting for, wake up, wear your running gears, and hit the road, who knows what great things are awaiting you?

This is all he said when I asked for his details. I could have edited it but the essence and flavour goes off. 

I remember once they all went to pick up mangoes to Dapoli in a group ..That day he could not run and while on return as soon as they reached closer to express way end towards his residence, he got out of the vehicle and finished his committed 10 K and then went home. It was drizzling. When he finished his 1000 days ..It's all seasons and every single day without fail doing it is just just impossible. This year it rained so heavily, extended summer, monsoon, lockdown, winter ..Nothing bothered him and he kept on running. I see his whatsapp status everyday and am fortunate to follow him on this fitness journey. 

I started running in 2016 and could not even reach half marathon today.  But whatever I achieved, he always is and will be an inspiration for me.  I would have achieved only the KMs that number of days he ran non stop. 

You must visit his facebook page to see the glimpses of his running journey and get inspired to wake up, tie the not of shoes and move out ..May be start with walk  and feel the difference. 

I wish Menon saab a very healthy,safe, prosperous, cheerful, happy life ahead for centuries to come and thanks Girish ji to make me his friend and fan.. 

Sharad Puranik 

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