The concept of marathons is slowly but steadily gaining ground in Bengaluru. There are a fair share of youngsters and people in their mid-30s who do all they can to strike a balance between their regular jobs and their love for marathons to ensure they partake in the runs being organised in various corners of the world.
Bengaluru-based marathon runner Vijayaraghavan Venugopal has just participated in the Paris Marathon and successfully completed a 42.169 km run in just under 3 hours. He says he is thrilled that he has overcome one of the toughest marathon challenges. In an interview with Nina C George, Vijay shares his thoughts on marathons and why he enjoys running more than any other activity.
What does running mean to you?
Running is only a sport. While it deserves to be seriously pursued, I don’t let it override the journey itself. Many pursue the sport for the joy of it and I look it that way too. While I am competitive at an individual level, I don’t let that competitive spirit hamper the joy of getting together and running ina group.
How did you take to running?
I’ve always wanted to get into marathon running. You can’t wake up one morning and say that you want to be a marathon runner. The first thing is an interest and inclination towards marathons. Next is to build your mental and physical strength. The idea is to make the lower part of the body is light. I hit the gym almost everyday and also make sure that I run a few kilometers and eat right as well.
What’s your advice for amateur runners?
A lot of amateur runners do not lay much importance on the mental aspect. No matter how hard you train, there is always a need to spur your mind as one improves. For example, for many runners a time target of say 4 hours, or 3 hours for a marathon is a big thing.
For me too, it was no different when I struggled and did my first marathon in Mumbai in January 2013 in 4 hours and 2 minutes. It is important to keep the training going strong and the efforts will show up soon.
How did your participation in the Paris marathon help you?
The Paris marathon has helped me qualify for the Boston Marathon in 2017. (Boston is considered to be the Olympics of marathons for amateurs). For people between 40-45 years, the qualifying limit is 3.15 hours, and I am happy to have done it with 16 minutes to spare.
What next?
For the next one year, I have already set myself a few goals, specifically in running, which is pretty exciting for me as an individual. The next big event that I am looking forward to is the Berlin Marathon in September 2016, which is also one the World Majors in marathons.