<p>Fifteen months ago, when Y S Rajendra Kumar’s son proposed that he take up running, the 75-year-old man brushed it aside. Wasn’t he too old to run?<br /><br /></p>.<p>After initial hesitance, Kumar decided to check it out for himself and today, he stands as an inspiration for the growing number of running enthusiasts.<br /><br />The septuagenarian from Bengaluru recently completed his first half marathon (21 km). That approximately amounts to a distance from MG Road to Kengeri.<br /><br />Reaching the finish line in less than 2.5 hours, Kumar has performed better than what average runners in their 20s could accomplish.<br /><br />It was sheer will power that drove him to participate in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM) held on January 19 in Mumbai.<br /><br />Speaking to Deccan Herald, Kumar said, “My son introduced me to running in September 2014. My initial reaction was that I could not do it at this age. In the first two to three sessions, I got exhausted for short distances. But I persisted.”<br /><br />Kumar soon found out that his respiratory problems had also got cleared because of running. This motivated him to run on a regular basis. Within three months, he participated in the ‘Ajmera Thump!’ run and ran a distance of 10 km.<br /><br />He was the second runner-up in his category and was awarded a medal for his accomplishment. He later participated in the 10K run for Calgary Marathon, Canada, and stood fifth in his category.<br /><br />Kumar’s son Darshan Jain, who is also a runner, suggested to him to participate in half marathon. “I initially told my son not to enrol my name for the SCMM event. However, I came back and asked my coach for an assessment. He opined that I could take it up.”<br /><br /> What more, when he went to a doctor for a checkup, ahead of the event, he was in for a pleasant surprise. “The doctor told me that even though I was 75 years old, my body’s age was that of a 54-year-old!” he added.<br /><br />In the half marathon in Mumbai, he aimed to complete the run within 3 hours. His grandson encouraged him to set a target for 2 hours and 40 minutes. He eventually managed to complete it within 2:28:52 seconds. Kumar, who runs with the Jayanagar Jaguars group, attributes his success to his coach Pramod Deshpande.<br /><br />He also feels that long-distance cycling in his younger days and regular yoga and pranayama have kept his body fit. He is now looking forward to taking part in the Bangalore Marathon this year.</p>
<p>Fifteen months ago, when Y S Rajendra Kumar’s son proposed that he take up running, the 75-year-old man brushed it aside. Wasn’t he too old to run?<br /><br /></p>.<p>After initial hesitance, Kumar decided to check it out for himself and today, he stands as an inspiration for the growing number of running enthusiasts.<br /><br />The septuagenarian from Bengaluru recently completed his first half marathon (21 km). That approximately amounts to a distance from MG Road to Kengeri.<br /><br />Reaching the finish line in less than 2.5 hours, Kumar has performed better than what average runners in their 20s could accomplish.<br /><br />It was sheer will power that drove him to participate in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM) held on January 19 in Mumbai.<br /><br />Speaking to Deccan Herald, Kumar said, “My son introduced me to running in September 2014. My initial reaction was that I could not do it at this age. In the first two to three sessions, I got exhausted for short distances. But I persisted.”<br /><br />Kumar soon found out that his respiratory problems had also got cleared because of running. This motivated him to run on a regular basis. Within three months, he participated in the ‘Ajmera Thump!’ run and ran a distance of 10 km.<br /><br />He was the second runner-up in his category and was awarded a medal for his accomplishment. He later participated in the 10K run for Calgary Marathon, Canada, and stood fifth in his category.<br /><br />Kumar’s son Darshan Jain, who is also a runner, suggested to him to participate in half marathon. “I initially told my son not to enrol my name for the SCMM event. However, I came back and asked my coach for an assessment. He opined that I could take it up.”<br /><br /> What more, when he went to a doctor for a checkup, ahead of the event, he was in for a pleasant surprise. “The doctor told me that even though I was 75 years old, my body’s age was that of a 54-year-old!” he added.<br /><br />In the half marathon in Mumbai, he aimed to complete the run within 3 hours. His grandson encouraged him to set a target for 2 hours and 40 minutes. He eventually managed to complete it within 2:28:52 seconds. Kumar, who runs with the Jayanagar Jaguars group, attributes his success to his coach Pramod Deshpande.<br /><br />He also feels that long-distance cycling in his younger days and regular yoga and pranayama have kept his body fit. He is now looking forward to taking part in the Bangalore Marathon this year.</p>
