*1st veteran runner from J&K to cover 80 Km in 10 hrs 24 mins
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 25: Rajesh Padha, Jammu Runners Group (JRG) founder and renowned veteran runner of J&K, brought laurels to the State again by running his first ever 80 Km Multicity Run between Amritsar to Jalandhar at the Great Run of Punjab, which concluded this evening.
Padha has also became the first veteran runner from the State to run 80 Km distance at the age of 60 in 10 hours and 24 minutes with total running time of 8 hours and 56 minutes. He stood 2nd in the 80 Km run at an overall level and came first in the 55 plus category. This happened right after he ran 60 Km on his 60th birthday on Oct 30, 2018 between Jammu to Udhampur.
The Great run of Punjab, a sort after running event in the country, had the 3K, 5K, 10K, 30K, 50K, 80K and 200K categories. The event witnessed participation from state, national and international runners from different parts of the world. It is indeed a proud moment for the State that a veteran runner like Padha made the impossible look so easy.
In an exclusive talk with Excelsior, when he was asked whom would he credit this run to, Padha said, “I dedicate this run to my lucky mascot and crew captain wife Uma Upadhaya who travelled along with me to Amritsar and stayed with me while I was running.” Padha’s wife accompanied him in a car that went side by side and gave refreshment and energy drink to him and other runners.
When asked what made him believe that he could run 80 Km at the age of 60, the humble veteran runner smiled and replied, “Age is just a number. Belief is bigger than anything else. My team keeps me motivated and happy. This happened because of their blessings. Moreover, long distances are run with your heart and not your legs. When the legs give up, your heart make you run. Long distances are all about will power.”
The 60-year-young Padha dreams of seeing his State on the world map one day in the field of running. He has run a total of 3 Ultra Marathons, 5 Full Marathons, 34 Half Marathons and over ten 10 Km runs in the last 8 years of his running career.
He has done over 10 podium finishes across the various running categories. What started as a hobby is his passion right now. Rajesh runs every day without making excuses and is an inspiration for many in Jammu to live a healthy life.
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