HAPPENING -- 23:

USHERING IN ‘2019’ WITH ’20.19’ KM RUN

P S SUNDAR

The Nomadic Nilgirians Running Club has invited fitness enthusiasts to participate in the ’20.19 km’ run to usher in ‘2019’ on January 1, 2019.

“It is open to all and those willing to participate can assemble at Sim’s Park, Coonoor, before flagging off the run at 6 am”, the Club’s founder G Yasmin told me.

“We intend to organise regular running activities following this throughout 2019.  In particular, we will conduct a Marathon in April in which members of running groups from different parts of the country will participate.  To encourage the runners from The Nilgiris, we will honour the first finisher from the district”, she announced.

“We will conduct a schematic training camp in Coonoor in April and May when a certified coach will train students to prepare for major running contests”, she disclosed.

“From January, we will organise group running once a week.  There will also be periodical ‘Plogging run’ when the runners will pick up the litters in the routes to create a cleaner Coonoor”, she added.

“We encourage women runners, especially mothers, to help them stay fit.    At our ‘Run Because You Can’ event organised for women, 60 women, aged 14 to 64, ran the prescribed 2-kilometres”, said Yasmin (34), mother of two children, who herself took to running only at her 31 years of age. 

“I have been selected to participate in the Bank of America run to be held in Chicago in October 2019.  Subsequently, I will also participate in Comrades run Durban, South Africa”, said Yasmin, an ultra marathon runner, who participates in about six events a year.

A MBA graduate, she is Director of India Operations of US-headquartered IT company, Information Evolution India P Ltd., with production units in Coonoor and Coimbatore.

The Nomadic Nilgirians Running Club presently has 25 runner members, aged 13 to 65, of whom nine are women.   The Club wants to encourage allied activities like walking, trekking and cycling. 

Yasmin has assured to provide necessary help and guidance to the participants on medical, fitness and safety fronts considering the requirements of all these activities.   

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)