Porur Racers, a neighbourhood chapter of Chennai Runners, is completing four years on July 31.
Commemorating the anniversary, the group is organising a running event this Sunday under three categories — 5 km, 10 km and half marathon.
S. Jaya Jaya Raman, a member of Porur Racers, says, “Over 750 people from across the city will take part in the run. When the chapter was founded in 2012, it had only a couple of members — Vinu Nair and Roy N. Subramoney, both residents of La Celeste, a residential apartment complex in Madhanandhapuram.
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They started working out together and soon, many others at the complex neighbours joined them. On Independence Day, in 2014, we organised a 3-km run for children. Elders accompanied the children. This event drew a lot of attention and residents from other neighbourhoods — Porur, Ramapuram, Valasaravakkam, Iyyappanthangal and Kattupakkam — joined the group, which now has close to 200 members.”
In 2013, cycling and swimming were included in the fitness regimen. Fifteen of the members of Porur Racers are triathletes. The group practises thrice a week on Outer Ring Road and the Chennai Bypass Road.
The group’s weekly practice sessions are held along the Adyar river bed in Nandambakkam.
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The group goes on randonneuring rides, for which it has three routes: one, Madhanandhapuram to Mahabalipuram, two, Porur to Pondicherry and three, Madhanandhapuram to Tada Falls.
The greatest achievement of the group is the culture of fitness it has been helping promote in the area.
“I suffered a hip dislocation and was advised bed rest for a while. Thereafter, I led a sedentary lifestyle. In 2013, Roy and Vino urged me to join them at one of their practice sessions. On my first run, they made me cover 12 km. And there was no looking back. Running gave me a new lease of life. I was able to bring down my cholesterol levels. We believe that when we people run together as a group, they tend to make running a habit and also enjoy workouts better,” says Jaya Jaya Raman.
The group has embarked on an initiative to plant around 1,000 saplings in the rgion by the end of this year.
As part of this, the group has associated with Vanavil, a women’s forum within La Celeste apartment, which will provide the saplings.