There’s no stopping him

Mahadev Samjiskar has run 34 half marathons, completed five in under 2 hours

January 13, 2017 12:44 am | Updated 12:44 am IST - MUMBAI:

For Mahadev Samjiskar life began all over again in 2004 when he decided to take up running after his parents passed away. It was a journey that has always been linked to the Mumbai Marathon, a race that Mr. Samjiskar, a resident of Borivali, first participated in 12 years ago, completing the half marathon at a brisk walk.

“The year before I started running, I had to deal with many things in my life,” says Mr. Samjiskar. “The most important thing is that my parents had passed away. Both of them lived till the age of 80 or 85, but in their last five years they really suffered. I felt that they had lived a life of quantity and not quality and I was determined to make sure I only led a life of quality.”

Back then, Mr. Samjiskar had recently retired as Air India’s senior manager of flight operations. He joined the company as a typist, when it was still Indian Airlines. He says because of his experience, he had received several job offers to resume a similar kind of work. “But I rejected them since I had decided that I was only going to to take care of my health.”

Testing the limits

Before the age of 62, exercise was not something Mr. Samjiskar had time for. His wife had passed away at a young age. Besides looking after his three children and aged parents he had the demands of work. He decided to work on his fitness and began to run every day at the Borivali National Park. “There was one track which was a 900-metre climb and I wanted to conquer that by jogging, to show myself that my body was still capable,” he says. “I remember there were some gentlemen, some retired from the Army, who came to ask me what my age was and how I was managing to to keep this regimen up.”

After his 2004 attempt at the Mumbai half marathon, which he completed in under 3 hours, Mr. Samjiskar improved his performance the following year, having built up the stamina to jog throughout. He finished the race in 2 hours, 10 minutes.

Since then there has been no looking back. These days, he is an active participant in half marathon races across India. “I participate in many of the events that are classified under the Association of International Marathons like the Airtel half marathon in Delhi and the Pune Marathon. In total, since the time I started, I have run 34 half marathons and have completed five in under 2 hours.” Mr. Samjiskar says his personal best time is 1 hour and 56 minutes. “My performance has got better with age.”

Mr. Samjiskar now leads the itinerant life of a professional runner, constantly travelling to events and following a rigorous training schedule. “I can hardly believe it myself, but in 2016 I ran seven half marathons: four 10-kilometre runs and two 25-kilometre runs.” In most of these events, he ended with a podium finish in the over 65 category.

Given that he has been a recognised figure on the circuit for some time now, Mr. Samjiskar has also been asked to participate in international events. He joined the Indian Athletic Federation in 2010 and took part in his first international event, a cross country run in Malaysia in 2010, finishing ninth overall. He represented the country at the the 2015 Australia Masters Games, finishing with the gold medal in the senior citizens’ category.

This year he plans to participate in the World Masters Games in Auckland. “Till now all the running and all the events that I have been taking part in has been at my own expense but for Auckland, which is in April, I’m hoping to get sponsorship.” For the past two years, Mr. Samjiskar has been associated with the Puma brand and does marketing for them. The sporting giant is likely to sponsor him in Auckland.

Mr. Samjiskar lives with his elder son in Borivali and continues to train at the Borivali National Park. For solitude, he also goes twice or thrice a week to the hosue in Kandivali where his late mother lived and which he has not sold or rented out. “I go there sometimes to exercise in peace and cook for myself. That’s how I live these days, ” he says.

Fitness regimen

A few years ago, a local club in Kandivali offered him free membership to use their pool and gym. Swimming and working out at the gym have now been incorporated into his training schedule. “Three days a week, I train in Borivali, two days are for aqua training and gym work, one day to do yoga and one day is for resting.” Not content with this already stunning range of activities he also often practises karate, a skill he picked up when he turned 63.

As he prepares to renew his tryst on Sunday with the race that heralded the beginning of his new life, Mr. Samjiskar is proud of his legacy and the people he inspires every day.

However, for him, there is no stopping just yet.

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