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Marathoners drive home message of staying fit by running 12 hours

The second leg of 'Mumbai Ultra — 12 Hour Run' saw three times the participants as compared to last year. Nearly 325 took part in the 12-hour run this year.

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Ajay Yadav, a participant, runs during the Mumbai Ultra in Shivaji Park on Saturday
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Indian flags in hand and adrenaline coursing through them, marathoners completed their 12-hour run, trying to drive home one message for the city: stay fit and healthy.

The second leg of 'Mumbai Ultra — 12 Hour Run' saw three times the participants as compared to last year. Nearly 325 took part in the 12-hour run this year.

"We run with only one motive and that is to tell people that if we can do it, why not you. We do this for our health and also to spread a larger message that people should come out of their homes to do something for their country," said Stayaprakash Tiwari, a wheelchair-bound marathoner, who participated for the first time in an ultra marathon.

With a motto of "run miles spread smiles", the run was organised by a group of running enthusiasts that goes by the name Shivaji Park Marathon Club. The run is based on the concept of ultra runs or marathons that are conducted across the globe. The Ironman Triathlon, 6693 Ultra, the Jungle Ultra and Badwater Ultra Marathon, to name a few, are considered to be under 60 hours. In the 12-hour run, distance is not paramount, running for 12 hours is.

The route of the run, which was conducted from 5am to 5pm, was from Shivaji Park-Worli Sea Face-Mela restaurant and back. "We do not look at the kilometres that people run. It is all about investing in their own health and making healthy lifestyle a movement. It was good that 90% of the over 350 we screened held on till 12 hours," said Colonel Gulshan Chaddha, who was the run director and heads India's oldest mountaineering school in Darjeeling.

There was a general appreciation for runners for participating despite the harsh weather. "I am from Pune and used to good weather. Today's weather was hot and humid. But at the end of the day the run was fantastic. And because I could match last year's performance, there was self-satisfaction as well," said Sanjay Rao, who ran for 12 hours.

Some, like 56-year-old Piyush Shah, who had come all the way from Ahmedabad, ran for 42km. "I have made it a target of running 42km 100 times a year. Because I want to run tomorrow too, I did not stress myself," said Shah, who was amongst the 1,000 people who joined the other marathoners through the day.

Those like Manjinder Dhillon, who could not participate, had come to cheer the runners on. "I have run 42km in Mumbai Marathon. I got to know of the ultra run a little late. I will participate next year," said Dhillon, who has only 35% vision.

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