Inspiration from Abhishek
By vishwa on Inspiration
November 5, 2018
This is Abhishek. I admire his relentless approach to distance running—a human-machine. A never give up attitude! He will go a long way, as his route is rarely found. Recently, he ran the Bangalore half marathon (21 km) and secured the second spot in his age category and overall, he finished in the top 15. He finished in 1 hour 26 minutes. That’s astonishing by any standard! His usual time for 10 k is 38 minutes. I run a 10-k race and finished in 59 minutes 29 seconds. A puny effort! However, it’s jaw-dropping to imagine the pace he kept.
Abhi experienced the taste of running when he attended a cricket camp as a child. He was asked to warm up by jogging for a few minutes. It was an eye-opener. He realized that running came naturally to him and was instinctive and blissful! In fact, now he dreams of representing the country and wants to be remembered as a distance runner.
He finds motivation from Haile Gebrselassie, Steve Prefontaine, and Milkha Singh. Haile is a retired long-distance track and road running athlete. He has won two Olympic gold medals over 10000 meters and four World Championship titles in the event. Steve was an American middle- and long-distance runner who competed in the 1972 Olympics. Last but not the least, Milka Singh, the Flying Sikh, is an Indian former track and field sprinter. However, I find Mo Farah greatly inspiring. Although people rave about Usain Bolt, it’s thrilling to watch Farah’s strong finishes.
I have seen Abhishek practice his distance running every day on the ground. He typically runs 10 kilometers in the morning and around 5 kilometers in the evening. He also frequents the gym in the evening after his running practice. His uncompromising approach and his stoic demeanour are evident. Importantly, he has dedicated his life to pursue his passion. He has resigned his bank job and has joined Decathlon. Decathlon is a place where he can pursue his passion and fulfil his dream. Although it’s a low paying job, Decathlon encourages sports activities. It’s paramount to choose an environment which is conducive for your genuine growth. Although the bank job was lucrative it was stalling his running passion. Now, he feels at home and can wholeheartedly pursue his desire. I am sure the coming days and years will bring immense laurels to this champion.
In these pictures Abhishek ranked the second runner up in the Wipro half marathon race.