A couple from Powai has become the country’s first to finish a 100km race. Sangeeta and Sunil Shetty were on the podium at the Bangalore Ultra last weekend, an ultra-marathon where runners attempt distances of 50, 75 and 100km, and even a 24-hour run.
Sunil (51), who runs a learning development firm, finished the race in 13 hours and 37 minutes to come second in the men’s veteran’s section while Sangeeta (46) clocked 16 hours and 47 minutes and was the only woman to finish the 100km within the cut-off time of 17 hours.
Their way to the milestone started in 2006, when Sunil, who was an avid runner in his college days, wanted to lose the pounds he had piled on due to his sedentary job. Within 18 months since he resumed running, he had lost 24kg to weigh a healthy 64. A few months later, he was clocking 12km in 90 minutes. His first marathon was the 2009 Mumbai Marathon, where he ran the half marathon (21km) in 3 hours. “I was so drained out that I promised myself I will never run that distance again,” said Sunil. “I have kept my promise. Only, I run four times that distance now.”
Sangeeta played basketball, badminton and table tennis in her college days, but did not pursue a sport thereafter. Also, she had gained a lot of weight after childbirth. Seeing Sunil’s progress, she joined him in his long runs. When she ran her first full marathon in 2012, she clocked 5 hours and 40 minutes, 20 minutes faster than her husband’s 2011 run.
A meeting with an athletics coach motivated the two to run longer distances. “We ran 75km in the 2012 Ultra and did well. So we decided to go for the 100km. We knew no Indian couple had accomplished the feat,” said Sunil.
The Shettys’ accomplishments have come very early in their running life. “The reason we are successful is because we do not run for pace, we run for time,” said Sunil. “We do this by building on patience.”
The couple plans to attempt the gruelling 24-hour run in 2014.
Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-11-19/mumbai/44241073_1_sunil-shetty-half-marathon-sangeeta
