Whether they run or walk, Powai resident Sunil Shetty (52) and his wife Sangeeta (47) take every step of life together. Their passion for running has just made them the first couple to complete the 24-hour Bengaluru Ultra Marathon recently. That the Limca Book of records has acknowledged their feat for being the ‘first couple in India to achieve the feat’, is the icing on the cake for this couple who has a teenage daughter.
The couple started the run at 5 am on November 8 to complete it at 5 am the following day. While Sunil logged 138 km, finishing first in the ‘senior’ category, Sangeeta clocked 120 km, coming second among the three women who participated in the event.
Sweating it out on the marathon track for an entire day was a different ballgame, say the Shettys who became the first Indian couple to run 100 km together in the Garden City last year. “Physical effort apart, you need mental strength to plod on along the track during the depressing dark hours,” said Sunil who runs a learning development firm. “Once it gets dark, mental support thins out when you hardly spot a fellow human.”
How safe does a marathoner feel in a new city, especially after sundown? Sangeeta admits she was a bit uneasy. “After 8 pm, I decided to run with Sunil. We walked through the night hours,” said Sangeeta, a homemaker.
The couple had trained hard for this challenge, covering 1900km over five months. “That training stood us in good stead,” said Sunil.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Powai-couple-puts-best-foot-forward-for-24-hour-marathon/articleshow/45171923.cms
