Rajeev
A billboard along the regular Adyar run route that displays a tagline “Fast Track…Move on” looks as if it’s tailor-made to describe this Bessie Flyer. Swift pace coupled with agility personifies his running style. He comes, he runs, and he leaves – no frills attached. Meet Rajeev, who has been running with the group since September last year.
Calling him a sports enthusiast may not do justice to this multi-faceted personality. An established businessman in the garments space, his strong passion for sports translated into the build-out of an online portal for games scheduling. Through his venture Playfiks, he has created a medium that facilitates sports networking among enthusiasts across the globe.
The variety of games that he plays can give one a brush with vertigo! He takes actively to golf, squash, surfing, yoga, running, and is now contemplating cycling!!
With so many activities, why running, some may wonder! “Running gives, me that feeling of fitness and high that no other activity gives”, says Rajeev, whose initiation into outdoor running was more incidental than deliberate. Interestingly, the then treadmill runner took to the roads, just because he happened to buy the right running gear and accessories during a casual sports shopping exercise.
Encouraged by fellow runners, he ran a straight 7K on the first day of his training, which further nurtured a desire to run more. Complementing Bessie Flyers, he feels it’s the casual and cheerful nature of the group that makes his runs seem easy. With hardly a month’s training, his debut 10K at CTC with a finish time of 1:01 acted as a catalyst to his pace and boundaries thereafter. With 3 half-marathons and many 10K runs to his credit, this meticulous planner has chartered out his future running goals with absolute clarity. An intermediate sub 2 finish, eventually taking aim at 1:40 timing for a half marathon, will spur him on to stretch himself to a full run as the next benchmark. His judicious selection of runs and mileage comes from a need to remain injury-free, given his involvement with an assorted spread of physical sports.
Talking about how running helps de-stress, he points out that it brings about a sense of excitement, and refreshes his otherwise stressful work related travel. He now makes it a point to explore and experience the real flavor of any city that he travels to, through his runs there. As they say, the hidden beauties of a city are tucked away in its small by-lanes.
Well aware of the thin line that demarcates pushing oneself versus going overboard, he always believes in listening to his body. With a strong mind and steadfast purposefulness, he is well on his way to achieving the ever-climbing benchmarks that he constantly sets for himself.
Join us for a run tomorrow and meet this man who carries substance with a certain style!
Thu, 24th July Bessie run schedule: High intensity interval training