KOZHIKODE: At an age when many begin to slow down, they are choosing to run 42 km a day. From Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, the 14 runners are taking on 14 full marathons in 14 days, covering 600 km.
Nearly 70% of the participants are above 50, while several are senior citizens who have discovered, or rediscovered, their passion for running. For Sajith Thoppil Prakasan,55 who is leading the initiative, Keralathon is the culmination of a personal journey that began six years ago.
“I have been settled in Canada for the past 19 years. When you live in developed countries, you see how much importance people give to running and fitness. That inspired me to take up running,” Sajith told TNIE. In just six years, he has completed more than 10 full marathons (42.195 km each) and around 200 half-marathons.
“I want more people to experience the benefits of running. I appeal to running clubs across Keralam to build more running communities and encourage people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. That’s how we planned Keralathon,” Sajith said.
The runners began in Kasaragod on November 1, moved to Kannur on 2nd, Wayanad on November 3rd and Kozhikode on 4th. They will continue through the remaining districts before reaching Thiruvananthapuram on November 14.
One of the team’s most inspiring members is 72-year-old Paul Padinjarekkara, an ultra-runner who began running only at the age of 60. Since then, he has covered an astonishing 43,000km. At the other end is Eldhose Babu, 27.
Mary Joshi, another runner said running on Keralam’s roads comes with several challenges. “There are busy roads, the fear of dogs, and other difficulties. Initially, it wasn’t easy but I got used to it.”
For the runners, recovery is another challenge. “Running 42 km a day is not easy. The body needs time to recover, but through consistent training, we are trying to help it adapt to these conditions,” a runner said.