HYDERABAD: When fitness is an obsession, we try and find reasons to make ourselves adapt to some kind of routine. With utmost dedication, runners in Hyderabad have proved themselves at every marathon in and outside the city. Whatever the age or gender, running towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle is their ultimate goal. We get in touch with Prashant Morparia, the director of the 11th edition of the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2022, who is a runner himself and a fitness enthusiast.
Speaking about his journey toward running Prashant shares, “I am a second-generation entrepreneur. I have always been a sports lover during my school days but was never keen on participating in any kind of sports. I did try and involve myself in any kind of sports but nothing much came of it. It was in 2012 that I seriously considered running and completed my first 10K run and before I knew it, I participated in the half marathon too.”
His passion did wear off for a while before coming back with much gusto. “Earlier, I would run for a while and would have to take a break for some time. I then got back to doing small-time triathlons and it was around then that I realised my running seemed to be a bit sore as my body could not run beyond 2 to 3 km at a stretch. I told myself this was unacceptable and I needed to change that. I started with a 5km goal in mind and the rest is history,” he tells CE.
Talking about the birth of the Hyderabad Runners Society and how it became home for runners in the city, he says, “It started in 2007 with a small group of 8 people who would meet at KBR Park. All of them were passionate about running and even went on to do some joint runs. They began to understand the importance and need for such a group to exist and grow. Presently, this society is an NGO and the people who work here are volunteers. We went great until 2019, took a break during the pandemic and are back with the 11 edition!” The group of 7 to 8 people in 2007 would keep in touch and encourage each other through emails. “Today, we have over 17,000 members, thanks to the marathon culture growing in Hyderabad and the country, over the years,” he adds.
Running a marathon requires practice and a fit body which would mean a strict diet too. But for Prashant, his mantra is pretty simple. “I don’t follow a particular diet but if you’d ask me, a diet that is lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein is ideal. It also depends on your lifestyle. One who has a sedentary lifestyle has to be higher on protein and a person who has an active lifestyle will need carbohydrates. If you’re into long-distance running, you ensure you are high on proteins and your diet throughout the day should have regular meal time,” he shares.
The organisation, Prashant says, hopes to spread a culture of running to places outside of Hyderabad too. “We also want to connect with more NGOs and train people be part of us to become an umbrella organization for all runners,” he signs off.