Runner of the fortnight Dr Ashis Roy


Meet Dr. Ashis Roy the “MARATHON MAN OF INDIA”. He is someone who took to professional running rather late in life, but still managed, not only to shatter a lot marathon records in India, but also to create a lot more abroad. To list a few records - he is the first man in the world above 70 yrs to run two marathons on two consecutive Sundays and the only man in the world above 70 yrs who has run three marathons within a span of six weeks.. I would have to write a whole page to mention all his achievements.

When we caught up with him on running and all things related to it, being a man of few words, this is what he had to say:


1. Running for me means: Mental happiness

2. How many marathons/half marathons: Full-88. Half-10

3. I have been running for: Twenty five years

4. Personal bests: 3hrs 10 min in 1987 at the age of 55 yrs.

5. My favorite running shoes: No favourite. Choose according to my liking.

6. When did I start running: I started running at the age of 7yrs at Shillong when I ran to and from school which was 3 miles away from home. I started competitive running at the age of 16. I started running marathons at the age of 52.

7. My toughest marathon: The toughest marathon was in 2007 while running the Hatfield & McCoy marathon at West Virginia when I had to climb steep hills of 4,000ft.

8. If I wasn’t running, I’d most likely be: A football player.

9. My favorite running route: Trail running through thick jungles where birds make cooing sounds.

10. Favorite running quote: Run for Joy!

11. Advice to runners out there: Run according to your capability.

12. If there’s one thing I’d change about running, it would be: Compulsory running in schools.

13. When I m running uphill on my last lap, my brain is saying: Relax you are there.

14. My favourite running benefit is: Mental peace.

15. What do I like listening to while I run: Kenny G

16. What I don’t tell other runners about me: There are pain and pleasure in running.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sreenivas Rao on February 27, 2009 at 17:56
One great role model ...
Permalink Reply by Madhumita Dasgupta on February 27, 2009 at 18:29
Dr. Roy, You are a tremendous source of inspiration to one and all!
Permalink Reply by Satsang Randhelia on February 27, 2009 at 20:01
Dr Roy,
are you real?
Permalink Reply by Murthy on February 27, 2009 at 20:45
Dr Roy,
You are indeed a great source of inspiration for all.
I used to wonder if age has any relationship to what you can achieve in terms of running but looking at what you have achieved - i think one should not use age as an excuse.

Hope to do a fraction of what you did.
Permalink Reply by Brig(Retd) K Venkataraman on February 27, 2009 at 20:52
Dear Dr Roy,
How wonderful to learn about your achievements at the age of 70 plus and you are our insipiration.Our heartiest congratulations and Best wishes for the future runs.My wife, Sharada, and self have taken to Half Marathon running three years back at the age of 60 & 52 respectively. And your passion for running is a great motivation for us and we look forward to meeting you and share your experiences personally sometime.
Regards, Brig(Retd) K Venkataraman
Permalink Reply by Gangavarapu.Venkataramana on February 28, 2009 at 10:46
Dear Dr.Roy,
Great!You are an exception rather than a rule in a country where any one doing some physical exercise is seen as untouchabe.
As you said we should make sports(whatever) as a compulsory in all schools across the country.
Regards
CA Gangavarapu.Venkataramana
Permalink Reply by Murthy on February 28, 2009 at 11:03
All,
I wonder if Dr Roy will be able to see our reponse. I could not find Dr Roy in the list of members, so he wont be reading our responses.

Any ideas on how we can send these reponse back to Dr Roy.....I wish he could join the discussion and we could learn something from his experience.

Regards
Murthy
Permalink Reply by kishore kumar .D on February 28, 2009 at 13:37
Great going DR.ROY, you are a source of inspirationfor fellow runners.
Permalink Reply by Anirban Banerjee on February 28, 2009 at 13:57
Dr Roy, I am a 29 year old man. Though I am was not obese I was overweight. I started running some three month back to bring down my weight. I have succeeded somewhat though I must say the best part of running I have learnt is the mental peace and reduced stress that you talk about. Many years back I used to gym a lot, thinking that becoming muscular was the best fitness possinle. But I now think its both -- gym as well as running. Running has the potential to change lives. May you live long and win many more races.

Premium MemberPermalink Reply by Arvind on February 28, 2009 at 15:19
I will mail Dr. Roy and direct him to this discussion.

Dr. Roy has written a book on running titled - "The Joy of Running". He couldn't get it published through any of the publishing houses so he got it printed himself. We will put up the book on the website. Anyone who wants to buy can do so.

Murthy said:
All,
I wonder if Dr Roy will be able to see our reponse. I could not find Dr Roy in the list of members, so he wont be reading our responses. Any ideas on how we can send these reponse back to Dr Roy.....I wish he could join the discussion and we could learn something from his experience.
Regards
Murthy
Permalink Reply by Ram on February 28, 2009 at 19:43
Hi, One comment I liked immensely is that "running should be made compulsory in schools" that's awesome.
Permalink Reply by Dr. Ashis Roy on March 1, 2009 at 13:41
Madhumita Dasgupta said:
Dr. Roy, You are a tremendous source of inspiration to one and all!

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