The first day of 2017 turned out to be a life changer for a Chandigarh-based wealth manager Gaurav Karjee. An email from a running enthusiast chairman, sharing his new year’s plan, including running schedule and looking in the mirror – getting uncomfortable from his fat belly – motivated Karjee to hit the running track.

On the first day, Karjee couldn’t run 100m at a stretch and today he is a known ultra runner in the region and also motivating the budding runners to eye for ultra running – any run longer than the usual marathon distance of 42.195 km.

“Academics had overtaken my cricket dreams and then jumping into the rat race had left behind the physical activity. I was never bothered about my growing fat belly till the time I felt embarrassed looking in the mirror on the first day of 2017. The same morning, I received an email from our chairman Rashesh Shah – a marathon runner – sharing his year’s plan regarding the company and also about his running calendar. That moment forced me to think that if a person sitting at a top level was able to take out time for running, then who is stopping me from devoting time to fitness. The couple of minutes spent on looking in the mirror and going through the email, transformed my life forever,” says Karjee, who is working as a vice-president with Edelweiss Financial Services Limited.

“My fitness journey started with a New Year's resolution and in the morning I went to a park. On the first day, I couldn’t run even 100m and I started feeling uncomfortable. The biggest hurdle was to be on the track on the second day and I did it. Now I can’t imagine a life without running.”  

In September, 2017, Karjee ran his first half-marathon (21km) and next year, his first 42km race. In 2018, he participated in his first ultra run, 50km Shivalik Run, and finished fourth.

“Running has disciplined my life. It helped me on doing good on professional, personal and fitness fronts,” says Karjee.

To be continued - How running is helping Karjee to control hypothyroid