"Running is my passion!" says 29 year old Seema Kotian, a technical writer during the weekdays and a marathoner by the weekend. Look around and you’ll see that she isn’t the only one saying that. Running is the new way to be fit. Don’t join a gym. Run instead.

Seema Kotian at the Sunfeast 2008 run. Pic Courtesy: Seema Kotian

This must have been the very thought behind the people who introduced the city of Bangalore to the World 10k in 2008. Today 3 marathons later, the Sunfeast World 10k has been rechristened into TCS World 10k Bangalore 2011. But that’s not the only thing that has changed.

Why do we run?

Running doesn’t have to be in your blood. Some people stumble upon it, some coerced into in and some pick it up as a hobby. Everybody runs for a different reason. Like Aparna Gudaloor, a 25 year old MBA student, who decided to take part in the World 10k Majja Run for the dogs. "I am very fond of dogs. My friend told me about this fund raising page called wishberry through which I could help CUPA raise funds to build a new animal shelter in Kengeri. So I will be running for CUPA."

Anantha Ramaswamy training for the 10k. Pic Courtesy: Anantha Ramaswamy.

Aparna isn’t the only one who is running for a cause. Seema, who has been a runner since 2008, will be running for a waste management NGO called Saahas this time. All one has to do to raise funds is send a link of their page to people who can then make donations online. The supporters run in a group and use banners and T-shirts on the day of the marathon to spread the message.

While many people run for causes, a majority of them run individually or with friends. At 42, K. Sridhar, the vice president of sales at an IT company, who has been training for long distance running since 2008 shares, "I have run many half marathons with ‘Runners for Life’ (an association which helps runners train) but this time I will be running with a few of my friends. We have been training for it for almost 5 weeks now."

Another runner, Anantharaman Ramasamy , a 36 year old IT Consultant, tells us, "I got initiated into running by my neighbours in 2010. Since then I have participated in 2 marathons. 6 of us will be running this time. We practice for half an hour in the morning on weekdays and have an aggressive long distance routine saved for Saturdays and Sundays."

Abhijith Karthik at the finish line of the Bangalore Duathlon in 2010. Pic Courtesy: Abhijith Karthik.

Training for the run

"Running 10k for the first time is not easy. We must train for it" Says Sridhar. "First time runners must not think about time. They must focus on finishing. It’s not just stamina but the right technique that makes one a good runner. Eating right and drinking lots of water is the way to do it."

Defying him is Aparna who feels that training is not everything. It’s the will power to complete. She just pumps herself with food, builds up her stamina, walks everyday and jogs occasionally.

"When I first started running; meeting other runners and surfing the internet for tips really helped me out. Since then, my friend and I have been coaching ourselves." says Abhijith Karthik, the account director at Fleishman and an avid runner who has taken part in most of the 10k’s in India.

Whether it’s a 12 year old or a senior citizen. This event has attracted all sorts of people from different walks of life. So put on your running shoes and get ready to witness 2011’s World 10k Bangalore on June 5^th.

Details about the run

The TCS World 10K will be taking place on the 5^th of June and will be flagged off at the Kanteerava stadium. For all the people who missed the previous registration date, there will be on-the-spot registrations from the 1^st to the 4^th of June at the Koramangala indoor stadium. Only 1000 running places will be given on first come first serve basis.

For details on the rules and regulations of the run, you can visit their website.

The 10k route: They start from Kanteerava Stadium, go to Ulsoor road via General Kariappa park. They take the same route back cross Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium, High Court, Vidhana Soudha, through cubbon park and back to Kanteerava Stadium

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