Bhaag India Bhaag: Indians’ new found love for marathons has much more to it than just fitness

Sure, Usain Bolt does it. The Flying Sikh was a legend in this area, as was PT Usha. Shifting lanes, in recent times, regulars who do it include celebs Rahul Bose, Milind Soman, Gul Panag, along with armies of non-celebs, all pounding the ground beneath their feet, in their collective race towards the promised land.

Be it fitness, a sense of thrill and adventure or just a strenuous physical gesture to keep up with the Chaddhas and Chakravartys, Rauts and Reddys, running clearly has announced itself triumphantly, as the great leveller, moving from a casual spectator sport to a passionate participatory activity kicking off a range of parallel fall-outs…a hip, hot n’ happening must do thing for all desiring to be in the loop.

Funnily, time was when running was associated only with fitness freaks residing mostly in metro cities. The celebrated Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon – which took off in year 2000 and remains the true-blue gold standard among the 300 plus marathons blitzing the country – hardly attracted any enthusiasts back then. Bookings were eagerly sought by the sponsors and people behind the movement and remained opened till the last day. Today, a decade later, such is the rage and josh, booking at SCMM close a good 6 months before the event! Question is: how and what triggered this transition from static to dynamic, from onlooker to participant, even competitor?

Analysts point to several reasons. Heading the list is the unquestionable dramatic shift in the way health and fitness are perceived today, by one and all. This is clearly manifested in the way eating habits, food items, beverages, smoking and drinking are projected in the public domain by the media – advertising and magazines – hugely impacting the masses, especially the health conscious among Gen Y. Over time, corporates and manufacturers and marketers, having read the writing on the wall, swiftly acted to champion this movement by ostensibly hawking branded commodities that were in total sync with this new-age sugar-free fat free war cry. Needless to add, the greatest beneficiaries of this new Bhaag India Bhaag bimari were the footwear companies, each producing a range of health-driven, customised, dedicated, running-friendly footwear, each swearing that the USP was their desired sole-mate!

The next step was organic, with the maverick marketers getting into the act, with all cylinders firing – formation of clubs. Nike Run Club and Reebok Running Squad set the ball rolling with collateral activities leaping on board, converting running to a gateway providing endless business opportunities.

Beyond direct commercialisation, running, for many also was a joyous experience, embracing inclusiveness, bonhomie and camaraderie. To the shy and withdrawn, it provided a brilliant platform to meet new people and interact with them at both a personal and collective level, without the rigid and scary protocol of formal, social intercourse. Many were members of local groups and travelled to other cities to participate in marathons, only strengthening friendship and bonding. In this scenario and setting, clearly age doesn’t count and the informality of the activity encourage tons of 50 plus types to slip into their jogging gear and hit the road, redefining a very special feeling called liberation.

Not all, however, agree and sniggering kill-joys race in with their barbs. One segment of cynics believe that this entire phenomenon is yet another import from the West, blindly aped by complexed Indians to demonstrate to the world their pathetic version of a forward-moving, globalised nation on-the-move! Another lot insists that it is nothing but a ”fashion statement, a status thing to don designer jog-suits, look cool and pretend you are this sexy, passionate Marathon Man!” Also, since big-ticket sponsors and celebs have also come to the party, running has become a social event, with media and photo-ops coming with the territory – a total Page 3 blowout! This – these sceptics believe – dilute the very mission of the activity turning it into a “bloody circus and farce with tons of undesirable sideys, gate-crashing, hoping for their 15 minutes of fame.”

So, is running after all a rat race … or a joyous celebration of a zillion feet dancing on roads to take fun and fitness to a new destination? All yours, esteemed readers!