Elemention CGA in Chandigarh was humming with activity from early May 17th at 5am onwards with volunteers putting out direction signs and getting water stops ready for the over four hundred participants from Chandigarh and around for the 1st Runningandliving.com 5km and 10km runs in Chandigarh.
There were people who were young and old, from all walks of society, CEO’s, bureaucrats, businessmen. students and others – many a bit weary after having been up late – tuning in to the IPL scores and the election results. But all were now focused on running, in what is perhaps the prettiest city in the country for such an activity.
The support from the police and the administration was fantastic - At 5am when I was putting up the direction boards along the route there were smiling traffic police who were keen to know what the objective of the run was and where it started from so that they could pass on information to those who would ask them.
Fortis Ambulance and the doctors provided super support and we also had a talk from Dr Deepinder Singh on Running and the heart.
Reebok trainers provided information on feet and shoes with a discounted set of stocks available and we had Running and Living Water Bottle belts and running T shirts available on sale.
Well fun was the focus as we ran, and the 5km runners followed at 645am. Smiling, cheering and then shouting out to others was what added to the fun as various social barriers were breached. Running was doing something that the electioneering had not been able to do – it had brought people from all over, together, to have fun, and not even consider that there were any differences at all between them. Running is a great community builder.
The finishers then also got a first hand experience of Elemention, and a discount on membership. Several said they had fun and keenly enquired about the next run, running clubs in different parts of India and more - check out running groups at information on running groups
Spread the word and lets get India running!
