This assistant VP advises youngsters to ‘run for life’ 

BENGALURU: Do I show you my driving licence to prove I’m 40?” wittily questions a strikingly fit Rohit Shivaram, assistant vice-president of a prominent news app. But it was only five years ago, at the age of 35, that he realised that his fitness level wasn’t upto the mark, when he found himself huffing and puffing while climbing five flights of stairs. His habit of smoking occasionally didn’t help either. Smart enough to take the warning signals, Shivaram decided to start a new way of living by paying attention to his health.  

Cut to the present and his schedule includes a morning run at least three-four times a week, covering almost 22-26 km, which is a ‘huge achievement’ for someone who preferred staying on the couch. “I thought running to be the easiest form of exercise. And being an outdoors person, I preferred to run over hitting a gym. Most of my day is anyway spent indoors. I wanted to be fit by getting some fresh air,” he says. 

Going to bed by 10.30pm and waking up at 5am has been his mantra since. And over the years, he’s taken such a liking to running that he has participated in more than 10 race events and wants to continue doing so. “I have a couple of 10-km and 21-km runs to my record. I am a part of the Runners High group that brings runners in the city onto one platform. The Runners for Life group conducts events like Bangalore Ultra and Kaveri Trail Marathon having 12.5-km, 25-km, 50-km and 75-km runs.

I am a regular participant in these,” Shivaram explains, adding that his proudest moment participating in the Tata Mumbai Marathon, an annual international event held in Mumbai. “I have made acquaintances there and it feels good to run together at the largest marathon in Asia every year,” he adds. 

However, he’s disappointed that millennials tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle. “Youngsters are mostly indoors these days, and technology has made sure that they do not need to step out of their houses for the simplest of jobs to get done. Even yoga or meditation will help you to be fit because mental health is also an important aspect of life,” he says. But Shivaram is at least at peace about the fact that his 10-year-old daughter loves playing badminton and wants to be fit like her father, she knows that it is important to take care of her health. 

Despite having a tale to tell, Shivaram says that he has not “motivated anyone to run” only because he fees that no one can “force” anyone to keep fit. “People have asked me questions about my routine and I think they should become believers themselves. It’s something that comes from within,” Shivaram signs off.