The call of the ‘run’

Photos by Abhilash Pillai

Instagram: @theimageprapher

There are many myths proliferating in social media about running. First of all, some claim that running will ruin your knees. Others say that it’s only for a particular body type — mostly for athletes, while some say that once you are past your 40s, you should not run.

At 49, no one would associate Niren Philip with running. Some say his weight is not ideal being on the heavier side.

It’s a hard battle for him as when he was a child, he was always athletic but with growing old also came different complications. As he grew heavier, the more issues he faced including depression at various stages of his life. He felt demotivated to do any physical exercises and over time, he became less energetic.

When he finally hit the obese mark, he decided that he has to fight it somehow. He was not his usual self saying that even family time became too strenuous for him.

When a friend who was into running pushed him to take part in the said activity, he said his life changed for the better. It took time for him to even actually do it. By the time he decided to embrace the healthier lifestyle, he was told that his weight will cause him physical injuries, especially his knees which people said will give up due to his weight.

After consulting with an ortho doctor and training with some professional runners, Niren learned that if one follows the right techniques then running can help one fight obesity.

Today, while he still has some extra pounds, he finds himself more confident than ever and has the required energy to run errands for the whole day.

“Running helped me to reduce weight, and also it has helped me to control my other health issues,” he shared.

In the last six months, Niren has participated in races like the Muscat ultra-runner (5K) and Al Jabal Al Akhdhar trail run (10K) and planning to participate in November 2022 for the Al Mouj Muscat Marathon (10K) and even the Himam race if he’s physically ready.

Starting young

Sulaiman bin Saif al Riyami is the poster child for running. He’s young — at 17, he has the energy and focus to make a career out of it.

For Sulaiman, age shouldn’t dictate whether someone should do it or not. He encourages young people like him to try it out in the hope that they might end up liking the activity.

“I am always self-motivated when it comes to running. Part of why I love it so much is because I do feel I am limitless and I can achieve any goal in my life,” he shared.

Despite being in school, Sulaiman finds the time to pursue his passion as it is his ambition to be a professional runner in the future. While balancing the two is not a walk in the park, he said that the benefits actually affect each of his endeavours.

“Running helps me develop my confidence. I’m trying to learn more — about the proper techniques and other tricks of the trade. Thankfully, I have a very supportive family who understands my passion,” he said.

Sulaiman is already a very prominent name within the runner’s community and all his co-workers appreciate his determination towards his goals.

He has already participated in 30 different races and this year, his goal is to participate in the Al Mouj Muscat Marathon (22.1K). He practices four days a week and is fully focused on his aim.

“With running, you can gain confidence, learn discipline and gain health, and there’s an amazing community who only encourages you to be better in life, health and in my goal,” he shared.

Just bring your shoes

As a teenager, Zidane Alex Pereira is in love with many sports including volleyball, basketball, tennis and swimming but he considers running as his core sport.

“The best part about running is that you can do it on your own. Unlike group sports, I don’t need to wait for the team to arrive. Just find your track and run. It’s fun,” Zidane said.

At home, his parents are also outdoor people and they join him on his run every weekend.

Zidane said that at 13, he can tell that running not only benefits him health-wise but also aids his concentration, especially for his studies.

Studies have shown that regular running can help lower blood pressure and resting heart rate, improve blood sugar control, lower triglycerides, and lower cholesterol.

It can also reduce waist circumference and body fat percentage. It can significantly help improve mental health, self-confidence, healthy ageing and quality of life. Running is an incredibly effective and immediate stress-reducing activity. It clears the mind, stimulates the release of “happy” hormones, raises energy levels, and improves fitness, as well as helps you maintain a healthy weight and body composition.

‘Running has made me learn the value of time and help create a direction for me and life as a teenager,” Zidane said.

Zidane is planning to run the 5k Al Mouj Muscat Marathon to gain new life experience.

Supportive network

For Stephen, who is a working ex-pat in Oman and has been running for the past 10 years shared that he fell in love with it because it allowed him to be part of a community that is supportive of one another and it is also where he found his best friend.

“I found my best friend after joining the running community. He is Omani and it’s great to be able to learn from each other not just about the sport but also about our specific cultures,” he shared.

Stephen said that before running, his social circle in this country was very limited. He never got a good chance of exploring the place as well as the locals. When he joined the Muscat Road Runners group, his connections grew as well.

The past decade of Stephen’s running experience helped him to understand himself.

“I started running for keeping myself healthy but in the process, I found out that I can also be a good athlete,” Stephen said.

Stephen will be participating in the Al Mouj Muscat Marathons ( 42.2K) but he is also aiming to participate in London, Istanbul & USA marathons soon.