From Boston Marathon qualifier to habitual half-marathon runner, Free Runners keeps shining

Free Runners turned 10 on Feb 22, celebrating the milestone at RMV Club near HIG Colony with banter, nostalgia and emotional moments. Manju Mittur, 45, from Kolar-the fastest in the group- missed the event for good reason. He qualified for the Boston Marathon in the Delhi Marathon held on Feb 22 and made Free Runners proud on its special day. “The next few months are crucial. I’m focusing on strength training now,” said Manju. The milestones are striking. Six-year-old Ishaan who studies in Ramaiah Vidyaniketan has completed a 3K run. Rohit Maiya recently ran his 425th consecutive half-marathon. Shaila Banu, a Pinkathon ambassador, has completed 50K, while Dr Madhushree Vijaykumar, a gynaecologist, has finished 100K. Shashikumar, a long-distance runner since 2017, said the group celebrates every milestone together. “Free Runners motivates you to be your best self,” said the 43-year-old production manager. “We happily support fellow runners — whether it’s maintaining target pace, completing long-distance runs, or pushing through tough weekend runs. Every achievement is celebrated.” Anyone who has completed a half-marathon (21.1K) can join the club. “We encourage everyone to lace up, enjoy the sport, and be there for one another,” said Santosh, an avid runner. What began as a small, motley group has grown into a close-knit running family, with Sunday runs around Sankey Tank cementing bonds. VOICE BOXI’m preparing for the Boston Marathon, the oldest marthon in the world. Free Runners has pooled money and bought me running shoes. Satish Ananathaiyer, a fellow runner, is my running coach and mentor. He is the one who inspired me to chase my dream. Manju Mittur | RUNNER