Shillong’s roads primed him for marathons across the globe even at 82, physician-cardiologist Ashish Roy tells CK Nayak
THE UP and down unlevelled roads give nightmare to all those who live in or visit Shillong. But the hill station’s natural attributes have made Shillong-born Ashish Roy a ‘marathon man’ even at the age of 82.
Roy, who ran his first marathon in his 50s, has completed 115 marathons across the globe. He has now penned his second book Wonderful Joys of Running, which was released at the Press Club of India in New Delhi last week.
Recalling his childhood days in the British era hill station, Roy said that he along with his classmates used to run back and forth from his home in Laban to the Government School beyond Barabazar on the up and down roads since there was no bus or other mode of transport available then. “This was a blessing in disguise and made me what I am today – a marathon man,” he said proudly.
On how marathon transformed his life, the physician-cum-cardiologist said: “For 21 years, I served the armed forces. My colleagues were unhappy with my behaviour as I was short-tempered. However, during the later part of my life, I discovered the joys of running marathon. It gave me a feel-good factor and my behaviour has undergone a change.”
Recommending regular participation in marathons for every Indian, Roy, who retired as Wing Commander from the Indian Air Force, said regular marathon runners neither suffer from high blood pressure nor high cholesterol.
“Before running marathons, I used to weigh 72 kg, but later it came down to 66 kg. I also used to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Now, I do not have any of these problems and have a healthy heart. Regular physical exercise keeps type 2 diabetes and heart diseases at bay. I also want to clear the misconception in our country that people who are thin are unhealthy,” said Roy, who has also participated in marathons in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries.
To produce more medal-winning marathon runners in the country, Roy believes compulsory running is the panacea. “I want running to be made mandatory from Class III in all schools of the country. Look at our neighbour China, which has produced so many medal winners by introducing this policy. Even schools in European nations give emphasis to long-distance running. Marathon has taken the whole world by storm. Even after coming back from school we had to go for football and other matches in Polo ground again by running,” he said.
This compulsory running at the formative age of 8 to 18 made me a marathon man, Roy said.
He also attributed his success to his father Sudhasindhu Roy who was founder of undivided Assam Football Association and other sports bodies. With a national record for men in India Roy found mention in Limca Book of Records.
The man from Shillong has not only created history within the country but also abroad with 115 marathons he ran in countries starting from US, UK to Greece and even Pakistan.
He is the only Asian to have run three marathons in USA on three consecutive Sundays in 1999. He is also the lone 70-plus man in the world to have run three marathons within a span of six weeks, official data said.