Too busy for fitness? Join this running club in Mumbai to inculcate movement in your schedule

Is life a sprint or more like a marathon How about just a leisurely run in the park with a new friend Soham Arora and Tanish Agarwal two passionate runners are inviting Mumbaikars mdash the laidback chillers the dedicated runners and most importantly the timestrapped nine to fiveers mdash to join them in their stride Bombay on Foot the duorsquos new venture is ldquomore than a running club Itrsquos a community of people trying to get fitter in the long runrdquo says AgarwalSoham AroraThe collegians who recently began their academic year at Vile Parlersquos DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering know a thing or two about preparations For the past two months 20yearold Agarwal has been conducting recces across Mumbai to pick safe and beginner friendly running routes in the city ldquoOvercoming the mental hurdles and making time to run is a job half done Morning walkers will know how pedestrianunfriendly the streets of Mumbai arerdquo he explains The club has charted a threekmlong route in the Bandstand area to kick off their initial sessionsWhile Agarwal a district level 100m sprint medallist has the logistics planned out Arora sheds light on an apprehension that might resonate with many like this writer ldquoI hate socialising The idea of heading out with a group of strangers can be dauntingrdquo he admits After the clubrsquos pilot run last weekend Arora seems to have shed his reserved personality ldquoI ran alongside a baker a chartered accountant and a businessman Running might be the best icebreakerrdquo the 19yearold shares excitedly Agarwal chimes in ldquoWhen you accomplish a difficult task with a group of people you automatically bond with them on a deeper levelrdquo To avoid overcrowding the 30member runs will be regulated through a WhatsApp groupA moment from a warmup sessionIf simply visualising a threekm run has already tired you out rest assured mdash the duo doesnrsquot mind a fair bargain The run is flagged off at the Bandstand promenade opposite Mannat and follows the route to the North end of the promenade and back ldquoNaturally you might not want to start with running against time right off the bat You can choose to run jog or take a brisk walk Regardless of your choice we rendezvous at the starting point in 25 minutesrdquo Arora explainsTanish AgarwalEach of the walks we learn will be accompanied by a warmup and a cooldown session ldquoPeople who have worked a desk job six days a week might not be in the best shape when they show up to the runrdquo Agarwal reasons The 30minute warm up includes stretches jumping jacks and breathing exercises As for the cooldown session the duo promises ldquocups of piping hot filter kaapi and candid conversationsrdquo We wouldnrsquot bargain on thatON Every Sunday 730 amMEETING POINT Opposite Mannat Bandstand Bandra WestLOG ON TO bombayonfoot on InstagramPrerun checklist Assess your fitness level and do not sign up for hardcore running clubs right away Build up stamina by walking at your first few sessions Signs like breathlessness are a sign to slow down Chart a stepup plan with an experienced member Include strength training in your routine Warmup and cooldown periods are a mustInputs by Girish Bindra running coachAlso check out The Bombay Running CoLOG ON TO thebombayrunningco on Instagram Bombay HashLOG ON TO bombayhash on Instagram Chembur Running ClubCALL 9819526328 Bombay RunningLOG ON TO bombayrunning on InstagramCALL 7400088990