Want to achieve your fitness goals? Join this running club in Navi Mumbai

Two finance graduates sit down in a cafeacute to brainstorm over a cup of coffee In any other city this would mean the birth of yet another startup In Navi Mumbai however Vihan Prabhu and Tegh Singh met to address a pressing question mdash just how does one get a Mumbaikar off their couch and running on a slow weekend The Navi Mumbai Run Club the duorsquos new weekend running club seems to have found the answer the duo has already helped nearly 40 Mumbaikars get on track with their goalsMembers participate in warmups and cooldowns before and after the early morning runsldquoI started running in 2018 to shed a few extra kilos While I was noticeably fitter in the worldrsquos eyes within months something else started changing inside me I was mentally happier and more at peace with myselfrdquo recalls 22yearold Singh Tegh would reach out to fellow Navi Mumbaikar Prabhu who was pursuing a degree in finance in Bengaluru at the time to encourage him to try this wonder drug ldquoI started running and was instantly hooked on it After years of planning and coordination we decided to introduce the city to the experience late last Novemberrdquo Prabhu revealsTegh Singh and Vihan PrabhuWhile Singh is familiar with life in the fast lane having studied equity markets in the buzzing halls of the Bombay Stock Exchange the running sessions are anything but rushed After a short warmup and pep talk participants are free to walk jog or run along the 5km running circuit on Palm Beach Road with the option to take a roundabout at any point to return to the meeting point In view of runnersrsquo safety in the city we learn that the group is joined by expert runners every weekend who guide runners in safety and discipline along the 45minute run on the demarcated running trackAlso ReadRun Mumbai runA participant warms up before a runldquoThey come for the run but stay for the fun that begins after itrdquo says Singh referring to the postrun bonding sessions that include a nostalgic walk or should we say run down memory lane with games like Dog and the Bone and Simon Says ldquoWith the run wersquore holding each other accountable for our fitness goals The games cement this sense of community in the participants A few young members even brought their parents along last weekend to help them socialiserdquo Singh revealsRunners play a game as part of the postrun activity sessionFor Prabhu their hometown is an equal contributor to this experience ldquoNavi Mumbai has a certain charm to it The wide roads with marked running tracks lined by trees and a breathtaking view of the sunrise every morning might be the reason we have groups drive their way to our sessions from as far as Andherirdquo he saysIn the new year the club is exploring newer avenues A yearend activity last weekend saw the group head to the Newali trail in Panvel ldquoMonotony can push people to leave their goals midway We asked the community how we can shake things up and a few participants who were itching for a more offroad crossterrain challenge suggested a trailrdquo Prabhu reveals Something tells us the runners from Andheri for whom driving out of their neighbourhood is a crossterrain challenge in itself werenrsquot a part of itOn Every Sunday 7 amMEETING POINT Third Wave Coffee Sector 46A Nerul Navi MumbaiLOG ON TO navimumbairunclub to register Beginnerrsquos checklistgtgt Invest in running shoes and choose bright and breathable clothing to stay safe and comfortablegtgt Start with small achievable goals like running for 5 minutes without stopping or completing a 2km rungtgt Alternate running with walking to build stamina Start by running for 30 seconds and walking for one minutegtgt Keep your posture upright land on the middle of your foot and swing your arms naturallygtgt Warm up and cool down with dynamic stretches or a brisk walkgtgt Rest days are essential Your body builds strength during recoveryInputs by Tegh Singh