Life after a heart attack

The twoyear Covid19 slowdown when the wheels of a rapidly whirring world seemed to fall off was a transformative time for many Finance professional from Mumbai Dhananjay Yellurkar 58 used that time to write his recently published book lsquoFuel for my journeyrsquo a memoir about running marathons post cardiac surgeryYellurkar who is a Chief Risk Officer CRO with NIIF Infrastructure Finance Limited NIIF IFL is one of the very few people ldquorarerdquo as he said himself who has run full marathons 422 km across six continents post his heart attack and openheart surgery which he had when he was 46Write wayThrough the 188page book the Pali Hill resident draws the reader into his life The excruciating heart episode 12 years back and all the demons and doubts that dogged him sole breadwinner of the family comprising wife Reshma daughter Neeti and son Ishan are documented at the outset Said Yellurkar ldquoDuring Covid I started thinking about writing my lifersquos journey I took an online course on how to write I had to keep in mind that these are two heavy subjects I was writing about endurance running and health so it had to be breezyrdquoFrom the first laboured steps post openheart surgery to going past the coveted 422 km mark in his first full marathon pacing the 6hour bus in the Mumbai marathon to overseas marathons on unimaginably tough terrain the fuel for Yellurkarrsquos journey has been grit and rockhard determination ldquoThis book is a global one as that lsquobouncing back or resiliencersquo is so many peoplersquos storyrdquo he saidNew beginningsSome stand out features are that his work stops from being preachy He writes about several setbacks injuries falling short of the finishing time in a certain marathon the disappointment and postrace analysis and a riveting account of running a marathon in Antarctica His support system immediate and extended family and friends become part of the readerrsquos experiences ldquoWhen I started looking for a publisher it was toughrdquo said the senior finance professional ldquoSome wanted me to turn this into a guidebook for running what to eat how to trainhellip but there were too many in that spacerdquo He added ldquoWe have become an Insta generation My book teaches the value of slow progression and goals that are worth striving with every fibre of your being though they may not have lsquotangiblersquo rewards like medals or trophiesrdquoThe Director of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital Dr Aashish Contractor who finds mention in the book as Yellurkar is his patient said ldquoThe big takeaway here is that life does not have to end after heart surgery In fact it can be a new beginning One does not have to run marathons but the book shows when done correctly it is possiblerdquoContinent 7COVID brought marathon events to a screeching halt but the pace has picked up again Yellurkarrsquos next big run should be the full marathon in Chile South America this November ldquoI have registered for the Volcano Marathonrdquo said Yellurkar about the looming challenge a lungbursting 26 miles 385 yards in the driest desert in the world ldquoI want to give people hope and empower themrdquo explained Yellurkar who said marathons on the great stage help him espouse values he holds closest ldquocourage discipline honour humility kindness and faith It is very rare for a bypass patient to run these marathons in every continent in the world but I am extremely proud that as an Indian I have done so in six reached Antarctica and now hopefully Atacama the desert in Chile which will be sevenrdquo He does not run for records or recognition but we need to make some noise for this desi boyz