MY COUNTRY RUN: Aiming to build a healthier nation with active and fit youth

The My Country Run organized by the JGI Group, has one main agenda when it kicks off in Bangalore on 31st January –- it is to get the youth of the nation active and fit. And unlike most traditional races that will have its runners lining up at the crack of dawn, this one begins in the evening.  

“When you take the younger generation in India, they are not quite as fit as they should be physically. They need encouragement. When you call them to come to an early morning race you make it harder because the every 10 minutes as the Sun rises, the race becomes hotter, but in this race, as the Sun sets, the race becomes cooler and easier,” explains the race director, Gul Mohamed Akbar.

There are three categories for runners to choose from -- the Elite 10k, The Open 10k, and the Cool 5k. But it’s the 5k category that Akbar is banking on to entice new runners.

“The Test cricket format saw dwindling numbers in terms of audience and then the One Day cricket brought the crowds back and T-20 cricket brought in even more audiences. That’s the same with running. Marathon distances can intimidate runners but it’s the 5k races that are really transforming the distance running scene worldwide,” he notes.

However the race isn’t just fun and games. The Elite 10k category will see participation from some of the best runners in India and there are runners from Africa who will be flying in to participate as well. The route has received the prestigious AIMS certification (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races). It also boasts some serious prize money with the first place winners of both genders in the Elite 10k category walking away with Rs 1,00,000 each.

Akbar says that the organizers didn’t even think twice before offering equal prize money for both men and women.

“Women runners have to jump through a lot obstacles before they even reach the start line of any  race, so it makes no sense to differentiate. In fact we should be encouraging more women to come to running,” says Akbar.  

JGI Group has announced that part of the proceeds from the event will go towards supporting deserving sportsmen and also create and prepare Olympians for the future. And while the inaugural race will take place in Bangalore, the organizers plan on replicating the format in other cities in the country in the future. As Akbar verifies,

“The goal is to build a healthier nation – a better nation.”

We can’t argue with that.