On perpetual run and loving it!

LUCKNOW: Om Saran alias Danny, corporal medical assistant in the Indian Air Force (IAF), who is leading the ultra marathon spanning around 4500km from Kargil to Kohima, is now eyeing the 24-hour world championship, one of the biggest running challenges.

“The world championship, the biggest running event organised by Athletic Federation of India (AFI), is my next goal. In this, athletes have to cover 201km in 24 hours,” said Om Saran during a brief halt in Lucknow.

Saran is heading a group of 20 ultramarathon runners plus five standby runners in the ultra marathon. Hailing from Bikaner in Rajasthan and currently posted with IAF station New Delhi, Saran called running the most basic and cost effective sports.

“It didn’t take much to start running. Unlike other sports that requires a team, sports gear and other equipments, running just needs will power,” said Saran.

Other than qualifying for 24-hour world championship, he wants to make masses aware of the benefits of running, especially in these days of changing lifestyle.

“Our lifestyle has changed. People now a days are failing easy prey to obesity that is also making them prone to diseases. I will consider myself a successful motivator if I am able to transform just three males and three female into runners,” he added.

However, being an ultra-marathon runner is not a child play. “One has to be very strict with the diet. I am a vegetarian, hence I totally depend upon a vegetarian meal to refill my nutrition needs,” he said.

While talking about him and his group’s diet during the ultra-marathon, he said the entire meal had been divided into three parts.

“We have pre-run meal, intra-run meal and post-run meal. The pre-run meal includes high protein meals like sprouts, boiled chickpea and others, whereas the intra-meal has only liquids like electrol in order to keep us hydrated and in post-run meal we take normal vegetarian diet that is high on fibre,” he said.

Om Saran, who got inducted into IAF in 2011, entered into the sport (running) in 2016 during his posting in Avantipur, Kashmir. “Initially I began with 5 to 10km run and then I participated in Khardungla Challenge that was of 72km and I stood second. This competition further motivated me and I never looked back then,” he said.

So far he has accomplished more than 100 marathons including 100 km in Bhatti ultra-marathon in December 2017, 72 km Khardungla challenge in 2017, 74 km Garhwal run in 2018, 80 km Tuffman Shimla in 2018, 84 km trailathon in 2018, 58 km in 06 hr stadium run, 42.2 kms 4 times, 21.1 km 100 times and 650 km in June 2019 for BTH challenge.

› Initially I began with 5 to 10km run and then I participated in Khardungla Challenge that was of 72km and I stood second. This competition further motivated me and I never looked back then OM SARAN ‘DANNY’, corporal medical assistant in the Indian Air Force