Liver donor takes heart, becomes ‘Marathon Man’ of many continents
3,500 citizens to kick off marathon from BKC’s Jio Garden today
Donating 70 per cent of his liver to save his 67-year-old father in 2014 only motivated Munjal Kapadia, an entrepreneur dealing in plastic auto parts, to take up running more seriously. He is participating in the Kanakia Monsoon Marathon Challenge, a 10-km run, which will begin from 6am at Jio Garden in Bandra Kurla Complex on Sunday.
That is how 3,500 other Mumbaikars will be spending their Sunday as well. The marathon is organised by the 'Run India Run' running community and will see Mumbaikars aged 20 to 60 participating in three categories (5km, 10km and 21km).
Kapadia underwent the 12-hourlong surgery in 2014 and took up running a year after his recovery. Such is his enthusiasm that he and his wife became a part of Seven Continents Club, under whose aegis he has run marathons in three continents – Asia, Europe and Africa -- North America is the destination in November this year. “I have completed over 10-12 half marathons since 2015 and an equal number of 10-km runs as well. I am hopeful I will complete Australia, South America and Antarctica by 2020.”
Didn't the liver transplant deter him from running? Kapadia says, “I began prepping for the run six months after the surgery and with approval from the doctors. My liver regenerated in 45-50 days and took good care of my health for the initial six months. I felt blessed I was able to contribute in some way to save the life of the man who was responsible for my birth. Besides, running makes you more disciplined and conscious about your fitness.”
Samson Sequeira, 52, Head Coach of Run India Run, has been in this business for over 30 years. It began in July 2011, when monsoon marathons were non-existent. “We initially began to prepare the enthusiasts for major marathons in Mumbai. Our runs started off as a qualifying race for other marathons in the country.”
About his trainee, Kapadia, Sequeira is all praise. “It’s very commendable for someone who has sacrificed a part of their liver, one of the most important organs of our body, to take up long-distance running. He and his wife are very gutsy and strong-willed people. They thoroughly enjoy their run.”
When asked if monsoon would dampen the spirits of the runners, Sequeira, also a three-time bronze winner at the 90km Comrades UltraMarathon in South Africa, stated, “That’s a wrong notion. In fact, longdistance runners love to run in the rain because one can run longer and faster and doesn’t have to deal with the otherwise humid climate of the city throughout the year. The runners can up their mileage during monsoon.”
Sequeira did mention there are challenges runners have to deal with on pothole-ridden Mumbai roads, especially during monsoon. “Since our training begins early in the morning, we choose a well-lit road or a beach to avoid problems. It is indeed a cause for concern as we do have athletes with twisted or sprained ankles who have been hurt by loose paver blocks. We tend to avoid such stretches. That's all we can do for now rather than lamenting.”