If The Shoe Doesn’t Fit
By SrikrishnaNatesan
Running in the 100 meters run in my primary school days never quite yielded me a podium finish. I was always the guy who finished fourth, missing the medals by a whisker. Looking back, I understand why. I didn’t have the right people to coach me, but more importantly I didn’t have the right support that may have pushed me to that podium. This was long before I returned to my love for running a few years ago.
I truly believe in helpingtalented people in need and I am grateful for the opportunity that Chennai Runners gave me recently. During a casual conversation, a friend mentioned that he had wrongly purchaseda pair shoes that didn’t fit him. When he asked if I would need them, I told him I could find someone who truly deserved them and would be able to put the shoes to good use.
I reached out to Dr. Lakshmi and VPS from Chennai Runners. VPS mentioned that Chennai Runners supports few star athletes who would appreciate such help and informed me that there is a runner who would fit the bill.
We met couple of weekends later for a coffee where I was introduced to Thirunavukarasu and Ajay – two phenomenal runners. These guys have no interest inInstagram or being influencers, but they clock over 100 miles a week during race season, all in a single pair of shoes! I sat down to chat with them on their training plans and methods, future goals and the conversation could have gone for hours together. They bring absolute humility and pure work ethics to the field which left me impressed and inspired. From the little travel I have done and the runners I have met, I can tell that anyone who clocks this level of mileage runs in multiple pairs of shoes with potential B level sponsors. I am so glad that as an organization Chennai Runners has been working with such talented and deserving runners, providing support in knowledge, infrastructure, nutrition and above all else moral support. The day I met these boys made me feel extra proud for being associated with such running clubs. I am grateful for the opportunity to help these kids and I look forward to contributing to this cause to see that our city produces world class runners.