Tangents
Marathon <i>Man </i>
Sayyied in his office. Photo: Ihtisham Kabir
Mount Everest, Mathematics Olympiad, Ironman Triathlon: hardly a week goes by when I don't hear of world-class achievements by young Bangladeshis. Recently I had the opportunity to meet one such achiever. Sayyied Kabir (no relation) is a marathon runner, having completed the London and Rome Marathons. A marathon run commemorates Greek soldier Pheidippides's run from Marathon to Athens in 490 BC to deliver an urgent message of victory in a battle against the Persians in Marathon. Legend says that reaching Athens, Pheidippides burst into the assembly and announced “Nikomen!” (Victory!) before collapsing and dying. The first Olympic Games in 1896 included a marathon. Today, marathons take place globally, with London and New York Marathons being two of the largest. The run is 26.2 miles long. I visit Sayyied at the office of Newton International, an educational and training firm, where he is Managing Director. Soft-spoken, he has a pleasant and friendly personality which masks the tough resolve needed for marathons. Getting to the point, I ask: “What does it take?” His surprisingly simple answer: “Anyone with no serious health problems can run a marathon. All it takes is discipline and patience.” Sayyied started long-distance running when he turned forty. “It was my birthday gift to myself. I wanted to do something special,” he says. Was he always a runner? “No, but I played many team sports in Cadet College,” he replies. When he started running, he had eight months to prepare for the Rome Marathon, running nightly at Gulshan Ladies Club park. What were the benefits? There was a sense of well-being and purity that the intense exercise brought, culminating with a tremendous feeling of accomplishment when he completed the marathons. “I never felt fitter in my life,” he says. The workouts improved his immune system keeping minor ailments at bay. I ask him about unexpected surprises, or “Wow!” moments during his marathons. Close family members and friends supported him as he ran, cheering him. During the London Marathon - where 40,000 runners participated - Sayyied was amazed by the massive audience which lined the entire route, encouraging him and other participants. While preparing for the Rome Marathon, he had the memorable experience of running through ancient landmarks with a small group of runners. What would he advise aspiring marathon runners? The two main ingredients, Sayyied says, are patience and determination. Runners must exercise patience during training. Increasing mileage too quickly may cause injuries. Determination, of course, is needed to complete the training and the actual marathon. While he trained alone, Sayyied suggests beginners train with buddies. While younger runners may need less time, Sayyied recommends allotting a full year to train for a marathon Where to start? Sayyied says he learned from regimens available in Google, and from reading books. For training, he built up to 40-50 miles every week which included one long (20-mile) run. As he gradually increased the distance, his determination helped keep him on course. As I left, I knew Sayyied's story would inspire many runners here in Bangladesh.
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