Amdavad Distance Runners
Amdavad Distance Runners
Amdavad Distance Runners
He started running after he met with an accident where his right knee was broken and he went under the knife for a surgery. He started running seriously post year 2000 and he got into running marathons with introduction of Mumbai Marathon in India (2003).
Records and achievements: Became a National Champion (record at that time) running in an ultra-marathon in Gurgaon in year 2012, covering 182.5km in 24 hours. He made a Limca Book Record of running 196 kms on treadmill in 24 hours. The same year he became the first athlete from Gujarat to finish Ironman 70.3 in Perth Australia.
He has run many iconic races-
His second Limca Book record came in 2019 at age 50 years, running 50 hours on a 400-meter track covering 279 kms (The record still holds).
My last and one of the most cherished records came in 2022, running Half Marathon distance consecutively for 55 days and hence raising good charity funds for education of Children and making a Guinness World Record (breaking previous record of 52 consecutive days)!
He is an avid cyclist and has achieved SR-Super Ranndoneur in year 2021 by completing rides of 200km,300km, 400km & 600km in just 5 weeks.
He has been one of the pioneers to have started the running revolution in Ahmedabad and Gujarat, leading with example, creating records in long distance running and inspiring hundreds to join the running community. He is the Founder and first President of this amazingly vibrant running group.
He is passionate about the health awareness and environment protection initiatives. He is into Running, trekking and cycling. He believes in and follows green living practices. He is a co-founder and director in several companies.
Sameer is a Banking & Financial Service professional and entrepreneur, he is currently building a rural focussed retail lending start up. He has always been passionate about health and fitness but at the age of 37, in the year 2007, he realized that due to prioritising his job and career he was at risk of losing his fitness and he decided to focus on long distance running and he started building his endurance. In 2010, Sameer moved to Ahmedabad and that’s when he started training for Marathon and he finished his first half marathon in Airtel Delhi Half Marathon in 2011. Since then, there was no stopping and he has run more than hundred Half Marathons, six full marathons and three Ultra Marathons. Sameer also ventured in cycling and finished Manali-Leh-Khardungla route on cycle in the year 2021.
He started long distance running in the year of 2009, when first Marathon of Ahmedabad was incepted. During those days long distance running was not popular. During first Marathon of the city, He met few enthusiastic runners & that led to birth of the thought to cultivate the running culture in the society. Now, it has expanded its wings in major corners of the city of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.
He got introduced to long distance running by his father when he was 12 years old – he ran a 25km distance with Nathubhai Pahade, a famous ultra runner of 80s decade. He restarted his fitness quest in 2008. Ran his first 10km in 2009 and half marathon the same year at Ahmedabad’s first half marathon. He has run a few ultra races and a few marathons. His love of Mumbai marathon eventually led him to pen a book – “Let’s race Daddy!” Which is semi-fictional love story of a father and his daughter. Soham is a serial entrepreneur and has been instrumental in founding a few institutions.