At 56, civil engineer completes Boston Marathon
At 56, when most government officials tend to slow down and settle down for an easy, retired life, PWD (B&R) engineer Sarbraj Kumar has put on his running shoes.
He completed one of the world’s toughest races — Boston Marathon — on Monday. The 42.6-km marathon track passed through the winding lanes and streets of eight Massachusetts cities and towns, including Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston.
Sharing his experience, the civil engineer said, “It wasn’t just another race for me. It was culmination of countless hours of early morning practice, long miles, sore legs and a heart full of dreams. The Boston Marathon was something truly special. The iconic course had a deceptively challenging terrain. I had heard runners around the world calling it a trap. Its course starts with an easy downhill section, but punishes one later with a number of hills, including the infamous Heartbreak Hill. Many experienced athletes have faltered here, watching their dreams slip away in the final stretch.”
Sarbraj said after he reached Boston a day before the start of the marathon, there were butterflies in his stomach. “I was not sure if my years of running experience would help me stick to my strategy and conquer this course or, like several others, I too would fall into the Boston’s clever little trap. But as the countdown started, I prepared my mind for all kinds of consequences.”
“As we started, there were thousands of people on the either sides of the track, providing the much-needed pulsating energy. I finally sailed through,” he added.
Two months back, as a prelude to the Boston Marathon, Sarbraj had participated in an ultra-run through the Kangra Valley. “The course of the Kangra run was also long and challenging, full of relentless inclines and some equally brutal declines, but the beauty of the route made every step worth it. The course passed through lush green areas presenting a view of majestic snow-capped Dhauladhar range and historical landmarks like Mata Baglamukhi Temple, the legendary Gulel village and ended at the ancient Masroor Rock-Cut Temple.”
He said, “Like Boston, in that race too the real adventure began after 26 km. The road got steeper, the legs got heavier and the pain kicked in. But with people cheering and cameras flashing, I was the first one to cross the finish like clocking 5 hours 8 minutes. The race was a perfect prep run for the Boston Marathon.”
Sarbraj had won one of the biggest fitness titles as ‘Ironman’ in 2019 at the age of 51 in Malaysia. He had then completed a 225-km fitness challenge, including continuous 3.86 km swimming, 180.25 km bicycle ride and 42.20 km run in 16 hours and 16 seconds.
Other than running and cycling, Sarbraj has also been into mountaineering. He had completed his Mt Everest mission in 2021 when the world was reeling under the second wave of Covid.
Punjab