WHAT YOU CAN SEE IN THE PIC:
My friend Tushar happy after participating in his first FULL marathon in Mumbai.

WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE IN THE PIC:
1) He completed the 42km Tata Mumbai Marathon in 6 hours and 22 minutes. (that’s a lot of running!). He told me many people give up after 30 kms.. it requires physical AND mental toughness to go beyond that.

2) Tushar is Captain of an Oil Tanker off the coast of Brazil. He maintained his fitness in the last few months in the gym of the ship. He told me this morning how the treadmill in the ship’s gym had stopped working so he used the gym cycling equipment to keep fit !!

3) Tushar has often told me how stressful his job is. Technically he can go to jail even if one drop of oil leaks into the sea. There is crores of cargo at stake. The work shift is 12 hours and then he has to be on standby in the remaining 12 hours to handle any emergencies.

Most people on the ship, he told me, are too tired to work out after a 12 hour shift. But that didn’t stop him either.  Tushar’s commitment is such an inspiration. This March I’ll turn 50 and I told myself this year I’ll train to become a runner as a special birthday gift. I told myself – I will not allow my work pressure, my work schedule, my lifestyle.. in short my excuses to stop me. Thank you Tushar!