From Marina to Thames: A programme outruns the neighbourhood

A homemaker from Chennai takes her enthusiasm for running to England and starts a small group there

There is a drop of the briny in the Thames: And that drop comes from the Marina — our own Marina lined by Kamarajar Salai. Close to sixty, Raji Sankar possesses the enthusiasm of a six-year-old, and this factor encouraged her to start a running group during her sojourn in Egham, England last year.

“My daughter lives in Egham (which is around nine kilometres from Heathrow Airport). I come here regularly to spend a period of six months every time to take care of my grandchild. Last year, during one such visit, we started a running group. The Thames riverfront is part of the running route, as my friends are in Staines-Upon-Thames, which is just two kilometres from where we live,” notes Raji from Egham.

The group in Egham may not be huge — a half-a-dozen runners, all of them Indians — but their commitment to running is huge.

Significantly, now and then, she reads chapter and verse from “Run Schedules”, a special running programme being followed by a section of Marina Dreamers, a chapter of the running group Dream Dreamers.

Raji is a member of Marina Dreamers: In fact, she founded the running chapter along with Krishna Kumar (who is close to 41 now) seven years ago.

“Run Schedules” is both a system of running and training as well as a sub-group within Marina Dreamers created by Krishna Kumar for those who seek to take their running a mile further than the rest would.

“KK encourages me to share the processes we follow at Marina Runners with the runners in Egham ; and sometimes I do,” says Raji.