Call him Forrest Gump if you like, but you cannot help but be awed at Samir Singh’s passion for running. The 44-year-old has been running 100 kilometres every day through the busy streets of Mumbai since 29 April.
But why, you ask?
Singh, who hails from Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, hopes to put India on the world map by setting a record for having run 10,000 km in 100 days. On the 87th day of his run, Singh had already covered the radius of the earth – 6371 km.
Samir puts on his running shoes at 4am everyday. What follows is eleven gruelling hours of pounding the pavement. "I wake-up at 4 am and after a quick bath and breakfast, begin my running. Everyday, I run for almost 11 hours to complete my 100 km distance," he says.
Singh is growing closer to his goal. He is expected to finish the coveted 10,000 km on 6 August.
"It feels amazing to see the goal is about to be achieved," says Singh, who has been running for as long as he can remember. He set about on his mission after drawing inspiration from the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, the longest certified footrace in world that is held in New York.
Inspired by the efforts of Samir, Mumbai-based filmmaker Vandana Bhatti and her brother, Vikram Bhatti, have kickstarted a campaign for Samir on Facebook. The two have also crowned him with the title 'The Faith Runner’.
Mumbai holds its breath as Samir nears the finish line. Go Samir!
Video Editor: Mohd Ibrahim
(We all love to express ourselves, but how often do we do it in our mother tongue? Here's your chance! This Independence Day, khul ke bol with BOL – Love your Bhasha. Sing, write, perform, spew poetry – whatever you like – in your mother tongue. Send us your BOL at bol@thequint.com or WhatsApp it to 9910181818.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)