Great India Run will help people to test endurance: Bhardwaj

Ultra marathon runner Arun Bhardwaj, who will be taking part in the first-ever multi-city marathon, 'The Great India Run', said the event will help people to test their endurance and understand that nothing is impossible if you have the will.
"With the help of this run people can test their endurances and take inspiration from the ultra runners that when you have the will then even 1480 km journey feels short," said national record holder Bhardwaj.
Bhardwaj, who has earlier won the toughest run in the world - Badwater Ultra marathon, said this race has its own challenge with the monsoon weather and pollution on highway roads.

"Road will itself be a challenge as smoke and noise on highway roads will make the race difficult for the runners. Moreover, monsoon has made the race even more tougher as there is a rise in humidity and it's difficult to control the body temperature in such weather," the 46-year-old said.
When asked on how he started running, Bhardwaj said: I started running for my daughter. I wanted to be an inspirational father for him so that she can proudly call my name and set me as her idol."
Other ultra runner who will be joining Bhardwaj is South Africa's Melanie Delainey who feels that running will grow in India with the coming of such ultra runs and feels 'The Great India Run' has sown the seeds of running in India.

"The run is a great attempt of promoting running in India. Like cricket was not born here, running will also grow with the coming of local marathons like Delhi Road runners and Mumbai Marathon runners," said Comrades Marathon running champion Delainey.

Bhardwaj and Delainey will be joined by 13 of the best Ultra Marathoners from India and the world which include Denmark's David Bredo and Yuri Esperson, who holds 8 records in the former Soviet Union.
The 1480 kms long run, which will be flagged of from the capital on July 17, has been conceptualised by ProSportify in association with MobieFit, to promote running as a sport in the country.

The multi-city marathon will also have celebrity athlete Milind Soman and Gul Panag. 'Ironman' Soman will run a special stretch of 570 kms from Ahmedabad to Mumbai via Silvassa.