A FULL marathon may be a runner’s Mt. Everest, and if that is the case, Mohandas Kandiah has scaled it 148 times.
People running the marathon, especially the first-timers, cross the finish line with expressions of relief and pain. But not Kandiah, who smiled his way to the finish line, as if he didn’t just run a full 42-kilometer race because for him, it was just a regular Sunday race.
It was, after all, his 148th marathon.
Unlike the several runners who are motivated by their desire to improve records, Kandiah runs for a totally different reason.
“I don’t run against the Kenyans. Let the Kenyans win. I just love and enjoy the fellowship and friendship I establish with the other runners,” said Kandiah, who admitted to stopping along the way to talk to other runners who were resting.
Kandiah said it was never about setting personal records for him.
“I took up running because I failed my medical examinations. I had no choice. I used to smoke two packs a day and drink a lot. When I started running, everything about me changed. I feel a lot healthier now,” said Kandiah, who works as a stock broker in Singapore.
Kandiah added he also loved motivating fellow runners. (MORE)
