Punjab: At the age of 56, when most government officials slow down their pace to lead a comfortable and retired life, PWD (B&R) engineer Sarbaraj Kumar has put on his running shoes. He completed one of the toughest races in the world – the Boston Marathon – on Monday. The 42.6-km marathon track passed through the winding lanes and roads of eight cities and towns in Massachusetts, including Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston. Sharing his experience, the civil engineer said, “This was not just another race for me. It was the culmination of countless hours of early morning practice, long distance running, aching legs and a heart full of dreams. The Boston Marathon was truly something special. The iconic course had a deceptively challenging terrain. I had heard runners from around the world call it a trap.
The course starts with an easy downhill section but later punishes with multiple hills including the infamous Heartbreak Hill. Many seasoned athletes have faltered here, watching their dreams slip away in the final stretch.” Sarbaraj said that after reaching Boston a day before the marathon began, he had butterflies in his stomach. “I wasn’t sure if my years of running experience would help me stick to my strategy and conquer this course or if, like many others, I would fall into Boston’s cunning little traps. But as the countdown began, I prepared my mind for all kinds of outcomes.” “When we started running, there were thousands of people on both sides of the track, giving us the necessary energy. I was finally able to finish the race,” he said. Two months ago, at the start of the Boston Marathon, Sarbaraj had participated in an ultra-run in the Kangra Valley. “The course of the Kangra Run was also long and challenging, with constant ups and downs and some equally fierce slopes, but the beauty of the route made every step worthwhile. The course passed through lush green terrain, overlooking the majestic snow-clad Dhauladhar range and historical sites like the Mata Baglamukhi temple, the mythical Gulel village and ended at the ancient Masroor rock-cut temple,” he said. “Like Boston, the real thrill in that race also started after 26 kilometres. The road got even steeper, legs became heavy and pain started. But with the cheering of the people and the flashes of the cameras, I was the first to cross the finish line in 5 hours and 8 minutes. This race was the perfect preparation for the Boston Marathon,” he added. Sarbaraj won one of the biggest fitness titles as ‘Ironman’ in 2019 at the age of 51 in Malaysia. He then completed a 225-km fitness challenge that included continuous swimming of 3.86 km, cycling of 180.25 km and running of 42.20 km in 16 hours and 16 seconds. Apart from running and cycling, Sarbaraj has also been involved in mountaineering. He completed his Mount Everest mission in 2021 when the world was grappling with the second wave of Covid.
Punjab: Civil engineer completes Boston Marathon at the age of 56
