RunAddicts- Local Heroes: Inspiration series [Profile 13: Mohan Devegowda]

The most recognized face of RunAddicts, we have the captain of our ship, Mohan here. It is easy to motivate members once or twice but to do it month on month and year on year takes a lot of effort. He was able to assemble the likeminded members and ever since, they have produced splendid performances on and off the track. What started as a small group of casual runners is now one of the biggest running groups in India. Let us know more about the captain and the ship!

Mohan, Welcome to RunAddicts- our Local Heroes: Inspiration series. Congrats on being selected as a Local hero for our RunAddicts Inspiration series.

There is no need to introduce you to the group. But to know your life apart from running, briefly introduce your family to the readers.

Hahaha. Me, Wife – Pushpa Mohan, 2 Daughters – Shreya and Praneetha, living with my parents.

When did you first get into fitness? Was running your first sport?

Late 2008 I started Aerobics which was my first journey into fitness and running came second in 2013, later Running become passion for life.

I still remember our initial days of starting the group. We were about 5-6 people. Now we are 3500+ on Facebook and 1200+ on WhatsApp. Any monthly run we have around 300+ participants and close to 3000 during our annual run. Did you ever imagine this?

Never ever I would have thought that RunAddicts would grow this big. This is an Amazing journey in last 5 years. This April 17^th, 2021 we celebrated 5^th Birthday of RunAddicts.

Most of the groups are into running. We are probably a unique group balancing running and volunteering. How did this happen?

This is basically pure teamwork and the kind of attachment what we have with the RunAddicts. We have formed kind of a community attachment where people would love to associate whether for running or any kind of volunteer activity helping the runners and the society.

How many monthly runs have been conducted so far? Can you share some of the best memories of these events?

Till now we have conducted about 39 monthly runs, Each monthly run is special and conducted on a special theme like Sankranti (Ethnic) Day Run, Valentine’s day, Doctors day run, Mother’s Day run, Kids Run, Stroke Awareness Run, Police Appreciation Run and many more. Each monthly run is unique. RunAddicts always wait eagerly for our monthly runs as it makes us to kind of get-together, Bonding, and gel among ourselves. Most of the monthly runs we have free breakfast and hydration support. And all the monthly runs are completely volunteer driven. As we have seen RunAddicts always love to volunteer. Ethnic Day run is the best as it has festival flavour with run.

The breakfast is mouth-watering!  I hope things improve and we can restart our monthly runs soon.

Annual run is a festival for RunAddicts. How is it leading from the front?

Yes, it is a big festival for all the RunAddicts. Every year we wait for our flagship Annual run which is themed on Educate a Rural Child. Each one of us who have been associated with the run knows what our Annual run means. the kind of team what RunAddicts has built from day 1 of its inception has helped to execute our annual run flawlessly.

Each participant who have been associated with our annual run has great memories to share and we as a team are very happy to hear such awesome and positive feedbacks year on year. Participation has been across all age groups from a year-old kid to 90+ year old participating in the annual run. We would really thank all the Runners, volunteers, Sponsors, Donors from the bottom of our heart for supporting our annual run for the Rural Education Cause.

Our Annual run is helping Rural education by donating 10000+ Note books, Sports materials like volley balls, nets, Jerseys, Sports Shoes and Drum sets etc and we also identify toppers from the rural schools and support them for their education by providing cash prize.  Year 2020 was a disappointing one as we did not have our Annual run.

How do you manage the volunteering activities?

We have been lucky in this. At any given point we are strong from the Volunteer driven activities. Be it in our Monthly run, Annual Run, Supporting the natural calamity causes, Covid Pandemic, Planting the trees, Seed balls, Books distribution drive, Blood Donation Drive Etc. Our RunAddicts will be on their toes to support all the causes and which makes them happy in doing all these activities and RunAddicts Volunteers are the BACK BONE of our group.

As the group grows bigger, expectations are high and demands responsibility. How does the core group manage all this?

Core Group has been a great foundation of RunAddicts. Core group involvement from early days of RunAddicts has been fantastic. Each Core group member is unique in the way and carries lots of individual strength which helps us in sharing the responsibility among ourselves. All the Core group members like, Ravindra, Srinivas, Sudhir, Dr Madhusudhan, Saigiri, Sushanth and Mahesh Rajnikanth go hand in hand for any kind of responsibility to meet the higher expectations of the group and executing things smoothly and flexibly. And finally, we do not carry ego at all in whatsoever the decision made which helps us in a great way.

Let us talk about running for a while. What is your most memorable running event and what makes it special?

It has been like 5 years since RunAddicts has been formed and I have been running constantly with the group. Group has helped me in consistency of putting average miles every month. Most memorable run was Delhi Half marathon and it was not special because it was my PB but the Running course and environment was amazing and most memorable was to meet God of Cricket – Sachin Tendulkar in the Pre-Race Event, Thanks to NEB Sports & Raksha Shastry to providing opportunity to Team RunAddicts. and of course, Malnad run to be with the Team RunAddicts for 2 days although I was DNF 2 times :P.

How do you balance fitness, work, and personal life?

Fitness is normally morning business so during week days I tend to complete my runs before 7.30 Am and it has become a passion to run along with RunAddicts which makes other part of the day lighter and long runs only during weekends. Later part of the day, work becomes compulsion and Personal life of course must give good time to family.

How has RunAddicts helped you?

It has been like 5 years RunAddicts has been formed and RunAddicts has helped me personally and professionally in a big way. It has helped me to build my leadership skills, communication skills and above all I have got an extended family of RunAddicts which has given some intangible benefits to me. RunAddicts is a precious organisation I would say, and this organisation has become significant and integral part of us now.

What are your running and cycling goals?

Not much of extreme goals. I love to run 10k’s and Half marathon’s any given day. Cycling I love 100k’s. more than that it is about endurance. I have a goal to do La-Ultra of 33 Km, let us see.

What is your favourite running quote?

Feets Ahead – Miles Away

What is your advice for beginners?

Start slow and steady. Achieve smaller goals and make sure you enjoy and celebrate these achievements. Do not compare yourself with anyone. You are special and you break your own records which will lead you to achieve greater heights. This makes you and your family happy, fitter in terms of mentally and physically.

Thank you, Mohan It was wonderful interacting holistically about RunAddicts and our activities. RunAddicts span across the country and in a few places outside the country too. RunAddicts is one of the few non-profit groups working for the wellbeing of the society and contributing towards rural education. With each of the members support here, we incline to contribute more and more beyond our capacity and bring about the change we wish to see in the society.