Cycling for Health

It was good to see the happy atmosphere even before the sun was up. Some parents (and grand parents) came to drop off their kids while others were busy clicking group pictures 

Some helped in putting the tag numbers on the cycle the right way.

Took part in a cycle rally where the distance to be covered was 20 kms and the turn out was pretty good.

All waiting in anticipation for the flag off, which got slightly delayed, probably waiting for the dignitaries to arrive. 

One of the participants had his blood group and emergency number printed on his Tee shirt. I think that is a better option than having a card in the pocket.

Finally we were flagged off and all took off in earnest with the younger ones going off in full steam. 

I managed to capture a few clips while pedaling and it was amusing to see some sights, like this guy cruising along with a helping hand from his friend. 

There were running events too taking place on the same track (for 5 kms and 10 kms) and as the roads were taken up, we had to manoeuver through the side walks. If the shadows are pretty long then you can be sure that you are out at the right time in the morning for pedalling and jogging. 

This dog must be pretty confused "where are these guys running to on a good lazy Sunday morning" 

Saw some good samaritans helping a participant fix his stuck chain.

This guy who handed out the water bottles was generous with his smile. (passed him twice as we had to do two laps to cover 20 kms)

Talking of water bottles, I saw most of the participants chucking away the empty bottles on the road. It would have helped if the organisers had placed dustbins at strategic places en route. This is not only about participation but an opportunity to inculcate the right habits of disposing trash. 

The scenic beauty of the place was good and added to the spirit of the occasion. 

While overtaking this guy I cheered him saying "good show, keep it up"  He was quick with a smile and a thumbs up.

While crossing the finish line I noticed that the time was 8.45 which means I must have taken about 80 minutes to cover 20 kms. Well it was not a race but participation was the key word.

Later I was told that Mary Kom and Saina Nehwal had flagged off our event, but like me, many must have failed to notice them as the flagging off box was placed a little too high. Later I saw Mary Kom flagging off another event for kids.

Made a short video of all that I captured.

The mandatory group photos by the successful participants 

Ageing the right way.

For the first time in human history, the world will soon have more older people than children.

By mid-century,  2 billion men and women will be over 60 years old.  Sounds scary? Not really.

You might think,

Older people can’t take care of themselves.

Older people can’t do new things at work (or play)

Older people are no longer attractive

Older people should accept illness as part of ageing

The world is changing.

Stereotypes hold us back.

So what can we do about this?

a)   Start early with healthy habits

Whenever I see kids playing basketball, my fingers itch to grab the ball and join them in the game. But the fact is that I know I won’t be able to keep up for more than 2 minutes on the court. 

The reason? Somewhere along the way I gave up playing basketball and as a result my stamina is not the same. But I know of a senior in our organisation who retired last year at the age of sixty. He played five days a week after office hours and was still coaching the youngsters when he retired. I would call that as developing a healthy habit and sticking to it.

b)  Value their contribution to the society.

Their contribution may be a small one but value and appreciate it. There is nothing better to boost their morale.

c)   Keep older people at the heart of the family and community. . . to continue reading click here.