India Team Athletics ! India Colours !

 

, Batch of 1995, has represented India in World Amateur Athletics and has also qualified for next 3 World Major Athletics Championships to be held in Canada, Japan, and Indonesia,and he says –

“Dream, because Dreams Do Come True ! “

 

Interesting Life Journey as told by him –

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Phase 1

AFBBS School, the fun & masti, the unconditional friendships, the innocent pranks, and one old go on an on.

Though I had beautiful friends around me, I was always low in confidence. And with time it grew into inferiority complex. That’s because in a family of engineers and high scoring cousins, I was an average to below average in academics.

But, it never stopped the fun part.

 

Phase 2

Wanted to be an athlete and eventually become a Fauji. But it wasn’t me who was deciding my own future. Couldn’t get Engineering college and that was life changing for me.

Went on to do hotel management and did pretty well there. Thanks to my Peers and Seniors, those 3 years changed my life.

I evolved into a confident young boy who, for the first time, was ambitious and had his own dreams. Time went by and I was soon a well respected senior hotel professional. Had a stint into modeling and was a once a Gladrags Mr India finalist. Wanted to break the monotony and hence got into malls. Opened some of the finest malls in the country working with DLF, United, and Bharti.

Prosperity was also coming in kilos for me, since I was a very keen foodie.

 

Phase 3

From a 104 Kgs and 39% fat, to a 67 kgs and 13%. From a hopeless foodie to a Certified Functional Trainer.

From a couch potato to an International Masters Athlete.

Well Well ….. Life has been full of twists & turns, a journey that I have cherished. A journey where I have surprised my own self.

Because……….I dared to Dream, and Dreams do come true !

This journey started with #Adhm2012, with just one goal in mind – to complete the race. This goal was enough for me considering the fact that, back then, cardio just meant a forced 10 minutes run on the treadmill before starting the weight training.Completing the race meant a world to me, and soon I was in love with just any form of running. My hunger was growing and I was soon running the trails as well as the obstacle races. All at the same time, and ignorantly breaking all the rules of a running. I was lucky for not getting any serious injury, and soon wisdom prevailed. I started reading more, talking more to senior & experienced runners, started thinking more, and started choosing when to run in an event and when not to. Well structured strength & core trainings have definitely helped me to run better, and without injuries. I have made mistakes, but I’ve learned from them. Having run around 100 races including half marathon, marathons, obstacle races, ultra races, I still run these races, But I choose my runs, and I train for them.

“Saala Filmi”….. yes that’s what my friends called me back then. Who knew a small scene from a movie would make me dream and change my life completely.

Got the opportunity to represent India after I turned 40, in the World Master Athletics Championship. And the following year, I was ranked 5th in the Finals of Asian Masters Athletics Championship 2019. But I would like to believe that My Best is Yet to Come.

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Manik works for Adidas India as Director Real Estate Expansion (Pan India) for both Adidas and Reebok.He was recently awarded “Top Retail Minds” among Top 50 global professionals by ET Now and by Asia, Africa, GCC Retail Congress, second year in a row. He is also a globally certified functional trainer and has been training people to be better athletes as well as for better health conditioning. He is looked upon and highly respected across the running community and professional circles.

Based out of Noida.His wife is a software engineer.He is blessed with two girls, 12 years and 7 years.

 

Insta handle 

 

Kudos !