Bhubaneswar: Hemanta Pati, a retired Sr. Vice President of SBI Life Insurance Co Ltd, in his 59th year of age completed the killer Ultra Marathon route of 90 kilometres from Petermarizburg to Durban over 5 major hills in the region in the 95th edition of famous Comrades Marathon in South Africa. He became the eldest Indian to finish this tough Ultra Marathon in 10 hours and 38 minutes of net time and earned a medal in the bronze category in this edition of Comrades Marathon.
He was nurturing the dream of running this oldest Ultra Marathon of the world in South Africa known as Comrades Marathon. This is popularly termed The Ultimate Human Race. The registration for this race was for the 2020 edition and the same got postponed due to the pandemic and was organised this year on August 28.
Having interest in sports and games from the childhood, Hemanta Kumar Pati always looks for a getaway from the monotony of normal day to day activities. But, the compulsions of various factors attributed to professional life, society and peer groups didn’t allow him to go flat out for persuing sports and games. At a later age when the financial and the family goals are more or less settled, he has ventured into running as an instrument of keeping fit and giving vent to the suppressed desire to excel in sports.
Hemanta Pati restarted his passion for sports in the form of running at prestigious Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon in the year 2015 at the age of 51. Around 75 half marathons, 25 full marathons, three 100 Kms runs, three 50 Kms runs, two 75 Kms runs , one 12 hours stadium run and numerous 10K, 15K, 25K, and 32K are under his belt by now.
In 2017, Hemanta bagged 2nd place in the coveted Pune Ultra Marathon of 75 kilometres. It was in a difficult terrain having a mixture of Muddy road, tar road and trails in the route. Based on his first Ultra Marathon experience he penned down a small book which is very inspiring for fitness aspirants who are finding it difficult to balance professional life and physical fitness regime. The book is titled “A Gift of Passion: Wrapped in Run” and is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions.
Hemanta attributes this accomplishment to the tremendous support from his family.
