With over 250 runners, Jayanagar Jaguars, or JJs, have completed five years in HSR Layout. Spread across 18 locations, they have close to 3500 members whose objective is to ‘run for healthy living’. Which also happens to be the motto of JJs that has gradually grown its presence in HSR Layout. With its wide roads and strategic location, HSR has become a haven for runners. The BBMP Grounds in Sector 2 opposite Nandini Cooljoint is their stomping ground. Being one of the “oldest and largest running groups in Bengaluru”, the group is forever taking part in every other major running event in the city, be it the TCS 10 K or the Bangalore 10 K challenge. What makes JJs, a better running group is because of its structured, scientific training at affordable costs. “This is made possible by our tried and tested programs for each ability level – from beginners to experienced marathoners and ultra-runners,” says coach Pramod Deshpande who guides the runners with a team of dedicated captains. Based out of Jayanagar, Pramod is a runner since 1973. A national level sprinter and ultra marathoner, he has coached national-level athletes in the 80’s and more than 2500 runners in the last three years alone. His coaching philosophy is simple: “To care and connect with athletes and bring out their best.”
The HSR wing of JJs began in 2016 with eight runners. Today, you will find over 65 active runners every single Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at BBMP Grounds by 5:25am. Incidentally, this is the second largest location for JJs among the 18 places where it’s active. “HSR has many well-known runners and podium finishers,” says member Sukesh Nayak. “This neighbourhood hosts all sorts of fitness enthusiasts, right from absolute beginners to experienced runners, who can run a marathon in less than three hours 30 minutes to ultra runners who are participating in Ladakh Khardungla pass 72 KM ultra. The runners at HSR are from all walks of life… software professionals, corporate honchos, entrepreneurs, bankers, homemakers and so on. The HSR location leads are Chandrika Roy and Sridhar Reddy who lead the runners along with captains of various sub groups in completing their workouts.
JJs, though operating for the last 13 years, reorganised themselves in 2014 to reach out to more runners and gradually branched out to ten locations across the city. It’s a registered organisation that is managed by professionals in the field of athletics and coaching. The beauty of it is that there are simultaneous programs happening in several locations. Having trained over 4500 runners, the numbers are only growing by the day. Some of the training programs are also conducted overseas by JJ members in such countries as Japan, the US, and Canada.
The average age of the HSR group is around 33 years and the male-female ratio is about equal. Since they start early (5.20am), the runners are back home by 7am on weekdays and 8.30am on weekends. “We begin with warm up till 5.35, begin to run as per our group workouts to complete our routine by 6.30am, and then do our core exercises on yoga mats for about 15 minutes,” says member Sukesh. “The second batch does core after the run on Tuesdays and Thursdays whereas Saturdays are for long runs in and around HSR Layout when core exercises are skipped. Usually, the mileage varies from 15 to 30 km, and that’s why the run is completed by 7.30-8pm after which everyone goes for a group breakfast at a nearby eatery.” They are affected by the weather during the winter, though. “When there is heavy smog, we suggest certain masks to be worn.”
To navigate the road traffic and stay safe, the location leads chart out the routes for different distances. “The runners are advised to wear light-coloured t-shirts and shorts with reflective strips, and they always run on the right side of the road to face the incoming vehicles for greater safety,” says Sukesh. “All the runners are prohibited from wearing headphones and listening to music as we need to keep our undivided attention on the road. Both male and female runners in their respective workout group work as a team and look out for each other’s safety.”
The running is not without incident, though. Sometimes, they are chased by dogs, at which point, they slow down, and the animals follow. “Now, they have become familiar with this and start running with us, and have become marathoners now,” jokes Sukesh. About 75-80 members are active among the 250. The attendance is much less due to Covid-19 protocols on physical distancing.
Every registered member who pays Rs 1000 a month is supposed to download the customised ‘Onca’ mobile app to log their fitness goals and routines. In addition, the members motivate each other to stay the course through WhatsApp groups, twitter feeds and Facebook pages. Their networking has also improved as a result of this. “Usually, the beginning of the week is fast running while it’s Slow Long Runs (SLR) towards the weekends.”
Sukesh is a Sector 2 resident of HSR Layout who is running for JJs for the last four years. And he has already seen the difference between solo running and sprinting with groups. “There’s more motivation and we have specified workouts, different speeds and mix and match exercises specified by our coach Pramod who visits every centre once in 2-3 months,” he says. “Otherwise, members get to see him on mobile video sessions to clear their doubts.”
The fees are two-thirds cheaper than a gym membership and offers far greater benefits, according to member Vijaykumar P. “It’s Rs 1000 + GST, and is the best health insurance you can buy,” he says. The best example of someone benefitting from this was R Kishore who joined the group weighing 120 kilos in 2017. A year later, he was the location lead in Whitefield weighing 75 kilos. The reason for such a turnaround was equal importance being given to resting, nutrition and sleep. For example, members are prohibited from running and doing any other strenuous activities on Sundays. If you are a novice, you walk and run with the group captain – it’s one hour of workout and half an hour of walking and running.
Another person who had a backache joined JJs some time ago. In three months, he shifted from walking to running, and his back was fine in six months. Now, he’s running 10k marathons and has become a fitness fanatic. Experts advocate that walking is always best compared to running because of the risk of injury. Which is why JJs ensure that the runners do a warming up exercise for 15 minutes before every run and cooling down exercise after the running session. “Most people who get injured are those who wake up and start running immediately, and this happens most before marathons,” informs Vijaykumar. “For a full marathon, we train two years in advance.”
There’s another school of thought about people aging faster if they exert their body to do more than it can handle. Which is why, JJs have different groups for varying speeds and capacities. “There is no hurry, we encourage people to take their own time and complete the training,” says Sukesh. Unlike gyms, JJs advocates home food to protein shakes. “Our coach jokes that beer and wine are healthier than shakes and colas.”
Vijaykumar’s example should be motivation enough. The resident of Kasavanahalli, he is running for the last 11 years, and with JJs for over four years. “The beauty of this is that ever since I began running, I have never applied for sick leave… no medical bills for me,” he says. “I prefer running in a group because there is everyone to motivate you to keep running and continue excelling. Nobody is allowed to wear headphones, so they can spend more time with themselves, which they would never get otherwise. When the endorphins (body hormones) kick in, you are generally happier compared to normal people because you get more time for yourself and you start thinking about others around you, making you bond better with everyone.”
The story of Salim B, the former location lead of HSR Layout and now heading Koramangala, is another miracle makeover tale. “I began running for health reasons, two years ago,” says the investment banker. “I was weighing 98 kilos and had high cholesterol. When I walked by myself for two kilometres, my knees used to hurt because I was obese. That’s when I joined JJs who taught me a systematic way to go about it. I realised that I should have run one day and rested the next. I was walking for seven days when I should have done for three. Today, I weigh a healthy 67 kilos and even completed the Mumbai full marathon this year in a record time of 2 hours, 45 minutes.”
The benefits from running can only be experienced, and yet, Salim sums it up well. “Because you are focussing on something, it helps you on other things like leading a healthy lifestyle. You wake up before sunrise, your day starts early, you are much more focused and you have more time to plan your day. You strike the right work-life balance.”
What makes JJs truly holistic is their overall strategy towards wellness. From providing running-related services like nutritionists, sports doctors, masseurs, and diagnostic services either for free or at a discounted rate, the organisation is sprinting the extra mile for maximum traction and loyalty. “Our runners manage a retail wing under the trade name of Run Matters, which try to provide required goods for runners at discounted prizes like apparel, accessories, training equipment and nutrition supplements,” says member Vijaykumar. “In addition, there is corporate training and event management to promote running beyond individual runners.”
Their Bangalore Runner’s Unity Run, supported by the other running groups in the city brings families together for a range of activities like non-competitive running, group dance face-offs, run-related stalls and special events just for kids. While this was discontinued due to Covid-19, it will restart again. The JJs of Jayanagar and Banashankari conduct cleanliness drives of places they visit often like Turahalli forest and Shalini Grounds, or building toilets in the areas they train. In addition, they assist exceptional runners like the Rio Olympics Indian team with running watches. They provide free training and materials to runners who cannot afford. The groups support orphanages with regular yearly donations in addition to supporting fund-raising activities of certain NGOs like MSF (Doctors Beyond Borders). The other locations where JJs have dug their heels in to train runners include Vijayanagar, Jayanagar, Kanakapura Road, Indiranagar, Whitefield, Hebbal, Electronic City, Malleswaram, Kalyan Nagar, Koramangala, RR Nagar, Sarjapur Road, and Kengeri, among others. To join JJs, call 98440-93666.
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