Delhi labourer is marathon champ

DEHRADUN: At a construction site in Delhi, Rohit Kumar can sometimes be spotted running with bricks on his back. A resident of Bihar's Khagaria, he may look like another labourer battling at a work site. But Kumar is also a marathon runner.

The 32-year-old has secured podium finishes in at least seven marathons, including Lucknow, Dehradun and Prayagraj. His latest feat - finishing second in a gruelling high-altitude marathon in Spiti in Aug - even took the Indian Army by surprise.

Commending his effort, Army's Uttar Bharat posted on X: "At just 32, Rohit Kumar, a daily wage labourer from Delhi, doesn't chase records or sponsorships. He runs to survive, fuelled by necessity, not luxury... No coach, no fancy gear. Just raw resolve."

Kumar said he has run in over 100 marathons, averaging five a month. "Now I am focusing on quality runs. That is why I participated in the high-altitude Spiti marathon organised by the Army, where I finished second in the 77 km Kunzum La-Kaza Ultra under the Surya Spiti Challenge," he told TOI.

His timing in the male open category was 7:48:52, close to winner Nikhil Singh's 7:42:44. Impressed, the Army has offered him support for future runs. "I have been invited to another high-altitude marathon in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. They assured me of covering my travel, food and lodging. Hopefully, I will get another podium finish," he added.

Kumar's story could have been different. After enrolling in a medical course in Russia, he spent two years there before money ran out & his farmer-parents called him back in 2017. Struggling to find jobs back home, he took work at construction sites.

In 2020, stuck indoors during Covid, he began watching videos of global marathons in New York, London and Tokyo. Inspired, he started training, squeezing time between hard labour shifts. His day begins at 4.30am with running, followed by construction work from 8 am to 5 pm, where carrying loads up floors doubles as endurance training. In the evening, he swims for an hour before cooking dinner and resting.

Kumar now dreams of representing India in the Triathlon at the 2028 LA Olympics. "I spend Rs 20,000 a month on diet and equipment from my Rs 30,000 earnings to realise this dream," he said.

Assuring all support to Kumar, PRO Defence (Dehradun), Lt Col Manish Srivastava said, “The Indian Army is always there to support such raw talents who have the potential to make the country proud in sporting events on national and international levels. Kumar, too, will get all the support to help him excel and achieve his Olympics dream.”