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"I was very lanky from a young age, people used to call me jhata (broomstick) until I started running and working out."- If you want to buy running shoes in Salt Lake Kolkata, you can be advised by Shantanu Pathak, running Omni Sport Leader at Decathlon Salt Lake. Here's his story.
READ MOREShantanu Pathak is from Santragachi near Kolkata. He joined Decathlon Salt Lake in March 2023 as a part-timer, in just a couple of months he started working full-time as a Omni Sport Leader for Running. Shantanu has a love for running and helping others discover the joy of running. "I was very lanky from a young age, people used to call me jhata (broomstick). I tried football, played as goalkeeper and conceded a lot of goals. Tried cricket, I would miss easy catches. One thing I discovered about myself as I played, others who played with me would get tired, I would not," recalls Shantanu.
"The marathon in 2012 Summer Olympics held me spellbound. I was so fascinated and motivated watching it that the very next day I got up and went out jogging. It was difficult at first, but I kept going and it got easier with time. Now, I just smile and run."
"I started running, and became even thinner. People would make fun, but it was ok. I then joined a gym and got a bit bulky. At the gym I sustained an injury, and got back to focusing more on running."
"My favourite shoe in Decathlon is the one I started my running journey with - the Men's Running Shoes Active Grip, I run on all kinds of surfaces and this one really serves me well. When I'm going on 15 or 20 km runs, I make sure to stay hydrated with the 5L Trail Running bag with 1L water bladder. Sometimes I go for runs early in the morning. Our Kalenji running t-shirts are breathable and have reflective stripes that really help with you being more visible."
"When I feel tired from a run, or if I'm down, I've found that cycling really helps me feel better. I've always loved cycling, especially long distance riding. One day I rode to Dakhineshwar, sat besides the Ganga, felt calmer, and rode back home."
"When I first started working, I didn't get enough time to cycle. But then I started cycling to work. When I first started, the weather was really hot. After the first few days, I got sick as I wasn't used to it and wasn't managing the heat properly. Once I took care of that, I am now cycling to work regularly. While it can be a bit crowded on the way to work in the morning, riding back at home after work is so much fun. Cycling to work is something I look forward to everyday."
"I was lucky to have a good teacher in school, he used to teach us philosophy. I still remember one of his lessons- always remember the good moments, don't think of the bad things. You can't change the past or present by worrying or overthinking, so what's the point?' Just stay in the present and work to have a good future." I try to follow that every day."
"I really love working in Decathlon. I get to meet a lot of like minded people who are in different places in their running journey and have different points of view about running. I get to share advice to help them make their running experience more enjoyable. When I get to help them, it's a very good feeling."
If you're looking for running groups in Kolkata or looking for advice for Decathlon products, you can join Shantanu and our Decathlon Salt Lake running community here- http://bit.ly/3UUg1aC
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