Mumbai runner Nitendra Singh Rawat to compete in London Marathon

Nitendra Rawat

Nitendra Singh Rawat, the Indian men's Mumbai Marathon 2019 winner, is taking himself and his cool dude attitude to London. The army runner flew to the English capital last night, to compete in the prestigious London Marathon on Sunday, April 28.

Rawat, probably the only Indian distance-runner to sport a pricey pair of Oakleys sunglasses and ponytail while running, said, "I have been training in Ranikhet [Uttarakhand] at the army centre. In the last 40 days, I've intensified my training, altered my diet to cut out all fat. I eat boiled food now."

Rawat, who has a personal best is 2.15.18 in the 42-km event, is looking to clock "2.12 or 2.13" in London. "I have been studying the times of UK/USA runners, looking at videos, if I can get those times, I will try and keep pace with them," said Rawat, who believes that cutting three minutes from a personal best, "is possible in London, given the weather and competition." His training in Ranikhet has been high-altitude. "The temperature is quite similar to the weather conditions in London [15 degrees Celsius] so I should be on track," said Rawat, who would be using Friday and Saturday to "recover" after which he would hit the 42-km course on Sunday.

In Mumbai, Rawat had used the big-ticket platform, post his win to appeal to Mumbai Marathon organisers Procam International to help fund the London Marathon. "Procam has done so, and for that, I am so grateful," said the champion, even as Vivek Singh, director Procam said, "we sponsored him because we want India to be at the start line. This time, you have the world's best in the London Marathon field, so why should India be absent? I'm sure Rawat will be able to improve on his personal best," said Singh.

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