Colombo City Runners (CCR) with Omar Alif

They say that life is like a marathon–you have to pace yourself for the long haul and enjoy the scenery along the way. Fitness & Sports, which is all about promoting fitness in our beautiful emerald isle, caught up with Omar Alif, the young man who pioneered this runners club. Colombo City Running–popularly known as CCR–is a group of individuals who are passionate about running. They meet to do just that, run and have fun in the process! The CCR story will motivate you to put on your running shoes and join them…

THE BIRTH OF CCR

Colombo City Running (CCR) was born as a part of a personal journey that began in 2013 when I was living in Melbourne. I had to come to terms with the fact that I was leading a very unhealthy lifestyle; I did not feel challenged and, more concerning, I was very unfit. One day, to challenge myself and with the hope of cleaning up my lifestyle, I signed up for the Canberra marathon, scheduled in April 2013. Once I signed up, it became a personal commitment that I was compelled to fulfill.

Going from zero to 42 km in about 12 weeks was a daunting task, but I pushed myself to run regularly for the next few weeks. Sometimes it’s crazy targets like these that push people to achieve otherwise impossible feats. Leading up to the marathon, I participated in a few short distance races to get into the groove. Running festivals attract large volumes of runners and it was fantastic to be in those energetic crowds.

Come April 2013, I travelled to Canberra to set out on my first marathon and long distance run. The whole race was a blur of feelings – mentally, physically and emotionally. During those few hours, I experienced pain I’ve never felt before. My body reacted strongly to being pushed beyond its limits. After hitting 30 km, I felt like my body had shut down. It became a mental game to push through. I did not care how long I took; my goal was to complete this race. In excruciating pain, full of body cramps and mental agony, I crossed the finish line. No words can describe the sense of elation that followed. I could not feel my legs but I could feel a sense of gratification that I hadn’t experienced before – the ‘runner’s high’.

After the marathon, I met a fellow runner who invited me to join a running group that he was a part of. ‘Running In The Burbs’ (RITB) is a community-based organization that meets every week to run. The group consists of a wonderful variety of personalities who share a passion for running and working together to help everyone achieve their goals. “Leaving no runner behind” is their motto. Once I joined this group I met some of the best people I have come across, ready to share their positive energy and to be a support system to every runner. They very soon became a family away from home and a very welcome addition to my life. Within a few months of running with the group I was able to complete an Ironman 70.3 as well as other endurance events around Melbourne, all thanks to the encouragement, advice and support from RITB.

At the end of 2014, I moved back to Sri Lanka and in October of 2014 I participated in the Colombo marathon. It quickly became clear that Colombo lacked a platform for runners who shared a love for the sport and I was keen to replicate the same sense of family and camaraderie that I experienced with RITB. I began posting details of my running routes and times on my Facebook profile, inviting friends to join. The response was poor initially, with just a few people joining occasionally.

CCR GATHERS SPEED

In May 2015 I created a separate Facebook page dedicated to running, calling it Colombo City Running (CCR), with the hopes of gathering like-minded people. For the first few weeks, there were a few people who would join me and we would run between 5 and 10 km on a Sunday morning. Afterwards I posted the stats of our run on the CCR page. The group gained a little momentum. Once we had a few regulars running with us every Sunday, we set the Colombo Marathon (2015) as our next target. I devised the training schedules similar to the RITB schedules for the Melbourne Marathon posting new routes and distances every Saturday for the following morning. My vision for CCR was to inspire new runners, motivate them to achieve their goals and push them beyond their known boundaries. It was not about speed or distance, but about completing their personal target. It felt great to encourage people in the same way I had been motivated by RITB.

THE COLOMBO MARATHON

Closer to the Colombo Marathon, we had a group of about a dozen runners, some experienced and some beginners, all determined to complete either the half or full marathon. It was humbling to see some people achieve this milestone for the first time and to have been a part of their journey. With the first target complete, CCR was eager to continue their weekly training. In the months that followed, the group grew into a close-knit group of friends and it truly did begin to feel like a family. We drew strength from each other and everyone looked forward to their weekly dose of inspiration and energy in the form of their Sunday run.

CCR TODAY

To date there are over 80 people who regularly participate in CCR events. On any given Sunday morning 20-35 members gather at the D.S Senanayaka statue at Independence Square, sacrificing sleep for a 5:30 am start. After a good stretch and clarifying the route of the day, they hit the roads for a 5, 10 or 15 km run. Some run at a slow, gentle pace and others, spurred on by faster runners, challenge themselves to shave time off each km. Some run the route on their own with music, others find a running-buddy and chat, and all are quick to smile and give high-fives as they pass each other. The routes vary—sometimes taking runners to Wellawatte or Dehiwela and back, along Galle Face and up to the lighthouse, or out and past Parliament. Each run is followed up with a good stretch cool-down and usually a group selfie to commemorate yet another brilliant start to the week. To supplement the usual Sunday runs, once a month CCR hosts the CCR 5 km City Run. Multiple volunteers from within CCR help to facilitate this event by helping with registration, directing runners, and timing the finishers. Our last such event saw around 80 participants who ran, walked or combined walking with running to finish the 5 km. Results are posted online and participants can run each month in an effort to better their own timing.

In an effort to build speed and stamina, one of our more experienced runners started a fantastic morning speed session. runs, once a month CCR hosts the CCR 5 km City Run. Multiple volunteers from within CCR help to facilitate this event by helping with registration, directing runners, and timing the finishers. Our last such event saw around 80 participants who ran, walked or combined walking with running to finish the 5 km. Results are posted online and participants can run each month in an effort to better their own timing.

In an effort to build speed and stamina, one of our more experienced runners started a fantastic morning speed session. Every Wednesday at 5 am a group of 10-20 dedicated runners gather at Vihara Maha Devi Park for a challenging-but-fun session of sprint training. Each of these runners has seen a marked improvement in their longer runs as a result of these sessions.

In addition to CCR’s regular organized sessions, runners chat on a group to link up for impromptu runs. They organize beach runs, trail runs, hill runs, and night runs. Occasionally some members arrange to put their legs to the test on Adam’s Peak or other hikes around the island. 20 or more of our members participate in half and full marathons abroad. Not because they want to win, but just because they have personal goals. The CCR family is growing from strength to strength. What do you need to get involved? A desire to run, a personal goal, and an openness to friendships and fun along the way.