Search Results for: trail challenge

November 9, 2019 By Anusha Subramanian Leave a Comment

Do You Know #SuperRunner Samir Singh?

Running keeps you fit! It’s a tried, tested and approved fact. Now, whether you’re running to lose weight, catch a bus you’re obviously late for or running away from your problems, at the end of it there will be change. If you must run, can your goals be kicked up a notch? Can they mean something more? One man decided to push the envelope of what’s possibly the ultimate test of strength, endurance and mental fortitude. Have you heard of the Super Runner, yet?

In mid-October, ultra-runner Samir Singh, also known as the Faith Runner, took to challenge his mind and body by attempting to run 10,000km in over 100 days. He calls his run the “Fit India Mission 10000”, a humble dedication to the Fit India Movement. “I think this is the best movement that the Government has started. The movement is inspiring a lot of people to take up fitness as a way of life and I strongly believe in it,” he says in support of the Government initiative for a healthier, fitter India.

It has been around three weeks since he started and has completed approximately 1500km. “I believe in myself. I have dreamt of doing this for a long time and I believe it is possible! I can do it!” said Samir with confidence. For him, it is his self-motivation and passion that keeps him moving. But what drove him to take such a huge step?

Coming from a humble background where his family’s main occupation is farming, Samir managed to come to Mumbai from his hometown Kanaheda in Madhya Pradesh in 2000 in the hope of getting a decent job. He got one with a marketing agency where he was asked to do surveys by interviewing people. In one such survey related to marathons, he got interested in running. It led him to believe that running and winning marathons can not only help him get fit but also earn money.

Samir Singh gave up his sedentary lifestyle and took to running long distances at the age of 35. Prior to embarking on ultra-runs, he started running full marathons. Did a couple of them and even won some of them. His first ultra-race was the Mumbai Ultra (a 12-hour run) where he logged approximately 107 KM in 2015 and 120 Km in 2016 with a podium finish.

Having achieved these feat, he understood his body and how it reacted to stress. His urge to challenge himself further and do something extraordinary kept nudging him and he decided to push himself to do a 10,000km in 100 days. In his first attempt of 10,000km, he unfortunately fell short of just 36km and ran only 9,964.19km.

What is interesting to note is that he started his running career without any fancy gears. Sometimes barefoot and sometimes with make do shoes. His focus was only on running. He does not have any major nutrition plans and does not take any supplements. He believes in ‘Satvik’ food which is simple, nutritious and less spicy.

Upon hearing this man’s story and his determination to challenge his body, GOQii decided to extend their support to his mission. GOQii has been working with him to ensure that his nutritional needs are met during his journey to spread awareness for the Fit India Movement. GOQii has also helped him choose the right gear to ensure his run is a major success.

So far, the Faith Runner shows no signs of slowing down, steadily taking one step forward towards his goals. You can see Samir Singh begin as early as 4:30AM in the morning every day from Girgaum Chowpatty, opposite Wilson College and run all the way till Juhu Beach and back! If you feel motivated after reading this story, lace up your running shoes and join him in running towards a healthier India and a fitter you!

If 100km is too much, you can try joining us for the GOQii Trail Challenge 2019 in December. Get all the details about the beautiful, scenic trail here and gear up for a health retreat that will leave you breathless: www.goqii.com/gtc.

#BeTheForce

May 18, 2019 By GOQii 1 Comment

Sapan Gupta: Running For Good Health!

Have you been passionate about something but as you turned older, your busy life overshadowed your passions? Most of us can relate to this, especially when it comes to running or some form of sport. While being really energetic and active at a young age, one often falls prey to a sedentary lifestyle. Such was the case with Sapan Gupta as well.

Life Before GOQii

Sapan Gupta, a 37-year-old working professional is a Deputy Manager with an Online Software Development Company. Since school days, he had always been passionate about running but as he grew older, he stopped. He also suffered from frequent bouts of cold, cough and sneezing. In 2016, he began jogging but jogged for 2km max.

Stepping it Up With GOQii

In Jan 2018, Sapan Gupta was introduced to GOQii via his Axis Bank Account. Since then, he hasn’t looked back. After joining GOQii, with help from his coach, he began training for marathons. His health goals were to stay fit and reduce belly fat.

Since Sapan always ate home cooked meals and ate out only once a fortnight, there weren’t many changes made to his diet. His GOQii Coach introduced him to healthy proteins and mindful eating. His intake is more balanced and nutritious now.

Now, instead of 2km, he runs for 5km easily, everyday and sometimes even without a water break. He tries to walk for 20 minutes even when he is at work. On the weekends, he plays badminton and cricket. Sometimes, he even cycles.

As of now, Sapan Gupta has lost 4-5kg and his stamina has tremendously improved as well! His issues of cold, cough and sneezing has reduced significantly as his immunity has increased. He has successfully completed 3 half marathons and over 52 10k runs in the past 1.5 years. He is currently preparing for a full marathon in August.

Last year, he participated in the GOQii Trail Challenge and completed it within 12 hours! He says that it was one of the most enriching experiences he has been through and looks forward to participating for the next one! He also said it was well-organized.

GOQii Active Sunday Champion

One day, Sapan received a notification for a GOQii Active Sunday session. As it was close to his house, he decided to check it out. When fellow Champion Subhash Achanta asked him to lead a session as he was unavailable, Sapan took it up without hesitation. Soon, he enrolled as a Champion and from then on he has been regularly heading the sessions in Hyderabad.

Sapan has been very active on the GOQii App. He orders products from the GOQii Health Store frequently during flash sales. As per his experience, the products he purchases are of good quality. He even participated in the India Steps Challenged and won the GOQii Vital. He says GOQii should organize more such events!

Though his family members think he is overdoing it, he feels there is still so much more to achieve!

Here’s what Sapan Gupta’s GOQii Coach Had to Say

“Sapan entered GOQii with a goal to lose weight and he worked hard to achieve it. He is very interactive, keeps me posted with his food logs and all the data he can. He is focused and has an idea of what he wants. We started with simple changes like replacing unhealthy snacks with healthy options and eating small and frequent meals.

He has great insights towards working out, which is his strength. Even on a vacation, he used do well with his physical activity. One word to describe Sapan is ‘Energetic’. With his involvement, I was motivated to guide him to achieve his health goals.”

Keep going, Sapan and #BeTheForce!

April 27, 2019 By GOQii 1 Comment

“I Am Addicted to GOQii” | Darshpreet Gulati User Journey

Have you ever casually browsed through products and then stumbled upon something that changed your life forever? You might not have been looking for it, but somehow you found it and it transformed you into a better version of yourself. Our player Darshpreet Gulati, had a similar experience.

In 2016, Darshpreet Gulati was looking for new gadgets. He stumbled upon GOQii but wasn’t specifically interested in fitness at the time. After going through the features, he concluded that it was value for money. He was particularly attracted to the personalized coaching feature and thought that the device was a cool gadget.

Before Joining GOQii

Like most people, Darshpreet Gulati led a very sedentary lifestyle with little to no physical activity. He indulged in sweets quite often and ate out frequently. He weighed around 85kg.

Enter GOQii

One of Darshpreet’s key goals was to lose weight, get fit and active. At first, he was not convinced with what his GOQii Coach suggested as it seemed to be contradicting what he already knew about diets i.e. counting calories, skipping meals, etc. He then happened to read a well-known celebrity Nutritionist’s book. This encouraged him to take his GOQii Coach seriously.

He began following the habits introduced by his coach.

Embracing the Change

Darshpreet’s Coach had asked him to cut down on junk food, eating out at restaurants, drinking aerated drinks and most importantly his indulgence in sweets. He used to eat a lot of chocolates before but significantly cut them down after realizing what sweets can do to his body. He restrains himself even if his fridge is stuffed with chocolates. As he began getting more conscious about what he eats, he started exercising portion control.

His current dietary habits include starting his day with detox water and nuts. He then eats a paratha and eggs for breakfast. He keeps his dinner light and eats around 7 PM. Before GOQii, his dinner used to be rich and high in calories as dinner was family time and everyone would sit together to eat and relax.

On the exercise front, he performs light exercises accompanied with stretching. Last year, he trained rigorously for the GOQii Trail Challenge and walked daily with high-intensity exercises.

Currently, Darshpreet weighs around 64 kg, having lost 21 kg and is a healthier and more active version of his former self. He is a GOQii Champion and leads the Active Sunday sessions in the city of Gondia, Maharashtra.

6 months back, he was diagnosed with some back issue. This condition aggravated during the GOQii Trail Challenge. Due to his current condition, he has only been able to manage 4-5 sessions. However, this Sunday, he is charged to lead participants towards a healthier lifestyle and get more players to attend GOQii Active Sunday.

Darshpreet spends his time by joining live classes on GOQii Play. He religiously follows Aliya Imran, Shweta Kariya and Vishakha Sodha as he finds their sessions interesting and informative. He enjoys Divya Thampi’s class as her topics have helped him strengthen his emotional state of mind.

After his experience in the GOQii Trail Challenge, he says that he has grown even more confident. Along with a healthy lifestyle, he has begun to place more focus on his personal goals as well.

What did Darshpreet’s Coach Have to Say About Him?

“If I would have to describe Darshpreet Gulati in just one word then it would be a “FIGHTER”. He joined GOQii with a goal to reduce weight and for that he worked on his diet, exercises and most importantly, managed stress. Darshpreet believed in me and I tried my best to keep him motivated. The turning point in our journey came when he registered for GTC 2018. He was determined and worked extremely hard for that. Since the time he has joined GOQii, he has lost around 20 kg and has been maintaining it quite well through our healthy habits. He is indeed a FIGHTER!”

November 15, 2025 By Mitali Ambekar 5 Comments

Are you running the Marathon? Here is your guide to training

Running is fun and enjoyable, whether it’s a trail run or a marathon.

Want to run one but in a dilemma about how to go about it?

Are you a beginner?

Never run before or haven’t run in a long time?

Have you signed up because your friends are running?

Have you taken this up as a challenge to test your own endurance or just to improve stamina?

With marathon season approaching, many people start training just a month or so before, thinking it’s an easy thing to do. More often than not, an individual is of the opinion, “What’s the big deal about long-distance running? It’s just running, after all, and I can probably do it easily if I have my headphones on with music flowing into my ears.”

But, before you start your running regime, one important thing you need to do is to motivate yourself. Building mental strength is key to any endurance sport, and a marathon is no different. It’s one thing to begin training and another to stay motivated day after day. Staying motivated and developing a proper mindset helps you to enjoy your training, thereby enabling you to cross the finish line with a smile on your face. Finishing a marathon is a great accomplishment, and you can be one of them.

But training is challenging, and it’s very important to train well without damaging your body. If you start running without taking precautionary measures, your body is likely to go through a lot of damage in the future. Motivation is not enough; having the right goals and reasons for running is equally important to be successful.

Learning and following some basics will help you get started. All you have to do is just follow these guidelines.

1. RUNNING

You begin with small strides. How much you run can be gradually increased depending upon your level of physical fitness. Beginners should start with Interval Training: run at a high speed for 2-3 minutes, followed by 1 minute of cooling down at a lower speed. Then repeat the high intensity for 2-3 minutes at a slightly higher speed than the previous interval. Continue this for about 15-30 minutes.

This routine should be practised 2-3 times a week, followed by a long, steady run once a week. After the run, you should also do proper stretching after every session. Those of you out there who have already been training for a while and are at an Intermediate level can start increasing their speed and distance slowly over time.

2. NUTRITION

Nutrition plays an important role when you decide to run a marathon. The most important nutrient is Carbohydrates, which provide the fuel runners need and supports glycogen storage (glucose in stored form). Carbohydrates should be about 50-60% of your meal on normal days and 60-70% of your meal a day prior to the long run days (Carbohydrate loading). Protein should be about 10-20% of your regular meal.

Key micronutrients include antioxidants, like Vitamin C and E. Apart from their antioxidant properties, they also boost immunity (Vit C) and can act as a muscle relaxant (Vit E). All these nutrients are necessary as they are your fuel to run (carbohydrates & proteins) and also help you recover well.

Other than this, Electrolytes are necessary to avoid cramps, which can be a major issue for a runner. A good electrolyte source can be a sports drink or an electrolyte powder; these can be used while running. Post-run, bananas are an excellent form of electrolytes and carbohydrates. Some runners can even have them during the run if needed.

3. STRENGTH TRAINING

As mentioned, most who sign up for a marathon usually just run. But this is not ideal. If you have decided to run a marathon, you should also include strength training as a part of your exercise regime. The benefits are that it can prevent injuries and reduce the impact of hard surfaces on the joints and ligaments, which can be painful for some. It also helps with better performance—for example, the last sprint to finish your marathon.

Your core also needs strengthening, as it maintains your stability, posture, and balance, all of which are necessary to run faster and avoid injuries. You can opt for strength training about 2-3 times a week, possibly under someone’s guidance if you are new to it.

4. HYDRATION

Hydration is another very important aspect of marathon training. If your body cells are dehydrated, they cannot function optimally and will not give you the required energy to run. Therefore, having water regularly before, during, and after the run is necessary. A day before the event, the same way you do carbohydrate loading, do water loading, too.

Have water about 20-30 minutes before the run; during the run, you can just keep sipping on water every 15-20 mins depending upon individual requirements. After the run, hydrate yourself well again. You can even opt for sports drinks during long runs, as these provide your body with hydration as well as energy.

5. RECOVERY

It is important to recover well, as your body needs to be ready for the next day, whether that’s work or more training. Thus, one should always keep a gap day between running days, perhaps alternating running with strength training. One complete rest day per week is also necessary, where no exercise of any sort is done on that day. Nutrition matters a great deal in recovery, as discussed above. But, do not indulge on the rest day. Keep it moderate.

6 .PROPER GEAR

Last, but not least, appropriate gear is an important aspect of running a marathon. Shoes are your most important piece of gear. You should invest in the right running shoe that fits well. People with flat feet should use supportive insoles.

Your next important gear should be your clothing. Anything that is very loose and baggy should be avoided, as it can slow you down or get in the way while running (like loose jogging bottoms). It can even cause chafing. Sweating can also make thick clothing heavier. One should opt for light clothing for running, like a moisture-wicking T-shirt and shorts or tights.

Anyone can follow these guidelines and run a marathon. But, everybody should consult a medical practitioner about any health issues or previous injuries before you begin. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.