It takes a lot of effort and courage to be a marathon runner. But there is something else that drives the adrenaline – passion. For a person with a disability (pwd), the determination to succeed is much more and the passion many notches higher.

Meet Kolkata-based Asif Iqbal, who is visually impaired and is all set to run Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025 on Sunday.

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An associate director with PricewaterhouseCoopers India, Asif aims to run a 42km full marathon at the prestigious event. His buddy runners, who are seasoned runners, will be guiding him for directions and timing.

Asif ran his first half marathon in the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2023 and later in 2024.

With a passion to run, Asif says he has already practised once for the full marathon. He is an Asian record holder in the 25km run, without holding hands.

This year he will be running his first full marathon with his two buddy runners who will help to achieve the target time. His target is to finish the marathon in 5 hours and 50 minutes, maintaining an 8:15 pace (km/hour) throughout the race.

A key aspect of his training involves leveraging technology. He uses a watch that provides real-time audio updates on his pace, average time, and distance. Meanwhile, music plays continuously from a wireless speaker attached to the waist of his buddy runner, allowing him to know the exact position of the buddy runners.

Asif, who is a consultant in digital transformation, has been part of teams which designed digi yatra, aadhaar and many more such projects. He moved to the USA from Bihar when he was 11. But despite losing his eyesight, he completed his graduation in commerce from St. Xavier’s College Kolkata and later did his MBA in HR from Pune.

About his journey and initiation into running, Asif narrates, “I had high blood pressure and doctors advised me to walk. But when I saw many others running, I too wanted to run. So, I started running with help. Initially, I was very scared to run and felt that the traffic on the road would kill me and there was a constant fear of being run over. But my friends egged me on. Slowly but surely, I started enjoying my runs. It became intoxicating. It is a passion which drives me now.”

Asif has no problems finding time to run and then spend long hours at work. “Who am I? Look at Tata group chairman N Chandrasekaran. If he can run and make time for it, why can’t I,” says Asif on a lighter note.

Narrating his experience of running on Maa flyover, the runner says, “It is a wonderful experience to run on the flyover, which is so busy with traffic and no one is allowed to walk on it. I must thank Kolkata Police for allowing me the privilege.”

The man, who lives with his family in the city, says he has nothing to prove to anyone: “I run for myself and the challenge is with myself. I never win a race, unlike others who can see. My goal is that tomorrow’s race has to be better than today’s. Others may say a lot of good things about me but at the end of day, I have to run for my self-satisfaction, that’s what matters to me.”

For the Mumbai run, Asif says he has a fair amount of idea about the roads, weather conditions and the area as he has run there before. He maintains a strict diet. He hasn’t drunk any cola or soda in the past seven years and had been off sweets to check his weight.

His motto is: “Say no to good food.”

The digital transformation consultant, while running long distance, rehydrates every 2 km and uses energy gels when running the full marathon.

The strong-willed man has no idols in life but is inspired by busy people, who have achieved much in running and mentions his family’s encouragement and their support for his mission.

Asif aspires to run world majors like Boston, Chicago, London, Tokyo in the days to come. But, at the same time, he is also aware of the resources he would need to accomplish his dream. “Yes, sponsorship is a big challenge. But I believe it will also happen, god willing,” signs off Asif.