Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah says he is “pleased with himself” for achieving a rare feat. The chief minister on Sunday flagged off the international marathon in Kashmir on Sunday.
I’m so damn pleased with myself today. I completed the Kashmir Half Marathon - 21 KM at an average pace of 5 min 54 sec per KM. I’ve never run more than 13 KM in my life & that too only ever once. Today I just kept going, propelled by the enthusiasm of other amateur runners like… pic.twitter.com/yZVjFz5oJ4
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 20, 2024
However, he did not stop just with flagging off the first-ever international marathon in the Valley. The chief minister participated in the half marathon and completed the 21-kilometre run. Tweeting his experience, Abdullah said, “I’m so damn pleased with myself today. I completed the Kashmir Half Marathon – 21 km at an average pace of 5 min 54 sec per km. I’ve never run more than 13 km in my life & that too only ever once. Today I just kept going, propelled by the enthusiasm of other amateur runners like myself.”
It was such fun running with others. Lots of selfies & videos along the way. I even had a few requests for appointments and one or two job related problems highlighted along the way. Let’s not forget the enterprising journalists who tried to run along side in the hope of grabbing… pic.twitter.com/BfFijIOem9
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 20, 2024
The chief minister said he didn’t undergo any proper training for the run and picked up just a banana and a few khajoor along the way. The National Conference leader said the best part of the run was “running past my home with family and others out to cheer me on.”
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After completing the run, Abdullah told reporters that he never thought he would be able to complete the run. “I did not know I would be able to run 21 kilometres... But I think running with other athletes pushed me to complete the run," PTI reported quoting him. Actor Sunil Shetty was also present during the event.
