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We, the students of CMR National Public School, had the opportunity to meet Mr. Taher Merchant, the first Indian ever, to complete the Everest Ultra Marathon successfully. He visited our school to deliver an expert talk on the 28th of June, 2018, sharing with us his treasurable experience of running this 60 km long marathon.
He began by telling us how he had decided to take up this life-risking challenge. He was a professional runner and had taken part in and won several marathons. However, his Ladakh Marathon on the Himalayan Mountains helped him realize a unique connection with them. He felt exhilarated and was inspired to take up the Everest Ultra Marathon. He then told us all, how important consistent hard-work was to achieve this goal, and how he practised for two months before the event.
One of the major challenges during this period was to break out this news to his coach and family. Knowing the risks involved in this event, he knew how hard it would be for them to accept this news. Nevertheless, he was ready to put everything at stake and participate in this event. He went through a lot of struggles before and during the marathon. Several situations arose during the run where he had to make life-changing decisions. But beyond all odds, he faced them with courage and survived through tough terrains, battled against his body and ultimately made it to the finish line. This experience of Mr. Merchant is a clear portrayal of his grit, determination and consistency.
His very presence amongst us was a great honour. It inspired us all and taught us how important perseverance, dedication and courage are to achieve any sort of goal – be it academics or athletics. Finally, we thank the school for giving us this valuable opportunity to meet a great man such as him, learn from his experience and be motivated. It gave us a lot of confidence and taught us that if we believe in ourselves, nothing is unachievable.
