A seasoned marathon runner at 57

Pervin Batliwala, an executive assistant at HUL, walks straight with a little bounce in her gait.

Pervin Batliwala, an executive assistant at HUL, walks straight with a little bounce in her gait.

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She has started her day at 6 am with a 12-km run and then made the long journey from Nariman Point to her office at the HUL head office in Andheri East through traffic.

She remains bubbly and alert after lunch, at 2 pm, with half the day lying ahead of her.

If all this is not impresive enough, she is 57 years old.

Batliwala is a veteran of more than a dozen marathons and has placed in the top 10 in at least half of them since 2006. Apart from the Mumbai Marathon, she has also been to Auroville (Pondicherry), Thane and Delhi to run.

“I first joined the gymnasium when it opened at the HUL office in Churchgate. A little later I started running,” Batliwala said.

Since 2006, she has participated every year in the Mumbai as well as the Delhi marathons. “HUL has been supportive of my passion for running and it even sponsors my air fare, hotel stay and registration for the Delhi Marathon,” Batliwala revealed.

Batliwala runs at least 9 km on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and goes to the gym on the other three days; Sunday is a rest day.