Manish Sharma, founder-CEO of Printo, a digital printing company, got hooked to running thanks to a weekend jog with a friend in the early 2000s while he was working with Rediff in Chicago. “The spontaneity and the sheer joy of discovering new paths did it for me,” Sharma recalls. Weekend runs became routine. Within a year, he wanted to step it up, and decided to enrol for the London marathon where he had moved for his MBA. Unfortunately, his enthusiasm wasn’t backed by rigorous practice, and the 42 km run resulted in a serious knee injury. What followed were two frustrating years of recuperation during which Sharma wasn’t allowed any physical activity. That injury taught him a valuable lesson—that sports requires serious discipline and perseverance. In 2007, he began running again by joining 'Runners High' in Bangalore where he had moved to start Printo. Strength training and physiotherapy became an integral part of his routine. And at the end of 2007, Sharma successfully ran the Bangalore marathon. Now, he runs an average of 15 kms four times a week, and puts in a 30 km run every Saturday. His passion has influenced his work life greatly, Sharma says, especially after he began coaching runners. “Instead of just giving people a task, I now explain how to do something, much like the way I train people to run.”.

His passion has influenced his work life greatly, Sharma says, especially after he began coaching runners.

Victory lap 
Sharma says he has never felt quite as triumphant as he did when his mother completed a 10 km run last year. “She is 66 years old, and had never ran before in her life. Training her to jog that distance was some experience.”

Runner’s high
A quiet (even better, if undiscovered) trail and good company.

Spring in his step 
Sharma loves running in the scenic city of Oxford, UK. Every time he visits a new city, he checks out a few must-see destinations during his morning run. He has run two ultra marathons and seven full ones.