Let’s take a moment to reminisce about simpler times.
Before 2020, before the pandemic, before adulting, if we could describe childhood in one feeling, what would it be? For many of us, it’s the feeling of pure joy during recess when we ran for miles across the playground, feeling utterly exhausted but deeply content. Our lifestyles have completely changed since then, especially since we started working from home last year.
Imagine if we could bring back that feeling. That’s exactly what the team behind the Run Anywhere marathon set out to do, and we’re proud to say that they’ve succeeded with astounding results.
2021 marks the 75th anniversary of the Mahindra Group, and in celebration of this iconic milestone, the flagship Mahindra Run Anywhere Marathon was developed by the Josh and CIO teams at Tech Mahindra. Flagged off on the 28th of July, this event had associates from the entire Mahindra family, including our portfolio companies, coming together in the name of wellness. Much in tune with our 75th year, this challenge was not about speed or our opponents but rather our endurance and the distance we traveled together. Prizes were given out every day, bringing the number of awards to a grand total of 125.
From Gwalior to Glasgow, Copenhagen to Coimbatore, they’ve united the Mahindra family in the most beautiful way possible. With over 160,000 kilometers traversed so far, this Marathon serves as a stark reminder that nearly anything is possible when TechMighties around the globe resolve to Rise together.
As we enter its homestretch, here are some of the challenges the team faced and meticulously resolved.
When erroneous data collection by different phone models threatened to hurt the integrity of the competition, they immediately set up a helpdesk of 12 determined individuals to verify data and bring runners back to the race. They also asked users to download two other applications that track and update the correct data, ensuring that the leaderboard remains accurate, and every runner is given a fair chance. They knew internet connectivity would pose a problem, so they designed a system that collects data regardless of connectivity. This would be synced to the server once the connection was restored.
Winning is important, but wellness is even more so. Top runners were not allowed to sleep less than seven hours a day; the team behind the Marathon ensured that participants’ health and wellbeing remained the top priority. To protect them from burnout, there was even an upper limit of 60 kilometers per day. In a 51-day race, motivation is key, and the team kept morale high by awarding different winners each day. This small team has handled 50-60 emails every day since the start, with the aim of leaving no query unresolved.
No matter the problem, the team found a solution. Even while working behind the scenes, they’ve kept the spirit of Rise alive, and for that, we applaud them.
Here’s to making the world our playground yet again!