Many who are associated with/know ELITECISOs only know it for its work in Cyber Security community building and collaboration, however there is much beyond this!
ELITECISOs, for past 1.5-2 years, has immensely brought change in many CISOs/CIOs lifestyle by cultivating fitness by all means. The co-founders recognized that health is wealth especially for critical assets of an organization - CISOs/CIOs and hence made all possible efforts to make fitness a priority for every member of the group.
I have been fitness cautious since quite long, have been engaged in Running, Swimming, Gyming, Trekking etc. for years, hence do value what our body needs the most - Right food, ample water, regular exercise and enough rest!
I happened to join ELITECISOs in 2019, just after getting to know Vikas Arora, the co-founder and one of the pillars of group.
As usual, I expected it to be a "Techie" group who usually talks only about what the world is doing about Cyber Security and so on. I proved to be wrong soon as I realised the group is doing much beyond our bread and butter related stuff.
It was April 2019 when Vikas Arora encouraged ELITECISOs members to participate in the Hundred Days Of Running (HDOR) challenge, one of the biggest fitness challenges in the world. The target was - walk/run at least 2 kilometres per day for 100 consecutive days! Looked so easy at first glance, but equally challenging when we really attempted it. As with many of us, first response was - "How is it possible?" We started gradually, by seeing many doing it, my thought was transformed to "I may able to make". I kept moving by doing a few kilometres daily, I was still skeptical about being consistent for 100 Days! I saw some fantastic examples in the group - Someone in his 50s who could barely walk with a stick started walking independently, sooner cracking 5-10 kilometres or someone reduced a few kilograms etc. This was encouraging enough to boost my confidence to say "I will do it". Some portion of that challenge was falling into one of highest ever monsoons in Pune (in last 50-60 years or so), however that didn't stop us achieving what we wanted to day. I kept interacting with all group members virtually, but never felt we were apart. The collaboration was at its pick and it remains today as well.
I wish to mention that Vikas kept energy so high that we didn't give up, not on a single day of the challenge duration and thereafter too. I remember and cherish a day where I drove 500kms a day (my highest ever driving distance in a day) and returned next day and still made sure to complete my target on both the days! Once you are encouraged enough, you do justice to your health. Another interesting fact about Vikas' motivation, he is not less than our college or school time teachers who used to get maximum out of all. He literally warns members who lose a track or become inconsistent and even removes them from the group for a while. I have not seen, even many of our family members pushing this hard for betterment of our health, hence he stands apart and each of us do respect and thank him for where we stand on fitness ground.
HDOR was just an instance, post that, Vikas kept everyone on their toes by engaging in group fitness activities, health related knowledge sessions etc. He ensured that it becomes a habit, a lifestyle than a competition which lasts only for specific time and a short duration benefit. We really can't thank enough Vikas for bringing this much needed change in everyone's life. Honestly, without a personal gain, very few do such a stuff.
With a quite happy record of 501kms of HDOR 2019 and overall 900kms in 2019, I suggested to set the Three Hundred Days Of Fitness (THDOF) challenge to make every one disciplined, all the year. I have already completed 180 days of this challenge (by taking just 6 breaks until now) and hoping to end on another happy note! I am sure ELITECISOs will set another remarkable record with this initiative.
I request readers of this post to think where they stand on their fitness and do whatever it takes to do justice to your body and mind.
Remember, the only thing that remains with you until your last breath - is your body. Wake-up, it is never too late in life.
