IREO DEVILS CIRCUIT: Ludhiana’s run to remember

Ludhiana, December 2, 2012: More than a 1,000-strong crowd of enthusiastic Ludhianvis braved the chilly winds, Sunday lethargy and obstacles comprising of fire, ice and tires to participate in India’s maiden obstacle run, Ireo Devils Circuit, at the sprawling Ireo Waterfront township campus on Sunday.

The 4-km military styled run is an extremely popular format worldwide, and was brought to Ludhiana by Ireo, one of India’s leading real estate developers, in association with sports management company, GameOn India. 

Sunday saw people across age groups, professions and gender take part in the event. “I had heard of such runs happening in United States but to have it in Ludhiana was very exciting,” said Dr. Geeti Arora, one of the runners.

The first lot of 80 participants began the run in the early hours of the Sunday morning. They chartered a rugged 4 km course -- covered by wild grass and off shoots -- that entailed crawling, jumping and climbing over nets, pits and tires among other tasks.

“Finding my way out of a pit full of freezing water was the highlight. The run was muddy and difficult but full of adventure and fun,” said Gurvir Singh, who completed the course within an hour’s time.

For the less nimble runners, scaling the wicked web turned out to be an arduous task. This particular challenge demanded a 12 feet climb over a spider like net to proceed. The consistent movement of ropes and need for a firm grasp had some participants swaying from one side to another. Occasionally, instructors intervened to help the runners.

Meanwhile, the most fun obstacle, according to some runners, was the torture trench. Here, the runners crawled across a trench like army personnel.

The participants were egged on by friends and family members present in the audience arena. The audience also enjoyed lively Punjabi numbers while kids had a mini obstacle course of their own to finish. 

Many visitors also took the opportunity to take a quick peek at the sample villas and scale models of the upcoming Ireo Waterfront City.  “I am not a sports person but I wanted to enjoy this adventure activity with my family and fiancée,” said Sifti Riat, one of the runners.

Staying true to the credo of the run all the participants were awarded a medal, certificate, t-shirts as well as a can of beer or energy drink at the finish line. “Ireo Devils Circuit is a run where every participant is a winner. There is no concept of a winner and a loser,” said Adnan Adeeb, one of the organisers.

Present for the event, Madhukar Tulsi, President Ireo said, “Ireo has always been committed to promoting healthier living and focus on creating projects which provide an enhanced sense of openness and freedom to lifestyles through intelligent design and careful planning. Devils Circuit was an initiative to support our commitment for an active and healthy lifestyle for the young and the old”.

Although the run came to an end at sunset, GameOn India, an organisation that promotes health and fitness related activities among working professionals, felt this movement had only just begun. “We are elated that Ireo Devils Circuit was well received. The successful completion of this novel concept is extremely satisfying,” said Zeba Zaidi, CEO of GameOn India.

She also pledged another run in Ludhiana soon. “Ludhiana has a special place in our hearts as this is the first city in India where Devils Circuit happened. We will return next year and make this a bigger phenomenon,” she said.

For Ludhiana, it was a memorable Sunday that brought together the combination of fitness and fun.

Ireo is the first and the largest Private Equity Fund dedicated to the Indian real estate sector. The company has a Pan-India footprint of projects in prime locations across NCR, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra under various stages of development and implementation.

Ireo has been present in India since 2004 and has evolved as a fully integrated real estate organization that is both the financer and developer of its projects.

Ireo team consists of internationally experienced and accomplished Indian and expatriate professionals from diverse backgrounds to lead initiatives and to deliver best in class products and services to our customers. Ireo’s investor base consists of blue chips and globally renowned financial institutions.