Today we have the pleasure of welcoming a truly remarkable guest, celebrated Olympics champion, running legend and the international event Ambassador for the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025. Sermo Para. Thank you so much for joining us, Sermo. Thank you for having me. So we'll start up with a few simple questions for you. Numerous accolades to your name, including the prestigious quadruple double icon title. What stands out as the most significant of your career highs? If you had to like, choose the one closest to your personal? Yeah, that's hard to pick that honestly, as I said here, as an athlete, for me was being able to give an opportunity to do sports and and to go on and thrive and, and, and twin medals and as a young boy turning up, all I ever wanted to do is be outside and play. So and then, you know, you're reading out all these titles. It's incredible. If I were to pick one stands out most, I'll probably say London 2012. That's that moment where as an athlete defines you, you know, becoming we all have a dream and athletics, particularly anyone who runs is the goal is to run for your country at the Olympics and and make represent. And for me to win a gold medal in front of my home crowd in London, that was a epic. I would say that was the moment your journey to becoming one of the greatest distance runners is truly inspiring. Can you share how early life experience the influenced your determination in your athletic career as a young boy? And for me, arriving in the in the UK, not even taking a word of English and and then being able to give a chance to do sports. And if I were to pick that moment where if, you know, after I had such a long career, that one moment, it has to be probably the first time ever I run for my country. But in a Great Britain first as a as a junior. That was the one then, you know. Wow. OK. You became the global ambassador of Nathan Keats in 2017. How important do you think is it to start your running journey early in your career? Yeah. So it's amazing to be an ambassador for Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025 to 20th edition. This race here, it started years ago and and we're only celebrating the 20th edition here.  And we've seen changes began in in many ways. And again, this show the power of sports, how we can change the world, how we can change city itself. And honestly, to me, sports is what every everyone should be happy to have access to be able to, to do sports for, for whatever reasons, whether you try and become, you know, the next greatest Olympic champion, or perhaps for the for the right mindset of going for your mental health, other issues or people just just have that social place that we can all run together. And to me, it's incredible. How do you prepare both mentally and physically before the significant race? And is there anything that you have a good team? Yeah, you do have to have routine for preparing for certain races. So for example, when I was on the track and, and say if you go back to 2012, preparing for London Olympics in 2012. So you think about, you know, 6-7 months before the race, you try and think about the races that you need to do so you can get in tune for for the moment in that race. So often is, you know, the training camp, six months of preparation, you know, so, so you can be ready for that race. And then in between you do 6 or 7 races beforehand to show you know, what kind of shape you're in. Am I, do I need a bit more speed? Do I need a bit more endurance adjustment? And, and you adjust it. And then really the racing part for me was the easy part because often everything I did was done in training. So it comes down to 120 miles a week running out, three sessions a week, the gym session, and also just to make sure you're in the right frame of mind. That's an interesting point. Your training is tougher than the actual race, but all of it isn't to make this race happen. As I said, you know, Tata Mumbai Marathon, 20th edition, it all didn't come overnight. It came years of building, of hard work, determination and, you know, keep fighting. And then that's what we've got to do. And then as it in itself for me, we can all prepare. Yeah. How do you unwind after every day after a race? I'm normally trying to relax with my family, spend time with my kids, go out for a meal and just be, just enjoy a lovely time because family for me is beyond. But do you have 4 kids? I have 4 kids, yeah. So how do you deal with setbacks on the field? For instance, during your 10,000 meter race in 2016 Rio Olympics, how did you recover mentally after tripping, eventually winning the race? I think we all, I think as I said, like we all will have the moments of where we have hurdles, we will have hip bumps along the way, but it's how you overcome. It's important. And for me, was thinking about preparation that I did to gear up for that race, you know, the four years. So we had London 2012 and in four years we're going to have Rio.  It took four years to get to bit to that point where, you know, I fell over. And they're preparing the training at that time away from your family. And you've got to think back at that moment when you go down and think, you know what, don't panic, it's OK, Pick yourself up and then picture yourself all the hard work you've got through to get to that moment. And I really just try and motivate yourself and, and try and go in. And I did promise my oldest daughter I was going to get a Olympic medal because I've got 2 Olympic medals in London. And I engraved my kids names on it. And I, she was asking, she's like, dad, where's my medal? I said Rio hopefully. So for me, that also gave me an energy. So, you know, at PCs we built the first digital heart for professional runner Des Linden using state-of-the-art, non invasive technology. So as an elite athlete, how do you think such innovation could impact the future of the long distance running? It's huge. I think innovation and technology is always moving forward and I think it will help others. We try and create a path for others and, and, and, and to take in as much information as possible because using running yourself, if we look at it now, running times are getting quicker. You know, there's technologies moving forward. So again, it's being able to give that. I think it's huge. How has running influenced your life beyond your aesthetic career, if I may ask? Running has honestly saved my life in many ways because running gave me a purpose of, of being free to be myself, to have fun, but also just shows, you know, as a young boy who arrived in the UK and with my own story, I struggled and running saved me and running helped me to become the man that I've become.  And if it wasn't for running myself, I won't be here today talking to you and, you know, showing you know what, what kind of titles I've won. Take us through your philanthropy journey. What are sounds of charity even causing that you're passionate about? You've done a lot of the Yeah, I've, I've done a lot of, of, of charity stuff. But for me, it's important to be do the right things and often is said I'm ambassador for save to children and the reason why I'm ambassador for four beautiful kids and I just want in life, give them the best opportunity, educate them to do that. And there's kids that are less fortunate in in many around the world in many places, but really try and give them education and give them something that every child should deserve to be happy and to play. And then the other one I'm involved with sport, sports, you've trust it. But really from seeing the kids yourself in school and, and really try and get kids active more because as an adult, we can try and do the right thing and you know what's good for you, what's bad for you. But kids don't have choice. And really from from the government point of view, try and introduce more in sports in schools, because every child should have 60 minutes where they can do what they want, walk, run and just be active. And then and it shows that, you know, the more active kids we have now and not judged for because of the work should be judged. Because as I said, if, if, if I could make it and as a young boy and become be knighted by her Manchester, the Queen and to get all this title just in sport, imagine how many other people out there will just need that opportunity in life. How do you think marathon like ours positively impact local and global communities? I think marathons have globally become huge. It's you've seen yourself Tata Mumbai Marathon and it's become, you know, so many people it's entered and and throughout and continue to make changes. And I think running is the way forward of ever trying connect fruits, community through countries to show the beauty of Mumbai and such iconic places. And to me, I'd love to see this event to continue and and see so many more people taking part, women, children and and and and beyond. What's your advice to first time runners during the street? Whoever's running the first marathon in Tata Mumbai Marathon is really be patient with it. Go out there, enjoy it, don't put pressure on yourself. It's your first one, go see what it's like, enjoy it and then from there you can go back and go. You know what, I run three hours, four hours, 5 at whatever time you run and then you can start training for it. But really the goal is enjoy yourself, have fun, have fun. 
Absolutely. So our next round is going to be a rapid fire round. I'll sure you'll like it. So whatever comes to your mind, just say it like in a word or your face. So here we go. Morning or night runs? Morning.  OK, favorite cheat meal? Let's take it to every pudding. OK, your role model or mentor? My role will going out have to be Muhammad Ali, a dream vacation spot motives. What is the ultimate life mantra? It's something I swear by. You always got more than what you think you have, so sometimes you question yourself, I can't do it, can I not do it? But deep down, you know you can. So you tell yourself that you always got more than what you think you have. Or we might go. At the end of the day, I'm tired. I can't put in that hour extra. You can. That one more mile, that one more thing you can. OK. So it's been a most insightful chat. Thank you so much for sparing time for us. And I wish you all the luck and occasion endeavour. Thank you. It's been a pleasure. All the runners out there is running Tata Mumbai Marathon. Good luck, enjoy yourself. Let's go for it. And don't put pressure on yourself. Just do the best that you can. That's all we can do.