Supermodel and actor Milind Soman successfully completed the fifth edition of The Fit Indian Run 2025 in Goa yesterday. NT BUZZ caught up with the fitness icon to learn about his inspiring journey
KALYANI JHA | NT BUZZ
Noted for his dedication to fitness and passion or marathons, Milind Soman has just completed the fifth edition of ‘The Fit Indian Run 2025’ (formerly known as the Unity Run), a solo running and cycling initiative. The run aims to promote the message of health, wellness, unity, and perseverance.
This year, he covered 558 kilometres commencing from Mumbai on June 26 and culminating in Goa on June 30
“The idea was to do half-marathon distance of cycling and running every day till I reach Goa. The reason I did that is because Goa has India’s first half-Ironman. Also, I like to test myself,” says Soman.
Although Soman is used to such fitness challenges, he admits that it comes with its own struggles
“If you sleep in a strange bed in a strange hotel, you may not be able to rest as well as you might at home. Like, I have this thing about not facing in the north when I’m sleeping. But sometimes the bed is facing north. You can’t complain about it because there’s no point,” he shares. “Also, you may not get the food that you want, and so you have to eat what is available.”
Such fitness events also help one learn more about themselves, he says. “It’s not just about this event, you learn about how your mind and body is working, how you are responding to people, how you are responding to situations,” he shares.
Though this model is defying his age with the fitness he maintains, he admits that with age, a lot of things change and adapting accordingly is important. “I will be 60 this year. Things change in your mind, in your body and you have to deal with those things. Just to make sure that you really continue to enjoy your life the way you want,” he says. “I want to enjoy my life in my 60s, 70s and 80s, like I did in my 20s or in my 30s, for which learning about myself is important,” he shares.
And while people tend to deal with ageing in various ways, Soman wants to age as naturally as he can. “If people want to do surgery or do some kind of strange practices, that’s their choice. I don’t judge that. But I like to live my life as naturally as possible. And because I don’t want to do any of those things, I really take care of the way I feel – physically, mentally, and emotionally,” shares Soman, adding that he has never coloured his hair. “Unless somebody pays me, I don’t colour it,” he chuckles.
Interestingly, Soman’s daily fitness regime is not more than 10-12 minutes, that too, he does this at home, not at gym, but he is consistent and disciplined with his routine. And he recommends that no matter what age one is, one should pace their fitness regime.
“I know a lot of people who start suddenly and they overdo it. Whatever age you are at, you have to start very, very gradually. In this way, your chance of injury is minimised. Even mentally, you need to understand how this is affecting you. So, it’s all a learning experience,” says Soman. He adds that it is everybody’s personal responsibility to learn about their body and mind as it is not taught as a priority anywhere. “There are two most important things in life that we are never taught as children – how to be healthy and how to be happy? Your parents don’t teach you. Your school doesn’t teach you. But you must learn. You have to,” he says.
On a personal level, Soman continues to do his part to promote fitness. In fact, he maintains a rule that if a person wants to take a selfie with him, they have do push-ups first.
Even if they have never done it before, they try and they do it, and then they write to me maybe after a year or two years and say, you know those 10 push-ups really changed my life,” he says. “It feels good when people say that I helped them change their life.”
