The Forrest Gump of Bangladesh: Walking 11,000 miles in a 1,000 days

Most of us have probably watched the classic 1994 American comedy-drama film Forrest Gump, and there is a chance you remember the iconic Forrest Gump running sequence. 

While sharing his life story, Forrest describes how when Jenny, his love, left him overnight, Forrest decided the next morning to "start running for no particular reason at all."

When interviewed by news crews about his motivations, Forrest simply said that he "just felt like running."

Forrest Gump was not a participant of a competition, nor was he in it for fame or glory. It wasn't about winning the race or being as fast as possible, but just getting it done and doing it for the sake of doing it.

Dhaka city has one such man, Shahudul Haque, who has been walking for the last 33 months, with a target of covering 10,000 miles in 1,000 days. In the last two years and nine months, he has crossed over 11,000 miles. Unlike Forrest, he walked regularly, almost 11 miles a day for three to four hours, in his nearby park. 

And not just walking, he climbs stairs everyday. He went on to hit an impressive average of 35 floors per day, in the last 33-month time period.

74-year old Shahudul Haque is the managing director of Syscom, and still continues to work everyday in his office. He has overcome several health adversities throughout his life, through his disciplined endeavor towards maintaining fitness. 

"I walk regularly, not just for the last 1,000 days, but from 2014. And I have swam regularly from 1999 till 2012. In October 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, when there was no office to go to, nowhere to travel, I started walking with a goal that I would walk 10,000 miles in 1,000 days," Shahudul Haque said.   

Pahela Baishakh this year, (14 April), was the 910th day of that target, when he reached 10,000 miles. But he is still walking and on 13 July, the 1000th day, he crossed 11,000 miles. As of today he has walked 11,180 miles.

Haque walks an average of 11 miles per day for more than three hours. "I felt healthy, rejuvenated. No illness affected me throughout this duration. I didn't get any cold, maybe a little fever, but not severe enough to stop me from walking. I feel extremely fresh, stress free and I get good sleep every night", said Haque.

It started with a heart condition (just like Forrest)

Being a son of a military officer, Haque grew up in a disciplined environment. In 1979, he lost his father to a heart attack. Haque, who was just 29, then decided to take his health seriously.

For around eight to 10 years, he jogged regularly in the neighbourhood, until he learned that jogging on urban streets may end up damaging his knees in the long run. 

In 1999, he started swimming, almost religiously, and maintained the activity for over a decade. After a few years, alongside walking, he added stair-climbing to his routine.

But even after this rigorous and regular lifestyle, he was diagnosed with two blocks in his heart in 2014. The reports showed that the primary artery in his heart had 90% blockage and 70% in the secondary. But thanks to his consistent exercise, the doctors informed him that a bypass had automatically formed around the blockage which allowed blood to flow to his heart. 

"I had to undergo two stent placements to fix the blockage and the doctor prescribed me to walk for 45 minutes everyday. He said I should treat it as a medicine," he informed.

"Later I read that the great Greek physician Hippocrates also said that walking is the best medicine for people. So in 2014, I started to walk in the nearby Gulshan Youth Club ground. I started slowly. In 2017, I noticed that I walked for 10 months without a break. But I didn't have any gear to measure how much I had walked or for how many hours," Haque said. 

Digital trainer and motivator

In January 2018, Haque's brother gave him a Garmin sports watch- VivoActive HR - that records everything - how many miles he has walked, how much time it took, and BMI. It also keeps track of his sleep routine, blood pressure and blood saturation etc. 

"I used that watch for four years - from 2018 to 2021. In December 2021, I bought a Garmin Venu2," Haque informed. 

"The most amazing fact is - it gives me the updates of other Garmin watch users who are also walking, or taking stairs for example. And I would get updates like 'you take more stairs than 99% of other users,' or 'walking more than others' etc, almost like a virtual competition," he seemed amazed by the functions.  

Although it started as a medicine or health routine, eventually he got motivated. "The watch worked as my digital trainer. And once you are motivated enough to set a target and follow it, you are not bothered about other issues." 

An old habit

Haque graduated from Saint Gregory School in 1966 and got enrolled at Notre Dame College for his higher secondary studies. They had two teachers from England - the chemistry teacher was from Oxford and the English teacher was from Cambridge. In October 1967, these two teachers arranged a programme where 40 young people, including the two teachers, had to walk from Dhaka to Chattogram. 

"It was 40 of us who started from Dhaka and after five days and 19 hours, only 10 could make it. I was one of those 10 people, he said.  

"We took rest during the day in highway rest houses and started walking after five in the afternoon. Back then we didn't have good quality sneakers or jogging shoes. I remember taking a thick soled canvas shoes. Walking with those led to blisters on my foot. And after a day, the blisters accumulated blood inside. I still finished the hike and when we got back, the doctors treated those blisters for me", he added. 

Mr Haque's plan is to take another hike from Dhaka to Chattagram once again as a sequel. 

Healthy food habit

"Walking is related to my food habit", he said.  His days start with fruits. "For the last 10 years, my wife and I have started our days with a bowl of papaya and then a glass of seasonal fruit juice. For example, nowadays we are having pineapple and carrot juice. Oranges, Guava, Mango - any fruit available in the season, along with unsalted nuts (almond, cashew and walnuts). We love to start our days with that." 

After that, he takes porridge and bakarkhani (a thick, spiced flat-bread that is part of the Mughlai cuisine)- no eggs or ruti. At 7:30, he starts walking and walks for an hour. Then he takes his breakfast. 

Haque generally doesn't have any lunch. "At dinner I take regular rice, fish and vegetables curry - cooked with very little oil. I monitor my weight twice a day and currently I am at 59-60 kilos." 

The 74-year old man admitted that he is a big fan of sweets and he loves to end his day with something sweet cooked at home - like halwa or semai. 

Haque's tips for walkers

• Wear very good sneakers that support your knee. Invest in quality shoes. 
• During the summer, do not wear anything on your head because your head will release the most heat produced while walking. 
• Cotton T-shirts are a big no. Wear clothes made with stretchy and elastic nylon (due to its low absorbency, it dries faster than other fabrics).