CTO
ARVIND KANDASWAMY
"Where there is a will, there is a way"
My name is Arvind Kandaswamy. I live in Edison with my wife Kanchana who is also a fellow runner in the program and with three beautiful daughters Nila, Kayal & Ani. We also have an Australian Shepherd dog named Hazel who is the love of my life and apple of my eye who brings sunshine to my every living moment. On the work front, I lead a team of Data Scientists & Engineers for Massachusetts based Raytheon Technologies, an Aerospace & Defense conglomerate.
I love running. It lets me spend time with the nature, it gives me the me time that is often elusive in today’s stressful social setting. It gives me some focused time to think through the next big problem that I need to solve for. It gives me some dedicated time to listen to my Audibles and podcasts for which there is not enough time in today’s work from home culture. Also, apparently there are plenty of health benefits in running and staying fit.
Few years ago, I began running on my own. Just wear my top-of-the-line Kirkland brand sneakers step out the door and begin running. No warmups, no proper nutrition, no strength training just get set go. It was fun for a while until I got some serious knee injuries and had to bid goodbye to my favorite sport. Years later, I decided to give it another try. Tried few apps out there C25K to Nike Run Club, none of the apps worked for me.
That’s when I heard about RHWB through a friend, and I signed up immediately. Season 5 was my first season and I did a half marathon. For Season 6 I moved to a 10K program to deal with an unrelated injury. Now with Season 7 I plan to do a half marathon again. One of my goals for this season is to get a better understanding of running metrics and ways to improve them.
It would be remiss if I do not mention the impact that RHWB had on me. It showed me how running is not a solitary activity but a team sport. It taught me how a structured training program can deliver sustainable results. Bala’s contagious enthusiasm, Assistant Coaches’ and other senior runners’ collective knowledge and wisdom and the relentless motivation and exuberant energy from fellow runners all makes the program a worthy endeavor that provides a transformative experience for those who believe in it.
I look forward for many more seasons to come and imbibe the goodness the program has to offer and not only become healthier and fitter but also hope to become a better human being that the program pledges to create.
