1000 Times (Un)lucky – The Journey to 13,000 km in Running

(First post on this blog after 10 years)

1000 Times Unlucky – The Journey to 13,000 km in Running

March 20, 2012 was when I started running to beat boredom (and loneliness) in Atlanta after I moved there. If someone had told me then that I’d become a reasonably decent runner—and more importantly, a mostly disciplined* runner—I’d not have believed them.

(*mostly disciplined because of the long break from running for most of 2024 and early 2025.)

I continued to run for over six months and got in 63 runs, recording each of them along with the list of songs I listened to during the run and writing a post on the thoughts that occurred during the run. Then, life happened.

 

Pre-2015:

I moved to India in March 2013, signed up for the TCS 10k that was happening in May for fun, and walked through most of the run. But that race ignited something in me. I’d go to the lake near home and run occasionally. This continued through 2014, including my second time running the TCS 10k.

This was also when my colleague-turned-friend-turned-coach-turned-pillar-of-support, Abhishek, started running too.

On May 1 that year, I discovered something called the Nike+ Running app (now Nike Run Club) and used it to track a run in the forests of Silchar, Assam (where I was on a work visit). I started tracking runs on that carrying my phone during my runs.

 

2015–2017:

In early 2015, I moved to a new role at work and relied on running to separate work from life. After a workday, I’d go to the local track and run random distances. No distance or pace targets—just running, tracked.

I graduated from the 10k to the half marathon distance in September 2015 with roughly 5-6 weeks of unstructured training. It was around this time my friend Nivie introduced me to the Garmin Forerunner series and got me a Forerunner 225. I used it in my very first half marathon (which ended up being 18 km due to a fallen tree on the Kukkrahalli Lake trail in Mysore). I loved the structured tracking including the kilometers splits. I did the half marathon distance in Kaveri Trail Marathon and the Bangalore Marathon in Sept/Oct 2015 and broke the 2:00 barrier for the half marathon distance at the Bangalore Marathon 2015.

I kept running on the track in one direction (anticlockwise), which eventually led to a stress fracture, accompanied by an ankle/tibia injury—both in early 2016. I sought orthopedic attention from Dr. Vinod and spent June–August 2016 with a physiotherapist, Sudin, who taught me how critical stretching is for runners.

After recovery, I continued running and completed more half marathons, including the National Marathon Circuit by NEB Sports during the 2016–17 cycle (running half marathons in Bangalore, Goa, Kolkata, and Delhi).

Mid-2015 was also when Tejas started running with me—laying the foundation for one of the few late-in-life friendships that has lasted. He became my training partner, race travel partner, and race-day companion. Around this time, my other friend Naga also started running.

 

2017:

A near-death experience from an appendix rupture and major incisional surgery forced me to take a five-month break (May–October 2017). This was my first major pause since starting to take running seriously in 2015.

To get back, I chose the Tata Mumbai Marathon (Jan 2018) as a target—no pace goals, just finishing, even if it meant walking. Abhishek became my coach and shared his training plan: all easy runs, 3–4 days a week, with focus on getting the distance in.

The first few weeks were tough—I wasn’t a morning runner—but I eventually adapted. Morning runs were a revelation. What a way to start the day! I also hit my first (and only) 100 km mileage week that December.

I also did the Bengaluru half marathon in October just to see my fitness level in less than 18 hours of notices. I was happy to finish it in a reasonably decent time (2:06) – muscle memory is a thing, perhaps!

All of this training was with Tejas by my side. We explored new routes like Pipeline Road and parts of Central Bangalore.

 

2018:

I did my first marathon at Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) in Mumbai, finishing in 4:12—a big achievement just 8 months after major surgery. I also began running consistently during work travel within the country and outside.

Thanks to Devrath Vijay’s Ninjafit bootcamp at The Outfit Jayanagar, I began strength training involving kettlebells. I had never liked gyms before, but this made a difference. (More on that soon.) I start going to the gym 2-3 times a week whenever I was in Bangalore and not on business trips which were aplenty in 2018.

Post the TMM in Jan, I continued building my aerobic base with easy runs and cracked 1:50 for the half marathon in June 2018 in Cape Cod.

A race holiday in Ladakh, a strong 1:46 half marathon in Delhi, and other events made 2018 memorable.

Tejas and I trained for TMM 2019 with a similar plan to 2018, but with added strength training after long runs.

 

2019:

At TMM 2019, I improved my marathon time by 25 minutes. Yes, early gains—but I credit this to strength training and building a consistent aerobic base.

Tejas and I got into the Chicago Marathon 2019 via lottery. That’s when I decided to get a professional coach—Dharmendra (D)—a long-delayed decision I consider one of the best in my running life.

I first spoke to D in 2017, but surgery delayed things. I was also not confident about following a routine before training for TMM 2018. After two marathon cycles, I felt ready.

We started training in February for the October race. D’s style clicked with me. His words after a initial few weeks of training—“Save your legs for the race and don’t overdo training runs”—stuck with me.

Within 10 weeks of training with D, I broke 50 minutes in the 10k with a 47:50 at TCS 10k, just 20 seconds off D’s prediction. I then ran 1:43 at the Celebrate Mysore half marathon in September 2019 5-6 weeks prior to Chicago Marathon.

Structured training—intervals, tempo, easy long runs, strength, cross-training—plus sleep and nutrition made a huge difference. This structured approach seemed to penetrate into other aspects by my life including at work where I had to build a decently sized team from scratch. While I seemed clueless in 2017 and 2018 on the work front, 2019 was a revelation. A marathon training cycle changes you!

At Chicago Marathon 2019, I cramped at 32 km but finished in 3:36 (D predicted 3:35–3:40). Tejas got a solid 3:49. This showed both of us that a combination of structure training, strength training, consistency and discipline works wonders. Post-race, we indulged in the Chicago deep-dish pizza I’d been dreaming about!

Tata Steel 25k in Dec 2019 was our last race before the pandemic. On our return from Kolkata, I joked to Tejas that it might be our last race together—and it was, at least for a while.

 

2020:

Apart from six weeks of lockdown (March–May 2020), I kept running. I aimed for the Malnad Ultra 50k in November but due to the pandemic, the event was uncertain.

Still, I trained for an ultra anyway. Every weekend, long runs. Weekday easy runs (often during lunch breaks), and strength training. My running friends—Veena, Sridhar, Naga, Abhishek, Ambika, Tejas, and others—deserve special thanks for showing up at 5:15 am every weekend.

On Nov 7, I ran the 50k self-supported. Thanks to D’s advice, I planned the day meticulously with a planning document. I was also in awe of the race organisers then since that’s when I realized the amount of planning that goes into a race. The support group—Ajit, Ashwin (on a bike), Veena, Sridhar, Abhishek, Ambika (with her car as an “aid station”), and Tejas (with coconut water!)—made it a success.

I ended the year with a 22:30 5k, not knowing what lay ahead in 2021.

 

2021:

I trained for a half marathon time trial in April and did most of my runs on Agara lake trail. A false Covid-19 scare in March forced a week’s isolation, but I bounced back. I ran my time trial on April 2 and clocked 1:42.

Shortly after, I contracted Covid-19 (Delta wave), leading to 23 days of isolation. Running was never the same. I struggled even with easy runs. Was it the virus or lost fitness? I’ll never know.

A false cardiac diagnosis in October led to more months of inactivity.

 

2022:

Another inconsistent year. Things began reopening. I ran races in Coimbatore and Goa during extended stays—but the spark was missing.

 

2023:

I trained for TMM 2023, completed it in a not-so-great time—mostly due to lack of discipline and the hybrid work mode that had started in November 2022 alongside business travel. But I was proud to finish the marathon and board a US-bound flight for a business trip within 24 hours, reaching just 15 minutes before my meetings started! I continued to train and take part in running events. There was some form of discipline that came back during this time, at least with respect to getting the training runs in.

 

2024:

I trained for the TMM Half Marathon, but a bout of tonsillitis weeks before the race ruined key long runs and taper. That became my last race of the year.

What followed was a tough period mentally. Running, once my anchor, wasn’t available. I no-showed TCS 10k for the first time since 2016 and donated via four more registrations by not showing up to the races.

It was an awful year—personally and for running.

 

2025:

Things thankfully began improving in March. I registered for TCS 10k 2025, hoping to use it as a comeback. I managed only 4–5 runs before the event.

My three goals for the event: show up, not walk, and finish. And I did. The race atmosphere, post-run conversations with D’s mentees, and my own mental clarity made me realize how much I’d missed this. The event reminded me that running is a part of my identity.

Now, I’m slowly rebuilding a routine—with one realistic goal: easy runs a few days a week.

I don’t know where this journey will go. Maybe this is another false start like 2023 or 2024. But I’ll take it one day at a time. My body can still run, and I know my mind works better when it does.

The 13,000 km milestone came at just the right time—and gave me the boost I needed. Here’s hoping I reach 14,000 km by year-end!

 

Special thanks to friends who’ve been part of this journey  (sorry if I forgot anyone):

Suchindra, Abhijit, Praveen, Syed, Suraj, Sindhu, Sandeep, Abhishek, Tejas, Nivedita, Naga, Ahmed,  Arundhathi, Madhav, Ambika, Veena, Sridhar, Deepthi, Mamatha, Sudarshan, Ajit, Ashwin, Kritika, and more.

More special thanks to my strength training coaches from 2018:

Devrath Vijay, Ranjitha, Sankrit, Narsimhan, Sathish, Vishakh, Aravind Raj (my current coach), Marlon, Mariam, Sreenath, Tushar, Rohit, Tejashree, Harsha, Shravan, Mallikarjun, Micheal, Varun, Vaishnavi and some more.

Countries I’ve run in:

India, USA, Germany, England, Scotland, Peru, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan

 

List of Running events I have participated in:

The following are the running events I have taken part in from 2013 until 2025. I will put in the exact dates and timing for each event shortly.

Year	Events
2013	TCS 10k
2014	TCS 10k Ajmera Thump 10k
2015	TCS 10k Celebration Mysore Half Marathon Kaveri Trail Marathon (Half) Bengaluru Marathon (Half)
2016	TCS 10k Ealing Half Marathon (first overseas event) Bengaluru Marathon (Half) Kaveri Trail Marathon (Half) Goa River Marathon (Half)
2017	Dubai Marathon (10k) IDBI Kolkata Marathon (Half) IDBI New Delhi Marathon (Half) Bengaluru Marathon (Half) Kaveri Trail Marathon (Half)
2018	Tata Mumbai Marathon TCS 10k Beach and Back Half Marathon (Mashpee, MA) Hyderabad Marathon (Half) Ladakh Marathon (Half) Airtel Delhi Half Marathon Kaveri Trail Marathon (Half) Tata Steel Kolkata 25k
2019	Tata Mumbai Marathon Town of Celebration Half Marathon (Orlando FL) Surf City Marathon (half, Huntington Beach, CA) TCS 10k The North Face Endurance Challenge (half, Wachusett Mountain, Princeton MA) Celebrate Life Mysore Marathon (Half) Chicago Marathon Kaveri Trail Marathon (Half) Tata Steel Kolkata 25k
2020	N/A
2021	N/A
2022	Bengaluru Marathon April (half) Bengaluru Marathon October (half) Western Naval Command (WNC) Navy Half Marathon Kaveri Trail Marathon (Half)
2023	Tata Mumbai Marathon TCS 10k Cambridge Town and Gown 10k Kaveri Trail Marathon (Half)
2024	Tata Mumbai Marathon (half)
2025	TCS 10k

 

If you made it this far, thank you for reading and thank you for being a part of my running journey. Do write a comment here or a drop me a message if you liked reading this post.