The Long Stride

Growing up playing football, running was quite a hated part of the training, it was the punishment at times, the part everyone tried to avoid but still had to do if you wanted to get better. Funny how it works, the thing I used to avoid is now what I wake up early for, sleep early for, and probably the best thing to come out of my 2025.

With 2025 coming to an end, these are my running numbers. Decent, considering I’ve only been kind of consistent for six months.

I have come a long way since my first run, but it has not become easier. Most days are uncomfortable. Quitting is tempting and sometimes very easy. The difference is that I have gotten much better at sitting with a high heart rate and lactic build up in the legs. These numbers are not fast or impressive by any standard. They are just mine.

Mahalaxmi Racecourse

The Reward

Running is the most rewarding thing I have experienced. Early on, the progress feels quick and obvious, which makes it exciting. The difficult part is staying consistent once that feeling fades. Showing up becomes the real work. One of my biggest lessons was understanding that effort does not look the same every day. Some days you only have 50 percent, and giving that is enough. Easy zone runs are just as important as hard ones.

As Eliud Kipchoge says, only the disciplined ones in life are truly free. That is something I am still figuring out, run by run.

Anyone can RUN

Everyone is waiting for motivation to begin. We keep collecting excuses like bad sleep, sore legs, or not having the right shoes. Running does not care about any of that. It is the most inclusive sport I have ever seen. It doesn’t matter if you are heavy or light, tall or short. The only requirement is that you show up consistently.

And if you do that long enough, it starts shaping your life and it’s not just fitness. It goes beyond that. It’s my favourite way to explore new places and really makes me look at distances and our surroundings in a different way. It pushes you to stay disciplined and patient when things get uncomfortable, to “trust the process” and keep going, even on days that feel harder than usual.

Looking Forward

I plan on becoming a better runner in the coming year and taking part in more races, hopefully even a marathon. More than anything, I just wanted to acknowledge my journey so far and how much running has slowly become a part of my life. I do not really believe in New Year resolutions, but if I had to think of a general goal for 2026, it would be this: to keep consistently showing up and getting better slowly and steadily.