The running journey
Twelve months ago one park lap left me walking. By June a sub-2 half — by August, 1:49 at NMDC — then a 47:10 10K at Run for Nature. No coach, just sunrise miles logged on Strava.
Across 135 runs
125 different days out
~32 km every week
≈ half of Everest
1:49:01
Half marathon
NMDC Hyderabad Half Marathon · 30 Aug 2026
47:10
10K
Run for Nature 2026 · 6 Sep 2026
32.9 km
Longest run
Avantika Telangana Trail Run - 2026 · 4 Oct
4:43 /km
10K race pace
Run for Nature 2026 · 6 Sep 2026
01
Five weeks in January and February 2026: walks, one easy ride, then a first 8 km and a first 10K.
The honest starting line. Walks, one easy ride, and a body that couldn't finish a loop of the park. The only plan: keep showing up.
Opened the account with an 8 km morning run. Slow and heavy-legged — proof the engine just needed building.
Double digits before breakfast. A number that had felt impossible a month earlier.
02
April fell to 30 km. August finished at 203. The distance between those two numbers is the story.
1182
km across 9 months
Peak · Aug '26 · 203 km
Feb '26
Mar '26
Apr '26
May '26
Jun '26
Jul '26
Aug '26
Sep '26
Oct '26
03
Three curves running under the mileage: median pace, days out per week, and how far the longest run reached.
W33
W34
W35
W36
W37
W38
W39
W40
W41
W42
1 Feb
8 Feb
15 Feb
15 Feb
7 Jun
2 Aug
23 Aug
13 Sept
20 Sept
4 Oct
Latest PR · Avantika Telangana Trail Run - 2026 · 32.9 km · Fastest median · 5:49/km
W33
W34
W35
W36
W37
W38
W39
W40
W41
W42
1 Feb
8 Feb
15 Feb
15 Feb
7 Jun
2 Aug
23 Aug
13 Sept
20 Sept
4 Oct
Latest PR · Avantika Telangana Trail Run - 2026 · 32.9 km · Fastest median · 5:49/km
04
Six races in. First 10K at 55:17, then 51:11, two halves — 1:59:15 and 1:49:01 — and a new 10K PB at 47:10.
Ten minutes off the first half — 1:49:01 in humid Hyderabad air. The sub-1:50 goal from the season plan, crossed at the 15th edition start line.
1:49:01
Official chip
Memzo · Event gallery
Relive the best moments from NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026 — tap to browse the full gallery.
View gallery →Four minutes off City Slam — 47:10 at 4:43/km. The first sub-48 10K, and proof the half training had turned into real race-day speed.
47:10
Official chip
Run for Nature 10K PB
Watch on YouTube29 Mar 2026
The IT-Run Sprint
First bib
10K
55:17
26 Apr 2026
TCS World 10K
Heat lesson
10K
59:25
24 May 2026
Hyderabad Summer City Slam
Former 10K PB
Four minutes faster than the same distance a month before — 5:03/km in brutal summer heat.
10K
51:11
7 Jun 2026
Telangana Run
First HM · sub-2:00
From a body that couldn't finish a park loop to 21.1 km under two hours — five months, one stubborn habit, and a first half that broke the tape.
Half marathon
1:59:15
16 Aug 2026
Hyderabad Monsoon Run
Same pace as City Slam 10K
The City Slam 5:03/km, carried for sixteen kilometres in monsoon humidity at T-Works. Proof the half was not a one-off.
16.1 km
1:22:35
05
Easy miles, speed work, and the long runs that made race day possible — not another race recap.
A deliberate 16 km held in Zone 2 — training the body to stay relaxed for two hours. The unglamorous easy miles became the foundation.
Speed sessions (8×800, 8×400), progression runs, a 19 km long run, and weeks around 26 km. Training with intent, not just mileage.
Back out to 21.3 km with 254 m of climbing. The base is set — next work is the start line, and faster times.
Held 5:03/km — the City Slam 10K pace — for 16.4 km at T-Works. Same effort, longer tape.
A new longest run at easy effort — 22.4 km in 2:27 before the NMDC half. The engine is stretching, not sprinting.
1:49:01 — ten minutes off the June half and under the 1:50 target. Corral A, humid air, and a finish-line medal that tasted like the whole season.
47:10 — a new 10K PB at 4:43/km. Four minutes faster than City Slam, and the first time under 48.
21.1 km · 5:37/km
2:26:59 · 22.4 km · 6:34/km
1:49:01 · 21.1 km · 5:10/km
47:10 · 10.0 km · 4:43/km
06
Nineteen weeks to Tata Mumbai Marathon. Sessions clear only when a matching Strava activity syncs to the site.
A-race17 Jan 2027Mumbai
Goal Sub-3:30 at ~4:58 /km. Week 6 of 19 — Build phase.
Sub-3:30
Target finish
38/141
Sessions matched
2/19
Weeks cleared
Plan progress
27%
1–5
Easy volume, hills, and long runs — Soldierathon HM + Ananthagiri 32K as checkpoints.
2/5 weeks
6–11
NowDelhi half, first full at Hitech, then race-pace long runs back toward 30K.
0/6 weeks
12–16
Peak long runs (32–34K), MP work, then Tata Steel World 25K as a tune-up.
0/5 weeks
17–19
Cut volume, keep sharpness — progressive half, short long, then TMM.
0/3 weeks
Vedanta Delhi Half
6 of 7 matched
86%
Mon · today
Rest day
Rest
Scheduled rest
Tue
Matched
6 km Easy
Wed
Matched
Legs & Core
Thu
Moved
Race Pace Practice Ks
Fri
Strength
Full Body
55–65 min
Sat
Rest day
Rest
Scheduled rest
Sun
Matched
Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon
Double days stack in one column. Rest clears only with no training that day; sessions can still match ±1 day if you shuffle.
Mon · today
Rest day
Rest
Scheduled rest
Tue
Matched
6 km Easy
Wed
Matched
Legs & Core
Thu
Moved
Race Pace Practice Ks
Fri
Strength
Full Body
55–65 min
Sat
Rest day
Rest
Scheduled rest
Sun
Matched
Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon
07
Checkpoints on the way to Mumbai — Hitech to finish, TMM to race the clock.
18 Oct 2026 · New Delhi · Half marathon
Event pageThe peak
1 Nov 2026 · Hyderabad · Full marathon
First full marathon — finish and learn. TMM is the time-goal race.
Season close
20 Dec 2026 · Kolkata · 25 km
17 Jan 2027 · Mumbai · Full marathon
A-race on 17 Jan 2027. Target ~4:58/km after Hitech as the debut full and a December 25K tune-up.
Hitech on 1 Nov is marathon #1: finish strong, learn fueling, don’t empty the tank.
NMDC landed at 1:49 — October halves and plan quality work should carve toward 1:45.
08
Latest efforts from Strava. Open Details for elevation, chip vs moving time, and the GPS track.
Morning
18 Oct
21.44
km
4:52
/km
1:44:13
time
21m
elev
Morning · 2 PR
16 Oct
8.49
km
6:24
/km
54:18
time
50m
elev
Morning
13 Oct
6.03
km
7:58
/km
48:05
time
33m
elev
Morning · 2 PR
11 Oct
25.33
km
6:47
/km
2:51:39
time
172m
elev
172
spm
181
effort
15.0
max km/h
12
awards
2
kudos
Race day · ASICS Novablast 5
Night
9 Oct
3.01
km
10:19
/km
31:01
time
7m
elev
Night
8 Oct
10.01
km
6:08
/km
1:01:26
time
96m
elev
Evening
6 Oct
6.01
km
9:36
/km
57:39
time
10m
elev
Morning · 1 PR
4 Oct
32.95
km
7:09
/km
3:55:45
time
587m
elev
Morning
1 Oct
9.10
km
7:51
/km
1:11:25
time
36m
elev
850 km across 4 pairs
The Nimbus carries the volume; the Novablast only comes out on race mornings.
Daily trainer
604 km
Long runs & most weekly miles
Race day
175 km
Half marathons & fast efforts
College shoe
52 km
Easy and recovery days
Barefoot
19 km
Hikes & giri pradakshina
