Five months ago, the idea of running a half marathon wasn’t even on my radar. Running demands stamina and endurance, and while I struggled to build stamina, I slowly discovered that I had a natural sense of endurance. So, I focused on long-distance running instead. I progressed from 5K to 10K and eventually to 15K. But no matter the distance, whether 2k or 5k, my pace remained pretty much the same.
In November last year, Satty encouraged me to sign up for the Reading Half Marathon. At the time, I had never run more than 10K, but without overthinking, I registered—motivated by the confidence I gained from completing the full walk marathon in September with no to little practice. That became the start of my serious training. I pushed straight to 15K, and by December, I had managed a full 21K. It was tough, but not impossible. That gave me the confidence that I can do!
I followed a regular training routine in January, running two 5ks and one 15k each week. Toward the end of the month, I was advised to slow down due to a medical concern but not to stop entirely, just take it lightly. I was worried, since this was a goal I had set for myself this year. Thankfully, by the end of February, I was back to normal and eager to complete the race.
The day began early at 5:30 AM. I finished up 30 minutes of agreed office work, had a quick coffee, dropped the kids at a friend’s place, and we hit the road to Maidenhead to meet another friend. From there, we headed to the Reading Race Village, arriving just in time for the start. I was placed in the Pink Wave, which began 30 minutes after the official gun time.
The atmosphere was amazing, friendly runners and a cheerful crowd lining the streets. To my surprise, I ran the first 5k without any walk breaks. The route had two back-to-back uphill stretches before the 10k mark. I managed to run the first incline but had to walk the second. From there on, I followed a regular jeffing rhythm (run-walk intervals).
I skipped the water at the first stop but took a bottle at the second. It was disheartening to see so much water wasted, runners taking a sip and tossing nearly full bottles. I hope future events consider offering smaller 50–100ml bottles to reduce waste.
The half marathon route passes through some of the most iconic parts of Reading—Reading University, the town centre, Prospect Park, and more. The Reading University campus and the high street were buzzing with live bands and crowds. Reading holds a special place in my heart, we lived there for seven years. I’ve worked at Reading University, and many of the streets we passed—Oxford Road, Russell Street, Tilehurst Road—felt deeply personal.
The run was manageable until 10k, then things started to get tough. From 15k onwards, it became a mental battle. I was counting every step and desperately scanning for mile markers and they felt like oasis mirages in a desert.
Back in 2015, while living on Tilehurst Road in Reading, we cheered for the half marathon runners as a family. We clapped enthusiastically for them. The only photo I have from that day is of Arjun.
The final mile felt like chasing a pot of gold. And when I crossed the finish line with a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 37 seconds, I was overwhelmed with pride. I may not have set a record, and I finished in the 30th percentile, but I achieved something I once thought impossible.
I had childhood bronchitis, which resurfaced after our boys were born. In 2015 and 2016, I was on daily steroid inhalers, and my lung function was just at 40%. And there were days I could not walk 100metres without the dose of Steriod. Today, with my lungs functioning at around 60%, I am proud of myself for completing a half marathon.
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