Wellness: A Marathon Transformation
How did a corporate professional who had never dreamed of being an athlete not only take up running marathons but also end up with an incredible feat of 105 unofficial half-marathons in a single year?
On June 29, despite an unexpected health setback—an infected breast cyst—I crossed the finish line of my 50th official race, the Missoula half-marathon, ecstatic and adrenaline-charged, with a time of 2 hours and 58 seconds. Completing 50 races was an exciting milestone, but what made it extra special was the timing: this was achieved a most exactly 25 months after my unofficial Guinness World Record of running 105 half-marathons in 365 days.
Five years ago, I didn't know running would become so incredibly important to me. As a child, I loved playing sports. But I did not get the opportunity to play beyond age 10. Growing up, I never dreamed of being an athlete. My life goal was very practical: to be financially independent. So, I became an engineer, earned a master's, and embraced a corporate career.
Hooked on marathons
When I was 17, I saw a group of Mumbai marathoners and fell in love with their strength, courage, and sense of adventure. Inspired by them, I, too, wanted to run a marathon. My running journey started in college at Texas A&M. Most days, I would go to the Rec Center and run on the track for 30-45 minutes. In 2015, during a highly stressful time, I joined a marathon training program to gain strength, hope, and positivity. Soon, I ran the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. And that got me hooked!
At 26.2 miles, a marathon is challenging for the body and the mind. My first one showed me how strong and resilient the human spirit is. After crossing the finish line, I felt a sense of achievement and fulfillment that I had never felt before. I found adventure and victory. There was a feeling of mission accomplished, freedom from the world’s heaviness, childlike joy, strength, and hope.
Pushing the body and mind to discover what’s possible and building strength is what excites me most about marathons. I decided to run many more marathons and half-marathons because I like persevering and enduring for a meaningful, challenging dream.
Surpassing (unofficially) the Guinness World Record for half-marathons
From June 2021-May 2022, I ran 105 half marathons, which surpasses the current Guinness World Record of most half marathons in a year by a woman (102). Unaware that Guinness World Records requires an application before attempting the record, I naively tried applying for the record in February 2022 when I was already in the process of surpassing the current record. I realized I was too late. I had two choices: to stop the record attempt, get approval from Guinness World Records, and restart a year later, or forget about the official record and continue my running adventure. I knew the right thing was to continue and forget about the official Guinness World Record because some things happen only once, and I knew my body would not be able to recreate this stellar effort anytime soon.
The many rewards of running
I see running as a life-affirming force and a play activity that makes me tougher and better. Every race puts me into a meditative state—thoughts disappear because of the physical exertion, and only an awareness of the fatigue, the aches, and the occasional whisper of the mind is present. Running provides instant gratification because it gifts you with a runner's high and shows you that you can build self-reliance, self-esteem, and self-love without a coach or guide.
Running has shown me a new way of life and a kinder world. At the Rock n Roll Washington DC half marathon, it was 30F and my hands hurt even in gloves. A runner gave me a hot hands hand warmer with a smile. At the Garmin Olathe Half Marathon in Kansas, a runner let me ride with her to the start of the race. At the Hotlanta Half Marathon, I was 10 minutes late because I had forgotten my bib but the race organizers still let me run.
Three years after my first marathon, I read a life-changing book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey. It inspired me to run almost every day. As I ran longer, I noticed many changes in my life. My body naturally rewired its eating habits: it craved fruit smoothies to recover quickly and refused junk food. I started to meditate longer, read more books each month, slept well, and had more energy. I became leaner, and my skin glowed naturally. My work productivity and the quality of my social connections improved massively.
I didn't have a running coach, but I always took feedback from my body. What I learned from well-known, experienced runners is to commit with all my heart and soul, endure, have fun, and not give up.
Running has turned me into an explorer. I have run official races across 30 states. One Saturday morning, I flew to Phoenix and hiked among the enchanting sandstone rock formations at Papago Park. The next day, on Sunday, I ran the Arizona Rock n Roll marathon, revisited Papago Park, caught a red-eye flight to Atlanta, and joined the office Monday morning. Similarly, for the LA Marathon, I took a 6 am flight on Saturday and hiked the beautiful desert trails at Griffith Park Observatory. The next day, on Sunday, I ran the LA marathon, visited the gorgeous Santa Monica Pier in the evening, caught a red-eye flight to Atlanta, and resumed work Monday.
Two weeks later, I ran the Philadelphia Marathon, a beautiful but cold race full of fall colors and historical monuments. I had been super nervous because my knee had mysteriously started to hurt a day before the race. Thankfully, 30 minutes into the marathon, the knee pain vanished.
Running in nature always boosts my energy levels. The Craft Classic Seattle half marathon was a beautiful race through a mystical forest that I finished in just over two hours. After the race, I spent the afternoon at Kerry Park, marveling at the Space Needle, the beautiful waterway, and the city skyline. The Uber driver said I did not look tired even though I had just run a half marathon.
Running has made me a deeply committed person. Due to a storm, the Rocket City Marathon in Alabama was canceled, but we still received the medal. To feel like I earned the medal, the next day, I ran the marathon distance of 26.2 miles at Silver Comet Trail in 38F. Even with gloves, my hands hurt from the cold. I repeated to myself, "This too shall pass." I survived. I ran eight half marathons at Silver Comet Trail for the next eight days.
Running has made me more analytical. I ran sub-2-hour half marathons in Florida on back-to-back weekends, a difficult milestone for me. Observing the body and reading running books has taught me that the difference between finishing fast versus slow is about mindset. The brain creates the experience of fatigue; it's not an objective calculation but a subjective assessment. The brain is usually very conservative, which means the body can go faster.
Running has shown me the body adapts and is resilient despite unfavorable weather. At the San Francisco half marathon, I endured a treacherous rainstorm at the start. Towards the end, I endured stifling heat and humidity once the sun came out. I finished in 2:02:04. After the race, I explored the city with my friend and was thrilled to catch a double rainbow. At the Brooklyn Half marathon, I shivered in the rain for an hour before the start of the race, finished in 2:04:08, and then endured a 90-minute return journey in trains, shivering and miserable.
It's tough to manage a corporate job on weekdays and running adventures on weekends. I stay strong by training right, eating well, and sleeping 8 hours. We are all born runners because we come from a hunter-gatherer-wanderer species whose genes stopped evolving thousands of years ago. Running does not discriminate based on body color, body shape, or gender. The challenge might be finding time, energy, and inspiration to run in the modern world.
I will forever be grateful to running for allowing me to follow my heart, pursue my dreams, and have unforgettable adventures.
[The author provided app data and social media posts to authenticate her claim of having run 105 unofficial half-marathons in a single year.]
Getting Started:
- To get started, read running books, listen to podcasts about runners, and join a running group.
- Join a marathon training program.
- Invest in good running shoes and weather-appropriate running clothes.
- A diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds is great for running.
Training Tips:
- Train consistently and always take feedback from your body.
- Never do anything new in a marathon that you haven’t done in your training runs.
- Running three times a week with a longer run on the weekend is excellent for beginner training.
- Most training programs encourage different types of runs, such as tempo runs, interval runs, hill repeats, and long runs.
- Most running should be done at a leisurely pace where you can comfortably carry on a conversation.
- Cross-training with swimming, elliptical, hiking, biking, and yoga are recommended.
- Prioritize sleep, rest, and recovery, which is when your body absorbs the benefits of training.
At the Race:
- Don't eat a protein bar if you don't want an upset stomach.
- An inspiring race atmosphere, a competitive spirit, and the need to keep up with faster runners can make you run faster than your training pace. Don't fall for this; always maintain your training pace.
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