After February 22, 2025, the 9th of March 2025 will hold a special place in my heart. I participated in a 5K run. Though it was a Fun Run, for someone like me, it was a serious event.
Here’s my secret dream—well, not a secret anymore: I’ve always wanted to run a marathon (half or full). However, over the past 4 to 5 years, I’ve been going through a not-so-healthy phase. Since the COVID-19 days, followed by my second pregnancy and a lack of time for myself after delivery, I had been gaining weight.
From M to XL, I didn’t like it. Weight isn’t a problem for me because it makes me look bad; I was never “good-looking.” But it bothers me because many times I feel suffocated and lethargic, which leads to insomnia, bloating, etc. Since last year, I’ve been trying to be regular with walks. There are months when I’m consistent, and then there are months when I don’t step out at all.
Prema, with whom I only exchanged pleasantries when we lived in the same society, became someone I started chatting with after we moved to another place. She is a runner, a dance lover, and effortless with sarees—someone who always exudes positivity. I shared my dream with her, and she gave me tips on how to start running. A while ago, she mentioned a Saree Run, but I wasn’t comfortable attempting it in a saree. Then, two days later, I got a notification about the Wesness Women’s Fun Run for 5K. Somehow, I felt like I should do it. A 5K I could do. I shared this with Prema, and though she couldn’t join, she motivated me a lot to go. I was going to do this alone.
I told Nimit, my husband, that I wanted to participate in the event. He said, “Yes, you must go, but just don’t overdo it.” Though, in my mind, I heard him say, “Don’t come back in an ambulance.” Strange voices! I didn’t tell many people because I wasn’t sure if something might go wrong, and I might not go. That happens to me sometimes.
The night before, my son started complaining of ear pain. I already sleep with difficulty, so when I had to comfort him at 3 AM, I was exhausted. He was in my arms until 4:10. I was supposed to wake up at 4:30 to get ready for the event. He finally fell asleep by 4:20, and I wasn’t sure if I should go since I had hardly slept and he was still in pain. But as soon as he fell asleep, Nimit told me to go. I took a bath to wake myself up, got ready, and left home at 5:20 AM. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the roads were not deserted. It was still dark, but cleaning workers were already at work.
Once I reached the Gachibowli stadium, we had to walk for about 1-1.5 km to reach the event area. I saw hundreds of women already warming up with Zumba. Initially, I thought I’d just do my regular stretches, but then I thought, “Who’s here to judge me? Let me dance!” And I did. Another solo participant joined me, and we started chatting. She was a very warm person. It turned out that it wasn’t her first time running.
We all stood at the starting point, and when the race began, there was no space to run. We walked for quite a few meters. Princee, the warm lady, told me to relax and not look for running space yet. “Start when we reach the main road. You’ll get some space,” she said. I followed her advice and told her to maintain her pace, as I might be slower than her. I put on some music and started. I think I jogged for 50% of the stretch and walked the other 50%. When there was space, a flat surface, or a slope, I ran. On elevations, I walked. With just 1 km left to cover, I felt the need to stretch my toes—they had gone numb. I did a couple of stretches and then ran to the finish line. A security guard took my short video and several photos as I received the medal. It was fantastic—my first-ever medal for running!
Another lady asked me to help adjust her tiara and take photos of her, and she’d do the same for me. Afterward, I grabbed my breakfast box and sat down to eat. Ooooooh, I could finally feel my legs! I devoured the entire box in under 10 minutes, probably. Just as I was getting up, another lady sitting behind me asked if I could take her photo. I did, and then we both headed for the photo booth and took pictures of each other. I must say, it was Behenchara Pro Max there—everyone was more than happy to take a stranger’s phone and click her best photos.
While eating, there was a quick chat session with a doctor from Apollo, raising awareness about breast cancer, followed by someone from Westside introducing their new breathable bras. We even got a voucher to redeem until that evening for those bras at Westside.
The floor was then opened for a DJ and dance session. I decided it was time to leave. It was another kilometer or so walk to the parking lot. On my way home, I called my father, who had arrived in Hyderabad the previous night. My brother’s house was just a little detour, so I asked him to come downstairs. When I reached there, I was so happy to share my joy with him. Back home, my son still wasn’t feeling well, but everything was calm. After several hours, I could feel some pain in my legs, but I figured it would pass soon. My son was feeling better, too. Phew, what a relief!
I shared my photos with the people I thought would genuinely be happy for me and motivate me—Prema, Apurv, my school and college friend groups (all runners), and a few other family groups. A 5K may not be a big deal for many of you. However, more than the distance covered, it was the first baby step I took to get out of my shell and do something I’ve always wanted to do. This year, there will be more milestones, big or small, and I will keep going with the most important supporting pillars: Nimit and my children!
Here are a few of the photos from the run:
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