Week 1 of 42: Running Back To 42K

It’s been one week since I laced up and set a bold goal of completing a 42K marathon in 42 weeks. Sounds ambitious? Maybe. But right now, the mission is simple: show up every day and build consistency.

You’ve probably heard the saying: “Do something for 21 days, and it becomes a habit.” Well, I’m seven days in and cautiously optimistic. So far, so good!

In the past, I made the classic beginner’s mistake of going all in too soon, pushing too hard, and burning out fast. This time, I’m pacing myself, so this week I focused on:
– 3K daily walks
– Basic stretches
– Meditation for focus

The goal is to build a base foundation and then ramping up. I’ll dive deeper into the three phases of run preparation in future posts.

2019 was a golden year for my running journey. I hit milestones that still make me proud:

That year, I completed 2 x 10Ks, a 21K, and a 42K, what I would like to call a perfect trifecta. And I’m looking to recreate it in 2025. But this time, I’m ditching the roads and participating in trail runs only! Which brings me to the big announcement..

I’ve officially signed up for my first 10K trail run in five years! The Jarakabande Eco Ultra on March 9.

This race is special because the trail is practically in my backyard, it’s just a few kilometers off Yelahanka. I’ve ran here many times before, and trust me, it’s stunning.

If you love running in nature, this one’s worth checking out. Click here for registration and details!

Stay tuned – I’ll be sharing my prep, training struggles (because there will be some), and race-day experience soon! Meanwhile, here’s a teaser of what awaits on the trails…

To keep myself accountable, I’m documenting my journey with the below weekly recap format:

This week’s highlight? Registering for the Jarakabande Eco Ultra! Also, just showing up every day coz small wins matter too.

So far, no major struggles. I’m savouring this beginner’s bliss while it lasts!

Dynamic stretches before and static stretches after the run. I’ve been mixing them up, but proper stretching makes a lot of difference in the long run, pun intended 🙂

There was a time I couldn’t run without music. Here I share the tracks that fuels my run.

This week’s pick: “People Make The World Go ‘Round” – Michael Jackson
Why? Just brilliant lyrics. I can’t believe this song was released back in 1972 and still accurate with the current world.

Listen here and enjoy.

I’m adding intermittent running to my routine. Distance stays at 3km, but I’ll aim to run the first 1K and walk the rest.

Do you like this format? Should I add, change, or improve anything? Drop your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear your inputs!

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Here’s to another week of running, learning, and growing. Until next time, keep moving!