Chapter 1: The Early Days of Running

The alarm buzzed at 4 am, and instead of jumping out of bed, I hit the snooze button, promising myself I'd run in the evening. By 7 pm, after a long day at work, I would tell myself I’d run in the morning instead. This cycle persisted, starting in March after my trip to Mumbai and continued for several months.

Before my trip, I had been committed to a morning routine: waking up at 4 am, dedicating half an hour to reading, another half hour to running, and journaling daily. Everything in my life—both personal and professional—seemed to be thriving. For more insights, check out my post on Day 1 of the 30 Day Miracle Morning.

Fast forward to mid-July. I began reading Eat and Run by Scott Jurek, a renowned ultra-marathon runner. His insights on a vegan diet and its benefits for recovery inspired me to experiment with my own diet, avoiding dairy as much as possible. The first week was challenging, especially when dining out with friends, but I managed to stick with it.

On July 8th, after a three-month hiatus from running, I laced up my shoes for a long, slow run. To my surprise, I completed 10 km in 65 minutes, feeling fit and relaxed instead of exhausted. Encouraged, I ran another 10 km the next day, maintaining the same time.

To provide some context, two years prior, I had just begun running. I would typically run 8 km for a few consecutive days before taking a break. While I had covered longer distances, I had never attempted them on consecutive days. This was a new milestone for me.

Motivated by some personal and professional challenges, I decided to take on a new goal: running 10 km daily for a month. The day after my second run, I spent a long day out with friends, which meant I returned home late. On Monday, I faced the reality of skipping my morning run. By the time I got home, it was nearly 7 pm, and I had to push myself to run despite the late hour. That day reinforced my belief that I could run no matter the circumstances.

For the next two weeks, I maintained my routine of running 10 km daily while sticking to my vegan diet. However, after two weeks, I noticed no significant changes—my weight remained the same, and my speed had not improved. On July 22nd, day 15, I struggled to get motivated for my run. I wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep. Nonetheless, I completed the 10 km, marking the end of my 15-day streak. Initially, I had hoped to keep it going for 100 days, but that was not to be.

Yesterday, I revised my approach. I decided to reduce my running distance and focus on building strength to enhance my running pace. I also abandoned my vegan diet. On the 22nd, I indulged in paneer for lunch and savored every bite, feeling guilty yet satisfied. To cap off my 15-day streak, I treated myself to ice cream that night.

In this video, I take on the challenge of running 150 km in just 24 hours, showcasing the mental and physical endurance required for such an endeavor.

Chapter 2: The Importance of Endurance and Strength

This video highlights a teenager's remarkable achievement in cycling the fastest 150 km distance, emphasizing the dedication and training involved in endurance sports.