The Road to Sub45: Chasing a New Personal Best

There’s a quiet moment before every race when everything feels still. Not silent, but paused. Like the world is holding its breath with you.

I’ve felt that moment before.

But this time, it feels different.

Because this time, it’s not just about finishing.

It’s about chasing something very specific. Very personal. A number that has stayed in my mind long enough to turn into a goal, and then slowly into an obsession.

Sub 45.

If you’ve read my earlier story, you know that running didn’t begin for me as a pursuit of time. It began as a pursuit of change.

It changed how I looked at my body.
It changed how I dealt with stress.
It changed how I defined discipline.

Back then, the road to 42.2 km was about proving that I could go the distance.

Now, the distance feels familiar.

What has changed is the intent.

The decision to run the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2026 didn’t come suddenly. It built itself over time, through races, training cycles, missed targets, and small personal wins that only a runner understands.

Every 10K I’ve run so far has taught me something.

Some races taught me patience.
Some taught me pacing.
And some exposed the gap between what I thought I could do and what I was actually prepared for.

Somewhere in between, the idea of running a sub-45 minute 10K stopped sounding like a dream and started feeling like a possibility.

A difficult one, yes. But real.

The moment I registered, it stopped being a thought.

It became a commitment.

26th April 2026 is now marked not just on my calendar, but in my routine, my mornings, my recovery days, and my choices.

Because a sub-45 doesn’t come from one good run.

It comes from weeks of showing up when motivation is low.
From runs where the pace doesn’t cooperate.
From days when your legs feel heavier than your goals.

This training cycle feels different from anything I’ve done before.

Earlier, I used to run with a simple mindset: finish strong, feel good.

Now, every run has a purpose.

Easy runs are truly easy.
Tempo runs are uncomfortable by design.
Intervals are no longer optional.

There’s a structure now. A discipline that is less emotional and more intentional.

And with that structure comes a new kind of awareness.

You start noticing your breathing patterns.
You become conscious of your cadence.
You understand how small changes in pace can have a big impact over 10 kilometers.

Running, which once felt like freedom, now also feels like precision.

One of the biggest shifts has been mental.

Because let’s be honest, sub-45 is not just about fitness.

It’s about belief.

There’s a part of you that constantly does the math.

4:30 per km… can I hold that?
What if I start too fast?”
What happens after 6 km?

And then there’s another voice.

Quieter, but stronger.

You’ve done the work.

Getting into the Procam running slab feels like a milestone in itself.

Not because it guarantees anything, but because it reflects progress.

It tells you that you are no longer just participating.

You are preparing.

You are being measured differently.

And that brings its own pressure.

Standing at the start line among faster runners changes your perspective. The pace feels sharper. The intent around you feels serious.

There’s no hiding in the crowd.

But maybe that’s exactly what I need.

I often think about what race day will feel like.

The early morning in Bengaluru.
The energy at the start line.
The sound of shoes hitting the road in rhythm.

The first kilometer will feel easy. It always does.

The real race begins after that.

At 3 km, the body settles.
At 5 km, the questions begin.
At 7 km, the discomfort becomes real.
At 8 km, it turns into a test.

And somewhere between 8 and 10 km, the race stops being physical.

It becomes personal.

There’s something about chasing a time that strips everything down.

No distractions.
No shortcuts.
No excuses.

Either you hold the pace, or you don’t.

And that honesty is what makes this goal so powerful.

Because when you finally cross that finish line, the clock doesn’t just show a number.

It reflects every early morning.
Every disciplined decision.
Every run you almost skipped but didn’t.

This journey is not just about one race.

It’s about evolution.

From someone who once wondered if 5 km was possible…
To someone now calculating splits for a 10K.

From running for completion…
To running for performance.

And yet, at its core, the feeling remains the same.

The joy of putting one foot in front of the other.

I know that race day won’t be perfect.

No race ever is.

There will be moments where the pace feels hard.
There might be seconds lost at turns or water stations.
There will definitely be a point where the mind will try to negotiate.

But that’s part of the experience.

Because goals like this are not meant to be comfortable.

They are meant to challenge you just enough to change you.

As 26th April approaches, the focus is simple.

Stay consistent.
Stay patient.
Trust the process.

The result will take care of itself.

And when I finally stand at that start line in Bengaluru, I know one thing for sure.

I won’t be the same runner who started this journey.

Because somewhere between the first training run and race day…

I would have already moved closer to that version of myself I’ve been chasing.

Sub-45 is just the number.

The real win is becoming the runner capable of it.

And that journey is already underway.