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You Are Not Slow. You Are Building.
Hello runners.
Today…
Today…
I’m speaking to the ones:
Who think they are slow.
The ones who start at the back.
The ones who get overtaken.
The ones who doubt themselves.
Because I know that feeling.
Today my 10K PB is 43:22 — at Run Utsav 3.0, December 2025. My Half Marathon PB is 1:41:18 — at Kolkata Police Half Marathon, January 2026. That was my second Half Marathon.
Today my 10K PB is 43:22 — at Run Utsav 3.0, December 2025. My Half Marathon PB is 1:41:18 — at Kolkata Police Half Marathon, January 2026. That was my second Half Marathon.
But I didn’t start there.
My journey began at the Kolkata 1st Tata Ultra Marathon 2024.
I still remember — November 2024.
10 kilometers. Almost 56 minutes. Tired. Exhausted. Not as a champion. Not as an elite athlete. Just as someone willing to try.
10 kilometers. Almost 56 minutes. Tired. Exhausted. Not as a champion. Not as an elite athlete. Just as someone willing to try.
And then in 2025 — everything paused.
A nose injury. A ligament injury.
A nose injury. A ligament injury.
Three months.
Three months of watching others improve.
Three months of feeling slow.
Weak.
Behind.
And during that silence, I learned something powerful:
Speed is not what makes you a runner.
Consistency does.
When I came back, I didn’t chase pace.
I trained smart.
1. Treadmill runs to rebuild my base.
1. Treadmill runs to rebuild my base.
2. Tempo runs to regain rhythm.
3. Long runs to rebuild endurance.
4. Strength training to protect my body.
5. Mobility work to stay injury-free.
And I respected rest days like they were workouts.
Because runners don’t need ego.
They need patience.
Let me say this clearly:
If you "run slow" you are not behind.
You are building.
You are building.
Smart runners rely on Discipline.
And discipline wins in the long run.
Don’t rush your progress.
Don’t compare your pace.
Don’t skip recovery trying to impress someone.
Train smart.
Recover properly.
Build gradually.
Because running is not about who finishes first.
It’s about who keeps showing up year after year.
If you finish a 10K in 75 minutes — Be Proud.
If you finish in 60 minutes — Be Proud.
If you finish in 50 minutes — Be Proud.
But most importantly — train in a way that allows you to run for life.
But most importantly — train in a way that allows you to run for life.
I was forced to stop for three months.
And when I came back, I came back smarter.
That’s why I’m improving, because I learned to respect the process.
To every runner here:
You are not slow.
You are in progress.
And progress — done smartly — always beats speed without discipline.
Keep showing up.
Keep training wisely.
Trust your journey.
Thank you.
Debanjan Guchhait
Email: debanjan.guchhait96@gmail.com
(Insta: deb.gucci)
(Insta: deb.gucci)
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