I started running regularly in mid-2023 and clocked a personal best of 1:03:23 at the TCS World 10K 2024. My first 10K was back in 2016, where I finished in 1:22:48 with plenty of walk breaks. I’d come far but I wasn’t fully satisfied. The progress kept me motivated, and I set my sights on a new goal: a sub-60-minute 10K at the 2025 TCS World 10K, giving me a full year to improve.
In May 2024, I got a Garmin Forerunner 965 and within a few months of use, I realized my training had no structure. My watch frequently flagged my training status as “Strained.” I pushed hard every run, thinking that’s what it took to improve. That led to a knee injury (Chondromalacia Patella) in August, forcing a break. During that time, I immersed myself in running videos on YouTube and scrolled through endless Reddit threads. It was probably my way of experiencing running vicariously, haha. Not running affected my energy and mood noticeably. Determined to return smarter, I turned to Garmin’s Daily Suggested Workouts (DSW).
I restarted with easy base runs, gradually increasing weekly mileage. I switched to heart rate-based training and set the 2025 TCS 10K as my goal on Garmin. From then on, I followed DSWs religiously. Whether rest, base, threshold or tempo, I did what the watch prescribed.
Most of my runs were on a treadmill since outdoor options were limited. The roads near where I live are in terrible condition, and the nearest parks and lakes with good running routes are about a 15-minute bike ride away. The monotony was tough, but I stuck with it, passing time with podcasts and music. Over three months, I saw real progress. My base run pace improved from 8.0 to 8.6 kmph, and I ran a 5K in February (29:24) and a treadmill 5K in March (29:19), both easier than any of my all-out efforts in 2024.
As race day neared, I gained confidence. Though tempted to aim for sub-58, I decided to stick with the sub-60 goal to avoid injury. I followed GeeksOnFeet’s route preview and race strategy, saving pace cues to my phone. I tapered with adjusted sleep, more carbs, and extra rest days. A shakeout run the day before felt great. I felt mentally and physically prepared for the race and my excitement was going higher and higher by the minute. I couldn’t wait to get to the start line the next day!
I woke at 4:30 a.m. without hitting snooze (probably the first time in my life), did a short warm-up, ate a granola bar, drank water, and arrived at the venue by 5:50 a.m. After two bananas, I warmed up with light jogging and stretches. At 6:15 a.m., I moved into Corral C. The place was packed; there seemed to be a lot more participants this time around compared to last year. As we neared the start, surrounded by others, I felt emotional; several months of training had culminated in this moment. I felt confident & happy.
The first couple of kilometers flew by. Since I was in Corral C this year—much faster than Corral F last year—so I didn’t have to zig-zag around walkers. The early downhills helped me settle into a rhythm. I held back, reminding myself not to go too fast. If I’d run purely by feel, I might have gone at 5:45/km, but I stayed around 6:00, trusting the plan.
One of the most inspiring moments came early on: a blind runner tethered to a guide, with another pacing ahead. Watching them run with such synchronicity and determination moved me deeply. It reminded me of the quiet strength and support that defines running communities, the resilience of the human spirit and the simple but powerful ways people lift each other up.
Kilometers 3 and 4 were slightly harder than I was expecting. There were 2 U-turns and some uphill sections. I couldn’t quite lock into my goal pace; I found myself always overshooting or being a bit under the target pace. I chose to err on the side of being slower to save energy for kilometer 5, which is the “mid-race challenge” as the GeeksOnFeet race preview put it. I glanced at my watch and the pace was around 6:05/km. Not perfect, but still strong. I remembered how drained I felt at this point last year and took comfort in how much better things felt now.
Kilometer 5 was hard. My watch showed 6:35 pace even though I was pushing. I tried to speed up but could barely bring it below 6:30. I reminded myself not to overexert and planned to regain pace during the later downhills.
I barely remember kilometers 6 and 7. I switched on music to distract myself and focused on breathing, cadence, and staying steady. I remember grabbing water somewhere here and looking for a trash bin.
Kilometer 8 was a treat. A long downhill stretch and up-tempo music gave me a second wind. I pushed the pace and watched my average drop from 6:08 to 6:03. I knew sub-60 was now firmly within reach.
Kilometer 9 felt fantastic. The energy of the course picked up. There was a slight uphill but this did not bother me one bit since I knew this was the penultimate kilometer and there were plenty of sights to distract from the effort. I passed Cubbon Park and the majestic Vidhana Soudha; wide roads, cheering crowds, and a rising sense of triumph. I started overtaking other runners, feeding off the momentum.
Kilometer 10 was the craziest part of the race. When I saw the “800m to go” board, I surged, and then surged again. My face contorted in effort, like it involuntarily does when you give an all-out effort at the gym. I grunted involuntarily, and sometimes voluntarily as I felt it helped me push harder. I overtook a bunch of runners. With 500m to go, I glanced at my watch a final time. My heart rate had climbed to 188. I held steady. At 200m to go I saw another runner overtake me, yell “C’MON!” and make a dash for the finish. I felt supercharged by this. With the finish line in sight, I dashed too. I gave it everything. I sprinted as fast I could and before I knew it, I crossed the finish line. I pressed the stop button on my watch the moment I crossed it. I didn’t even check my watch. I knew it was sub-60.
After crossing the finish line, I caught up with the runner who had yelled “C’MON” and sprinted ahead. I told him how that final burst of energy helped me push through the last 200 meters. We exchanged a few words, shared a laugh, and then went our separate ways. It felt great to connect—even briefly—with a total stranger over something as simple as running.
I collected my medal and did a short cool-down routine before heading home. The event was quite well organized—seamless registration, a well-curated expo, quick bib collection, clear course details shared well in advance, plenty of refueling points along the route (which I should’ve used better), energizing drum bands at key spots, and a route that struck the perfect balance between challenging and fun. The only negatives were the lack of enough trash bins along the route, which made disposing of water bottles tricky, and the post-race breakfast box, which included mostly unhealthy packaged snacks. Overall, the TCS World 10K 2025 was an amazing experience. I felt proud of the discipline I’d shown over the past few months, grateful for the journey, and already excited to continue onto greater achievements.
I have the Bengaluru Runners Jatre 5K coming up in June, the Bengaluru 10K Challenge in July, and then the Wipro Bengaluru Half Marathon (which will be my first half marathon) in September. If all goes well, I’ll be back at the start line for TCS 10K 2026—this time in Corral B—and ready to chase a brand new PB!
Overall Rank: 4115
Age Category Rank: 585
Gender Rank: 3864
Akshay Damle
Akshay is an amateur runner who began his running journey in early 2024. He is focused on improving his speed in the 5K and 10K distances, with future plans to tackle marathons. Outside of running, he enjoys baking and playing the guitar. Akshay works in Quantitative Research at JPMorgan Chase.