Four Podiums, Countless Lessons, and One Comeback Story of Running
- Deepa Bhat
- Nov 11
- 3 min read
Why Are Long-Distance Runners So Mentally Strong?
I have asked myself this question many a times but never knew I will write the story too. Because somewhere along the miles, they learn what life rarely teaches, resilience.
The ability to keep moving when it hurts.To stay focused when things fall apart.To find rhythm in chaos and grace in exhaustion.
The last six weeks have been exactly that kind of lesson, on the track, on the mat, and in life itself.
Four competitions. Four podiums.And a journey that tested more than just my legs.
🏃♀️ Khanapur Marathon 25K – 2nd Runner-up
🏋️♀️ Bangalore District Powerlifting – M1 - Winner
🏃♀️ Sekhon Airforce Half Marathon – 2nd Runner-up
🏃♀️ Mangalore Marathon – 1st Runner-up
Each finish line reminded me: strength isn’t just physical.It’s deeply, quietly, stubbornly mental.
Strategy Over Speed
Runners talk about pace, distance, and endurance.But what separates good from great in running and in life is strategy.
It’s not always about how hard you push.It’s about knowing when to accelerate, when to slow down, and when to simply breathe and smile.
Life, like a long run, cannot be lived in 5th gear all the time.Sometimes you slow down to listen.Sometimes you surge.And sometimes, you just stay steady until the road clears.
These podiums weren’t built on endless hustle they were built on awareness, patience, and the ability to stay focused even when the noise around me got louder.
The Storm Before the Stride
This year tested more than my endurance, it tested me. My body, my mind, my spirit, all of it stretched, shaken, and scarred in ways I never saw coming.
I was betrayed by someone I believed. A man who calls himself a runner, yet ran only from truth.Lies upon lies. Apologies that meant nothing. Actions that never matched words.He lied not just to me, but his family, friends and still, every time he came back begging for forgiveness, I gave it.
Because that’s who I am, I trust easily.I believe in people, in redemption, in second chances.But forgiveness without change can quietly destroy you. And I learned that the hard way.
The constant turbulence of that relationship shook my nervous system to its core.My runs once my calm became chaos.Every time I tried to lace up, my heart raced before my feet even moved.Running, my safe space, turned into a trigger.
My health began to crumble under the emotional weight.Sleepless nights, spiraling thoughts, two severe anxiety attacks that left me gasping both literally and emotionally.From hospital visits to days stuck in bed, my body became a reflection of the storm inside.Medicines dulled my clarity, fatigue became my new normal, and joy felt like a stranger.
I stopped running.
I stopped living.
I stopped believing in me.
Betrayal does that it steals your calm, your confidence, your clarity.It empties your spirit quietly, without warning.
But here’s what running reminded me when I finally had the courage to return:Pace may fluctuate, but the runner remains.
Healing begins the moment you stop running from yourself and start running for yourself again.Slowly. Gently. One step, one breath, one truth at a time.
Running Is Life in Motion
Running mirrors life in the simplest, truest ways.You can’t sprint every mile. You learn to pace, to endure, to rest without quitting.
When your mind is tired, you run with your heart.When your heart is tired, you run with your breath.And when everything feels broken, you still move one stride at a time.
Those four podiums aren’t proof of fitness.They’re proof of resilience the kind you rebuild piece by piece when life has tried to break you.
The Real Win
The medals will fade.But the mindset that quiet fire that says keep going stays forever.
This season reminded me that:
Life isn’t lived in 5th gear.
Strategy matters more than speed.
And resilience isn’t something you’re born with it’s something you earn, one comeback at a time.
Because running isn’t just a sport.It’s a metaphor for life.
The pace may change, but the runner in me the fighter, the believer, the woman who refuses to stop will always find her stride again.
What You Get When You Finish a Race
You don’t just cross a line.You cross over into a better version of yourself.
You get perspective, the clarity that every hill you climbed had a purpose.
You get peace, the quiet knowing that pain passes, but progress stays.
You get pride, not from a medal, but from showing up when quitting was easier.
You get humility, the reminder that even strength needs softness.
And you get gratitude, for every mile, every lesson, every breath that carried you home.
Because every finish line isn’t the end.It’s proof that you began again, stronger, steadier, and more you than ever before. These medals aren’t just wins.They are proof of rebuilding.
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