First Wednesday in June = Global Running Day. Run for your heart, your playlist and everyone who paved the way. 🏃🏽♀️🌍
TCS sponsoring the NYC Marathon? That's a flex. South Asian-run clubs popping up from Jersey to the Bay? That’s community*. And on a personal level, running gives us something many of us never knew we needed, space. There’s a reason more of us are lacing up these days.
Movement is woven into our story, in the deep stretch of a sun salutation, the stamina of Bharatanatyam footwork, the hours-long cricket matches, and the aunties who treat three flights of stairs and ten grocery bags like it’s light work. From PT Usha blazing down tracks in the ’80s to Fauja Singh sprinting past stereotypes at 100 years old, our community has always moved with purpose.
The Health Boost
Running is one of the simplest, most powerful ways to take care of your heart, your body, and your future. Just 30 minutes a few times a week can:
Lower your risk of heart disease: which affects South Asians vs. U.S. population
Improve blood sugar control: Indian Americans are 4x more likely to get type 2 diabetes
Boost energy: circulation, and mental clarity
Build: endurance and bone strength over time
According to the American Heart Association, a brisk 150 minutes of running per week can dramatically reduce the risk of cardiovascular issues. For Indian Americans, who have a higher risk of “skinny fat” metabolic profiles (normal weight but high internal fat and insulin resistance), movement matters even more.
Every mile is a proactive step, toward longer walks with loved ones, stronger bones into your 80s, and a life powered by energy, not prescriptions.
What Running Gives Us (Mentally)
Running brings us presence, the kind that grounds you in every inhale, every stride, every beat of your playlist. It’s a moving meditation, a rhythm that clears space for new thoughts, fresh ideas, and moments of stillness even while in motion.
Mental Clarity: Clears the noise, sharpens focus
Emotional Balance: Boosts mood, calms the nervous system
Intentional Time: Just you, your breath, and your playlist
Stronger Mindset: Builds discipline, confidence, and presence
Everyday Joy: A natural high that carries into the rest of your day
Every step is strength. Every mile is mental wellness in motion.
Your Run, Your Rules
Some of us run to clear our heads before big presentations. Others run because it's the only hour of the day that belongs completely to us. Some run with friends, others need the solitude. There's no wrong way to do this. Your playlist can be Bollywood, Taylor Swift, or podcast episodes about true crime. You can run in the morning before the world wakes up or in the evening when you need to decompress.
The only rule is that it has to feel good to you.
Keep Going
Whether you're thinking about starting or you've been running for years, you're part of something bigger. Every time you lace up, you're adding to a story that says we care. Share your post-run selfies. Celebrate your cousins' race photos. Show up for each other at finish lines with the loudest cheers and the best snacks.
Let's keep rewriting what it looks like to run the world, one mile at a time.
Loved this? There’s more brewing every week. ☕
*Clubs like the Indian American Running Club and Masala Milers organize meetups, recovery brunches, and family-friendly 5Ks, blending fitness with cultural connection. Think: Strava meets your Sunday chai crew