Jalandhar June 14 (Jaswinder Singh Azad)- In an age where balancing family, duty, and personal ambition often feels like an impossible triathlon, Pooja has quietly rewritten the narrative. She is not a celebrity athlete. She doesn’t have sponsorships or a training team. But what she does have is extraordinary, unshakable discipline, sheer willpower and passion that refuses to fade with time or terrain.
Her journey began in 2004, when her husband was posted to the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai. While the world around her moved in the rhythm of schedules, transfers and responsibilities, Pooja carved out her own rhythm—one that pulsed to the beat of her shoes hitting the pavement. But what began as a personal routine would soon become a defining part of her identity.
The life of a military spouse is far from easy. Field postings, isolation and the everchanging nature of army life present unique challenges. Most would set their own dreams aside—and many do. But not Pooja. Even when her husband was posted to field locations and inaccessible areas, she kept running. With no fancy gyms or perfect running paths, she improvised. Dusty roads became her track, hilly slopes her endurance course. She ran through blistering heat and biting cold, across plains and ridges, all while balancing her responsibilities as a mother, homemaker and wife of a soldier. What sets her apart isn’t just her athletic ability, but her unyielding consistency. Year after year, posting after posting, she kept going.
Over the years, Pooja has not just run, she has competed
Over the years, Pooja has not just run, she has competed. She has earned her place among endurance runners by participating in some of India’s most celebrated and demanding races: Tata Mumbai Marathon, Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, Border Run – Amritsar, Aravali Trail Runand Tuffman Ultra – Mashobra. It was at Mashobra, Himachal Pradesh, in the heart of the hills, that she reached her finest hour. On June 7, 2025, Pooja stood at the start line of the Tuffman Ultra 50 km marathon.
The altitude was high, the air thin and the trail unforgiving. But so was her resolve. Running through the winding trails of Mashobra, she clocked an unbelievable time of 6 hours and 23 minutes, finishing 1st with a pace of 7:40 per km. Her grit shone brighter than the morning sun rising over the pines. This was more than a win. It was a full-circle moment—a culmination of two decades of perseverance. A reminder that greatness isn’t always loud; sometimes, it’s a woman silently pushing her limits, one step at a time.
Pooja doesn’t run for medals. She runs because it empowers her
Pooja doesn’t run for medals. She runs because it empowers her. And in doing so, she has become a source of inspiration to many—especially among the army community. She shows that age, location and life’s complexities are not limitations—they’re terrains to be mastered. Her journey proves that true power lies in persistence. That every km run in solitude builds a foundation for moments of triumph. As more women take to the road, trail or treadmill, they’ll find courage in stories like Pooja’s.
She is a reminder that the heart of a runner beats beyond stopwatches and podiums—it beats in everyday commitment. Today, when she runs, she runs for herself. For the woman she was in 2004. For every station that became a checkpoint. For the grit that never let her quit. And for the mountains she conquered, not just in Himachal—but in her own life. Pooja has shown us that you don’t have to be a professional to be exceptional. All you need is to start. And never stop.