BY DEEPIKA CHALKE*
On August 6 2026, I crossed the finish line of my 106th long-distance race—a half marathon run in scorching 90s heat and humidity in 2:03. On August 5 and August 4, I had run two more half marathons, each in 2:07, completing three races on three consecutive days. It had been an exciting, challenging and fulfilling experience.
My 106 races include 96 half marathons and 10 marathons across all 50 US states.
What does it take to run 106 long-distance races?
Not luck. Not just strong legs. It takes resilience, discipline, and the courage to keep moving when the road ahead is uncertain. You show up even when you’re tired, afraid, sad, angry or alone.
People often ask me, “Why run when it is hard?”
Because for me, every race is an adventure, an expedition, a treasure hunt. An adventure to discover what I am capable of. An expedition to fulfill childhood dreams of becoming an athlete and living a life filled with curiosity, wonder and possibilities.
A treasure hunt to find the greatest treasures: strength, hope, peace, purpose, joy, meaning and the feeling of crossing the finish line.
What lessons, wisdom, stories have I gained from my races?
The world is full of kind strangers.
Waking up early at 3 am for races and traveling solo in predawn dark in new places is part of the journey. At 4:30 one morning in West Virginia, it was dark and foggy, and I was preparing to drive through unfamiliar winding mountain roads to a half marathon I had never run before. I asked another runner at my hotel if I could follow his car for safety. He agreed.
At 4 am, as I was driving to the Grand Teton half marathon start, roadside construction suddenly blocked the road and stalled traffic. I waited anxiously and patiently in the car, hoping the road would reopen. After 15 mins, as I got out of the car to chat with the construction crew, a cop car came out of nowhere and unblocked the road, allowing traffic to pass through. I made it to the race on time.
At the South Dakota Marathon start, at 6000 feet, my hands were freezing despite gloves. Another runner noticed and quietly handed me a hand warmer.
When I took a wrong turn at the Cartersville half marathon, the race authorities dropped me back at the right location so I could finish the race.
In Delaware, a gas station owner refilled the tire pressure on my rental car without charging me.
In Kentucky, I had forgotten my phone charger. A stranger at my hotel lent me his charger for few hours.
At races in Arizona, Philadelphia and Kansas, women runners gave me rides to race start in the darkness. At the Hawaii and New Mexico races, I felt safe walking alone in dark because there were a couple of women runners ahead of me.
These moments fill my heart with gratitude and joy.
The world is extraordinarily beautiful.
Running has taken me through Utah canyons, Nevada desert, Alaskan forests, the mountains of West Virginia and Kauai, the peaks of Grand Teton, the hills of Asheville and the streets of New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia New Orleans, Washington, D.C. and many other breathtaking places.
My most challenging races have gifted me the most beautiful memories.
Adverse weather, health challenges and life setbacks are part of the journey.
Running the Greenville half marathon in freezing 28F in 1:58, finishing the Flying Pig half marathon in rainstorm in 2:04, finishing Philadelphia marathon in 4:45 despite knee pain, winning 3rd prize in my age group women runners at 6000 feet Grand Teton half marathon, running my fastest half marathon ever in 1:36 and winning 3rd prize at my 7th consecutive weekend race at Las Vegas, finishing a rainy half marathon in Alaska in 1:53, despite being exhausted from 20 plus hours of travel, winning 3rd prize at Nebraska half marathon while fasting for navratri, finishing the challenging mad half marathon in Vermont while being ill; these are just a handful of races that warm my heart and make me believe in beauty of life. What amazes me is that the body and mind adapt and endure if we train well and persist.
To me, 106 races are 106 reminders that dreams can survive obstacles, delays, fear, and exhaustion.
The greatest gift running has given me: faith over fear. Faith in my own strength. Faith in the kindness of strangers. Faith that difficult roads can still lead to beautiful places. Faith that dreams don’t have an expiry date. And faith that sometimes, the best part of the journey is not knowing exactly what waits around the next bend.
I am forever grateful for running—not only for the miles it has given me, but for the people I have met, the places I have discovered, the courage I have found, and the wonder I have carried home.
Atlanta-based Deepika Chalke is an avid runner who has embarked on an extraordinary journey of endurance, determination, and personal growth through marathon running. After setting an unofficial Guinness World Record for 105 half marathons in 365 days, Chalke continues to push physical and mental boundaries, recently crossing the milestone of 100 official races across 50 states. Balancing a demanding corporate career with an unrelenting passion for running, Chalke views each race as an adventure, overcoming setbacks, extreme weather, and personal challenges with resilience.
