half marathon

Galle Fort: New PBs and Old Memories

The journey began with a quick pickup—my wife had just finished her lectures at Gateway Graduate School, and we were officially Galle-bound. Before hitting the road, we finally stopped at a place we’d driven past countless times: Seven Waves Food Lounge, right by the Makumbura Multimodal Center. The “Seven Waves” represent their diverse counters—from Sri Lankan and Italian to a dedicated Juice Bar—but we opted for a classic Chicken Set Menu from the Chinese counter to fuel up.

The drive down the Southern Expressway included the mandatory pitstop at the Welipenna Service Area before we arrived at our home for the weekend: The Dutch Boutique Hotel on Church Street. But before we could settle in, there was business to attend to: bib collection at the Galle Football Ground.

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2025: Miles, Memories, and Making Time for What Matters

As 2025 comes to a close, I’m looking back at a year defined by big changes and even bigger finishes. It was a year of pushing my physical limits, but more importantly, it was the year I reclaimed my time and reconnected with the things—and people—I love most.

Breaking the Fizz

I started the year with a commitment to a major lifestyle shift: cutting out carbonated drinks entirely. It wasn’t always easy—from quiet nights at home to festive parties and those late-night office dinners with the team—but I stayed disciplined. I swapped the soda for water, fruit juices, and milk, relying heavily on ‘Thambili’ (King Coconut water) for those essential natural electrolytes every runner needs. As I head into 2026, I feel more hydrated, energized, and healthier than I ever did before.

The Big One: 42.195km

October 5th, 2025, is a date I won’t soon forget—the day I tackled the LSR Colombo Marathon. Crossing that finish line in 5 hours and 20 minutes was a masterclass in grit, especially as I pushed through the heat on the long road from Colombo to Negombo. While many runners, myself included, dream of major marathons abroad, my goal was simply to complete my first 42.195km. I am incredibly grateful that I got to achieve this milestone right here in my motherland, surrounded by the sights and spirit of home.

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Project Manager’s Guide to Running a Half Marathon

I kicked off 2024 with a New Year’s resolution: to run 1,000 km by the end of the year. I committed to running four days a week—simple math told me that if I ran 5 km per session, I’d reach 1,040 km by year’s end. But the real turning point in my running journey came when I joined the Colombo Night Run (CNR), a weekly 5K that begins and ends at Independence Square in Colombo. It was at CNR that I truly learned how to run.

I’ve always considered myself fairly athletic, having played various sports over the years. And like many former athletes, I had a bit of arrogance—I assumed running was just a matter of lacing up my shoes and heading out the door. Boy, was I wrong.

The post-run conversations with fellow runners at CNR taught me more than I expected. I rediscovered the fundamentals—dynamic vs. static stretching, different types of runs (easy runs, interval training, tempo runs, long runs), cross-training, hydration strategies, and so much more. A few months later, I joined Colombo City Run (CCR), where we explore different routes around the city for our Sunday morning long runs.

Being part of a running community or run club is an incredible experience. The support, motivation, and guidance you receive are invaluable. It not only fuels your passion for running but also drives you to challenge yourself and improve. Plus, you hear about races happening all across Sri Lanka—not just to participate, but to compete.

Which brings me to the topic of this article: running a half marathon. This is not just a story about training—it’s about how I applied lessons from my day job as a Project Manager to prepare for, train, and run my first half marathon.

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