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The CCR Landmark Challenge 2026 : A Recap

This morning, the streets of Colombo weren’t just our running track—they were our playground.

The journey actually started back on January 4th, when the Landmark Challenge was first announced in our CCR WhatsApp group. Almost immediately, the chat exploded with people frantically looking for partners. The banter was top-tier, with some runners joking that it would actually be easier to find a date in Colombo than to find a running partner for a 90-minute scramble!

As I was reading the chatter, I reached out to my running buddy, Nirosha, to see if she was up for it. Luckily, she was all in! It was only as I sat down to write this post that I realized January is clearly my month for successful “proposals.” Exactly ten years ago, on January 9th, I proposed to my wife—so I’m taking this partnership as a very good omen.

Before we could register, we needed the perfect team name. Since Nirosha is an English Lit teacher and I enjoy writing, we wanted something witty. I pitched a few puns: “Worst Pace Scenario,” “Game of Soles,” “Between a Walk and a Hard Pace,” and “Agony of De-Feet.” We were both immediately drawn to the same two, which was the first sign we’d be a great team. In the end, we went with “Agony of De-Feet”!

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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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128 Days Later: The Marathon Truth – Running Isn’t the Hard Part

Today, as I reflect on crossing the finish line of the LSR Colombo Marathon, still unable to belive that I actually completed a Marathon; my body is recovering, and my heart is full! The euphoria of those final steps is real, yet it only lasted a few minutes. The true achievement, the real difficulty, lay in the 128 days that led up to it.

This is the central truth I learned: Running a marathon is not difficult; training for a marathon is.

The Beginning: A Plan and a Purpose

My journey started on June 1st, the day my 18-week training plan kicked off. The total commitment spanned 128 days, a period that demanded sacrifice, consistency, and a profound mental shift. My initial goal for Colombo was simple: finish. But I knew a solid plan was the only way to get there.

The training was strategically broken down into phases, starting with a base build. It was a monotonous, beautiful grind of easy runs, building my mileage from single digits up to the necessary weekly volume. The early mornings, the late evenings, the constant laundry pile of sweaty running gear—that was the daily reality.

Side Note : The training plan was crafted by “Chat GPT”, and I had it reviewed by Coach Tharindu from my Colombo Night Run Family.

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