JOURNEY OF GRIT, GRACE,   GLORY IS PUJA

Dilbag Singh 

JOURNEY OF GRIT, GRACE,   GLORY IS PUJA

JALANDHAR 14 JUNE

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. 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 ever-changing nature of army life present unique challenges. Most would set their dreams aside—and many do. But not Pooja. Even when her husband was posted to field locations and inaccessible areas, she kept running.. 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.

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, and Border
Run – Amritsar, Aravali Trail Run and 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.

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.