At almost 60, a Kolkata woman is rewriting the story of her life, one marathon at a time.
Meet 59-year-old Aruna Bhaskar, a special educator with Breaking Through Dyslexia, who completed full marathons, the prestigious Tata Mumbai Marathon, and even a gruelling 50km ultra in Lonavala in the past five years. What makes her feat even more special? She was a “non-runner” six years ago.
The beginning: From brisk walks to first 10km run
Bhaskar has always been active — she swam, cycled and went on long walks. But in 2019, when her husband, Vijay Bhaskar, introduced her to the Jayanagar Jaguars, a Bengaluru-based running group expanding to Kolkata, her casual approach towards fitness took a more serious form.
Aruna and Vijay Bhaskar only take part in events where both of them can compete together
Her husband, already a runner, encouraged Bhaskar to sign up for the running activity. While others trained for 25km at the Tata Steel Kolkata run, Bhaskar decided to run a modest 10km.
“I wasn’t even running 100 metres at that point,” she recalled with a laugh.
Yet the structured training worked wonders. Within months, she completed the race in one hour 16 minutes, without a single walk break.
Scaling up: Half marathons, marathons and beyond
By February 2020, just three months after her debut, Bhaskar ran her first half marathon at the NEB Kolkata Full Marathon. The pandemic briefly interrupted the races but not her training. The group pivoted online, meeting on Zoom thrice a week for bodyweight and conditioning exercises.
Bhaskar completed the Procam Slam in 2023, a circuit of four of India’s biggest distance-running events: 42km in Mumbai, 25km in Kolkata, 10km in Bengaluru and 21km in Delhi
As the world reopened, she pushed herself further. In 2022, she ran the Tata Steel 25km race, followed by the iconic Tata Mumbai Marathon in 2023. “The Mumbai run was magical — the crowd support is legendary. You forget the heat and the distance; the energy just carries you through.”
That same year, Bhaskar went on to complete the Procam Slam, a circuit of four of India’s biggest distance-running events: 42km in Mumbai, 25km in Kolkata, 10km in Bengaluru and 21km in Delhi.
The leap to the ultra
Aruna trained for high altitude on the Garden Reach flyover in preparations for the Tata Ultra Marathon in Lonavala
For Bhaskar, 2025 marked a new frontier: the 50km Tata Ultra in Lonavala. Training on flat Kolkata roads was a challenge while preparing for the hilly route, so she and her fellow runners improvised. They ran endless loops of the Lake Gardens flyover and the Garden Reach bridge to simulate elevation. “It was monotonous but built mental strength,” she explains.
Crossing that ultra finish line was less about speed and more about discipline and endurance. “Once the flag goes down, your training carries you through,” she says.
A day in the life of a runner
Bhaskar with her running buddies on Independence Day at Rabindra Sarobar
Bhaskar’s daily routine involves a bit of everything — runs, workouts and household chores. On weekdays, Bhaskar is at Rabindra Sarovar by 5am, logging 10-16km before heading home to cook, work, and fit in a short rest period. Saturdays are reserved for long runs starting at 4am, stretching to three hours or more. Two days a week are set aside for strength and conditioning, with Mondays as rest days.
Her mantra is clear: show up, no matter what. “If my body is tired, I slow down, maybe do a walk-jog. But I never miss a workout. The moment you start missing, you’ve lost the plot.”
Family, work and support
Running has transformed Bhaskar’s life. “I feel much fitter now than I was in my 30s,” she says.
With both her daughters married and her mother-in-law stepping in to help on hectic days, she finds the time to prioritise training. Her husband remains her partner on the track too — the couple only sign up for races they can run together.
As a special educator, she also inspires her students. Many of her ex-students bump into her at races. “It’s a wonderful, warm feeling when they say, ‘Ma’am, let’s take a picture together.’”
Looking ahead: Distance over speed
Vidyasagar Setu, another training ground for Aruna Bhaskar
Bhaskar is realistic about her future in running. At nearly 60, she is less concerned about speed and more drawn to distance. “I like the ultra marathon. It’s about your mind, your discipline — not just pace. I’d like to push a little more each year.”
Her role model is an 85-year-old runner from Bengaluru, YSR Kumar, who recently finished a 10km run in 85 minutes. “That’s what I want — to keep going, stay on my feet, and be happy.”
For Bhaskar, the story may be, as she calls it, “plain vanilla”, but her journey is anything but ordinary. Her story proves that it’s never too late to start.