Sunil Soman Beni shares his running journey
Parkrun paves the way for a passionate athlete who started his marathon journey at 50.
At the age of 50, Sunil Soman Beni embarked on a remarkable running journey that transformed him from a parkrun beginner to a passionate athlete.
With no prior experience in running or athletics, Beni did his first unofficial parkrun in 2017. Little did he know that this seemingly ordinary experience would ignite a newfound passion that would change his life forever.
His initial parkrun experience was unofficial but it ignited a spark within him. Determined to improve his time, Sunil started running regularly throughout the week. At that stage, he had no aspirations of running longer distances, content with the 5km parkrun challenge.
In 2018, Beni joined the Midrand Striders Club where he encountered a diverse group of runners. Learning from his fellow club members, he honed his skills and gradually expanded his horizons.
As his interest in running grew, Beni set his sights on marathon distances. He completed his first international marathon in Paris in 2019, a remarkable achievement. Despite facing challenges posed by the pandemic, he also managed to run the Mumbai Marathon in early 2020.
However, the pinnacle of Beni’s running journey came in 2021 when he participated in the Cape Town Marathon. He completed the marathon in a time of 04:35:00, an astounding one-hour improvement from his previous attempt in 2019. This achievement not only brought him great personal satisfaction but also secured his qualification for the prestigious Comrades Marathon.
Despite his accomplishments in marathons, Beni’s heart remains in parkrun. He has now completed an impressive 210 parkruns, each one in a different location, without ever repeating a course. This remarkable feat has placed him at the top in South Africa and third internationally for no repeats.
Internationally, Beni has left his mark in countries such as Swaziland, France, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, and Denmark. His passion for running and parkrun has taken him on a journey of personal growth, perseverance, and global adventure.
Related Article:
