Hyderabad runner eyes Seven Marathons after retirement
HYDERABAD: Retirement marked the beginning of a new journey for Chandupatla Satyanarayana Reddy, who is now nearing 70 but continues to compete with runners decades younger. The Hyderabad resident has completed prestigious marathons, including the Boston and London events, and is now pursuing the goal of finishing all seven World Marathon Majors.
Running began after retirement
Originally from Manthani in Peddapalli district, Satyanarayana Reddy retired from the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) in 2020. He began by walking daily at Osmania University before taking part in his first five-kilometre run organised by a foundation near Wipro after the COVID-19 lockdown.
“I finished the race after taking several breaks,” he said. The experience introduced him to the running community and encouraged him to participate in more events.
He later completed a 10-km run at HITEC City in one hour and four minutes. In 2021, he finished the Gachibowli Half Marathon (21 km) and completed the Airtel Full Marathon in five hours and seven minutes. Since then, he has completed 10 full marathons and more than 50 half marathons.
Three World Marathon Majors completed
Satyanarayana Reddy has completed three of the seven World Marathon Majors so far. His Sydney Marathon finish in three hours and 59 minutes earned him qualification for the Boston Marathon.
“The Boston Marathon featured participants such as Chelsea Clinton and astronaut Sunita Williams,” he said.
Running transformed health
He said running brought significant improvements to his health and lifestyle.
“I had been taking four tablets a day for diabetes and blood pressure for nearly 20 years. After I started running, I stopped taking the medication. I also lost 8 kg and now run 21 km every day,” he said.
Home-cooked food remains the key
Before a run, he eats a banana or bread. At lunch, he replaces white rice with quinoa and prefers a light dinner. His diet includes chicken, mutton and fish, but he relies entirely on home-cooked meals.
His future goals include earning the Ironman title, climbing the highest mountain on each of the seven continents and completing seven marathons across all seven continents.
