My love for running began with Saturday parkruns during my PhD at the University of Manchester. That weekly 5K grew into half-marathons, marathons, the London Triathlon, and a lasting interest in training alongside others. I still explore new cities on foot, street by street, and balance it with cycling, swimming, yoga, and sailing.
parkrun is a free, volunteer-led, timed 5K held on Saturdays. You can run, jog, walk, volunteer, or cheer. During my PhD, it gave me a regular reason to step out of the lab, get moving, and meet people beyond my research group. The format is simple: show up, choose your pace, and take part.
There’s no qualifying time to chase and no special kit to buy. Your first goal can just be getting to the start.
The weekly 5K was my starting point, not the finish. I added trails, 10Ks, half-marathons, marathons, and a triathlon, learning how to train for each new distance. I still like having a target and a reason to put in the work.
I reached my 100th parkrun in Boston after starting the Saturday habit during my PhD in Manchester. I later served as Run Director at the Boston parkrun, helping organize the same kind of community event that kept me showing up week after week.
I ran Salford Quays 5Ks, clocked 45:20 at the Great Manchester 10K, and took on Peak District trails. In Oxford I finished my first half-marathon in 1:43:21, then ran the Manchester Half with Run Wild. The 2022 Boston 10K put me back on an official start line after the pandemic.
The London Triathlon combined a 1.5 km swim, 40 km on the bike, and a 10 km run; I finished in 3:05:16. The bike leg was my favorite, reaching 45 km/h on the route from ExCeL toward Westminster. It was my first triathlon and a new way to test myself across three disciplines.
Read the full London Triathlon storyAmsterdam: 3:51:59. Hannover: my second marathon, run in 26°C heat. New York: five boroughs—Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan—and five bridges. Philadelphia: 26.2 miles through the city’s historic streets. Four courses, four different tests of preparation and grit.
In August 2016 I lined up at ExCeL London for the London Triathlon: a 1.5 km swim, 40 km on the bike, and a 10 km run. I finished in 3:05:16. It was the hardest sport challenge I had taken on so far, and a new way to test the training I had built through Saturday parkruns in Manchester.
The bike leg was my favorite. I had never ridden that fast—I reached 45 km/h at one point—and the course gave me a view of London all the way from ExCeL to Westminster.
I started going to parkrun during my PhD at the University of Manchester. Having a 5K on the calendar each week gave my training a steady rhythm and a clear goal. In Boston, I carried that routine forward: I run with local groups and started one through the MIT Postdoctoral Association so postdocs could meet outside work and train together. Running alongside others adds accountability, turns challenging sessions into a shared goal, and builds friendships beyond the route.
Tracksmith is a Boston-based running company that hosts public runs every Wednesday and Saturday. I run with those groups alongside Boston Marathon qualifiers and former college athletes. The competitive pace has taught me to train with more intention, stay focused as the effort builds, and prepare seriously for race day. The sessions are demanding, and that challenge is part of what makes them rewarding.
Running remains my anchor, and I enjoy training in other ways too. I swim, cycle, practice yoga, and sail; the London Triathlon brought swimming, cycling, and running together on one start line.
These photos show some of the people I train with in Boston: the MIT postdoc group, parkrun regulars, Tracksmith runners, and friends from other local groups. We bring different goals to the same routes and encourage one another through demanding sessions. I value the friendships and conversations around the run as much as the miles themselves.
Running comes first, and variety helps me stay active. I swim laps at the MIT Recreation Center, take CorePower Yoga classes in Boston, and sail from the MIT docks on the Charles; I also cycle and play tennis. Swimming gives me a steady rhythm, yoga challenges my strength and focus, and sailing gets me out on the water. I enjoy the CorePower studio in Boston; it’s a great place to practice. These activities give me different ways to build fitness and work toward a goal.
When I visit a new city, I explore it by running its streets. These photos show routes and stops in Washington, DC; around Stanford University in California; along Boston’s Charles River and Chicago’s lakefront; and through Mexico City, from Coyoacán to Paseo de la Reforma and Santa Fe. I like discovering landmarks at running pace: the Angel of Independence, stalls of luchador masks, neighborhood streets, and Santa Fe’s towers and stone sculptures. Running gives me a closer view of each place as I move through it.
I started with 5Ks and 10Ks in Manchester, then moved up to half-marathons, marathons, and the London Triathlon. Oxford was my first half; Amsterdam gave me a marathon time to chase; Hannover tested me in the heat; and New York sent me through all five boroughs and over five bridges. The race log below has the years, times, and more of the story.
Every summer, Tracksmith sponsors Twilight, a 5K on the MIT track. College-level runners make it a demanding test of pace and focus. I take part to challenge myself, aim for a faster 5K time, and see how well my training holds up against strong competition. It’s tough, but that is what makes the experience valuable: I leave with a clearer sense of what I can improve.
Photographs © Dr. Omar Costilla Reyes. All rights reserved.
2015
Finished 75th out of 287 at South Manchester parkrun.
2015
Kept my Saturday parkrun habit going while visiting Liverpool for a birthday.
2015
My first half-marathon: 1:43:21, with old friends joining race weekend.
2015
Ran 14K past the stadium, canals, Northern Quarter, and Oxford Road with Run Wild.
2016
Ran my first Salford Quays 5K while building toward the Great Manchester 10K.
2016
Ran 45:20, a new personal 10K record.
2016
Took on the trails with running friends, away from city roads.
2016
Finished my first triathlon in 3:05:16: a 1.5 km swim, 40 km cycle, and 10 km run. The bike leg and London views were the highlight.
Read the full story2017
Marked my 50th with my Manchester running group.
2017
Ran the race with Run Wild; I dedicated the run to victims of terrorist attacks around the world.
2017
Finished in 3:51:59 after months of training, with friends supporting the build-up and race day.
2018
Ran Hasenheide Park with Run Wild during a group trip to Germany.
2018
My second marathon: 26°C heat and the toughest race I had faced at the time.
2018
Ran the Paris 10K.
2018
Finished in 49:58 on a hot day, a new personal best for a 10K in the heat.
2018
Started early during ESOF 2018 to fit a run into the conference week.
2019
My first NYC Marathon ran through Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan, crossing five bridges before finishing in Central Park. Crowds lined the course across the city.
2022
My first official race after the pandemic, back on a starting line in Boston.
2022
Ran the Saturday 5K at Danehy Park.
2023
Ran 26.2 miles through Philadelphia’s historic streets, with fellow runners and cheering crowds along the course.
LinkedIn race post (opens in a new tab)2023
My 100th parkrun marked a Saturday habit that began in the UK in 2015 and continued in the US. The milestone came down to consistency and showing up.
2023
Volunteered at Boston parkrun event 82, supporting the event instead of racing that day.
2023
A summer 5K at MIT’s track, sponsored by Tracksmith. With college-level runners in the field, the pace pushed me to test my limits and chase a personal record.
2024
In 2024, I joined Founders Running Club Boston’s Saturday runs from MIT.
LinkedIn post (opens in a new tab)2025
20 km at a strong pace in near-freezing Boston weather. I felt focused and locked into the run.
LinkedIn post (opens in a new tab)Pick a first 5K, try a new route, or add another sport to your week. If you’re looking for a training partner or a local running group, send me a note. I’m happy to compare routes, race goals, and ways to make movement part of a busy week.