Dinesh Angappan · Joint Secretary
From Insulin to Finish Lines
How running helped Dinesh reclaim his life
“Running did not merely help me lose weight or manage diabetes — it helped me rediscover confidence, resilience, and a better version of myself.”
— Dinesh Angappan
I was never a sports person during my school or college days. In 2007, during an official assignment in the UK, work pressures, long hours and unhealthy habits took a toll — within six months, my weight increased from 76 kg to 98 kg. The real shock came in 2009, when I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and had to start insulin therapy. I felt as if I had lost control of my own life.
Around that time, I took part in a local 5-mile charity event. Calling it a run would be generous — it took me more than 90 minutes, battling every step while others crossed the finish line effortlessly. I was shattered. But that day became a turning point.
Small steps, repeated
Instead of accepting decline as inevitable, I started small. Daily walks became brisk walks, brisk walks became jogging, jogging became running. Alongside running I embraced cycling and learned swimming. The transformation was built quietly, through small consistent efforts repeated day after day.
A year later, I returned to the same 5-mile event and completed it in 45 minutes — half the previous year's time. More importantly, I had proven something to myself: change is possible. From that moment, there was no looking back — half marathons in the UK, numerous 10K and 21K events in India. But the greatest reward was regaining my confidence.
Running: my therapy, my teacher
Running became my therapy during challenging times, my stress reliever during demanding periods at work, my teacher in moments of self-doubt. The rhythmic breathing, the sound of footsteps, the quietness of early mornings — some of my best ideas and toughest decisions have emerged during long runs.
Running communities took it further. Age, profession and social status become irrelevant when everyone is working toward the same finish line. Every runner has a story, and every story reminds us that we are capable of more than we think.
Remission, and what it took
Over the last three years I adopted a holistic approach built on four pillars: quality sleep, stress management, regular exercise, and healthy nutrition. Combined with consistent running and appropriate medical guidance, these changes helped me bring my diabetes into remission and significantly improve my overall health. Not a quick fix, not a miracle — years of discipline, learning and sustainable change.
To anyone starting a transformation journey today: you don't need to run fast. You don't even need to run far. You simply need to take the first step. The rest of the journey will follow.
