Life on Jerry Mannel Reghunadh

Roasted by my daughter!

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 21:32:22 -0500

My daughter just roasted me, and honestly, I’m impressed.

She told me, “Dad, at the rate you’re watching Demon Slayer, GTA 6 will be out before you finish it.”

I’m proud of her on a few levels.

It was a top-tier burn-novel, well-timed, and perfectly tailored to her target audience. We both had a good laugh, but now I’m on a mission to prove her wrong.

Knowing her, that was likely the goal all along.

From Zero to 10k

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 12:14:13 -0600

I have never been a runner.

In fact, before this, I hadn’t run a single mile in my life.

If you asked me a few months ago, I would have told you I don’t run unless something is chasing me.

Despite my history as a non-runner, I stepped up to the starting line of the BMW Dallas Marathon 10k. I crossed the finish line with a time of 1:14:34 - and even managed to clock a new 5k personal record of 32:00 along the way.

BMW Dallas Marathon 10k

Starting up

On October 7th I signed up to run the 10k marathon during the BMW Dallas Marathon weekend. With the race scheduled for December 13th, I had exactly 67 days to transform myself into a runner.

Before picking a training plan, I needed a reality check. I wanted to see exactly how bad my starting point was. The same evening I signed up, I headed to a local park and just… started. I walked, I jogged, and I struggled through four loops. By the end, one thing was clear: my ‘willpower’ needed a structured plan to back it up.

First run

I was also monitoring how my body recovered. Surprisingly, after that initial run, I didn’t feel any tenderness or pain in my body. Which meant that there was room for me to push.

Getting help

I turned to Gemini to help me build a plan. The strategy had these principles,

Run/Walk Method: A mix of running and walking to build aerobic base without putting too much stress on joints and muscles.
The Long Run: A long run once a week, that gradually increases in distance.
Cross-Training (XT): Non-running workouts like cycling, swimming, strength training, or even a brisk walk. XT builds supporting muscles, prevents burnout, and is crucial for injury prevention.
Rest: Rest days for the body to adapt and get stronger. Skipping rest is the fastest way to get injured.
Conversational Pace: On running days, I should be able to hold a conversation. If I’m gasping for air, I need to slow down and it’s key to building endurance.

Here’s the prompyt that I used,

You are an experience marathon runner with multiple Marathon winnings. You are also an expert coach helping people get into running.

I am a beginner in running and I have never ran even a half marathon in my life. Today is 7th October and I'm running a 10 km Marathon on December 13th.

Create a structured plan for me to start training. Give me a detailed plan which includes the days I should run, the distance I should be running each day the days I should take rest and the days I should be exercising.

As part of progress check, I would give you a daily report so that he can tweak the plan according to that and you can decide whether to increase the intensity or decrease the intensity.

And here’s the first two week’s of the training plan,

Week 1: Foundation (October 7 - 12)

Tuesday (Today!): Run 2 mins, Walk 2 mins. Repeat 4 times for a total of 16 mins.
Wednesday: Rest.
Thursday: Run 2 mins, Walk 2 mins. Repeat 5 times for a total of 20 mins.
Friday: Rest.
Saturday (Long Run): 2 km at a slow, steady pace. Walk if you need to.
Sunday: Active Recovery (e.g., a 20-30 minute walk) or Cross-Train (XT).

Week 2: Building (October 13 - 19)

Tuesday: Run 3 mins, Walk 2 mins. Repeat 4 times for a total of 20 mins.
Wednesday: XT for 30 minutes.
Thursday: Run 3 mins, Walk 2 mins. Repeat 4 times for a total of 20 mins.
Friday: Rest.
Saturday (Long Run): 2.5 km at a slow, steady pace.
Sunday: Rest.

🤔 Hmm… I guess the AI doesn’t have Mondays?

The real training plan

The real challenge wasn’t the miles; it was the “Working Parent” part of me. Between my job and acting as the evening shuttle for the kids’ various classes, my schedule was tight. I knew right away the training schedule that I got won’t work with the weekly schedule that I had. So I made some changes and my training schedule looked like this:


Monday	Run-Walk session
Tuesday	Power Walk
Wednesday	The “Long Run”
Thursday	Power Walk
Friday–Sunday	Rest and Recovery

It felt manageable, and for the first time, a fitness goal felt like it actually fit into my life.

Making progress

I wasn’t very consistent with the plan.

I had some starting trouble and I was not motivated enough to stick to the plan and I didn’t make much progress during the first few weeks. Then again around November, as the temprature dropped, I stopped running as I had to figure out how to keep myself warm.

My running spot was around downtown Frisco and I was hitting every road around Frisco Square. I needed the peace of mind knowing that if my legs cramped up or I completely ran out of breath, I was never more than a 10-minute walk from my car. It was my safety net while I built my confidence.

Around Frisco Square

I quickly realized my endurance was higher than I anticipated. I fast-tracked my intervals, moving from a “2-minute run / 2-minute walk” to a “3-minute run / 1-minute walk”.

By October 27th, I hit a massive milestone: I ran my first 5k non-stop in 33:09.

From there, my goal was to add just 1km per week. I stayed mindful of my body-if I felt a strange pain or got winded, I’d slow to a walk. Here is how the numbers climbed:


Oct 27	5k	33:09
Nov 10	7k	46:20
Nov 19	8k	59:09
Dec 8	10k	1:09:47 - My first 10k in training!

My first 10k @ 1:09:47

Race day!

The race day was cold! Really cold!

After standing in the starting corral for nearly an hour, my muscles were stiff. Just 1km into the race, I felt a sharp twinge in my knee.

Then came the bridge. I had done all my training on flat ground, so seeing an uphill section was a total curveball. Despite the incline and the knee pain, I pushed through the first half and actually set a 5k personal best!

The final 4km was a battle. The knee pain worsened when I walked, so I found a slow, steady “shuffle” pace that felt better than stopping. My mental goal was to finish under 1 hour and 30 minutes.

When I crossed the line at 1:14:34, the relief was incredible. I could have done better, but for a first-timer? I’ll take it!

10k @ 1:14:34 for BMW Dallas Marathon

My phone officially clocked me at 1:15:33. To be fair, I hit ‘start’ the second the countdown ended—even though I was still shuffling toward the line-and I was a little too exhausted to remember to hit ‘stop’ immediately after crossing! Still, I’ll take it. 😀

Here’s the link to the offical result.

With my friend before the race

What’s next?

Right now, I’m in recovery mode, focusing on healing my knee and getting some light exercise back into my routine.

Will I start running again? Maybe. Does a half-marathon seem possible now? Surprisingly, yes. If you’re sitting on the fence about a goal that feels too big, just remember: two months ago, I wasn’t a runner either.

./J

Being vegan!

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 04:02:10 -0500

Going vegan was a surprisingly easy decision for me!

As a proud Malayali, I was raised on a diet rich in meat and seafood, especially dishes like beef fry and seafood curry. The bright side of the Covid lockdowns was that I got to spend a lot of time with my family, and my mom’s cooking left me with no holds barred eating.

However, by early 2021, my sedentary lifestyle and love for food caught up with me, and I put on a lot of weight. None of my old clothes fit. Social distancing and lockdowns meant that we were going out less often, and the freedom of a mundu meant finding clothes that fit was not a problem.

You see, there’s a lot of room to grow in a mundu. A lot!

But I knew things had to change.

As restrictions began to lift, my wife and I seized the chance for a little getaway to celebrate our anniversary. While sitting by the water-hyacinth-infested backwaters of Kumarakom, I entertained the idea of going vegan. By the end of our vacation, I decided to try it — it would be a new project, something to look forward to, and a break from the monotony of online meetings, classes, and work. My wife had some initial concerns but soon became fully supportive and understanding.

Honestly, I don’t think she expected me to survive a week!

So on February 15th, 2021, I became a vegan! It’s been two years since, and has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

The transition

Month 1: A New Challenge

The first month of my vegan journey was tough. Pure torture, if I must say. I had to search deep and pull all my willpower reserves to stay on my chosen path.

I had to say no to my favorite dishes. Mom’s cooking was tempting. But no more tea, pulisheri, or beef/chicken curry. I was determined to stick to my decision.

Month 2: A Growing Appreciation

By the second month, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to stick to a vegan diet. Aviyal, sambaar, puttu-kadala, thoran of any type, rasam — there are many options.

A healthy mix of vegetables and pulses meant that I was on a balanced diet.

The Months That Followed: A Palate Transformation

As time passed, I gradually adjusted to my new diet. The colors and flavors of my food became more vivid and exciting. I could appreciate the taste of the dishes I grew up with in a new way.

The sheer enjoyment of tasting flavors in the food itself is a big win for turning vegan.

The change

Somewhere around the 3rd week of going vegan, there was a noticeable improvement in my overall well-being. I felt more energetic and refreshed most of the time. This positive change in my mood was a welcome boost, especially since I had been feeling mentally drained before.

As I continued my vegan journey, I saw my weight drop to a healthy level. I was more active, able to run around, and easily do many chores. My body was also recovering quickly from any strenuous activities I was doing.

Not only was I feeling physically better, but my concentration at work also improved. I could stay focused for extended periods during calls, and my mental fatigue was reduced significantly.

One simple rule

When I started my vegan journey, I kept an elementary rule: to cause as minor an inconvenience to others as possible. I didn’t want to put any extra pressure on anyone to prepare separate meals for me. I will take the gravy if it’s chappati and chicken curry for dinner. If I weren’t the one cooking, I would gratefully eat what was offered, no questions asked.

Continuing the journey

As I continued my vegan journey, I embarked on a new exploration and experimentation phase. Back in Bangalore, my wife and I set out to discover plant-based alternatives for all our favorite foods. To our delight, we found that many of these alternatives tasted even better than their animal-based counterparts. Our children couldn’t even tell the difference and often asked for seconds.

I also learned to make coffee and tea with soy milk, which was challenging. There is a delicate balance between boiling the soy milk and preventing it from burning in the pan. Despite some setbacks, I was determined to master brewing a delicious soy milk latte.

However, I must admit that I make some compromises when traveling abroad. Finding good vegan food in a new city can be challenging, especially if you are only there for a short time. The last thing I want on a trip is to be stressed about food, so I am willing to make exceptions and indulge in non-vegan options in these circumstances.

I’m the only one who became vegan. My wife and kids are still sticking to their old diet. But at home we have switched to vegan ghee, plant-based meat, etc. (She wanted me to mention this as their sacrifice for my madness).

Finally, I’m not asking you to switch. There are multiple factors to consider before you change your diet. Things like information about allergens, any medications you are under, access to alternate food sources, etc.