Bhubaneswar: An Odia engineer living in Florida received the six-star marathon medal, an honour given to those who have run all six majors — New York, Chicago, Boston, London, Berlin and Tokyo — on Sunday.
“For all marathoners, completing the six major races is a dream come true. When I started running, I never thought that one day I will run a marathon, leave alone all six majors. But with consistency and discipline, I could achieve that,” said Sanjit Paikray (42), a senior engineering manager in a Florida bank.
Sanjit was never keen on sports. The turning point came in 2018, when a two-week-long illness led him to incorporate physical activity into his schedule. “I started with yoga and short runs of 1 to 2 miles, gradually building consistency. Over the years, my dedication grew, and in 2021, after three years of training, I successfully completed the New York Marathon, one of the world’s major marathons,” said Sanjit.
It was followed by Chicago in 2022, London in 2023, and Boston and Berlin in 2024. The Berlin run was for charity for a UK-based organisation.
He follows a rigorous training method to run marathons. He dedicates 3-4 days a week to running, two days to strength training at the gym and a day practising yoga for flexibility and recovery. The running sessions include a 5k interval workout, a steady 10k run, and a long-distance run on weekends, covering between 23km and 30km. “This disciplined approach ensured my peak performance and endurance in the marathons,” said Sanjit.
Last year, Dr Santosh Pattanayak, a UK-based consultant neonatologist, had won the six-star medal.