When Mridul came to the UK in September 2019, it was cricket, not running, that attracted him to Loughborough’s renowned sporting campus.
“I didn’t actually originally plan on coming to the UK at all,” Mridul recalled, “I moved to India from Dubai after doing my A levels to pursue a career in professional cricket. I was hoping to find a college or university there and continue with cricket at the same time.
“I found the transition to living in India difficult, the language barrier and a sense of homesickness really got me down. I called my dad, and he said, ‘Just come back to Dubai for a week, cool off, and maybe go back with a fresh mindset.’”
While in Dubai, Mridul attended a free counselling session that introduced him to the opportunity to study internationally at a UK university: “We shortlisted three, Loughborough, Reading, and Surrey, and I got accepted by all of them. Loughborough stood out to me for its sporting reputation, and I was awarded a scholarship for my first year. The plan was to move to the UK to pursue cricket alongside my studies, starting with the new academic year in October. But in the build up to October, I realised I wasn’t enjoying cricket anymore and was playing for the wrong reasons, my gut wasn’t saying ‘give it another try,’ so I decided to give it up and try something new.
“By the time I arrived in the UK, I had already decided to step away from cricket and after years of being active, I found myself restless without any regular physical activity. That’s when running began.
The decision to quit led him to find a new purpose in running, Mridul said: “Initially, it started off as a challenge, it was great to have something new to put my mind to and build a sense of consistency.”
He began running on November 20, 2019, and it quickly became more than just a casual hobby. “I wasn’t into the nightlife scene, and I didn’t want to waste my university life being cooped up inside my room. So, I went out for a run, just to see the campus. From there it grew organically, and I found myself going every day. It’s hard to believe how far I’ve come with it.
“Sport was the cornerstone of my experience at Loughborough. It’s such an integral part of what the University offers students. There’s a great app where you can book free sessions run by student volunteers. People would come along from all ability levels, just to have a good time. It’s a community where everyone encourages each other and helps newcomers to feel welcome.”
The friendships he formed through sport have endured to this day. “Even though the friends I made are based all around the UK or back home, we keep in touch. It’s great to build lifelong connections with people through sport.”
“I don’t plan on stopping my streak anytime soon. My next goal is a Guinness World Record. I’ve built up all the evidence of my runs on my fitness tracking app, now I’ve reached the 2000 day mark, I’m preparing to submit it for consideration.”
Inspired by the inclusive spirit he found at Loughborough, Mridul plans on starting a run club back home in Dubai. “I want to recreate the feeling I got from trying so many sports at University. Meet at a specific location on a Saturday or Sunday morning, go for a 5K or 10K, then grab breakfast together. I don’t think you can overstate the value of building a passionate, inclusive community.”