A smiling Parul Chaudhary set a new course record among the Indians in the womens half marathon, clocking 1:15:37 over the 21-km distance. "I was feeling very good. The weather and the route were better than last time," said the Meerut native, who is now looking for a strong showing at the Federation Cup in Patiala in April. "Im attempting to qualify for the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics," said Parul, adding that, "a 9:30 time is the qualifying criterion." Second and third place among the women went to Aarti Patil and Monika Athare respectively, both from Eklavya Academy in Nashik. "I am back after a knee cartilage injury. My cartilage was worn out due to overload. I was mentally disturbed because many doctors advised me to give up running. Ive been running since 2003 and done so many marathons. How could I give it up? When people tell you to stop, it is this [pointing to her heart] that makes you a winner," said an emotional Monica, who clocked 1:18:33. Among the men, Tirtha Pun of the Indian armys Gorkha regiment, had a breezy half marathon win, clocking 1:05:39. Tirtha said that he felt, "there was some humidity otherwise I would have shaved a minute of that timing. I will channel some of my prize money towards my diet, which comprises fruits, dry fruits and protein drinks." Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

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