Kirkland Half Marathon 2025

 

Kirkland Half Marathon 2025 – Race Report

Date: May 14, 2025
Race: Kirkland Half Marathon
Venue: Juanita Beach, Kirkland

Results

• Chip Time: 2:13:03

• Pace: 10:09 / mile

• Overall: 267 / 356

• Division (M45–49): 17 / 25

• Bib #: 285

Race Pictures

Race Prep

I woke up at 5:00 am for the race. Had kept my shirt, bib, socks, and kit with gels ready the night before. Took a shower, finished morning duties, and got started at 5:50 am.

Reached Kirkland Library at 6:23 am and was the first one to get to the shuttle. This was a new muscle for me in race life — showing up early. It gave me ease and a natural confidence.

Spoke to Navone on the bus. Reached the race venue at 6:50 am, used the restrooms, and had ample time to check in, drop off the bag, and line up. Met Nancy, who was pacing the 2-hour group. I walked with them to the start, half thinking if I could clock close to 2:00.

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The Race

The race started and I got off to a good start. Felt good early. Paced around 8:40 with Nancy who was leading the 2 hour crew and finished the first 5K in ~28 minutes. Stayed with the pack, found it comfortable, and was sticking together with the group until the end of mile 4.

At mile 4, I stopped at an aid station. The empty cups had to be filled with water, consumed, and disposed of. This burned time, and Nancy’s crew sped ahead. I could still see them, but they gained distance. I realized pushing would risk burnout, so I accepted the situation, let them go, and decided to keep my own pace to finish the race. At that point, I realized the 2-hour goal wouldn’t be achievable.

Mile 5 came in at 9:18. On mile 6, there was a big climb. I walked fast to conserve energy and carry on. Stuck to plan and hit mile 7 at a steady 9:47 pace.

Miles 8, 9, and 10 were where the race tilted. It was a fight back through Kirkland Cross Corridor. I could have kept a steadier pace, but two things started playing mind games:

1. Office and self-improvement items kept running through my mind.

2. Fatigue was beginning to set in.

My paces dropped — 10:29, 11:27, and 11:29 in those miles.

By mile 11, I reminded myself to get back to the present. Accepted that even a 2:15 finish would be an accomplishment, given the time lost. Controlled what I could: stayed focused, grabbed water at every station, and kept moving forward.

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Splits (Pace / Mile)

Mile	Pace
1	8:49
2	9:13
3	8:43
4	9:10
5	9:18
6	11:06
7	9:47
8	10:29
9	11:27
10	11:29
11	10:24
12	11:07
13	10:12
13.1	9:12

Final Chip Time: 2:13:03 | Avg Pace: 10:09 / mile

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Post-Race

Kalesh came to say hi. We spent 45 minutes talking under a great ambience. It was a good heart-to-heart connection.

Divya had prepared a wonderful lunch at home — Morukootan and Aviyal with rice. I took a shower, ate, and felt deeply grateful.

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Reflections

This race tested not just my running but also my mind.

• Being early worked wonders — it gave me calmness, preparedness, and ease.

• Mindset mattered — I had to accept when the 2-hour target slipped and adjust.

• Fatigue and distraction were challenges, but coming back to the present helped.

• Gratitude — for family, for Divya’s lunch, for Kalesh’s company, for the ability to run.

Top learnings I carry forward:

1. Show up early, always.

2. For running races, consider a water pack — aid stations cost me precious time.

3. Strive for your best, but when things slip, don’t beat yourself up. Acceptance is part of racing (and life).

4. Lead with gratitude. Express it, don’t keep it inside.

Crossing the line in 2:13 — even without hitting 2:00 — left me with a renewed sense of confidence. Life is too short: express yourself freely, live with excitement, and bring learning and gratitude to every race.

Lake Wilderness Olympic Triathlon 2025

 

Lake Wilderness Olympic Triathlon 2025 – Race Report

Date: June 7, 2025
Race: Olympic Distance – Lake Wilderness Triathlon
Chip Time: 3:59:21

Placings

• Overall: 221 / 251

• Gender (M): 149 / 164

• Division (M45–49): 16 / 17

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Results Snapshot

Segment	Time	Pace
Swim	40:24	2:28 / 100 yds
T1	3:24	—
Bike	2:04:10	13.43 mph
T2	2:08	—
Run	1:08:16	11:25 / mile
Total	3:59:21	—

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Race Pictures

Race Prep

Lake Wilderness Triathlon was the first triathlon event of the 2025 season. This event was special as I had been training with Allison since January to get better with the discipline. Allison had provided me with a reflection sheet that helped me think through the goals of the race and how to approach scenarios ahead of time.

My biggest goal for this race was to be fully present, and looking back I had a great race in terms of being mindful and enjoying every moment.

I packed all the items the day before, racked up the bike, got gear ready, and checked my nutrition. On Friday afternoon, Kalesh came home and both of us drove over to Lake Wilderness to pick up the race packets.

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Race Day

I woke up around 4:00 am, got out of home early at 5:00, and reached the venue by 5:25 am. Reaching early helped me rack up the bike, use the restroom, and catch up with friends (Kavita, Shehzad, Sammy Ramkakad, Chris Hatfield, Santiago, and others) as part of pre-race.

Got dressed with wetsuit and lined up around 6:45 am. Allison joined me at the start line and clicked pictures. Having her on the course to cheer me at the beginning and at transitions made a big difference.

At 7 am, the countdown started and the horn went off. The volunteers let participants into the lake in small batches, which made the start very organized. I had taken a dip in the water as part of warm-up, so once I got in I felt super relaxed and comfortable.

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Swim (40:24 – 2:28 / 100 yds pace)

Started swimming confidently to the first buoy. Having seen the buoy placements the day before helped with orientation.

There was some jostling, but I kept steady, crossed buoys 2 and 3, and held technique. Even though participants were passing me along the way, I still felt I was swimming well.

Held a mental note to continue working on technique. Out of the water in 40:24 at 2:28/100 yds pace — by my standards, a good improvement.

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T1 (3:24)

Got to transition, had to take off glasses, but still managed to get on the bike in under 3:30. That was an improvement over previous races.

The Blue70 Fusion wetsuit was easy to remove, which made a big difference. The new pace of swim removal also helped me adapt quickly moving into the bike leg.

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Bike (2:04:10 – 13.43 mph)

Got on the bike with an average mindset. Made a mental note to finish this portion in under 2 hours at a pace of 14 mph, but I was off target.

The course was full of rolling hills. After the first 5 miles I cramped through and slowed down. Many participants were passing me on the hills. Although I rode a good pace on flats, the hills beat me. Realized that hills are my biggest area of opportunity.

The first 12 miles were tough and hilly, taking me more than 1 hour.

Picked up pace in the last 16 miles and finished in about 1 hour 4 minutes — a good improvement. Met a fellow rider around mile 14, and we kept overtaking each other until mile 28. At that point she overtook me on a steep hill, and I never saw her again after that. Made a mental note to work on hill practice with Allison.

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T2 (2:08)

Fumbled a bit trying to locate my spot. Need to make a mental note to mark it better in future races. Got into running shoes and started the final leg.

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Run (1:08:16 – 11:25 / mile)

The first 10 minutes were uncomfortable, with some pain, but it faded away.

I tried to start quickly but realized my energy levels were low, so I slowed down and kept it under 11 min/mile pace. Focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

Finished the last stretch in under 14 minutes, which was slower than I had hoped. Looking back, the bike leg had sapped my energy, and I fell behind my run target.

Still, I finished strong, relished the race, and celebrated the positive experience overall.

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Reflections

Even though I finished near the bottom of my age group, I had a great day. The race gave me joy and a sense of all-round energy. Took pictures with Allison and drove back home satisfied.

Strengths

• Swim: big improvement — 2:28/100 yds pace.

• T1: smooth and quick, much better than past races.

• Early arrival: reduced stress, calm transitions.

• Positive mindset carried me through.

Areas to Improve

• Swim: continue working on technique.

• Bike: hill climbing is the biggest area of opportunity; aim for closer to 14 mph average.

• T2: mark spot better for quicker location.

• Run: start steady, then build — energy management critical.

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Final Reflection

Lake Wilderness 2025 was my first triathlon of the season, and it set the tone for everything that followed. It reminded me that racing is not only about the clock but also about showing up with presence, enjoying the moment, and learning where to grow.

Even though the result placed me near the bottom of my division, the improvements were real, the lessons clear, and the satisfaction full. This was a positive start, and a reminder that consistent effort with the right mindset and planning makes success a predictable outcome.

Seafair Sprint Triathlon 2025

 

Seafair Sprint Triathlon 2025 – Race Report

Date: July 20, 2025
Race: Sprint Distance – Seafair Triathlon
Chip Time: 1:37:18
Improvement: Beat my best-case forecast (1:45) by 8 minutes 🎉

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Results Snapshot

Segment	Projection	Actual	Note vs. Projection
Swim (750m)	~19–20 min	18:52	Faster than expected, despite foggy goggles
T1	~2:00	2:23	Slightly slower, took gel here (should have been earlier)
Bike (12 mi)	~45–46 min	44:24	Strong ride, thanks to hill training
T2	~1:30	2:20	Lost ~45 sec finding spot, marker needed
Run (5K)	~30–32 min	29:19	On target, steady start, strong finish
Total	~1:45	1:37:18	Beat projection by ~8 min

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Race Day Pictures

Race Prep

Race week was about getting organized and keeping it simple. I packed the day ahead, checked off the minimal gear list, and collected my packet early. Allison’s coaching had set the rhythm — long hilly Saturday rides, Sunday swims, and steady sessions gave me confidence.

The night before, I made notes: wake early, have breakfast, get to the venue 90 minutes ahead, do a 10-minute run warm-up, and a quick swim dip to get a feel for the water. Also — mental notes: eat a gel 30 minutes before, keep goggles clear, stand at the front of the swim pack, and keep momentum steady.

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Race Day

Woke up at 4:15 am, showered, dressed, loaded the bike, and was out the door by 5:15. Reached the venue around 5:50, found parking, and got transition setup done. Noted to keep my glasses on the bag (lesson from Lake Wilderness).

Did a 10-minute run warm-up to get the heart rate up, then a quick dip in the lake. Wetsuit on, checked goggles, lined up with my green-cap age group (45–49M).

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Swim (750m – 18:52, 2:09/100 yd pace)

Goggles fogged up right before the start — not ideal. I need to research prevention for future races. Still, standing near the front of the pack proved to be the right approach.

At the horn, I focused on keeping pace and staying steady. Got jostled, kicked a bit, but held rhythm. Rounded the buoys and headed back strongly, feeling good as I passed people along the way.

Out of the water in 18:52 — much faster than my usual 850m swim times. This was a great start.

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T1 (2:23)

Smooth and efficient. Took a gel here, but in hindsight I should have had it earlier — either pre-race or at the very start of the swim. Lesson learned.

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Bike (12 miles – 44:24, ~17–19 mph)

Felt super strong from the start. Passed a lot of riders and held 17–19 mph on the out-and-back course. First half was ~22 minutes, then I turned around with focus and intensity.

The back half had challenges — speed dropped to ~15 mph at times, and strong winds added difficulty. Still, I stayed steady, took a gel three-quarters in, and finished the bike in 44:24 — faster than I had projected. Huge improvement, thanks to the hilly Saturday rides.

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T2 (2:20)

Lost about 45 seconds here searching for my transition spot. A small thing, but one to fix: leave a visible marker next time.

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Run (5K – 29:19, ~9:30 min/mile)

Allison’s advice was to start steady, not all out. That helped. Mile 1 was about finding rhythm, mile 2 had a steep climb where I shortened steps and kept arms moving, and mile 3 was about sustaining pace and then emptying the tank.

At one point a runner said, “You make it look so easy!” That compliment meant a lot — it felt like months of discipline were playing out.

On the final hill I grabbed water, crested strong, and then sprinted hard down into the finish chute. Clock stopped at 1:37:18 — a full 8 minutes better than my best forecast.

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Reflections

Crossing the line, I felt validation. Not just from the clock but from the discipline of showing up every day and executing a plan. Middle of the pack in my age group for the first time in any triathlon.

What Worked Well

• Swim: standing in front of the pack gave me confidence.

• Bike: Saturday hill rides paid off — strong out and back.

• Run: steady start, strong finish, compliment from a fellow runner was fuel.

• Pre-race prep: packing the day before, clear mental picture, calm setup.

What To Improve

• Goggles: prevent fogging.

• Nutrition: take gel before race or early in swim, not in T1.

• Transition: add a visible marker to save time.

• Bike: keep focus in headwinds to hold pace steady.

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Final Reflection

Beating my own prediction by 8 minutes showed me again that when I apply myself with discipline, the results follow. If I sustain this focus, I’ll keep moving up in my age group. More importantly, it reminded me that success is predictable when mindset, planning, and execution come together.

I’ll cherish this race for a long time — it gave me renewed confidence, joy, and proof that showing up and being present every day pays off.

Lake Meridian Triathlon 2025 – Reflections

Lake Meridian Triathlon 2025 – Race Report

Date: August 16, 2025
Race: Olympic Distance – Lake Meridian Triathlon
Chip Time: 3:24:45
Improvement: ~19 minutes faster than 2024 Lake Meridian Olympic Triathalon 🎉

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Results Snapshot

Segment	2024 Actual	2025 Projection	2025 Actual	Projection vs Actual
Swim	46:00	41 min	42:46	In range, but messy with fogging
T1	5:23	3:15	2:45	Faster than expected
Bike	1:44:38	1:30	1:36:05	Slightly slower than projected
T2	1:51	1:40	1:15	Much quicker than projected
Run	1:06:19	55	1:01:55	Fell short of target
Total	3:44:11	~3:20	3:24:45	Missed target by ~5 mins

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Race Day in Pictures 📸

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Race Prep

Training this summer had a different rhythm. Thanks to Allison’s coaching, I had nearly three months of focused bike work: long Saturday backcountry rides with hills and steady 28-mile sessions that built strength. Swimming was stronger too, with Sunday group swims at Samena pool after Seafair event giving me good practise.

By race week, I had a full race template written out, refined step by step with Allison. That structure gave me calmness — I knew what to expect and where to focus. My goals for the event were simple: stay present, thank at least three volunteers, and aim for a finish around 3:20.

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Race Day

Construction on SR-18 meant an early start. Alarm at 3:15 am, shower, smoothie ready from the night before, and bike loaded by 4:15. I reached the venue at 5:15 am, giving myself plenty of time to set up transition without rushing. Keeping it minimal — only what I needed — helped keep transitions clean.

Before the start, I warmed up with a short jog, some dynamic stretches, and a dip in the lake to settle nerves. That little ritual eased me into the morning and helped me feel ready. Also met Coach Marques and Lisa who were docked right next to me at the transition. Lisa had her gels for the bike portion taped to the bars. I made a mental note to try this for my upcoming practise/race sessions as it could help grab them quickly during the bike sessions.  

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Swim (0.93 mi – 42:46, projected 41 min)

The swim started well, but within minutes my goggles fogged. I had to stop, clear them, and re-sight. That pattern repeated itself — each time I got into rhythm, I lost it again. I began toward the front of the wave, but with every pause, more swimmers passed me.

Even with the stops, I finished almost around in the projected 41 minute window. Compared to 2024, it was faster, but it didn’t feel controlled. Lesson: fix goggles, sharpen sighting, and build open-water confidence.

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T1 (2:45, projected 3:15–3:30)

The first transition was smooth and efficient. Early arrival had kept things calm, and a minimal setup helped me move quickly. At 2:45, it was not only faster than last year but also much faster than my projected window.

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Bike (24.8 mi – 1:36:05, projected 1:30)

The bike felt like my strongest leg. I passed riders steadily on the flats and held steady on the climbs. One of the highlights was leapfrogging with an Seattle Triathalon Group rider for several miles, trading spots and pushing each other along. It made the ride fun and motivating.

Nutrition and hydration worked to plan: steady gels and water at regular intervals. The flats felt sharp and fast, though hills still need work. One mistake: I left my watch in T2 mode, which meant no pace or distance data once I started the bike. It turned out to be blessing in disguise as I could rely on the watch to figure out if I can make the 1:30 target

At 1:36, I landed in the range my projection of 1:30 and nearly nine minutes faster than last year. This was the biggest single gain of the day and a sign that bike training had paid off.

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T2 (1:15, projected 1:40)

Transition two was even quicker — smooth, minimal, and efficient. At 1:15, it was well ahead of projection and almost 40 seconds faster than last year. Had a small confusion on which way to exit for the run, but figure out quickly.

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Run (6.2 mi – 1:01:55, projected 53–56 min)

The run was the toughest part of the day. I started at about 11-minute miles, legs heavy, and without my watch I had no pacing feedback. For the first three miles, I felt like I was gassing out a bit.

I kept myself moving by focusing on breathing, thanking volunteers, and just putting one foot in front of the other. Around mile four, I finally found some rhythm, though it never became fast. Anita from STG was volunteering at the aid station similar to last year. Thanked her and kept running. The last stretch was steady, not quick. Gave it all in when I saw the finish line and finished with a smile.

At 1:01, I fell short of my 55 minute target. Still, it was over four minutes faster than last year and proof that even when things don’t click perfectly, progress shows up.

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Reflections

Crossing the line, I felt proud of the progress compared to last year — nearly 19½ minutes faster overall. The bike training showed up on race day, and both transitions were much smoother than I projected. Arriving early set a calm tone, and having a clear race plan kept me grounded. The biggest gap was the run, where cadence slipped and I couldn’t quite hit my target. Still, it was an improvement over 2024, and a reminder that consistent training does add up, even if not always evenly across all segments.

What Worked Well

• Bike prep: consistent training → ~9 minutes faster than last year and on target with projection.

• Transitions: calm setup, minimal gear, both faster than projected.

• Early arrival kept stress low.

• Race template provided structure and focus.

• Thanking volunteers helped me stay present and grateful.

What To Improve for Next Race

• Swim: fix goggle fogging, practice sighting, build open-water confidence.

• Bike: more hill training; stock gels with a tape on the bar for easy access during practise rides.

• Run: more brick workouts to smooth bike-to-run transition; build cadence and pacing discipline.

• Gear/Process: double-check watch setup before T2 to avoid losing run data.

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Final Reflection

My CUP is FULL ❤️.

I gave the race everything I had, learned so much over the last 9 months under Allison's coaching, and truly enjoyed the process. From early prep to the final sprint, Lake Meridian 2025 reminded me that steady, consistent effort quietly builds into results — and that’s a lesson I’ll carry forward well beyond this race.

Handwritten notes

Books Read 2021

 1 The Immortals of Meluha- Amish Tripati

Category- Fiction
Read- Jan 2021
Pages: 440
Rating: 4/5

This is the first of the series of books from Amish Tripati on Shiva Trilogy. The book breaks down the image of Shiva from that a divine being and remoulds him as a common man who emerged as a savior of the kingdom of Meluha.

Amish transports us to an alternate universe with this book. The story plays out several centuries back in the backdrop of a tribe whose leader Shiva is discovered as the predestined protector of Meluha. The narration is vivid and the author develops each of the characters in great detail.

Reading this book gives us the feel of a grand mythology. The plot is riveting and the settings esp. the battles keeps the reader on the edge. The book has the potential to be developed as a grand movie of the scale of Baahubali someday.

2. Secret of the Nagas- Amish Tripati

Category- Fiction

Read- Feb 2021

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5

The Secret of the Nagas continues the story of Shiva and Meluha. It introduces us to the tribe of Nagas. One interesting element of this book is that several of the mythological characters such as Ganesha, Kali, Karthikeya are portrayed in an alternate reality. Perhaps it is the use of these familiar characters in an unfamiliar setting that makes the series a great read.

Although this second book was a good read on it's own, i felt that the pace of narration was a bit slow compared to the first book in the series. 

3. The Oath of the Vayuputras- Amish Tripati

Category- Fiction

Read- Mar 2021

Pages: 604
Rating: 3/5

The Oath of the Vayuputras completes the Shiva trilogy. Several stories that we might be familiar with such as the one involving Daksha, Parvathi and the yaga has been customized in context of a new narrative. 

The finale was bit of a letdown for me. The climax did not do full justice to the plot developed until that point.

Shiva trilogy was a great start for the 2021 reading journey. The trilogy kept me hooked for a good 3 months and touched me profoundly.

4. Chasing the Cup: My America's Cup Journey- Jimmy Spithill

Category- Non-Fiction
Read- Apr 2021
Pages: 197
Rating: 3/5

Chasing the cup was gifted to me by Miguel, a mentor in by running journey and an inspirational leader from whom i drew a lot of energy from.

Chasing the cup  follows the journey of a young kid Jimmy Spithill from Australia who went on to become one the most legendary sailors. One of the highlights of Jimmy's career involves leading Team USA to victory against New Zealand in 2013 by winning 8 consecutive races after trailing by a huge margin and almost on the verge of defeat.  This is dubbed as one of the biggest comebacks in sports ever.

The book traces the ups and downs in the life of Jimmy and how he shaped up to be a legendary sailor of all times. It opened me to a new found appreciation for the challenges these sailors undertake at the expense of their very lives. There are episodes in the book where in Jimmy describes the adventure at rough seas over many days and the narrow escapes his team had in making it to shore alive. It's a fun breezy read.                                                  

5. Sapiens- Yuval Noah Harari

Category- Non-Fiction

Read- June 2021
Time: 15 hours
Rating: 4/5

Sapiens has become a cult book that is bound to be read by any book lover at some point in time. I got to this masterpiece by mid of the year. My wife had told me about Harari as a vipassana meditator who goes into several weeks of retreat every year. She had been impressed with his clarity of thought and consequently i was curious about what lay in store. 

The book was a huge revelation. It traces the human history from almost 150,000 years until the modern era. Along the way, it explains divergent concepts around religion, democracy,humanism, currency, credit, colonialism in a simple and understandable way. The ease of narration is possible one reason why the book emerged as an all time best seller. It was a refreshing read that was educational and entertaining. Loved it!!

6. No Rules Rules- NetFlix

Category- Non-Fiction
Read- June 2021
Time: 10 hours
Rating: 4/5

Netflix as we know is a global streaming giant that pivoted from a simple mail order business to streaming platform that has presence in close to 200 countries. This book interestingly is less on the actual story of Netflix( which is a separate book) but rather focussed on what makes Netflix click as a company. If you are someone who wonders about what gives fulfillment at workplace, this book can provide an interesting take. 

The culture of transparency and candor that Netflix exemplifies was eye opening. Here were some interesting tidbits from

the book that stayed with me.

1. Netflix publishes the earnings result to the employees before it goes out to the street.

2. Netflix believes in paying top of market for its employees. In fact, it encourages employees to actively talk to recruiters to know their true market worth at all times.

3. Earn your position every day- the keepers test.

4. Lead with context- not control. When someone has made a mistake, as yourself as a leader- what is the context you have set in the first place.

5. Empowered organization is not a pyramid- rather it looks like a tree wherein the boss sits at the root and allows employees to flourish.

The narration style of the book has also been unique whereby it has been organized in a question/answer format with founder Reed Hastings explaining the rationale on seemingly eyebrow raising
decisions.

7. The Ride of a lifetime- Bob Igler

Category- Non-Fiction
Read- July 2021
Time: 9 hours
Rating: 3/5

The ride of a lifetime traces the story of Robert Iger who was the long standing CEO of Disney from 2005- 2020. The book is very much the story of Disney and how it grew to be the entertainment giant that we know it to be. 

Disney as a company has primarily grown through acquisitions. The book traces the companies such as ABC, Pixar, Marvel( creators of Captain Marvel, Avengers), Lucas films( creators of Star Wars), Fox (huge presence in India with Star Plus, streaming service Hotstar, Simpsons
) that Disney has bought at different times. Each of these acquisitions are narrated with the backstories around it- for instance Pixar was a brainchild of Steve Jobs. Though the Disney- Pixar started originally as a collaboration, Pixar started overshadowing Disney in terms of the quality. Purchasing Pixar from Steve was a huge win dor Disney but something that went with a lot of back and forth. If you are into Boardroom power politics this might be the book for you.

The book also touches on some of the more recent forays of Disney with its own streaming platform inthe form of Disney Plus.

8. Why we Sleep - Matthew Walker 

Category- Non-Fiction
Read- Aug 2021
Time: 13 hours 52 min
Rating: 4/5

Bill Gates Blog had high recommendation on this book which is how i became aware of it. It is a looooong book that takes a lot of patience to get through. In retrospect, i would rate it as one of the most impactful books for me in 2021. 

The book is all about Sleep- the science and mechanics of it, the benefits of sleeping and the short/long term health issues of not getting enough sleep. As someone who has been exploring newer ways to stay healthy, this served as a great handbook. The benefits of a good 7-8 hours of sleep cannot be overstated. It helps your system reset, helps you to get creative and productive for the day ahead. There is unfortunately a lot of glorification associated to the increased productivity at the expense of sleep. Phone and Streaming devices have only eaten onto the hours of sleep. Consequently there is increased anxiety and stress levels.

After reading the book. i have been measuring the hours of sleep and the correlation to my blood pressure readings. Surprisingly, the days i get a good 7+ of sleep, the readings are fairly normal. Now, one could argue that this is no rocket science discovery- but the journey through this book to make a basic lifestyle adjustment  and reap its benefits has been a revelation. 

9. AI Superpowers- Kai Fu Lee

Category- Non-Fiction
Read- Sep 2021
Pages: 232
Rating: 5/5

AI Superpowers is a book that discusses the two largest information superpowers- China and US and their race for emerging as the leader of Artificial Intelligence. The book opens a whole new perspective into what the technology sector in China is all about. We do not find too much coverage in the western media about the Chinese tech companies- barring some big names like Alibaba and Tencent. The book provides a ring side view into how tech companies emerged in China, how they transformed the society and  and why China is uniquely positioned to emerge as the leader in the coming years in the AI race.

A lot of early stage startups in China were copycats of US products. This is also the reason why the west dismisses China as a me-too player. Meituan is a copy of Groupon, Dianping was a copy of Yelp, Renren was the copy of Facebook, Tujie the replica of AirBnB , Didi Chuxing a copy of Uber etc. The chinese competitors also started copying from each other. Consequently the Chinese entrepreneurs had to get really scrappy, innovative and cut throat that has accelerated the pace of innovation.  Over time these companies have got acquired by bigger players(Alibaba, Tancent, Baidu).

Author makes some interesting differentiation of how tech companies in China differs from US:

1. One App vs Multiple Apps

WeChat owned by Tencent is the swiss army knife for a chinese consumer. Unlike US consumer who goes to different apps for different things, Chinese consumer uses Tancent for most of their day to day needs. This is a fundamental shift in the consumer mindset.

2. Scale

9 out of 20 world's top tech companies are from China. Where China beats out the competition is in scale. China by virtue of population also has a larger scale than US in terms of reach and impact. Here's how China and US goes head to head on key sectors: Food delivery(10:1), Mobile Payment (50:1), Bike sharing (300:1), e-Commece (2:1)

3. Online to Offline

Author also makes the argument that unlike the US innovation which has largely stayed in the digital realm, the chinese tech companies have done a more impactful job of bridging online to offline. This has led to accelerating the pace of adoption and changing the landscape of the country.

AI Superpowers is a super interesting read that opens you to a new technology paradigm- something that we are not as familiar with.

10. The Richest Man in Babylon- George S Clason

Category- Non-Fiction
Read- Sep 2021
Pages: 194
Rating: 4/5

Richest Man in Babylon is a set of simple fables set in Babylon that conveys the principles of creating and growing wealth. The book is a breezy read that conveys the points as story takeaways. The author George S Clayson penned these stories and distributed them as pamphlets back in 1920's. Their popularity led the stories to be compiled into this book that took a cult status eventually.

11. A Man called Ove- Fredrik Backman

Category- Fiction
Read- Sep 2021
Pages: 337
Rating: 4/5

This is an adorable read on the day to day eccentricities of a man called Ove. How Ove goes on from being a hated person to a beloved man through the people he comes in contact with is the crux of the story.

It makes a light read. There's also a movie that has been adapted from the book.

12. Swipe to Unlock- Aditya Agashe, Parth Detroja, Neel Mehta

Category- Non- Fiction
Read- Oct 2021
Pages: 349
Rating: 4/5

Swipe to Unlock is a primer on how tech works for one and all. It distills down a lot of day to day questions pertaining to technology into a simple , easy to digest format. The book is co authored by 3 product management professionals who work in the FAANG companies. There were some great stories on tech has revolutionized countries such as Kenya, India using innovative and scalable solutions . Highly recommended book for aspiring tech/product product professionals.

13. Hooked- Nir Eyal

Category- Non- Fiction
Read- Nov 2021
Pages: 242 
Rating: 3/5

Hooked was another book on tech that explores how various apps such as Instagram, Facebook creates habituates customers. It explores the hook model that comprises of the elements involved in creating an engaging and immersive experience. As much as the book was useful, it also felt a bit dry in parts. Reinforced some basic concepts around engagement.

14. Brida- Paulo Coelho

Category- Fiction

Read- Dec 2021
Pages:  256
Rating: 3/5

Brida was borrowed from my good friend Kalesh who is also an avid reader. The book is another adventure story from Paulo Coelho (similar to alchemist) that has a heavy spiritual bend of mind. The story explores the journey of Brida- the girl who is in the search for a spiritual teacher. She finds two tutors who are masters of two different schools of thought- the philosophy of sun and the philosophy of moon. How Brida forges her path forms the crux of the story. This was a good read although i found it to be very similar to the Alchemist line of narrative.

15. The Guest List- Lucy Foley

Category- Fiction

Read- Dec 2021
Pages:  312
Rating: 4/5

Closed the year with a good suspense thriller in the form - The Guest List. This book was ranked as a bestseller in New York times which prompted me to pick it up. The book was an absolute page turner that explores who commits a murder at a remote island gathering. The book stood true to its promise with the suspense unfolding in the very last page. Something that stood out for me is the style of narration where in each of the chapter is written from the lens of a different character in the story. This lend a different perspective of the same event from different players. Loved closing the year with this fast paced crime thriller.