You’d never guess, watching him cruise through 80 kilometers a week, that Praveen K Teotia’s running story began not with medals or marathons—but with pain.
A former Marine Commando and injured Kargil war veteran, Praveen didn’t take up running to chase finish lines. He ran to reclaim his body. After life-altering injuries, running wasn’t about breaking records. It was about breaking free.
“After the injury, I started running to lose weight.”
That’s how he puts it. Plain. Undramatic. But the real story? It’s anything but.
Wounded in action, Praveen’s life was marked by surgeries, scars, and a body that no longer obeyed him the way it once had. Doctors saved his life, but it was running that gave him back control. “I had to rebuild myself,” he says. “I had to start somewhere.”
The road back began one step at a time—slow, uneven, unforgiving. But step by step, stride by stride, the runner in him was born.
Not Just a Comeback—A Lifestyle
Today, running isn’t just part of Praveen’s life. It is his life.
A typical week for him involves logging 70 to 80 kilometers on the road. He doesn’t obsess over pace or time. “I focus on distance,” he says, “not on time.” For him, the finish line is less about seconds and splits—and more about strength, consistency, and resolve.
There’s no coach shouting from the sidelines, no loud playlists pushing him forward. What drives him is quieter, deeper.
“I run to push my limits,” he says. “To enhance strength.”
Ultras and Unfinished Business
Praveen dreams big. His eyes are set on the Badwater 135—one of the world’s toughest ultramarathons through California’s Death Valley, where runners face 50+ degrees Celsius heat over 217 brutal kilometers.
That race demands a kind of resilience most people can’t fathom. But Praveen knows how to endure. He’s done it before—on different battlefields.
Hydration and fueling remain his toughest challenges. Not the distance. Not the pain. “Staying properly hydrated is the biggest problem,” he says with the calm of someone who’s learned to navigate discomfort.
On Hard Days, He Shows Up Anyway
Running isn’t glamorous every day. There are mornings the body aches, and the mind resists. But Praveen laces up anyway.
What keeps him going?
“I just remember why I started. I remember the fight.”
There’s a humility to his consistency, an unspoken discipline. He doesn’t wait for the right conditions. He runs because it's who he is now.
An Advocate Who Found His Tribe
Outside the track, Praveen identifies as an advocate. But among runners, he’s more than that. He’s a mentor, a motivator, a living reminder that we’re stronger than we think.
He discovered Sorgen through a friend, but it didn’t take long for him to make it a regular part of his gear. “Calf compression is my favorite,” he says. It's a quiet nod to what it takes to run far—support where it matters most.
“Stay positive. Stay healthy. Keep running.”
That’s the advice Praveen offers to anyone just starting out. No complicated training formulas. No need to get it all perfect.
Just stay the course. Stay positive. Keep running.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not about crossing someone else’s finish line—it’s about claiming your own.
Follow his miles and mindset: @marcospraveenteotia
About Sorgen Spotlight
We shine a light on runners who inspire us to lace up, learn, and live better. Stay tuned for more real stories, real sweat, and the science-backed gear that keeps our community moving.
