Stepping Up: Day 1 of Stride the Clyde 2026 (And Why I Should Double-Check My Math)

In Reading, Reflections
19 hours ago
2 Min Read
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I’m officially back! After a few months away from blogging, I’m jumping right back in for a cause incredibly close to my heart. I’ve signed up for the Stride the Clyde 2026 challenge to raise funds for Cross Basket House. Our family recently needed their facility firsthand, and I saw the profound impact they have on families with kids in Glasgow’s PICU and children’s hospital.

Now, I’m not exactly a fitness enthusiast, and my enthusiasm might have slightly clouded my math skills when signing up. The weather was sunny, and I completely misread the 106-mile goal as 106 kilometres. I figured 3.5 km a day was a breeze since I’ve done a few 5k walks recently. It was only after hitting register that I realised my mistake. But hey, I’m locked in now!

Today was Day 1, and the sunny weather naturally vanished. It was pouring, so I knocked out my first 3.6 miles indoors.

To pass the time, I listened to a fascinating lecture that popped up on my feed. It was a talk given at Cambridge in March 2025 by Sir Demis Hassabis (our first alumnus to win a Nobel Prize in 2024) titled ‘Accelerating Scientific Discovery with AI’. If you’re into STEM, it’s a must-watch on YouTube. He discusses everything from game dev to protein folding and “digital biology”, showing how AI is compressing decades of scientific innovation into mere months.

As Rob Dial says in his book Level Up, micro actions accumulate over time. I started with 3.6 miles today, and by chipping away at it daily, I’ll hit that 106-mile finish line by the end of June.

I’d love for you to join me on this journey! I’ll be posting daily updates here and on my JustGiving Page. Day 1 is officially in the books—here’s hoping for less rain tomorrow!

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By Priya 19 hours ago
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Priya Bhagavathy

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Proud Mom. Lead R&D Engineer at PNDC, University of Strathclyde. Oxford Martin Fellow and Oxford policy engagement network KE fellow. Interests in energy technology, policy and sustainable system. Current research areas include the decarbonisation of heat, transport and electricity and the role of hydrogen in decarbonisation.

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