As the New Year 2026 began, a woman from Chandigarh chose an imaginative and physically demanding way to ring in it – turning the city’s streets into a canvas.
A user named Asmita shared a screenshot of her fitness tracking app with X, which immediately grabbed attention online. The image showed a carefully planned running route spread across several sectors of Chandigarh, forming the number ’26’ on the city map – a nod to the year that had just begun.
According to the post, the run covered a distance of 26.26 km, making it Asmita’s longest New Year’s run so far. The route started near RBI Park and wound its way through the city’s grid-like roads until it finally completed a carefully designed number pattern.
Explaining the idea behind the effort, Asmita wrote in the caption, “Ran 26 km and drew 26 letters in the beautiful city of Chandigarh. Keeping the tradition alive, Happy New Year.” Her post indicated that it wasn’t a one-off challenge, but part of a personal New Year’s tradition she follows.
For many viewers, it wasn’t just the distance, but also the level of planning. Mapping a run to pinpoint numbers on a city floor plan requires precision, a consistent pace, and a strong understanding of local roads. Several users have pointed out that Chandigarh is uniquely suited for such a creative fitness challenge, with its superbly organized sector system and straight roads.
Social media users were quick to applaud the effort, praising both the dedication required to complete the 26km run and the originality of the concept. Many called it a refreshing way to combine fitness goals with creativity, while others joked that only Chandigarh’s urban design could make such an idea possible.
The post has since garnered over 85,000 views on X along with hundreds of likes and comments. Several users said the run inspired them to rethink their own fitness resolutions for the year, while others simply admired the discipline it takes to start the year with such a demanding physical challenge.
The user wrote: “That’s pretty damn awesome. Also shows how the city is planned.”
Another user wrote: “What a way to spend the new years – amazing!”
“Best way to start 2026,” wrote a third user.
A fourth wrote: “Chandigarh maps are next level and you are next level for drawing them!”
“Only residents of Chandigarh have this privilege. I can’t imagine anywhere else in India,” wrote a fifth.
