“Alycia Dias is known to most Pakistanis as a soulful singer and songwriter with a voice that has graced television soundtracks and Coke Studio alike. But in early 2025, she surprised even herself by crossing an entirely different kind of stage — the finish line of the Karachi Marathon. What began as a random impulse turned into one of the most demanding yet fulfilling journeys of her life.”

“I legit woke up one day and decided that I was going to run the Special Olympics Pakistan Half Marathon in 2023 (21.1 km) with only five weeks of self-training,” she laughs. “My gym routine was getting tedious.” That spontaneous decision set her on a path that would test both her physical and mental endurance. It wasn’t long before reality struck. “It was challenging,” she admits. “I also injured my knee and ankle and didn’t know how to counter the injury. Ran the SOP regardless.”

Her grit didn’t go unnoticed in Karachi’s growing running community. Alycia joined a local running club where she found encouragement — and a bit of peer pressure — to take things to the next level. “Running a marathon was never a goal, lol,” she says, laughing at her own honesty. “I joined a running club and they all pushed me to run a marathon. I didn’t get into Tokyo, so I did Karachi.” With that, she committed to 42.2 kilometers — a distance that even seasoned athletes approach with caution.

For training, she turned to Faisal Shafi, a respected coach in Pakistan’s running circles. “Faisal trained me and he did an absolutely amazing job,”

she says. “I’m someone who needs a push when it comes to running, and he was the perfect guy for it.” Between her music career, motherhood, and training, Alycia’s days were packed, but she showed up, even when she didn’t want to. “No fun memories,” she admits with a grin. “The only bearable ones were when some runners gossiped — it helped take the focus off the pain and misery.”

When race day finally arrived, things didn’t go according to plan. “I was sick. I had to carry paracetamol,” she recalls. “But to be honest, I knew that I had to run… there was no turning back.” That mix of stubbornness and quiet determination carried her through to the end. “I was really proud of myself, that’s all I can say.”

Today, Alycia isn’t sure if she’ll run another marathon.“I’m still contemplating whether I should run 2026 or not,” she says, but she continues to lace up for shorter runs whenever she can. Balancing music, motherhood, and marathon training isn’t easy, yet she’s living proof that it’s possible.

Her message to others thinking of taking up running is characteristically blunt. “Do or die… it’s not fun, it’s not going to be easy. But try it once. It is worth it.”

For a singer whose voice has long stirred emotion, Alycia Dias has now found another rhythm — one measured not in melodies, but in miles.