Indiana Department of Health Q & A with Mohan Ambaty – world-running CIO

Mohan Ambaty has run along the Great Wall of China and braved the cold of Antarctica to reach a personal goal: participating in a half marathon on each of the seven continents. The third destination on the list was “The Land Down Under,” so Ambaty set off for his next running adventure, the Australian Outback Marathon. The Indiana Department of Health Chief Information Office finished third overall in the men’s category July 29.

The lifelong avid runner took time to talk about this incredible experience and provide insight into where he hopes to go next on this unique journey.

Caption: IDOH Chief Information Officer Mohan Ambaty recently traveled to Australia to participate in a half-marathon. He finished third among all male competitors. Ambaty hopes to run a half-marathon on all seven continents.

Indiana Department of Health: You’ve previously stated your plans to complete a half marathon event on each continent. You’ve now done that in Asia (China), Antarctica, and Australia. How did the experience in Australia compare to the others, and where would you like to go next?

Ambaty: Honestly, every half marathon on each continent is different. In China there were lots of hills and uneven, steep steps, In Antarctica, I was running through mud and breezy, cold winds. When coming to Australia the temperature was perfect, but three-quarters of the course [I was] running in sand. One common aspect among all three races was the unique and beautiful landscapes I was able to see while running the half-marathon, as well as all the fun-filled, enthusiastic participants. I am currently planning to go to South Africa next.

Indiana Department of Health: How did you prepare for this event?

Ambaty: I registered for this event back in October 2022 to get the spot since there are only limited entries. I started preparing in early 2023 with a goal to complete 12 miles by the second week of July with my pace in mind, and to run a couple of half marathons in between. Eventually, I was able to reach my 12 miles goal but was not able to run any half marathons due to other commitments. Diet, sleep, and focus/dedication are other factors I needed to prepare for this race. Again, family, friends, and office colleagues' encouragement was a plus.

Indiana Department of Health: You have finished with a top time in all three of these half marathons. This time, you finished third among all male participants with a final time of just under two hours. Do you go into each event with a goal in mind you’d like to reach each time?

Ambaty: I usually will study the route conditions before I start practicing to better prepare for the race. As you know we don’t get route conditions, like running in sand in Indianapolis for the Outback race, cold temperatures like Antarctica, or lot of uneven steps like the Great Wall of China. I will keep my personal goal time in mind to reach while practicing for these races. I study the race results for fun, but never prepared to get a place. I keep my race plan to reach my time; I wanted to enjoy the race as much as I could and my ultimate goal was to finish the race.

Indiana Department of Health: Was this your first time visiting Australia? What are some of the things you enjoyed about this experience?

Ambaty: Yes, it was my first time visiting Australia. There was a lot to cover in this continent. I had limited time, but with good planning I was able to visit a lot of places including climbing Sydney Harbor Bridge, the Sydney Opera House, Gold Coast beach, Sydney Tower, the Sydney Zoo and Aquarium, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, Brisbane, Ayres Rock (Uluru) and at last the Australia Zoo (home of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin).

I was lucky to get a ticket to watch the Women's world soccer match between Colombia and South korea in Allianz Stadium, Sydney.

My favorite encounter was with different breeds of kangaroos and feeding them in the Australia Zoo, a celebration dinner in the middle of the desert (Uluru), and watching the stars. Another one was a nightly walk in Sydney Harbor to see the beautiful view of Harbor bridge, the Opera House, and the entire city view with lights. I had a pit stop in New Zealand while coming back to USA, where I enjoyed the beautiful landscapes, nearby islands, and my favorite part, visiting the Hobbit movie set (from the Lord of the Rings movies).

Indiana Department of Health: If you could only choose one of the locations you’ve participated in so far to return to, which one would it be?

Ambaty: This is one of the tough questions. Each continent has its uniqueness, but I will definitely return to Australia since it is a vast continent and I have many places on my wish list to visit.

Read about Mohan Ambaty’s previous running journeys in China (page 19 ) and Antarctica (pages 2 and 3).