NORTH HOLLYWOOD — Competitive running came naturally for then 3-year-old Ananya Balaraman.
Balaraman was still a toddler when she was enrolled to run in a 400-meter race near her family’s past home in Santa Clarita.
Her arms were in ready position and eyes were focused on the finish line as she prepared to sprint her fastest. But then her parents, including father Nirmal, intervened.
“The race was about to start and I noticed that my shoes were untied,” Balaraman said. “They ran onto the track, tied them up and then off I went.”
Balaraman’s early memories helped shape her as she has become one of the top distance runners in the CIF LA City Section. The West Hills native is preparing to run in Clovis at CIF State for a sixth and final time this Saturday. She is a 2026 section winner in the 1,600 meters and has an athletic scholarship to run at Columbia University.
“It’s a really good outlet for the stresses of everyday life,” Balaraman said. “It’s the best part of my day.”
Running became a passion for Balaraman through watching her father compete in nine marathons. Nirmal’s latest race was competing in the Boston Marathon in 2019 and has now made his daughter’s academic and athletic career a family priority.
Balaraman joined her first running club with the Calabasas Cheetahs in 2017 and now trains for Big Bear Track Club, a program that has produced U.S. Olympians Boris Berian and Brenda Martinez.
While Balaraman has found success throughout her career, the road to the finish line has been anything but straight and narrow. Fatigue was a large reason Balaraman took time off during the 2025-26 track season and defending her 1,600 meters title was anything but a given.
She is also attends Highly Gifted Magnet North Hollywood, an educational program within the North Hollywood High School and LAUSD umbrella that features a rigorous academic schedule.
Balaraman was accepted into the public school program noted for helping students reach Ivy League schools.
Balaraman maintained her academic standards but struggled maintaining the 5 minutes and 10 seconds standards she reached consistently as a junior.
“I started the season 20 seconds behind my best and I struggled during workouts,” Balaraman said.
The senior pulled her best performances together in early May and took first place at the CIF LA City Section Championships.
Balaraman went stride for stride and managed to become a champion again. Her outstanding performances on the track were matched by her work in the classroom and community.
CIF named Balaraman as one of 20 Scholar-Athlete section winners and she was awarded a $1,500 scholarship.
Reflecting on her own challenges in 2026 is allowing Balaraman to embrace her one final weekend in Clovis before graduating and then heading to Columbia in New York City to study business finance.
“It’s always important to find your own path,” Balaraman said. “You don’t have to sacrifice academics or athletics. You just need to do the things you’re passionate about.”
