On Running

Yesterday, I ran my fastest 5K EVER. With 24:58 timing, I breached the elusive and tough 25 min barrier with this run. Coming as it does, just 3 days after I ran a full marathon 42.2 in a practice run all by myself, I felt it was time to talk.

For a while now, people have asked me about my running,

• How I do what I do?
• What's been the effort that has gone into it?
• How much time do I spare towards running?
• How often I run ? etc.

I felt it was about time I write one COMPREHENSIVE article on running.

Mind you, this is not some Holy Grail on running. It would be an insult to the running coaches and esteemed runners I have run with and learned from if I would claim that. However, for anyone early into running or someone looking at solutions to specific problems/issues, this just might be the answer to the questions they are yet to ask!

First with the background. I have run about 9 full and 17 half marathons since Oct 2013, when I ran my first ADHM (Airtel Delhi Half Marathon). My First FM is 4:28, Fastest HM is 1:50, Fastest 10K is 49:58, and Fastest 5K (unofficial) is 24:58. Apart from these, I have completed Half IRONMAN in New Delhi in 2018 and completed the 50K Malnad Ultra Run also in Oct 2018.

Why Run: So running is as natural to humans as sleeping or talking. Prehistoric humans were known to adapt to running as an activity very easily. Whether it was to escape from a wild beast (and not become the prey) or chasing an animal for food (to make it a prey!). Many, including me, claim that running is a form of meditation, you are with yourself, at peace and it allows you to just 'free' yourself for the time you are running.

If your objective is weight-loss then running works to an extent but its best accompanied with a good diet plan as well. If you find it tough to run alone, especially in the beginning, you should run with a group. Its a lot easier that way. There is no Tier 1/2 city in India that has no running groups. Groups help you find like-minded people, people with similar goals/physiques, and constraints.

When Run: Early morning is the best time, but I know a lot of people run in the evening, after work and it helps them to rejuvenate after a long and tiring day. Of course, the major issue in metros nowadays is the traffic, as invariably we run on the roads and traffic is a nuisance in the evening. That gets me to the next point.

Where Run: Please do not run on a treadmill, if you can avoid it. It's NOT good for the knees. Running on a treadmill is only good when u are doing Strength/Core Training and need to do your 10-15 min. Cardio before or after the Gym training. Softer/muddy surface and running tracks are any day better than running on Tar roads, but I understand most of us will not have that luxury close to our house. I am not a big fan of driving to someplace to run, definitely not on a daily basis but yeah, once or twice in a week is fine, especially when u run for an hour +.

Run With: Shoes are the most critical items. There are lots and lots of brands selling shoes at all different forms, shapes, sizes, and prices. Do not get confused. Early on, go with the most basic of shoes. No one brand trumps at this stage, wear what is comfortable and does not leave a big hole in your pocket. Typically it's advisable to change shoes every 500 km. Many times the shoe looks ok on the top but check the sole and you will definitely find wear-and-tear. On running 500kms average in about 7-8 months, the worn sole impacts your running and more importantly your feet, so it's better to change before its too late.

Invest a waist pouch or an armband for the phone, if you do prefer to carry the phone when running. I need my music or audible when running. If that's the case with you, then better have a wireless Bluetooth headset for the same. I am yet to buy a TomTom/Garmin/Fitness gadget and its best to avoid in early stages, even if your loved ones are overenthusiastic about gifting one to you. At this stage, Less is More.

Hydration is a critical element in running. I have learned many things the hard way. Quantum of water to be sipped (not drunk, mind you) is one of them. Too much water is as bad as too little. The intent of water is to make sure you don't let your throat run dry and hence hydrate at frequent intervals. What the duration of intervals should be, depends on your body. I typically carry water with me during practice runs and hence have it with me in the running events as well, so I can have it at will when my body needs it. Many people prefer to have as little stuff on them when running, hence they drop the bottle too.

Run How Much: It varies. I used to run 3-4 times a week initially. I got carried away by the group plans posted on the WhatsApp group and the no. of signups for each of the run, lead to FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). This would include various plans like Tempo Run, Interval Training, Speed run, Hill repeats, etc. These are all part of a well laid out training plans popular in various running groups. To be honest, I never followed such a regime. On a given day, I would decide the distance and time to run that distance in and just RUN. That's it. The sooner you realize running is more mental activity than a physical one, the better.

Of course, you start running short distances(2-3K), build some rhythm, get comfortable at a particular pace for the same distance and then gradually increase, based on your stamina and the kind of race you are preparing for (5K/10K/21K, etc.). The key is to LISTEN to your body. See what parts of legs are giving trouble, if any, and work towards correcting your posture/running style. Later in this article, I will refer to a few books on running. The most important one, which I consider as the Bible for runners, is "The Chi of Running"/ It explains all of this very nicely and its an easy 3-4 hour read. It takes about the stride, the stance, the posture, the routines to go through.

Before and After: There is nothing more important in this article than the importance of Warm-up and cool down before and after the run respectively. People (read the author) often make the mistake of downplaying the importance of this, especially during training. Not allowing your muscles to 'soften up' /easing before the run or not allowing the muscles to stretch and relax after the run, can be the source of injury at some point in time. I have had the IT Band injury in 2016 and Meniscus tear in 2019 and I am talking from experience. I can pinpoint exactly how my pre-post run stretching was messed up and it caused these injuries.

Eat and Run: What you eat the previous night (carb loading, light meal, early dinner) and what u eat before you run (Banana, Oats, a small cup of tea, lemon water, etc) is more critical than the nutrition during the run (this is very true in the long runs as well, where one has to make adequate preparations and cannot rely on the organizers). This is again something I learned the hard way. I would put too much emphasis on dates, Gu gels, Banana, etc that I would carry during a full marathon and totally miss out on what I had a couple of hours BEFORE the race. That what we had before the run, decided our stamina and fitness levels during the run.

Runners, in general, switch to healthy food once they run regularly. But yeah, once you are conscious of your ability to burn a lot of calories, its easier to treat yourself to good food every once in a while, knowing that your next run will 'adjust' all those extra calories.

Fear of Peer: Running is an 'individual sport', don't make it a team event by constantly comparing your progress with that of others. Your body and your running capabilities are purely YOUR purview, it does not involve any other runner. Period. Yes, you can very much benchmark, just to keep your motivated and raise your standards, with people whom you judge as being of a similar physique as you, but it's not NECESSARY that you can achieve the same results as them. As I mentioned earlier, mental fitness plays a critical role, and it's not very apparent from one's outward appearance. So, just judge your run on YOUR previous run. If the boundary conditions were the same and you were slower, be critical as hell on yourself, and deny yourself some amenities and punish yourself. However, if you had set too tough a target and u fell short, it's OK.

Read On Run: Again, this is NOT an exhaustive list. These are NOT the best books on running. However, of what I had read so far, I found these four books worth a mention and hence including here.

Chi Running by Danny Dreyer and Kathleen Dreyer- Clearly, the Bible for runners. Covers the very basic and core elements of running what every runner should know. Danny Dreyer teaches us how to heal and prevent injuries and also to run faster, farther, and with much less effort at any age or ability. ChiRunning employs the deep power reserves in the core muscles, an approach found in disciplines such as yoga, Pilates, and in this case T'ai Chi.

What I talk about when I talk about Running By Haruki Murakami. In 1982, having sold his jazz bar to devote himself to writing, Murakami began running to keep fit. A year later, he'd completed a solo course from Athens to Marathon, and then, after dozens of such races, not to mention triathlons and a dozen critically acclaimed books, he reflects upon the influence the sport has had on his life and--even more important--on his writing.

Eat And Run, by Scott Jurek, one of the legends in Ultrarunning. For nearly two decades, Scott Jurek was a dominant force—and darling—in the grueling and growing sport of ultrarunning. For a long time, he held the American 24-hour record and he was one of the elite runners profiled in the runaway bestseller Born to Run. Scott’s story shows the power of an iron will and blows apart the stereotypes of what athletes should eat to fuel optimal performance.

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. Ok, this is not a book on running, but I wanted to include this in the list. Its memoir of Nike founder. What I loved is the way running is so well integrated into the author's life. how its therapeutic effect helps him. Like where he says " I came back home after a tiring day, changed, put on my shoes, and went for a run." Clearly a Must read.

Run For: This is something that I have raised in the last few years when I have started dedicated my runs for someone. The level of seriousness just shoots up. You are more focussed, more determined, and more clear of the task on hand. You let loose on any inhibitions, you just CANNOT let down the person for whom you are running. And for the person that you do, the actual performance does not matter. The very fact you did it, is what does.

Stop Run: Clearly, know when to stop. Know when you do not want to overdo it. LISTEN to your body during and after the run. Take breaks, indulge in other activities like Cycling and Swimming, so it does not get monotonous or boring. Do not go for the same run or the same type of run. Look for variations in surface, location, incline, altitude, weather. Experiment with different challenges. While you build endurance by going for longer runs, also focus on pace. It's tough to work on pace and endurance at the same time, but once u are able to master both, the sky is the limit!