I took up to running in September 2015 after returning from an incomplete Ladakh trek. In the 3 months, I participated in 2 half marathons which were timed. The first one in October which I completed in 2:39 and the second one in 2:02 in December. It was good fun learning the finer aspects of something we all do all our life.
As usual, this post is not about how to become a competitive runner simply because I am not one yet. It is about the beginners mistakes I did and learning from these mistakes if I have to start training again for a half marathon what would I do and not do.
There is a second disclaimer that what worked for me might not work for others but still there would be many points which you might empathise with me on.
So lets start.
Don't read: I registered for the half marathon even without running a kilometre. Still bad, even before running a single kilometre, I googled for training plans, schedules etc. All was depressing and they were unanimous in saying that I should not run the first HM before months of training. Some even advocated a year or more of training. My race day was just over a month away. So I mentally wrote-off the registration fees & started running extempore for fitness. Don't time the runs. Just run in moderate pace within your elastic limits. Keep pushing the limits further incrementally.
Pre & Post run stretching/exercises: As I started adding distance, it was imperative to stretch so that you are in good shape for the rest of the day and for tomorrow's run. I googled for exercises. Again I found it difficult to follow using the diagrams & instructions. So after trying a few days and not making any sense of it, I switched to suryanamaskars. They proved to be very helpful. Suryanamaskars with extra emphasis on the legs. But I am still looking for expert training on warming up and cooling down.
Set a realistic target: Things got better and I started timing my runs to discover that I am running 10 kilometres in about 70 minutes. Emboldened, I decided to run the race. I did an accountant's extrapolation to figure out that with a some more effort, I can probably complete the HM in 2 hours. But I will have to push really hard. It was not very motivating in further practice runs from a 2 hour target perspective but I kept going.
Shoes: I had 5 year old badly worn-out trainers. I decided to gift myself a pair of running shoes only after completing the race.
Taper: Didn't do anything a week before the race. Only suryanamaskar's.
The first race: Excited to run, I wrote to a 2-hour pacer telling him that I will be joining him. He was a perfect gentleman who politely asked me tone down my ambitions. Got up at 4 am for the race starting at 6 am. Had a roti with tea. Packed a small sack with banana's, dates, water bottles and what not. A sack! How stupid. Reached the race venue a bit late to discover the chic-o-bloc parking lots. Had to park really far away. reached the start line huffing and puffing seconds before the flag off. And even before we could settle down started running in the midst of a huge pack. As per my strategy then, I had 20 minutes of slow warm-up run followed by picking up pace. It was consuming wading thru a block of runners of varying pace and it was demotivating seeing the faster ones overtake. The 2 hour bus was never to be seen. As I approached the halfway mark, the 2:30 bus overtook me. It further dampened my morale. I started feeling tired and hit the proverbial wall which I was told one hits anytime post 15 kms. Thoughts of giving up came in my mind. Walked quite a bit distance. Now what. I must complete the race even if I walk the remainder distance. After some hydration, I could start running slowly again before setting visible targets until where to run before I walk again. Recovered, I ran at a frustratingly slow pace to complete in 2:39.
Post race: Sent an email to the pacer telling him of having learnt a lesson. Running 10 km is completely COMPLETELY different than running 21 km. My left knee, the clutch knee was broken. I could neither drive nor use the stairs for 2 days. I gave up mentally on running. Not my cup of tea.
A few days later learnt about an event being planned, the Olympic triathlon. The keeda woke up yet again. My knee is getting better why not try. And one fine morning without thinking about it as usual registered for the triathlon. Since my knee was still hurting, I started focussing on swimming. Did a bit of cycling, a little bit. Gradually started running again. Got better in a month to do all 3, cycle, run and swim on one of the days. The knee was still hurting but far lesser than what it was on the race day.
As I felt I was preparing well for the Triathlon, the event was cancelled. There was this marathon in December. Focused my effort on the 2nd HM.
15 days before the HM, did a punishing trek walking about 11-12 hours in 2 days. 8 days before did a gruelling 3 days of rock climbing activity. The calfs and hamstring was hurting.
Good shoes: Invested in good running shoes. Really good. The ride quality difference is the same as it is between that of a sedan and a SUV.
Longer practice run: Wanted to do a 17 km run but could run only 13 km. Ended up with chaffed nipples. Didn't know about it. Painful.
Did not taper: With the hurting calfs and hamstrings, did bursts of 3 km runs at top pace. Timed about 6 minutes a km. Stopped just 2 days before the race. Was feeling better. When I bettered my last day burst to slightly less than 6 minutes, yet again like the last race started dreaming about an under 2 finish. Sheikchilli.
Focus: Again set a target of 2 hours but was too ashamed to talk about it given the history. Broke down the route into first 6 middle 9 and last 6. Before the race day, mentally ran the race over and over again marking time at important milestones. Marking places to sip water, places to sip electrolyte, where to pop in a date etc. Marked places where I should be in the first 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes. I should be at 12 km in the first hour if I have to make it under 2 was the clear takeaway of these many mental runs.
Posture & form: Watched videos of professional marathoners to learn how to 1) relax while running, 2) Maintain an upright posture, 3) Manage more frequent strides than longer strides, 4) mid-foot landing - how to pick up the coke bottle while running, 5) where to train your eye-sight on, 6) what to do with your hands, 7) How not to bounce and swiggle etc. It was very VERY helpful.
Bib: Based on previous experience for better ventilation decided to pin the bib on the running shorts and not on the T-shirt.
Knee caps: I had taken to using a knee cap for my left knee but decided to use one for the right knee as well.
Hydrating bottle: Used a waist wraparound bottle holder instead of a sack. It was filled with natural electrolyte. Nothing artificial. NO Sack this time.
Taped nipples: Used vaseline and band-aid to protect nipples from chafing.
Race day: Got up at 4. Did pranayam and other breathing exercises to charge the lungs. A set of 12 high stretch suryanamaskars and I was all set. Had a chapati and a banana just before the race. Was feeling just perfect. I pictured me running like a stag, jumping in air.
Reached the venue good 10 minutes before flag-off. Started at the head of the pack. Just behind the professionals - the Kenyan's, Ethiopian's etc.
Unlike last time, started with a burst. The pro's vanished and I could not see them after 2 minutes of trailing them at high speed. Had the usual starting pain and creeks. These subside after 5 minutes. Keep going. The take-off was super. 5 minutes on, I saw the 1:45 bus overtake me. The fear of 2:00 bus trailing and overtaking me any moment now gave a nitro-boost. I imagined that I am a pro athlete myself and how should I be seen on TV if the camera's are covering me. This improved the posture and form and helped on the speed. 15 minutes into the race, I was gliding effortlessly. The pack got thinner. I was sipping 4 swigs of electrolyte every 3 km as planned and water at every water station.
I lost my step-counter and watch at the start line so didn't have anything to check the time. So, it was our humble cops whom I asked what time it is to figure out how I am doing. 6 km in 30 minutes. I am on plan. It was dark in a few patches, so it slowed the pace a little. I met a good runner running along side and motivating his friends who were trailing him. He told me he is eyeing under 2 for his entire group. We kept running along side for quite some time. He proved to be a good pacing help. 12 km in 1:05. Slipped a little but can recover. At about 17 km, I felt slight pain in my chest. I slowed down to figure whether it was muscular or internal. After ascertaining it was muscular, pressed the gas again for the final assault.
Last 2 km and it is 1:50. Can I make it under 2. TIGHT.. Started pushing very hard and entered the stadium. School kids had lined up the entrance and felt like an athlete giving high fives to them while running the last part on the synthetic track. Reached the finish line. Huf!! I asked a technologically wired participant who came in just behind me what he thinks his timing was? 1:59:14 ! And how does he know to micro-seconds. Did he get the message already. He smiled and pointed to his phone. Wow!! Have I too made it under 2?
The suspense didn't end until 1130 or so. 2:02 it was..
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