“We are different, in essence, from
other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to
experience something, run a marathon.” – Emil Zatopek
Recently, I ran the Jaipur City
Marathon. It took me 4 Hours and 57 Minutes. My decision to run the marathon
was based entirely on my lifelong dream of accomplishing such a feat. It was
about realizing a dream and proving to me that I could do it. However, along
the way, I realized numerous other benefits. I got into the best shape of my
life. I found countless hours to reflect on my life and I have learned some
valuable lessons.
Run Tall – If athlete back is
collapsed a little bit then it makes it harder to breathe as easily and as
freely as you might. Lengthened your back not stiff it, like an upward
direction in the body. That takes the pressure off the ribs, off the diaphragm
and one can breathe better.
Head Balancing – If one doesn’t
balance his/her neck and spine nicely then it creates a lot of strain. One
should be upright and looking forward. By this, one doesn’t feel so tight or
cramped in his/her shoulders and have a greater range of arm movement too. It
also helps psychologically not to be looking down at the floor when one gets to
the point where legs are complaining.
Fuel Properly – One can’t complete
a marathon without fueling his/her body correctly. Fuel your body properly by
eating healthy.
Compete Less, Encourage More – It
isn’t all about winning or losing, it’s about the experience and being in it
together. Encourage all runners around you.
Feet and Arms in sync – Land your
feet directly underneath body rather than shooting out in front. This reduces
the braking forces and helps one run lightly. Also, move arms backwards and
forwards slightly across body. When arms are used in this co-ordinated and
rhythmic fashion, they are a wonderful source of power.
Knowing your Strength – One can
discover their hidden strengths they never knew they had. Because strength
comes from overcoming tasks which once thought were impossible to do.
Get Proper Gear – Select pair of
shoes/socks wisely which doesn’t impact your knees while running on mortar
road. Get used to shoes pair which you will wear on Marathon Day. Wear sweat
absorb tees/shorts to avoid itching and load of sweating.
Hydration & Nutrition – Make your
body properly hydrated before, during and after the race. Focus on having foods
which have a low glycemic index (GI), such as oats, pasta and sweet potatoes.
Get used to food one plan to eat or drink on race day during the training
itself. Fats are advisable because they take about 2 hours more to burn
compared to carbohydrates. Body will switch to fats as the energy source after
initial carbohydrates have been burnt off.
Strength Training – Do a strength
training session two-three times a week. Plantar flexion stretches, Knee
extensions, shin and hip extension exercises are important to give forward
thrust while running.
Increase Tempo – For long runs, get
used to 10 Km run daily followed by Half Marathon once a week and increase
tempo slowly.
One last thing to remember, over
training can lead to injury and injury can lead to giving up. Don’t let a setback
stop you in your pursuit of what you want. Take the spirit of determination of
the marathon runner. Keep moving forward, one step at a time and one foot in
front of the other until you get to finishing line.
I will end with one of my
favorite quote from Dean Karnazes: “Run when you can, walk if you have to,
crawl if you must; JUST NEVER GIVE UP!”
No comments:
Post a Comment