7 Training Tips For Your First 21km Run

It is that time of the year again when all the marathoners are on a running high! The hard work and year-round training is about to pay off. Yup Marathon season has kick-started with the Hyderabad marathon last weekend. If you did not make it for the AHM then start your prep for the Bangalore Marathon in Oct, Delhi in Nov and Mumbai in Jan. If this is your first 21km don’t be worried just make sure you train and train some more.

Here are a few tips to make your first half as easy as it can get

1. 

   #runbuddieslikenoother

   Find a run buddy-I say this in every running post and saying it again. It easier to stay motivated and inspired when you have someone to share the burn with!!

2. Get a Plan on speed dial – follow the Nike+ Running App or look for one online, or from your coach at the gym or inbox me. Just get a schedule in place and follow it religiously to make sure your race ready!

3. 

   After my long run for the week

   At least 3 runs a week – non-negotiable! An interval run of 4 to 5km,  1 semi-long runs ( 8km to 10km) and a LOOOONG run. By long run I mean start week 1 at 10km, week 2 at 13km and keep increasing it every week until you get to 21km.

4. Strength Training – I know its a lot with 3 runs a week, but try one day of strength to keep your muscles in place. You don’t want to loose all that mass you worked so hard to build. Strong legs and core muscles will just make your runs a lot easier.
5. Cross-train- This scheduling is starting to sound like a boot camp, but cross-training helps with recovery. An easy swim, yoga or cycling can give you good endurance on your off days.
6. Last, but NOT the least is nutrition. It is critical to eat right during this intense training period. Make sure you have a good split of superfoods, protein and carbs. This is also a good time to take whey protein for muscle recovery considering you are training almost every day. Grab a Zago bottle, which is on-the-go pre-mixed whey protein drink  which can give you that instant recovery post your training sessions.
7. Track your runs-if you love stats and analyzing stuff. Geek out on this. Make a chart and track your progress.

Follow these 7 mantras and you will breeze through your first 21km like a boss. I am training with you so in-box me for help and I hope to finish super strong! Remember there is no finish line, this is only the beginning!

 

Back to Basics This Monsoon

Monsoons in Bangalore (my hometown) is the best season here. Every day for two months the sky is a little gloomy, a refreshing breeze and the lovely unpredictable rain! The weather is so special it makes you want to go out and stay home at the same time.

While you cozy up and cover up from the rain. It is a tough time if you love outdoor workouts and outdoor runs. This can mess-up a good training schedule and could leave you lazy and demotivated.

I always see this as a great time to get back to basics. While the rest of the year we spend maxing out our training schedules this is the time to take a pause and work on all those little skills we tend to ignore.

So here are a few tips on how to make this weather work best for you

Go back to a gym or indoor training center and re-visit your FORM for core movements. Is there a way to make your squat better, your push – up stronger and your deadlift heavier. Good work on these strength movements will influence your running/ cycling/ yoga etc.

From my post on Pilates ( Read here) you know that CORE is KING. You can get in some heavy-duty core strengthening work. If you need a good workout you can check out the Nike Training App which has great 4-6week programs on core and strength.
Flexibility, Agility , Plyometrics and Mobility– yup they all exist and now you can spend a good amount of time figuring out what they are. Throw these words at your trainers and demand a diverse training plan to attack these weak spots.

Lastly don’t completely ignore your running and other cardio training. Use the treadmill to do interval speed training and the elliptical to increase stamina. You could also give Spinning a try, which is great for stronger limbs.

For me the monsoons has been really busy, but it is time to visit the old and rework the new, half the year is almost done!

 

 

Mind Over Body

I have been wanting to blog about how good mental health is the first step towards improved physical health. We don’t realize what a large impact our mind has over the body. If you think back to your school years I am sure there were times when you could mentally convince yourself you had a fever or a stomach ache to miss that horrible test you did not prepare for and it would have worked!

Even today our mind can push our bodies to do the impossible. Those books and anecdotes about positive thinking have a way of enhancing self-esteem.

To be able to step on the fitness bandwagon and make it part of your daily life you need to mentally get on board. The battle needs to be won in your mind, followed closely by the battle on your plate!

The first step is to start thinking positive, which is much easier said than done, considering the headlines every morning. I would recommend keeping very small goals to help you stay excited. You can make a note of your goals on apps like “Lifetick” or “Goalsontrack” this will help you stay focused and give you small victories to celebrate.

Count your blessings constantly! Every time I get demotivated about life’s difficulties, I remember how lucky I am just to be healthy and alive. Repeat it over and over, stick a post-it somewhere if you have too, follow motivational quotes of twitter, but being thankful for what you have automatically puts you in a better mood.

Speak positive, helps you stay positive. Not grumbling about something as inane as the horrible traffic, or how cold your lunch is to a serious work issue, your mood reflects your words. This is hard to do since we are so used to bitching and nagging about things all the time. But whenever I have tried to make an effort to bite my tongue and hold back my negative comments I feel good. So give yourself a small rule e.g. I will not comment on weight or clothes or the traffic etc.. Just try it with a few everyday items and you will feel the effects.

Surround yourself with positive people and positive things. Kill the negativity around you. This is a harsh one because often the people we love may be dragging us down by their negative attitude. Have a talk expressing that you’re working towards positive energy and they should too or you may have to cut the cord.

Last, but not the least is Meditation, which is life changing. Mediation calms the mind and soul which in turn calms the body. It is a mood elevator and increases positive emotions and life satisfactions. Start with five minutes and build onto at least fifteen to see real success.

The reason to switch over to positivity (apart from 100 other benefits) is that it has a huge impact on your physical health. It heightens motivational levels and increases your metabolic rate. Your immune system works better and you have higher energy levels.

Wake up every day, smile at the world, meditate for five minutes and remember a happy mind is a healthy body