Running Bengaluru Marathon 2019? Revel in Being a Part of a Historic Weekend!

[Guest post by Dilip Kumar, a seasoned marathoner who finished Mumbai Marathon 2019 in 3:18:00.]

The weekend of 12-13 October, 2019, is going to be epic! And if you’re running the Sriram Properties Bengaluru Marathon (SPBM) this Sunday, 13th October, 2019, you will share something in common with some of the greatest athletes of modern-day sports. It is the “tapering week of the year”.

For endurance sports enthusiasts, this weekend action packed. It is perhaps the busiest weekend of the year in sporting history. Here’s how:

On Saturday, 12th October, is the Ironman World Championship. The course at Kona, Hawaii, is one of the most gruelling and competitive fields for every triathlete. If you’re going to follow the live action online, watch out for Jan Frodeno, Patrick Lange, Sebastian Kienle, Daniela Ryf, and Lucy Charles — some of the podium contenders.

That’s not it. 

On the same day, the world will witness what will perhaps be one of the most historic moments in the world of sports. Eliud Kipchoge will attempt to run a marathon in under 2 hours — 1 hour 59 minutes to be precise, at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge. Tune in on Saturday, 12th October, to witness history in the making. This will definitely pump you up with an extra dose of motivation for your run the next day.

On Sunday, October 13th, is Chicago Marathon where the defending champion, Sir Mo Farah will be back to reclaim the title.

Now you know what makes this the tapering week of the year, the time when the best of the best athletes all over the world are putting their training to rest before the big test. What more race week motivation can an amateur athlete ask!

So what should all of us amateur runners who are running SPBM the weekend be doing? I follow the C-R-N-M technique.

• C: Closure of training. By now, 99% of the training is done. Trying to build mileage in the race week will only do more harm than good. Now is the time to get mentally prepared for the race day and put finishing touches to the training by tapering down both the distance and intensity. This is how I taper:

• Monday: Rest day
• Tuesday: A quick burst of 400m speed routine with 8-12 repeats depending on the distance (HM/FM)
• Thursday:  A 5k-7k speed simulation, which can be a tempo run or race pace. 
• The rest of the days I walk/jog for 3k-5k depending on the comfort level that day and how fresh my legs feel. I believe it’s totally okay to have complete rest days too. If you haven’t been following a structured training program, then it’s best to take the last week easy with only mild movement on the legs. 
• I resist the temptation to try any new workout, especially gym or strength routine. Trying a new workout can be an invitation to injury.

• R: Rest. Rest is as important as training. In the last few months, the body has gone through a lot of pounding in preparation for the race. On the race day, the legs should feel super fresh at the start line — rest plays a major role here. As working professionals juggling between race training and a 9-6 work schedule, most of us might not have the luxury of taking complete rest. But as much as possible, we should avoid staying on our feet for a long time. Any unusual stress might just add to the fatigue. I’m very particular about my sleep quality and duration and try to get anywhere between 7-8 hours of sleep. This might mean asking your colleagues a favour to fill in for you for those late evening calls!

• N: Nutrition. Just like training, no new nutrition trick in the last week can amplify the race performance. It’s best to keep it simple. What’s simple? 

• Simple home-cooked food and no fancy meals
• Avoiding eating out, especially oily/fried food
• A simple ABC (Apple-Beetroot-Carrot) smoothie or salad for breakfast
• Avoid anything you or your digestive system are not used to! 

• M: Mental. Eliud Kipcoge said, “Mental fitness plays a big role during competition. If you don’t rule your mind, your mind will rule you. That’s the way I think about this sport.” The emphasis of positive thinking on race performance is often overlooked. Staying away from distraction on social network or WhatsApp groups (we’re all part of at least a few if not more!) and not getting intimidated by what others are doing are all a part of mental preparation. Stay away from anything that causes stress. Here’s what the greatest marathoner of this generation does to stay positive. Here’s another great insight on how elite athletes think before any race.

On race day, these are a few things I do that you might find useful too:

• Don’t wear any new gear — shorts, t-shirt, or shoes.
  
• If possible, try to be amongst the front wave of runners at the start line. This saves a few minutes.
  
• Don’t drop your pace and go fast early on, no matter how tempting it is with fresh legs and all. It’s not about how fast you start but how strong you finish. 
  
• Recall the route map and plan your pace as per the elevation. There are also quite a few turns on the race course. Execute your pace strategy accordingly. 
  
• Hydrate well during the race and stick to your water intake plan. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty and keep and eye for the hydration support points. 
  
• During the last 2-3 km, when you’re tired and want to stop, make it your goal to overtake every runner ahead of you!
  
• On the way, cheer runners around you and motivate them to keep up with you as you pass them. 
  
• Maintain your form all along, especially as you approach the finish line because most pictures are taken here and you want to look good!

The time for hard word has passed and now it’s the time to celebrate that with a good race. I thank my coach, Kothandapani K.C., for inculcating these thoughts into my mind.

All the best, and wish you all a strong finish.