My tryst with God

At the outset, I would like to appropriately qualify this blog. “My Running Reflections” is supposed to be a running blog, but this one qualifies as something far more sacrosanct for me - something that extends beyond the boundaries of running or any sport for that matter. It’s about an ephemeral moment when I revisit some sweet childhood memories – all within a matter of few seconds!  

IDBI Federal Life Insurance – New Delhi Marathon (26^th Feb 2017)

It was around the end of 2016 when I learned about Sachin Tendulkar’s association with the NDM event. For the first time, a running event was going to be more than just a running event for me. I was charged up to give my best performance on the big day. The months of January and February were largely focused on speed work with tempo and interval runs forming a significant share of weekly running mileage. 

The days passed by and then comes the big day - 26^th Feb, 2017.

The excitement was in the air. As I entered the Stadium, I continued performing my ritual warm-up drills, but my mind was elsewhere. I kept scanning the sea of people to catch a glimpse of my childhood Hero – the Master, the Blaster, the God – the One and Only, Sachin Tendulkar.

All warm-up drills performed, pre-run banana eaten, pleasantries with fellow runners exchanged – still no sight of Sachin Tendulkar. I was disappointed at the hype I had created in my own mind. For the last two months, all I had thought about during my personal time was the sight of Sachin Tendulkar flagging-off the race and I achieving my best ever half-marathon time on that magical day!

But, alas - that was not to be.. 

With a feeling of despair and utter disappointment, I accepted the fact that Sachin had not come. I bent down to tighten the shoelace for one final time before the run commenced. Just as I gingerly tied the shoe-lace knot, I heard a loud boisterous eruption. Even before I got up to see what it was – a broad smile had flashed on my face; I knew the master had arrived.

What I saw next was intense, emotional, nostalgic and beyond words. With a large flag in his hand, Sachin stood just a few meters away from me (the fact that I made it to the first few rows from the start-line helped!). 

The first thing that struck me at seeing Sachin was the radiant glow on his face – a glow that one cannot be born with, a glow that certainly cannot be acquired through the use of cosmetic creams – a glow that one attains through single-minded focus and dedication and going through the grind for one’s quest for excellence day after day, month after month – for almost 25 years! 

A few moments later, I felt a sudden turbulence of thoughts and flashbacks from my childhood days. It was almost like the sight of Sachin had nudged a few blocks of nostalgic memories that were comfortably placed beneath the layer of sub-conscious memory, and were now trying to regain equilibrium. Some moments that instantly crossed through my head:

• IIT Delhi second year, Karakoram hostel (2002): We were watching a one-day international match in the Hostel common room and Sachin got dismissed cheaply. The gentleman sitting next to me (an M. Tech student three years senior to me) was visibly disappointed and started abusing Sachin like crazy. After exercising restraint for a few minutes, I decided enough was enough and beat that senior like a mad man. Subsequently, I was banned from the hostel common room for six months. Well, I was a kid back then with limited maturity (but in no way suggesting that with the advantage of maturity that I have gained over the last 15 years, I wouldn’t do that again – I still believe that the gentleman got the treatment he deserved!)
• The day of my Roka ceremony (2^nd March, 2008): I was getting engaged to my would-be wife! Everything was great – all relatives were ecstatic, grand preparations had been made at a Banquet Hall. The only little bit of a concern (at least in my mind) was that the day coincided with Common Wealth Bank Series, 1^st Final – India vs. Australia. As the function progressed, I kept furtively escaping every few minutes (on the pretext of feeling hungry, nature’s call, need water and what not) to catch a glimpse of Sachin on a large screen where the match was being telecast in an adjacent restaurant. The master scored an unbeaten 117 and the auspicious day became a little more auspicious.
• Sachin’s retirement day (15^th Nov 2013): As a kid, I always feared what would I do when Sachin retires. It almost felt like I would not have anything to look forward to. But of course, those were thoughts as a kid. Now, I had grown up – in fact, I was a father of a 3-year old kid. When Sachin walked back after getting dismissed for 74 for the final time, I just couldn’t hold back tears. Yes, I cried like a kid (yes, it was embarrassing, but so be it!). My kid was visibly concerned to see me weeping and looked at his Mom to explain what was going on. My wife explained to him that Papa is sad because he will not be able to watch Sachin’s batting anymore. The three year-old kid came to me after a few moments and said – Papa, Youtube pe dekh lenge (we will watch him on YouTube). As innocent as it may have been, it did give me a lot of comfort!

There were many other spontaneous flashbacks, but these were the prominent ones – all within a matter of few seconds.

The run started..

Sachin was cheerfully looking at the passing cavalcade and cheering the runners. What happened next was magical. There was a brief moment when Sachin and I made an eye contact. Sachin smiled and showed me a thumbs-up. Of course, he was doing that to the crowd but for that brief moment it felt like it was a personalized good-luck gesture for me.

The energy level went through the roof. After that magical moment, there was no way I was going to settle for anything less than my personal best.

The challenge for me was to hold the nerves and run as per the plan. I often make the mistake of running the first few kilometers faster than the desired pace. I had planned to take at least 20:30 for the first 5 kms. At the end of 5 kms, I realized that I had deviated from the plan by good 45 seconds and finished it in 19:45. I did manage to get back on the plan after around 8^th km mark and by the time I finished the race, I had managed to achieve a new PB for half-marathon distance – 1:28:33 (bettering my previous best by 1 min and 6 seconds).

Clearly, it was a race that I would remember for reasons bigger than just my personal best timing! My tryst with God was magical and the lucky charm seemed to have continued into the next big event too.

Urban Stampede 10km run (5^th March, 2017)

Managed to secure second rank with my personal best timing of 40:47 for 10 km run.

So, back to the original topic - The Tryst with God. 

What next now? The desire to meet Sachin remains and meet in a more personalized manner. But, it should feel like a meeting earned through hardwork, discipline and elevation of self to a level where the meeting makes sense not just for me but also for Sachin - and, I have miles and miles to go before even remotely  entertaining a thought like that!  

Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

#TomTom

#GetGoing

About the Author: By background, Sundeep Singh is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Delhi and holds an MBA from IIM Kozhikode. Given his flair for mechanics and passion for running, he loves to analyze and write about the finer nuances of running techniques / strategies. Sundeep’s best run till date is NDM 2017, which he completed in 1:28:33.

The pursuit of 1:29:xx

As I anxiously stood at the start line of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM) 2016, a myriad of memories flashed through my head. I thought about several occasions on which I missed the sub-1:30 mark, I thought about the 4:00am wake-up routine over the last several months, I thought about the fun training moments spent with my close friends over the past few weeks, I thought about the final taper week, I thought about the pasta lunch I had with my close friends a day ago…It felt like a lot passed through my head. Before I could think of anything else, the ‘mad-rush’ started..

The background

Before I describe the journey (or the pursuit of 1:29:xx, as I love to describe it) a bit of a background on how it started. About two years ago, when I had started running I had very limited understanding of what half-marathon is all about. It had started almost out of my whimsical desire to try something new. Why? Because, I had known a few other people doing it. At that stage, I had a simple discussion with a friend at work about what a good finish time looks like for half-marathons. The discussion progressed like a typical conversation between strategy consultants:

Sundeep: “What’s a good finish time for a half-marathon?”

Friend (after a bit of thought and consideration): “It depends.”

Sundeep (with visible exasperation): “OK – that doesn’t help much. Go on...”

Friend (unperturbed): “It depends on factors like your age, body conditioning, how long you have been running etc. etc.

Sundeep (still not happy with the answer): “OK – so for a physically fit runner who has been running for a few years and who is around as old as me…and you can make some intelligent assumptions...– what would be a good half-marathon finish time?

Friend: Officially, if you do it in 3 hours, it is regarded as a formal half-marathon finish; Kenyans can do it in 1 hour. If one does it in within 90 minutes it is considered quite a decent pace”

Grossly overestimating my physical abilities, I told my friend that I intend to do my first half-marathon in 1 hour 29 minutes and a few seconds. The friend had an amused smile. Without saying anything explicitly he dismissed what I had said as an ignorant remark. It didn’t take me long to understand why.

• On 12^th October 2014, I did my first half-marathon in 1:47
• On 23^rd November 2014, I did my first ADHM in 1:43

About a year later, I was able to finish three half-marathons where I came within striking distance of my aspirational timing:

• ADHM 2015 (Nov 2015): 1:31:20
• NDM 2016 (Feb 2016): 1:31:00
• Fastest running and living HM (Mar 2016): 1:30:40

 The gap may have appeared just about a minute or so. However, it was good 60 odd seconds which would just refuse to go away. With that started a serious desire to do 1:29:xx. 

3 months training period: Sep – Nov 2016

It was around September 2016, when the training for ADHM 2016 started in all earnestness. By this time, I had gathered sufficient understanding of what a typical training cycle looks like. However, there still were a few gaps which had to be addressed. In particular, there are three things which I was not doing correctly. I am sharing the same below and hope that it might be helpful for runners with similar aspirations.

Mileage is not everything, but it still matters – probably more than most other things!

I have always been a firm believer that strength training has a huge role to play for any long distance running (and I continue to believe that). However, earlier I often underestimated the importance of clocking mileage and my typical weekly workout schedule would look like 3 – 4 days strength training and around 2 days running. The turning point in my understanding came when I had a chat with Shiv Gahlot, our local Boston Qualifier (once again, if you are reading this – thanks buddy!). Besides sharing some serious training tips, Shiv suggested reading a book on Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger.

This has been massively helpful and I highly recommend this book to any serious runner. Since reading this book, my weekly workout schedule comprises of 1 – 2 strength training sessions and around 4 runs. Once again, in no way undermining the importance of strength training (and it is critical to avoid injuries), but just highlighting how running is important to improve as a runner!

Each training run has a purpose – got to respect it!

My weekly workout schedule now comprises of 4 runs a week – an interval run, a tempo run, a medium long distance run and a long distance run. The beauty and finesse lays in understanding what is the right pace to run each of these runs. Earlier, my tempo run used to be an effort to run 10K as fast as possible. The interval run used to be an effort to do some sprint repetitions. Occasionally, I would also do a 5K and try to achieve my PB without realizing where it really fits into the overall training plan for half-marathon. A lot of these misunderstandings got addressed after reading the book by Pete. The three months leading to ADHM days comprised of very specific runs – to be run at a particular pace (not faster, not slower!) with a specific objective. More on this subject on some other day.

Race day planning matters - Break it into smaller components.

21.1K is a fairly long distance and a lot can go wrong if one doesn’t plan the run. This is where an honest introspection of one’s own physical abilities (body conditioning, nature of flagging during training runs, level of fatigue, typical pace limiting factors etc.) close to the race day is critical. Equally critical is to plan the big day race based on a clear understanding of these factors. A simple race day plan could look like:

For me to finish 21.1K in a given time, I need to do 14K in x minutes. For that to happen, I need to finish 10k in y minutes. For that to happen, I need to do 5K in z minutes…

...and more importantly - understanding if x, y and z are really achievable with the current level of body conditioning.

It often helps to have a close friend critique this and keep you honest in such an assessment. This is where my running buddy Rahul Dhanda really helped me through innumerable discussions close to the big day. The plan for me was simple:

21.1K in about 89 minutes, 14K in about 59 minutes, 10K in about 42 minutes, 5K in about 21 minutes – and yes, we did believe it was achievable.

The big day: 20^th November 2016

When one attaches too much importance to something, it is bound to put undue pressure. I was no exception. The race day almost felt like JEE day or like CAT day for me. Standing at the start line, I was not sure if cracking JEE / CAT was more difficult or if finishing 21.1K in the next 89 odd minutes would be more difficult.

As I anxiously stood at the start line, a myriad of memories flashed through my head. I thought about the previous edition of ADHM, I thought about several occasions on which I missed the magical sub-1:30 mark about a year ago, I thought about the 4:00am wake-up routine over the last several months, I thought about the fun training moments spent with my close friends over the past few weeks, I thought about the taper week that had just gone by, I thought about the pasta lunch I had with my friends a day ago. It almost felt like an eternity before the race started and each passing moment was adding to the anxiety. I kept casually jumping on the spot to keep the body warm.

At 7:10am the race started, and how relieved I was to be able to switch from vertical jumping motion to the linear horizontal motion! The race commenced as per the plan: 5K in 20:10, 10K in 41:09, 14K in 58:30…and finally, yes finally 21.1K in 1:29:39.

It was a moment of joy, joy that can be felt but not expressed..

What next? - Time to briefly cherish the moment and start a new pursuit!

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Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

About the Author: By background, Sundeep Singh is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Delhi and holds an MBA from IIM Kozhikode. Given his flair for mechanics and passion for running, he loves to analyze and write about the finer nuances of running techniques / strategies. Sundeep’s best run till date is ADHM 2016, which he completed in 1:29:39.

All it takes is ALL you got...and at times a bit more!

As I boarded the flight to Hyderabad, I continued to think about the big event (AHM 2016 – Half Marathon) on the following day. In the months leading to the event, I had done fair amount of training and was confident of a sub-100 mins finish on the hilly course of Hyderabad. However, I had those pre-race day anxious moments where I kept thinking – maybe I should have done some more hill runs, maybe I should have done a bit more strength training for legs and what not. This article describes the beautiful memories from the point I boarded the flight to the point I crossed the finish line on the following day.

I realized that thinking about the event on the following day was only adding to anxiety. As the plane took-off, I put on my headphones and listened to music to divert my thoughts. As always, music helped – though only for a short duration on that particular day, and I was soon back to my dream world where I continued fantasizing about crossing the finish line in less than 100 minutes.

About half an hour into the flight, the air hostess arrived with refreshments. I was not going to take a chance with any outside food a day before the race and was carrying my own food. I carefully got up and grabbed my bag in which I was carrying 6 different meals that I had planned to have through the day.

…The first meal to go down my throat was a healthy fruit salad

…shortly thereafter, I had a bowl of pasta

…and just before the plane landed, I managed to finish the idlis too.

I did notice the gentleman sitting next to me quizzically staring at me and (probably) wondering – “this Sardar ji eats like crazy!” But it was all a part of the pre-race Carb loading plan, which we runners are well aware of.

On landing, I immediately went to the expo to collect the bib. I had promised myself that I wouldn’t spend much time socializing with friends and would get to the hotel room as quickly as I can. After catching-up with a few friends, I headed back and was in the hotel room by 1:00 pm. I had all the time in the world to sit alone and relax before the race day. On most occasions it is a good thing, but it can also lead you to over-think and can add to anxiety. For me, I think it was the latter on that day. I went-off to sleep at around 6:30 pm. At around 3:30 am I had a dream (rather nightmare!) – I saw that somehow the length of my shoelace has become unmanageably long, about a meter long, and I just couldn’t manage to tie a knot even after the race started. It was one of those terribly ‘real’ nightmares. I got up with a shudder and immediately picked up the shoe lying next to my bed, ready to be worn and taken around the hills of Hyderabad. I was relieved to notice that the shoelace length was exactly what it was supposed to be!

…so, there I was ready and raring to hit the road, standing and warming-up at the start line. The much awaited moment had arrived! If there were any butterflies in the stomach, it was soon a thing of past. The run started well and it got better as it progressed…

05 km – 00 : 22 :43 mins
10 km – 00 : 45 : 58 mins

15 km – 01 : 10 : 17 mins

20 km – 01: 34: 21 mins

While crossing the 20^th km mark, I was fairly certain that I would manage the sub 100 mins finish that I was so keen to achieve on this hilly course. My chest swelled with pride as I continued to march along the final km of the run. In a moment of (pre-mature) self-glorification, I remembered the title of the blog I had written exactly a year back after completing the same race –

“All it takes is ALL you got!”

What I didn’t realize was that the run was not over yet and half-marathon distance is 21.097 km (good 97 meters more than 21 km). The sub-100 mins finish was slowly but surely slipping away, without my realizing it. 

Around 20 meters from the finish line, I noticed the watch cross 01: 40 mark. It was disappointing to not finish sub – 100 mins after getting so close. As I crossed the finish line, I thought –

“All it takes is ALL you got…and at times a bit more!”

On the brighter side, every moment from the plane taking-off from Delhi to crossing the finish line was worth it. These are memories to be cherished forever.

What next?

Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM 2016) is not far – very keen to find that “bit more” ahead of the mega event...

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Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

About the Author: By background, Sundeep Singh is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Delhi and holds an MBA from IIM Kozhikode. Given his flair for mechanics and passion for running, he loves to analyze and write about the finer nuances of running techniques / strategies. Sundeep’s best run till date is ADHM 2015, which he completed in 1:31:20.

Back strength for runners

When it comes to strength training, some runners tend to overly focus on the lower body workouts (squats, lunges etc.) and in the process lose out on strengthening some of the other equally important muscle groups – back strength is one such area. This article provides some simple yet effective exercises that one can perform to strengthen the back.

Why is back strength important for runners? To understand this, visualize the onset of fatigue towards the ending stages of a marathon and a common image that one would think of is that of dropping shoulders and a bending back. When that happens, the body starts dissipating (leaking!) energy in the form of extra effort needed to support tiring upper half and unnecessary body movements. The body ceases to be in the state of fluid and seamless motion that may have been possible in the initial stages. This is partly what may happen due to weak back muscles. Back strength is important as it helps to keep the body poster firm and upright by stabilizing spine and pelvis. This helps in eliminating any unnecessary energy dissipation, thereby improving running economy.

So, what are some of the simple workouts that one can perform to strengthen the back? There are many but listing below some of my favorite ones (thanks to my gym instructor Daljeet Singh for sharing these).

1. Back extensions

I like this one for its sheer simplicity. It’s a work out that can be performed just about anywhere with little or no equipment. To perform this exercise – just lay down on a floor or mat with the belly facing downwards. Pressing your pelvis into the floor, try to lift your upper body (head, chest, shoulders, and arms).

2. Dead lifts

This one is probably one of the most effective exercises to achieve strong core strength and works on multiple muscle groups – lower back, hamstrings and quads being the most prominent ones. This involves pulling the weight off of the floor and then standing with back & legs straight and shoulders back. (Note: correct form is of utmost importance for this exercise as it can easily lead to back injury, if done incorrectly). 

 3. Chin-ups / Pull-ups

This one is an ever-green and one of the most effective workouts for overall body conditioning. It probably has been in existence for much longer than the fancy gyms of today. It involves raising oneself with one's arms by pulling up against a horizontal bar fixed above one's head. 

4. Barbell rows / Dumbbell rows

To perform this - bend over and grab a bar of appropriate weight, pull the bar against the lower chest while keeping the back horizontal. Another effective variant of this workout can be performed by using dumbbells.

5. Lats Pull-Down

I like this one especially during the monsoon season when out-door works outs tend to get impacted due to rains. To perform this – just keep your chest tall, keep your elbows pointed straight down, squeeze your lats and pull-down the bar to your chin or just below.

(Note: As with all work-outs, proper form is critical to derive health benefits and avoid injuries. Please make sure to consult your gym trainers for proper form.)

Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

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About the Author: By background, Sundeep Singh is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Delhi and holds an MBA from IIM Kozhikode. Given his flair for mechanics and passion for running, he loves to analyze and write about the finer nuances of running techniques / strategies. Sundeep’s best run till date is ADHM 2015, which he completed in 1:31:20.

Sources:

• Inputs from gym trainer – Daljeet Singh
• ChiRunning Book by Danny Dreyer and Catherine Dreyer
• http://www.runnersworld.com/health/exercises-for-a-strong-back
• http://www.bodybuilding.com/content/10-best-muscle-building-back-exercises.html
• http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Deadlift
• http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ridgely14.htm

Airtel Hyderabad Marathon (AHM) – Are you ready for it? (Part 2)

When it comes to hill running, most runners tend to focus on training for up-hills. After all, it is on the up-hills that one faces significant fatigue and slowdown in pace. Downhill running is perceived to be easy as it doesn’t leave the runner gasping for breath and in many cases actually helps gain pace. However, understanding the right ways to run down-hill is equally important as it can be a source of injury. In continuation of the last month’s article, this article continues to explore key elements of hill running – focusing specifically on down-hill running this time.

When running down-hill there are variations with respect to the correct running form depending on the slope of the downhill. For instance, there are downhills of gradual gradient where one can gain pace and then there are steep down-hills where one may actually need to slow down to be able to maintain balance. The following section describes the essential form focuses for down-hill (while also highlighting adjustments needed depending on the slope of the downhill).

1. Adjust the roles of upper and lower body

In the last month’s article, we had observed that while running up-hill the focus shifts to upper body (with upper body accounting for 60 – 70 percent share of the overall work-load). It is just the opposite for down-hill running with the focus more on the lower body. 

When one runs down a hill there is a greater impact generated at the time of foot-strike (due to added thrust generated by gravity). This force is significantly more than on the flat surface and can reach up-to ten times the body weight. Also, it puts additional load on the knees and quads. To combat this additional impact, lower body needs to almost act as body’s shock absorbers. For this, it is important to relax the lower body (especially quads and calves) by letting them loose and swing freely. Notice the relaxed and free swinging lower body movement of the runner in the figure below.

While the focus while running downhill is to relax lower body, the role of the upper body is help the body maintain balance. This is especially true when running steep down-hills. One should try to keep the shoulders relaxed and not tuck the arms too close to the chest. This allows the runner to use the arm movement for balancing act.

2. Adjust the lean

When one runs down a hill, the natural tendency of the body is pull the shoulders backwards (thereby causing a backward lean). However, this probably is not the right way to lean on a downhill. The challenge is that the tendency to pull the shoulders backwards shifts the weight behind and puts a curvature in the lower back putting additional pressure on the spine. Moreover, it also results in the feet landing ahead of the body causing the body to land hard on heels (which can cause injury). 

According to Chi running technique, when running over a gradual downhill, the runner should focus on keeping the upper body ahead of the foot-strike by maintaining a very slight forward lean. According to another source (www.running.competitor.com), one should avoid the urge to lean back and focus on keeping the body perpendicular to the ground. It’s also important to not lean too forward as it can make the body lose its balance.

The exception to the rule of urging the need to pull back shoulders (i.e. backward lean) happens on downhills with steep slope. 

Notice how the runner maintains the body perpendicular to the ground on a gradual downhill (in the left hand pic) and how Danny gets into a vertical stance in the steep slope (pic on the right hand side).

  

3. Vary your stride length

According to Chi Running technique, when running on a gradual downhill, the runner should try to maintain the same cadence but lengthen the stride length. However, the key question is how should one strive for a longer stride? It should certainly not be achieved by landing the foot far forward. It should be achieved by letting the hip be pulled back every time the leg swings backward. This allows the stride to open behind the runner thereby reducing the impact on knees and quads. (In technical terms, this form focus related to letting the hip be pulled back is referred to as pelvic rotation).

The figure below highlights how a small pelvic rotation can help lengthen the stride without the need to land the front foot far forward.

4. Look down the hill and not at your feet

When one runs on a downhill, there is a natural tendency to look to look down (towards the feet). Looking down can inhibit the action of hip extensor muscles (glutes, hamstrings, back muscles) which help in keeping the body upright and neutral. This can increase the risk of falling down. There are research studies that indicate that gazing few meters ahead results in a better running form.

I hope you find the principles of downhill running captured here helpful in improving your running form over hills. 

Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

About the Author: By background, Sundeep Singh is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Delhi and holds an MBA from IIM Kozhikode. Given his flair for mechanics and passion for running, he loves to analyze and write about the finer nuances of running techniques / strategies. Sundeep’s best run till date is ADHM 2015, which he completed in 1:31:20.

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Sources:

ChiRunning Book by Danny Dreyer and Catherine Dreyer (Page 180 – 185)

http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/training/perfect-your-downhill-running-form_52804

http://www.rockcreekrunner.com/2015/08/27/downhill-trail-running-technique/

http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/training/perfect-your-downhill-running-form_52804#4ROeObWUESQ4hfYY.99