Dream Runners (July 2022) – Hyderabad half (Aug 2022) – Chennai Marathon (Jan 2023) interspersed with Mongrels Duathlon (Oct 2022)
I started running at 45 with a history of consistent exercise/sport/swim/yoga/taekwondo green belt 1, since childhood (but no athletics). In the seven years that have passed, I have seen how a woman’s body changes (Our bodies see a drastic change every decade but that’s another blogpost). In an attempt to understand my body and try to see if I can ready myself to train for future half-iron triathlons and what not, I try certain things after doing some research and this is my experience with the last three half-marathons I ran in the period of 6-7 months.
- Strength training is a must for runners. Strength training (Crossfit, in mycase) gave strength to my core, legs, back, etc.; I could run continuously and ‘jog’ up all slopes/flyovers during runs and had no muscle strains or pulls. Strengthening gives you the confidence that you WILL NOT have strain or pull issues if you run at the pace you are used to, which brings me to point number 2 (read next). On a lighter note, a run also feels like 2.5km x 8reps or 5km x 4reps, however you may want to look at it, just like your strength sessions.
2. A running training plan cannot be underrated. This plan makes your body feel easy paces, tempo paces and interval paces.
“Run slow to run fast”. (Be consistent; mind your heart rate)
“Run faster to run faster”. (Expose your body to higher paces. This will enable you to, over time, run faster at lower heart rate).
“You cannot run fast without running fast”. I ran all three races at slow paces (around 8:30 to 9:15 mins per km average). I did not train at higher paces as my focus was on building strength in the body before I could try to train at faster pace.
3. Hydration and Nutrition during a race is absolutely essential. Plan your food during races based on your food habits and practice it in your training runs.
What does our body need during a half-marathon? Google it. Read from few resources and make your plan. This was mine –
I carried a hydration bag-pack with the following – (tried to include water, minerals, Magnesium, Zinc, simple carbs, sugar, electrolytes)
i. 750ml of water (with a pinch of salt, sugar and lemon)
ii. Coconut water 200ml
iii. Cold coffee 200ml (100ml milk+100ml water+sugar+instant coffee powder)
iv. 1 slice bread with nutella
v. 2 dates + raisins
Broadly, this is what I ate/drank –
At 2.5km – 2 sips of water; at 5 km – 1/2 of the cold coffee; at 7.5 km – 1/2 of the slice of bread + water 2 sips; at 10km – other 1/2 of the cold coffee; at 12.5km – 1/2 of the coconut water + 1 date, raisin; at 15km – 1 date + water 2 sips; 17.5km – other 1/2 of the coconut water.
Result – No crazy thirst after the run or craving for cold water; You donot feel drained, instead you feel juicy; You recover really fast.
Conclusion . I try to believe in myself and trust my bodily and mental signals. The inductive logic I derive from my experiences enables me to say with a certain degree of surety – “strength train well and run in style (read, proper form) while eating like a queen”.
Plan NOW for all your races for 2023.
Start a running journal.
Because –
“Running” is your job too. (Isn’t it ?)