Race Day, A Dream Realized

The most awaited day of the year finally arrived. During this last week before the marathon, I deliberately avoided thinking about the race. I ran 3 times with short distances of 3, 4 and 2 miles which I believe, helped me during the race. A rusty body isn't an ideal thing to enter a race with. So, I followed the advice of my racing guru Mo Farah that keep your body well-conditioned, drink lots of water to stay well hydrated, eat good amount of carbs. Few days prior to a run isn't a time to think too much about weight gain. So, I made sure that I am drinking 12-14 glass of water, eating carbs i.e. Bananas with Greek yogurt and Blueberries, good fat i.e. avocados with olive oil, drank soups almost every day. I believe, this diet plan along with a consistent training really helped me during the race.

On the evening before race, I went out for a heavy Indian dinner. I was worried about an upset stomach but nothing of that sorts happened. When I came back home, I quickly checked all my gear in pace, my Race shoes, socks, headphones, my favorite shorts and T, my phone armband and cap. To be on safer side, I even packed my gym bag with a hoodie, a rain jacket,a spare pair of T and track pants. 

On Race Day:

I slept moderately well with around 7 hours of sleep and woke up early at around 6 am. I took a cold shower just as this routine has helped me in the past. I devoured my carb loaded breakfast of Banana, Greek your with berries and a whole wheat bagel with generous amount of butter.

I arrived at the race start point almost 1.5 hours earlier which actually helped to settle down, I walked few paces up and down, stretched a bit. Put my music and fitness tracker on, used restrooms couple of times to ensure there wouldn't be any restroom breaks during the race.

The race started at 10:02 AM with a loud horn and I and my friends started at the bottom of the pack to avoid the crowd. Initially there was no room to run and all I could manage was a brisk jog but soon the sprinters started to lead and joggers left behind, I was in the mid of the pack and started to run at my usual pace of around 9-10 minutes per mile. I had a vague target of 2 hours 25 minutes in my mind but I was more focused on finishing the race rather than chasing a target.

I was really happy that I could sustain the ordeal of training and participate in the run. I was soaking in the atmosphere where crowd was cheering, people coming out of their houses to waive at the runners. First two miles were easy and I was pacing it well, much better than I was doing during my training. Still, I decided to conserve the energy when I could have gone for less than 9 minutes per mile as I wanted that energy in the later stage of the run. I kept running at good pace of around 9 minutes and 35 seconds for initial 5 miles. However, after 4 miles, I felt a bit of pain in my chest which was kind of annoying. I knew it wasn't serious but mostly due to extra carbs I ate during morning breakfast and I was sure, it will go away and it really did go away in few minutes.

I was happily running till 5 miles marker but with a bit of niggle in my left knee and ligaments surrounding it and I was praying to go that such thing shouldn't cut short my run. As the pain started to grow, I decided to focus on the music and started shuffling songs to find better tracks. At the same time, I started murmuring to my body that you have done so wonderfully till now and you will do even better this time around. Such motivational talks always helps, however this is much easier said than done.

When I was grappling with all these self-doubts, I saw a boy holding a placard which read, "Have a Runderful Day". I smiled at him, he waived to me and I have him a thumbs up. My attention diverted from pain to that little boy for a few minutes and it helped. I forgot about the pain and ran probably the fastest mile of 9 minutes and 30 seconds.

I reached 6 miles and was still going strong. As I was running towards 7 miles, I picked water and Gatorade from a stall and it helped me to go further but soon after 7 miles, shoulders started to drop and pace fell too. However, a few cops started clapping as I ran through the intersection and a group of spectators started shouting, you have got this and nothing is going to stop you now. All these loud cheers and clapping and whistling helped me to pick my game again and I started running in a much better rhythm though still at little slower pace but much better than my training runs. I kept going from strength to strength till 10th mile and then I started to visualize the finish line which I felt dangerous as I started to feel weak.

I hit 10 mile marker in a secluded patch of the course with only a couple of runners ahead of me and sun was too bright, my cap was all soaked up in sweat and heat was really pulling me down. A lady voluntarily giving chilled water bottles as she stood outside her house. I believe her help pulled me from that abysmal state and as I picked bottle from her and gulped some of that water down and poured rest of it over my head, 

I felt my legs charged up and confident to take on the rest of the race. I attempted a charged sprint for around 300 meters and by the end of it, I felt it was a terrible mistake as I felt my legs drained out and I was still far from 11 mile marker. So, I again shut down all my though process and kept running with my head steady and focused. I reached 11 mile marker and started to feel thirsty again due to severe heat but there was no water in sight here.

I somehow made my way to 12 mile marker and the last 1.1 miles were the hardest thing I have ever faced in my life. I saw many fit runners who were ahead of me, walking more and sprinting less but as I firmly believe walking and then running isn't simply my style, I kept my slow and steady pace.

As I  was somehow keeping my ready-to-fall-apart limbs together, I saw a sign, only 0.5 miles left and you are almost there. I should have been happy reading that sign but I sighed as I was really dragging myself now and then as I crossed the last traffic intersection, a cop shouted GO GO GO, you are amazing, keep going and I got another much needed boost and I increased my speed which had dropped abysmally low by now and I finished that last half mile in much better fashion and as I crossed the finish line, people clapped, cheered and the timer read my timing as 2 hours 20 minutes and 59 seconds, 4 minutes better than my target of 2 hours 25minutes.

As I grabbed my water bottle from one of the volunteers, I kept going for a few more steps then drank entire bottle and sat down on the pavement and the rolled on it to lie on my back. As I caught my breath in few seconds, the feeling of the achievement has started to sink in and all I could do was smile like a child and kept smiling for a long time. One item off from the bucket list.

A dream13.1 miles away

Training Plan

Week1- 17 miles - Done

Week2- 18 miles - Done

Week3- 22 miles - Done

Week4- 24 miles - Done

Week5- 28 miles– Injured

Week6- 29 miles - Injured

Week7- 27 miles - Done

Week8- 27 miles - Done

Week9- 18 miles - Done

Week10- 25.1 miles – In progress

 

Week 1,2, 3 & 4

I started my half marathon training on 10^th July 2017 and the first run itself was an uphill task of 3 miles run. So, even before I started to follow this training plan of 10 weeks, I started running somewhere in end of May and early July and slowly but surely built the stamina to run at least 2 miles without a break and push myself upward of 2 miles with no extra effort.

First few runs went like a breeze and I was gulping all those miles with a glee. The first long run by my standards was of 5 miles. I recall the perfect weather supporting my tired limbs as I ran in circles on the running track. The soft surface of the synthetic running track also proved gentle on my fragile knees. I kept going even after my body gave up long ago but I kept pushing myself and somehow I was trying to draw a line and tell my body that you are not the boss here and you will do as I say but at the same time, I was trying to tell my body that you can do this and much more and I will take care of you and when all this is done, we will have a drink together to celebrate our little milestone. That celebratory drink never came but my body somehow believed in my thoughts and supported me.

 

The confidence that I got from my first 5 mile run helped me cruise through week 2, 3 and 4. Subsequent long runs of 6, 7 & 8 miles further tested the nerves , ligaments and what not? However, by now, I was confident enough to run 5 to 8 miles with relative ease and power.

 

Week 5 & 6 –

My first injury from running came in week 5 where a severe pain in groin and side thigh area cut short my 5 mile run to just 1 mile and I returned home heartbroken.

All those morning runs, gym sessions, cardio and core strengthening sessions seemed futile and my heart was full of despair. However, after a break of 4 days, I attempted to run my longest ever run of 9 miles. Initial few miles were slow and were a bit painful, however, I was able to run and after sometime, I could even sprint a bit and reach 7 miles with relative ease, however suddenly the pain came back with increased intensity. I still completed my 9 miles but by the end of it, I was literally limping and was in real pain. I was sure that I am done for this season and my immediate aim was to somehow reach home and relax.

I was also about to start my two weeks’ vacation and took it as a welcome break from running. In next few days, I drove through multiple states of US and  traveled various cities. Luckily, it involved lots of walking which kept me a bit fit but still the pain was very much there. During this break, I kept doing my regular stretching and basic exercises but didn’t attempt running. As I read more about my injury, I got worried as it started to look more like a stress fracture than a minor strain. However, I focused more on the fun that was on offer during travel and decided to look at my injury only after I reach Boston.

As I came back to Boston after a week-long trip, I took couple of more days off from running and just binge watched  Game of Thrones. After being tired of resting, I decided to attempt a long run of 10 miles to test my recovery. As I started to run, my body started reminding me of the injury and instead of a swift run, I started limping again. To compensate for the pain, I started going easy and dropped my pace further and I was able to run for 2 miles. I looked up and thanked almighty to help me continue my run but suddenly I started to feel uneasy as my knees were hurting. It looked like another injury on its way, threatening to end my dream. I was afraid as I thought it was recurrence of my decade old injury which kept me off any sort of sports for months. However, as the pain was not severe, I kept running. With growing discomfort, I was able to reach 4 miles and somehow, the pain reached a level where I stopped. I abruptly stopped and walk a few steps with pain , tried to run again and could only run a few hundred meters. My knees were totally locked and got so stiff that I feared they would break if I keep pushing. To add further to my agony, I was 4.5 miles away from home with no money and water and my phone battery died. So, I had to walk back 4.5 miles back to home battered, bruised and sulking in shame of failing to reach a mark that I promised myself. As I look back, I feel I learnt a few important lessons that day. On long runs, always carry water with you, keep some money and your phone sufficiently charged in case you need an uber back to home. I also learnt to respect the distance, however small it may be and listen to your body to differentiate between Pain and an imminent injury. At that point, I was in despair and kept staring into nothing and I honestly felt that my journey has ended for this half marathon and I would try some other time, may be next year. 

 

 

Week 7, 8 & 9 -

For most part of week 7, I rested. I ran 6 miles instead of targeted 29 miles. However, I can take pride in my never-say-die attitude as I started running (still in pain) after a week’s rest. On Aug 22^nd, 7^th week into my training plan, I ran one of my most enjoyable run. I ran for 6 miles with much slower pace of 12 minutes per mile. Before injury, I was doing much better at 9.5-10 minute per mile. However, I was still very happy as this run gave me a hope that my body has recovered well and I can hope to participate in the half marathon. Over next few days, I ran 4 miles, a few times and my time improved from 12 minutes to 11+ minutes per mile. This successful week (by my own lower standards) gave me confidence to aspire for something big, to explore the unchartered territory of 10 miles and beyond.

 

I attempted my first ever 12 mile run on Aug 27^th but as I had to go long, I cut down my pace back to 12 minutes per mile but I was able to run well. However, I admit, the last 3 miles were the hardest part. However, an ice cold tub and carb loaded diet ensured that I completed my short runs of 4 and 5 miles over the next few days with no issues at all. During my 5 mile run, I was able to improve my pace to 9.5 minutes per mile.  As I was only two weeks away from the marathon and I was running well, I decided to get few more long runs under my belt to get the confidence of finishing the marathon on a strong note. I decided to run another 12 miles, this time however, I was better prepared, I had got my compression tights which were really crucial to keep my groin and side thigh pain under control, got my water bottle filled with ice chilled lemonade, gym music on my phone and better running shoes that I recently ordered. With all this preparation, I was hungry for this long run and it proved to be my best till date. May be in future, I may look at these numbers and smile but for now these are my small yet major landmarks that I personally celebrate. I ran 12 miles without any significant pain and injury scare, at a pace of 11 minute per mile. At this stage a sub 2 hour half marathon time looks like a distant dream but still finishing the half marathon alone would be an achievement. 

To keep the body conditioned and well oiled, I did couple of short runs of 4 and 5 miles in Week 8 and then aimed for my last long run on Sept 9^th. This long run was of 10 miles and I had my running partner along with me. This time, I had one more toy, a hydration pack that I pampered myself with.  I ran 10 miles with couple of steep uphill included in the route and to my surprise, I ran at a pace of 10.5 minutes per mile. 

Week 10 would only focus on conditioning with 3 to 4 mile runs and taking a few days off. 13.1 mile mark is still not breached and somehow I feel that it’s looking at me from top and awaiting to embrace me on Sept 17^th.All these miles, liters of sweat, training, planning, dedication and effort would be put to work when I run on Sept17th.

 

Important points to remember  in the last week: Eat and sleep well, stay hydrated.

Important point to remember in the race: Cut down on pace during initial 8 miles: May be Target 11-12 minutes per mile for first 8 miles then aim for 9-10 minutes per mile if body permits else finish the race with a 11-12 minutes time frame. At this stage, a 2:25 minutes time looks like achievable and at-par timing given my performance and training. I just pray to god that I get enough strength in my legs during those last 3 miles when I really need to push myself.

Half Marathon Training

Somewhere during the chilly nights of Boston in early 2017, I and my buddy were discussing a problem related to valuation of Bonds. May be around 11 or 12 pm, we were trying various ways to crack the problem so that I can take one small step towards passing my FRM (Financial Risk Manager) exam.

As we were heading nowhere, we decided to take a break and started talking about various other things. Obviously, all Indian gossips circle around either Cricket or Bollywood. However, this time, we were talking about how our daily schedules were just not right. All we do is work and then doze off, piling up pounds after pounds, adding endless amount of fatigue and we don't even realize, how fast, we are stepping towards the dangerous zone where any sort of illness isn't a surprise.

We started talking about how we should plan to uplift our abysmal lifestyle and seriously do something about it. Suddenly, Vinay my study partner started talking about running a half marathon and I instantly laughed him off. I even made fun of him saying we haven't yet climbed even a bunny hill and here you dream to climb the Everest. However, in my hearts of hearts, I lunged on to hold that solitary plank in the sea of unhealthy despair and committed to run a half marathon by September 2017.

By May end, I started my training and quickly realized that the word 'HALF' doesn't do justice to the hardships required to train for a half marathon. Within few days, I started running a full mile.  I know, claiming a mile run as an achievement sounds ridiculous but you really don't know how low my ambitions and targets were :-).

To my surprise, my body was even more eager to gulp all these miles and started to positively respond. With a week or so, running improved from a mile to more than couple of miles. Last week, I did my first ever 5 miles run and today i.e on July 23rd, I improved my pace and completed my first 6+ miles run.

Running helps me to clear my mind, brings a serene calmness and helps to focus. Running isn't like any other sport, there is no glory or gratification attached to it. There is no audience and there are no claps and whistles on your personal records.You do it for yourself and celebrate all those small milestones in the privacy of your own company. You don't compete against anyone as there are millions of people who has done the same task many a times and much better than you could ever train yourself for. But, you train to compete against yourself and you try to become a better version of you.

As I have reached halfway in my journey, I am eagerly looking forward to take my running to another level and to successfully finish my first ever half marathon.

Stay healthy and keep running!!
Sid