<b>Sudipto Dey:</b> On a run

Ahead of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, Sudipto Dey offers an amateur's guide to running

It has been four years since I began this affair with the running tracks of Delhi Half Marathon. Till then, for a brisk walker and leisure jogger, finishing a marathon was the stuff dreams are made of. Looking back through the eyes of an amateur, anybody who is fairly fit — even those regular brisk walkers — can sign up for a marathon and cross the finish line. 

Usually one has the option to choose between various races: 7 km, 10 km, 21 km or the full marathon, 42 km. It makes immense sense for a beginner to kick off running in a 7-km or 10-km race. Depending on how your body takes to those gruelling runs, it is advisable to then move on to a half marathon,  or even a full marathon, over a period of time.  

I believe the biggest hurdle — to cross the finish line — has been to get it right between the ears. Once the mind is able to overcome the daily grind that comes with the practice runs, the exercises to strengthen your lower and upper body and some degree of diet control, the rest may appear easy. Getting to know what works for your body and pushing it towards a desired direction can be a fulfilling experience in itself. 

Expectedly, I was very tentative in my first run, not sure of finishing the 21-km ahead of me. In the run-up to the event, the best that I had done was to run 7 km in around one hour.  

On the D-day, as I crossed the one-third mark at the India Gate roundabout, I could hear my mind whisper into my ears: “You are entering new territory.” Then an image seized my mind. Running just ahead of me was Ashish Roy, an 80-year-old surgeon touted as India’s Marathon Man, having run 140-plus marathons across the world. Without missing a stride, he nodded his acknowledgement of appreciation of fellow runners around him and the crowd lined up along the streets. The services veteran had begun running at the age of 52.  Even though at the wrong side of 40s, by that yardstick I still had a good chance of crossing the finish line, I told myself. I could sense a sudden adrenaline rush with my mind telling me: “We need to finish the race”.   

There are a dozen books and hundreds of article and videos on the internet extolling how to go about building oneself up for a marathon event. My two-pence worth of advice for any beginner is to keep it simple. 

While it is important to do brisk walks and jogs on a regular basis, any serious preparation must begin at least two months before an event. Time your runs to better understand your pace and running rhythm. Build up your running practice and endurance gradually over a period of time — from 3 km move to 5 km and then to 7 km and beyond. Keep taking small sips of water from time to time to keep your muscles hydrated. Many running-related exercises focus on building up the leg strength, but also give due importance to the upper torso.

On the running day it is important to pace yourself well. For instance, one could break the 21-km half-marathon into three phases of 7-km each. While the mind and the body are at their freshest in the first phase, it is important not to run too fast. Post the half-way mark, when the legs may begin to tire, allow the mind to push the body. The last two or three kilometres could seem endless. Let the flashing image in the mind of you crossing the finish line be the wind beneath your wings.

PS: My friends often teasingly ask: “Why have you taken to running so late? What are you running away from?” 

My answer is simple: “If sixties is the new forties, then forties must be the new twenties. I have age on my side.”
 

sudipto.dey@bsmail.in