“If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don’t spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it.”
-British marathon runner Priscilla Welch
You will surely have seen many a motivated Bengalurean very resolutely running along the fairly quiet morning roads or in the park in your locality. The weekends seem to bring them out in larger droves and with the renewed energy of running together. Each locality almost now has a running group — you couldn’t have missed a name like the Jayanagar Jaguars! Cubbon Park, Kanteerava Stadium are hotspots where people meet up to train and bond. Most people run in smaller groups or by themselves on weekdays before getting to work; weekends are reserved for strength training, and long-distance runs. Popular trails have included anything ranging from GKVK, Nandi Hills, around lakes, around the BIAL airport area, and the Outer Ring Roads.
The running community offers mentoring, people motivate each other to achieve goals, tips are shared, and there’s much to be learnt when people run in groups. Most don’t charge a fee, there’s no formal membership, people pitch in resources, logistics are decided on Facebook and Whatsapp.
Bengaluru’s running bug caught on about five years ago, says Ashwin Bala of one of the largest online running communities — Runners For Life. Started off by Arvind Krishnan as The Fuller Life, it is now a 32,000 strong community across India.
“The last five years has seen an explosion of runners and running events. And that’s because of several reasons — it’s probably the cheapest sport. All you need is a good pair of shoes. You don’t need to know a skill. There is no entry level barrier; anyone can run. There is no investment on equipment, no space and time constraints, doesn’t suck up a lot of your time. In half an hour, you get a great workout!” Fitness is a huge driver for most people to take up running, he believes. Very often, beginners get on their page and try to find groups in their locality to run and train with. The group also organises three major running events in the city — the Puma Urban Stampede, the Kaveri Trail Marathon, and the Bangalore Ultra. (A full marathon is about 42.195 kilometres. The half marathon is 21-odd kilometres. The “10k” or 10 kilometre run is also rather popular.)
Soles of Bangalore describes itself as a group of like-minded amateur runners. Santhosh Jayakumar, 42, and one of the co-founders of the group that runs in and around HSR Layout, Sarjapur, and Bellandur area says their current group of 70 members is made up of people who are not after money or championships. “For us, it’s an activity to keep fit and healthy…most of us were into some form of sport in our school and college life.”
Santhosh says that personally for him, running in a group is a commitment you give a fellow runner. “And it’s a commitment you honour, even when you feel like turning off the alarm and going back to sleep. It’s not just about running.”
He also points out that running, by itself, can get boring because it’s not a game set to points, and there’s no ‘winning’; it’s a goal you set for yourself. Outstation runs bring the group together. “It also becomes your extended social circle. We are now getting ready for our Diwali bash with our families, for instance.” The group provides training runs for anyone attempting marathons, has interactions with professional runners, talks on nutrition, injury prevention. “We work on everything ranging from strengthening to run up, cool downs, yoga…how to react in an emergency situation — what if a fellow runner collapses on a run?”
Sundays are saved for long runs — each person’s start time is staggered so that everyone meets at the finish line.
Arshad Ayub, 26, a financial analyst, has been running for almost one and a half years now. He runs with an informal group of friends who motivated him to start in the first place.
He runs in Jinke Park near Mysore Road. He’s run the half marathon on the October 18 Bangalore Marathon and is now training himself to attempt the full marathon in October 2016. “I first ran the TCS 10k run in 2013. I ran 5.7 kilometres but hadn’t really trained for it. At first I had thought the distance was too much. But once I ran that distance, I felt it was pretty okay. So then I started running regularly with friends in my area, about three days a week,” says Arshad. Starting with 1.5 kilometres a day, he built it up to 2.5 kilometres. In 2014 he finished the 10k in one hour and 12 minutes. “Right now I run about four to five kilometres a day, but I do more on weekends. My main aim with running is to be fit. You stay stress-free and feel positive after a good run.”
He browses online to tap resources and says he’s found many runners on Twitter who are very helpful and offer tips on anything ranging from goals to nutrition, and how to run. “One of the biggest challenges with running is our own mind and our perceptions — we always think a distance is too much, till we achieve it.”
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Through the eyes of a woman
Uma N., a 34-year-old scientist recalls her worst running experience — “I ran once after eating ragi mudde, and it was one of the worst runs of my life.” These are the kind of mistakes runners can avoid when they learn from other’s experiences, she says. “Also, what do you do if you’re running a marathon and want to pee? Whom do you ask this question? At what point will you get dehydrated?” All these are best answered in a group, she believes. Uma did sporadic running in America while at grad school, but once she had her child and returned to India, she found a running companion in her sister. “In India you probably run in high school and not after that,” she observes.
Safety is a large concern while running alone in India, she admits. Which is why running in groups is a great idea. “I don’t like to generalise, but women tend to be slower in a group. And in our group one of the guys makes sure that he slows down and always trails us, especially on early morning runs.” Uma, who runs with Soles of Bangalore, where almost 35 per cent of the group is made up of women, talks of how there’s a sort of sibling bonding whenever a new woman member joins the group. Each girl brings in her own dimension, says Uma. “There’s one girl who’s done a 50 k! It’s unimaginable for me, but she’s motivating and tells us we can break barriers.” Uma is now training to attempt the Mumbai full marathon in 2016. “That will be my entry into the world of 42K!”
There are a lot of running plans on the internet but you’ll be zapped by it, she says. “But when you hear it from someone who’s cracked it, it makes a whole world of difference.” Fitness is just one of the reasons she runs. “It flushes your system. You think for yourself. I can talk to myself…”
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Some running groups in Bengaluru:
Nike Run Club
Runner’s High
BHUKMP (people who train for the Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ultra, Kaveri Trail, Mumbai, Puducherry Marathons)
BeeGee Runners
Whitefield Runners
Pacemakers
Bangalore Runners
Bangalore Hash House Harriers
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Some tips just for you byAshwin Bala (Runners For Life)
* Start slow – like all good things in life, running takes time to reap results.
* Invest in a good pair of running shoes – this is probably the most expensive investment one needs to make to start running. This is also the most important one as running with incorrect footwear can lead to injuries.
* It is okay to take walk breaks – there is a huge misconception that if you are not running throughout, you are not a runner. The most popular beginner plan is Jeff Galloway’s Run-Walk plan.
* Stay hydrated – hydrate yourself adequately – before, during and after the run. Don’t overhydrate. A good rule of thumb is to take a sip or two (not gulp) of water right before you actually feel thirsty. Again, sip and not gulp. Consume electrolytes post your run to replenish the salts lost during the run.
* Find a partner or a local running group to run with – running groups or a partner help you stay motivated. In a sport like running, motivation is a key ingredient for success.
* Expect some amount of discomfort when you begin – this is normal. Don’t worry if have body aches or soreness after your first week of running. This is your body telling you that it’s doing something new. The aches or soreness will go away once you get regular with running. If pain persists for a prolonged duration of time, consult a sports physician.
* Don’t run every day – your body is not a machine and even machines need rest. Run every other day.
Run three times a week with a day’s break between each run.
* The 10 per cent rule – increase you running distance by a factor of 10 per cent and not more. For instance, if you can comfortably run 2 kms, then your next target should be to run 2.3km not 4km. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Same applies to running
* Nutrition and recovery – Eating right and getting a good night’s sleep are often neglected by even the most experienced runners. Avoid junk food – there is a reason why there is no quote that goes “a burger a day….”
* Finally, enjoy the journey – running is life changing sport. Ask any runner why he/she runs and you will probably get a lecture that will provide you with enough content to write a self-help book!
