2018 – my year of running. A retrospective.

2018 is the first year when I started formal coaching with Road Burners (under coach Dan and coach Melwyn) for running, and the first full year of taking running seriously. Running has been a cornerstone of my fitness journey for several years now, and it is only right to look back, reflect and raise a toast to the year of running!

My best race:

Vasai Virar Full Marathon on 9th Dec 2018. Amazing weather, superb crowd support and a good timing. PB by a few seconds but the smiles and hi-fives with the school kids on the run route would stay etched in my mind for a long time.

My best running buddies:

There are many and I would spoil the fun here if I name a few 😉

Some run at my pace, some are a motivation to work harder and be more disciplined, some make the environment so much fun to train in and release the stress of the training. Some are so knowledgeable that I stay back after my long runs for an opportunity to speak to them about their learnings and tips to be a better runner.

My best running learnings:

Strength training, at least twice a week, is a must to be a good runner. Lots of reps with medium (not too heavy) weights, are ideal to build endurance and stamina in the muscles.

Besides Dr Neeta’s sugar free challenge for a month earlier in 2018 was an eye opener about the presence and amount of hidden sugar in various foods. The nutritional insights were invaluable from that experiment and the level of energy that comes from skipping sugar is worth the sacrifice. Besides, the habit of publicly journalling every good intake is something that made me aware of every bite I put in my mouth!

My best chance encounters during run:

During one of my training runs from NCPA to Worli and back, I encountered Mr Chandra, Tata Group chairman, running in the opposite direction on the Peddar road. If he can find time for training for his marathon, what excuse do I have?

Looking ahead:

As we move into 2019, I am looking forward to longer runs (read, Ultras) and more on-track workouts for speed, for the sake of injury prevention. I intend to be more disciplined about the amount of sleep I get, the nutritional aspects, and recovery (stretches, massages) from hard workouts.

How was your 2018 year of running? What did you learn? What would you like to do better in 2019?