Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 14:49:26
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.95 2.03%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,455.55 1.03%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 430.95 0.69%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 278.75 2.84%
  1. State Bank Of India share price
  2. 756.00 2.99%
Business News/ Mint-lounge / The thinking runner
BackBack

The thinking runner

The thinking runner

Visualize: Make a mental image of all the activities or situations that you anticipate and how you intend to react.Premium

Visualize: Make a mental image of all the activities or situations that you anticipate and how you intend to react.

You are now five days from the Mumbai Marathon and the intention of this series on running was to get you to the finish line with a smile on your face. So far, we have covered subjects ranging from breathing technique while running to specific exercise programmes, why running is not a numbers game, and how to ignore ill-informed advice discouraging you from taking up running.

The idea was to help you start thinking logically about your running and how it applies to other things in life, and not take everything you hear or read about running at face value. For example, drinking a lot of water is not advisable, it’s better to opt for energy and electrolyte drinks; don’t try new shoes on D-day, you might get blisters. Wear what you have practised in or are comfortable in.

Visualize: Make a mental image of all the activities or situations that you anticipate and how you intend to react.

Now for the final bit of advice: If you haven’t watched the new Sherlock Holmes movie, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, I recommend you do so in the next day or so. In the movie, Holmes, before picking a fight with anyone, runs through the motion of actions in his head. His last fight with his adversary, Professor Moriarty, is an awesome lesson. It’s not so much a fight as anticipation of the attack and counter-attack. There is tonnes, rather miles, runners can learn from this scene. What Holmes uses in the movie is a technique called visualization, also called guided imagery or mental rehearsal. Prior to this scene, Moriarty manages to injure Holmes in the right shoulder. After a detailed prediction of moves from him and countermoves from Moriarty, Holmes deducts that Moriarty would most likely kill him by focusing his deadly punches and kicks on his injured right shoulder. That’s when Holmes decides to approach the situation differently.

As a runner, you too need to become smart and analytical, not just a strong person bulldozing through tracks. You need to visualize every possible scenario and take decisions accordingly. And for different situations, you should have different plans in place. I want you all to be more aware as runners; for this, you need to be able to listen to your body. You need to become a lot more aware of not only your body but also your surroundings. You should visualize everything, starting from right now to the intended outcome of the race on race day. This involves making a mental image of all the activities or situations that you anticipate, how you intend to react to them, and then thinking about what other situations there could be. It’s in your hands to decide how you want them to feel or happen. For example, a) if you happen to get late or are not standing in your assigned area, and there are too many people in front of you who you think are slower than you, don’t panic. A marathon is 42km long, enough distance to make amends. You’ll only have traffic for the first 2-3km. Plan on using the situation in your favour and start slow to build a stronger foundation; (b) if you assume there will be no water station on the Bandra-Worli sea link, like last year, don’t sweat. It’s early on in the run. To be better prepared, assume there will be none; (c) if you think you’ll get a cramp in your calf or hamstring, there is no point fighting it. Go to the side of the road and stretch that part. You may lose a minute or two, but in the long run you’ll gain 15-20 minutes; (d) what will you do if you forget your nutrition pack? For this reason, keep nutrition packs in not only one pocket or place but in two-three different places. Just in case you happen to forget all of them, keep money in two-three pockets as well. In any case, take energy drinks whenever they are offered on the course.

Also think about details like the sound of your footsteps, the fresh air, your controlled breathing, or the amazing feeling of getting to the finish line with a smile. This simple technique can maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of your physical training.

I’ve come across lots of runners who have trained a lot physically, but are in poor shape mentally. When race day comes, no matter how fit they are, they inevitably mess it up. Don’t put undue pressure on yourself about your expected times for the run, plan on enjoying the experience. Let the result be the outcome of your efforts.

You need to be very relaxed the day before, and on the morning of the run. You should have packed and arranged all your running gear the day before. On race day, follow your own plan and don’t get distracted by the runners around you. In case you don’t meet your own expectations, there is always tomorrow. Train even better for the next run.

Now, I am not suggesting you become a defensive runner, throwing in the towel for nothing, but I do advise you to weigh the pros and cons wisely. Take that ego completely out of the equation. If you haven’t trained enough yet, but have registered for the marathon, you know what my advice would be. If you still decide to run, please don’t go for long practice runs in these few days. Rest and, in turn, recovery are the two most important things you need to focus on. It’s way too late to make up for missed training runs; the only thing you’ll end up gaining is an injury, which will come at the worst possible time. Most injuries in runners, especially novice runners training for marathons, happen in the two weeks before the event. Shift the focus of your training now from physical to psychological.

I want you to play Sherlock Holmes for the next few days to come out victorious and elated. Have a blast out there. Good luck.

Rajat Chauhan is an ultra marathon runner and a doctor specializing in sports and exercise medicine and musculoskeletal medicine, and founder of Back 2 Fitness.

Write to Rajat at treadmill@livemint.com

•••••

Also Read

The power of discouragement

Running is not a numbers game

Every breath you take

The strength of a runner

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less
Published: 09 Jan 2012, 08:06 PM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App