Many reasons why Hill running makes you a better runner

#RunningHills can be challenging but they are good in the long run as they strengthen leg muscles and the cardio vascular system improving both speed and stamina.

Below are some of my learnings and a summary from an article in Runners World, summing up why hill running is great and what to focus on while running uphill and downhill.
Hill sessions, unlike gym strength training, gets the muscles in your hips, legs, ankles and feet to work while supporting your full body weight, just as they have to during normal running. In addition, on uphill sections your muscles contract more powerfully than usual because they are forced to overcome gravity to move you up the hill. The result is more power, which in turn leads to longer, faster running strides.
Those who run on hills have also been shown to be less likely to lose fitness when they take time off from training. And many scientists believe that hill training can improve the elasticity of muscles, tendons and ligaments, allowing these tissues to carry out more work with less effort and fatigue.

Going Up
It is the moment all runners dread. You turn the corner and right in front of you is a big, imposing hill. But don’t wince, focus. Shift gears both mentally and physically and prepare. Running hills well is all about rhythm; if you make the proper adjustments and maintain your cadence you’ll smile your way up. Here’s how:
As you start #runninguphill, shorten your stride and reduce the pace.
You are aiming for equal effort going up as well as down, not equal pace.
Your posture should be upright – don’t lean forward or back – your head, shoulders and back should form a straight line over the feet.
Keep your feet low to the ground.
If your breathing begins to quicken it means that you’re either going too fast, over-striding or bounding too far off the ground as you run.
Use a light, ankle-flicking push-off with each step, not an explosive motion, which will waste energy. If the hill is long or the gradient increases, keep shortening your stride to maintain a smooth and efficient breathing pattern. If the gradient decreases, extend your stride again. Try to maintain the same steady effort and breathing throughout.
Accelerate gradually into the downhill.

Coming Down
Sprinting down can cause muscle soreness later, or constantly braking fatigues the quadriceps muscles. Step lightly and don’t reach out with your feet. Slapping can be a sign of weak muscles in the shin area, in which case you need to strengthen them.

Follow these simple tips on your #downhillrun on Sept 25th in Shimla at the #RunningAndLiving 25K

Try to maintain an upright body posture, keeping your torso perpendicular to the horizontal.
Keep your feet close to the ground for maximum control, and land lightly.
As you increase your pace, emphasise quicker turnover rather than longer strides, though your strides can be slightly longer than normal.
The key to efficient downhill running is to stay in control. When you start, keep your stride slightly shortened and let your turnover increase. When you feel in control, gradually lengthen your stride.

We would love to see you soon and get faster and stronger in your runs as you train for, and enjoy some great views of

the mountains and history at Shimla, like no other, at the 8th #Shimla Running And Living 25k runs on Sep 25th.
To find out more and register today, click on
https://runningandliving.com/our-runs/shimla-25k
See you soon

Seven good reasons why trail running on rocky, uneven surfaces is good at this time of year

Our diet may be mostly rice, or mostly wheat or corn based, but it has much else to make it a balanced diet and also a tasty meal, every time.

Road running is more fun than treadmill running, but concrete roads for regular long runs can be tough on our bodies.
City running is interesting and convenient - just step out of home and run, but if you are in crowded locations or higher transport locations the dribble from your nose when wiped against the sleeve of your running tee, leaves a grey streak.
The same 5k around the block or the same spot for the long run sometimes leads to boredom.
Traffic can make your weekday run a bit of a hassle.

That's where it's good to throw in some trail running whenever you can, out in nature, and let your mind, body and soul (and sole for that matter) commune with nature.

1- Uneven surfaces mean varied foot strike lengths and landing points which means pressure points are randomly different rather than measured and in the same spots, leading to pressure builds given out road run foot strike. Many runners use trail running to recuperate from muscular injury because of gait/ running style over a long run, or just to ease into running after a marathon or a half marathon race.

2- Quicker eye and foot coordination which makes us more agile and better tuned to our environs as we jump over a few rocks, or step sideways to avoid a puddle. This keeps us focused on the road ahead and keeps our mind off speed and distance and other mechanical metrics.

3- The air is fresher and cleaner in this suburban or natural location and we fill our lungs with the same as we inhale deeply.

4- The twists and turns in the trails add to the thrill of the route, compared to straight and long roads.

5- Mind, Body and Soul commune with nature - making for a therapeutic experience.

6- While out on a trail go minimal - rid yourself of GPS, stop watches etc and just enjoy the run. Listen to the birds, spot the animals, look at the cloud formations, feel the breeze on your face - the way it was meant to be.

7- No headphones. Focus on the trail, the directions and the environment as you see the butterfly in front of you and hear the frogs croaking in the rain. And automatically start listening to yourself, in a more educated manner

Just go out and find yourself a trail and some friends to run with.
Enjoy your run.

Rahul Verghese

Run with a smile and light up another

The Mumbai Marathon is always special for me. 2004 was my first marathon in India and 2016 my most recent with the numbers of marathon finishers climbing from 300 to 3400 - way to go!

This time around I was keen to finish in a better time than usual and was getting back into shape after the tough (hot and humid) Singapore Marathon in early December. I did a few semi long runs in between but the Delhi smog got the better of me and I did shorter but faster runs on my treadmill.

Two weeks before the run my warm up started :-) My stomach started running (and weakened me just as I contemplated my long run) and then a few days later my nose started running!!

 

Reached Mumbai and then my stomach decided to go for a long run again before my legs did and I lost my voice.. That's when I decided my goal - run with different pacing groups, meet old friends and make some new acquaintances along the 42.2k, and soak in the atmosphere.

On race day my camera was charged and so was I. I erased all the issues of weakness and hopeless preparedness and also focused on being sensible and listening to my body and going with the flow.

Met up with Guruchandran early on and we decided to run together and then through the darkness till Peddar road went on and off with the 4:30 pacing group. Met Jerry John at Peddar road - my IIM Batchmate - who is religously there at Prabhu Kunj every year. Took a blurred selfie with him in the darkness and carried on.



We got onto Worli sea face soon and the beginnings of the sea link as we saw the sun come out.

Then the 4-5km of the sea link where the 4:45 bus with Nikhil Shah caught up with us and we took some pics
      

Met Kiranmai from Hyderabad along the way and took more selfies.
By now I realised I was a lot weaker than what I wanted to be so early into the run so I added in some more walking breaks and as we passed the Half Marathon mark and started heading towards Dadar, the 5 hour bus caught up with us.

All along, the way it was greatly energising to be greeted by and yell out to acquaintances and friends and strangers from over the years and spur each other on with a smile and a shout. In the long Worli Loop I saw the 5:45 bus entering the loop which we were leaving and I jumped over the divider to take a click with Dinesh Laungani and his bus. and then Himanshu and his 5 hr bus caught up with us.



Then Guru and I were taking shorter but more frequent walking breaks as we kept working on the next target - that traffic light, or that billboard, or that bus stop, and we kept pushing each other on, as well as a few others who would join us from time to time.

Then back to Jerry on Peddar road - this time in the sun with a much sharper image.



And then by the time we reached Chowpati - we bumped into Devander from Bangalore and Nandita from Kolkatta and formed yet another group, this time to the finish line.


 

And we sprinted the last 200m to the finish line, big smiles, and better friends at the end of it.

And then rushed to Leopolds to hydrate :-) :-) of course only after some sensible ingestion of the sandwich and milk and a rub down at the Volini recovery tent. Was great to see and meet so many folks - a dentists delight as everyone was smiling and laughing with their teeth glistening :-)



Leopolds was as usual boisterous and loud with runners from all over the country celebrating there - all of us were 5 year olds again.



Cheers to that and Mumbai - see you next year again

What's so special about a marathon medal?

When you cross the finish line of a marathon, no matter how beat you are, you are proud of the achievement. Beaming and glowing and feeling like a champ.

I always wear my medal from that time on, for the rest of the day, and then wear it at work the next day, to let that feeling soak in and post the runner's high, get the medal's high.

It gets people who see you, smile; and perhaps ask you what you won. And that's when you can chat with a stranger and perhaps get them interested in running the next time themselves, or starting running, or whatever.

So yesterday, post crossing the finish line of the Marathon in Hyderabad,I wore the medal back to the hotel where I was greeted by the smiling receptionists who asked about the medal, the run, and whether I had won - to which I told them that everyone who crossed the finish line that morning, had won! They then wanted to have a photograph along with them. And their GM wanted to meet us, and the 2 of us got a free lunch that day - which even included some chilled draught beer as the kicker.

When I got to the airport, there was a long line at the Indigo counter and as I was making progress, one of the ground staff, saw the medals and heralded me out of turn to a check in counter. Three fellow runners behind me asked if they could also join since they had also run but were not wearing their medals. The Indigo staff obliged and asked them to get out their medals so that they could take a group photograph with all of us. Not only that, he was incredibly sweet to offer to and check in my hand baggage also!! Now that is a huge - random act of kindness. I in turn, post all the photographs, gave him a book I had written on Running and Life - strangely enough, entitled running and living. He had run a half marathon in Delhi a few years ago, and I asked him to be in touch.

I then chatted with the other three folks who were also traveling to Delhi. I met up with another runner from Indore who wanted to train for a half marathon and we chatted for a while before her flight was called.

These are some of the random and amazing things that happen when you wear your medal post a run, for the day and perhaps into work on Monday. So DO NOT put it in your pocket, never to be seen again immediately after you cross the finish line. You have earned your right to wear it, and make a few new friends for the day.

:-)