A Safal Run at bSafal Amdavan Marathon

It all began here. Ahmedabad, the place where I was born, & bsafal, my first HM (in Jan 2015). So this was a homecoming run of sorts. Driving to the venue to collect our bibs, we found metro construction along portions of previous years’ route. We were worried that it would be very difficult to control the Ahmedabad traffic during the latter part of the run, especially now that there is a FM on the race menu too. Going through the route on the event website, we found that the organisers were taking us west this time. Rather Far West, as western Ahmedabad always meant the part lying west of the Sabarmati & we would be running along the SG Highway & the Ring Road. A good choice as both these roads have wide service roads that will assure the runners don’t interfere with the traffic (and vice versa) except at junctions.

The 6:00 AM flag off (on schedule) was preceded immediately by singing of the national anthem. Now, there are residential apartments adjoining the eastern part of the venue. I wondered what should a person, who hears the anthem being played while half asleep, do? Is he expected to stand to attention? But thoughts such as these are not advisable in Ahmedabad, a city where patriotism meets culture. Sorry, read it as conspicuous display of patriotism & culture. As in the case of this runner (though he forgot to wear traditional footwear during the run!) who carried this flag through the distance.

We get to the SG Highway at Gurudwara Junction & turn northwards. Around 17 years back, SG highway was actually a highway, i.e. a dark, unlit stretch of road outside the city. But I often visited it (along with good friend Wilhelm Singh) as there was a dhaba besides the gurudwara that also served chicken. In fact, that was the only non-veg joint (known to us) to the west of Sabarmati. Unlike the earlier occasion, this was the only bout of nostalgia this time. Today the SG Highway is more of an internal city road, lined with retail, commercial & residential space. We turn west towards the Ring Road & soon passed an under construction project named “Satyamev Eminence”, which is expected to be a “posh” workspace. Now, one associates the word satya with the likes of Gandhi (of the bapu variety) but definitely not something like “posh”. But this is a sign of the changed times, considering the netas (no names, as the list is endless) we have today.

As is now the practice, I was running along with Dr. Suresh Iyengar who has this uncanny ability to run at a consistent pace from beginning to the end. This time, Rakesh Rawat also gave us company, which indicates that the legend of Dr. Iyengar, the pacer, continues to grow. The Ring Road announced itself with an abrupt drop in temperature. Most of this part (unlike the eastern & northern stretches) of the Ring Road still doesn’t have any buildings alongside & there are open, green stretches on both sides. Apart from the cold (expected in the last week of December), there was a chill in the air too, making it feel colder. Of the three of us, none agreed with this lady runner. And I think Dr. Iyengar found her views a bit disturbing for Rakesh & I perceived him speeding up. Maybe, it was the chill which made him run faster. Whatever the reason, the pacer in Dr. Iyengar makes it look so easy even when in acceleration mode.

Going some further we saw a lady pacer a little ahead of us. As both the 02:30 pacers were men, we correctly guessed her to be the 02:45 pacer. Now, we were in a state wedded to BJP & in a city that is the karmabhoomi of Amit Shah & Narendra Modi. I realized that if we ran behind this lady pacer, who was named Sonia, we could be mistaken for being Congress supporters. I shared this with Rakesh & Dr. Suresh who too agreed with me. One of her passengers, overhearing us, assured us that such is not the case, but I believe that was more to save himself from some embarrassment! We disregarded his words & moved ahead as there are some compromises that are never made.

Distance running events provide lot of food for thought, turning most runners into philosophers. Running along the SG Highway, I came across an area barricaded by corrugated sheets with the words “Building Tomorrow” clearly visible from a distance. Inside, it was just a piece of open land, but a swanky entrance lined with potted plants was already built. Isn’t this true with most other aspects of life, including running, too? The doors of tomorrow have to be built today, else it will forever remain a dream. No one becomes a distance runner overnight. It’s the short runs one starts with that make us complete the long ones. So if you intend to run a HM/FM next year, begin the preparation right now.

There were a lot of things that made this edition of bsafal a very well managed & organized event. Primarily, it was the hydration provided. As per the route map (if I recall correctly), the organisers had planned hydration points every 4 km. But we found them at every 2 km, at least in the 1^st half for I did not even notice this later having broken off near the half-way (as is the practice). At the end of the Ring Road stretch, in fact, just as I came to the turn I heard a once-popular song from that Manoj Kumar starrer Kranti – Zindagi na toote ladi… (https://youtu.be/0K8wJnCq2pY). I would never have believed earlier that someone could listen to this particular song while running. But as I said earlier, patriotism runs in an amdavadi’s blood. And our friend here proved it again.

We turn left from Ring Road to move towards SG Highway. The road is wide with practically no traffic at this time. But it’s a RCC road, not the best one to run on. I opted to run on the pavement which had paver blocks, not much better but still better than the RCC surface. And this is quite a long stretch too. The organisers should consider an alternate stretch next time round. Barring this one, rest of the route was tar road, except a small stretch where metro construction was underway, which made it feel like a trail run (minus the vegetation)! So, we got a variety of running surfaces this here. Before reaching this portion, came across a tea stall with an interesting name – Khetarwala Bapa Tea Stall. Which shows that the average gujarati can smell a business opportunity before anyone else & knows how to encash it. I don’t know how the Khetla Aapa franchise reacted to this, but they have moved far ahead (https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/humble-chaiwallah-vs-chai-chain-will-khetla-aapa-bitten-tea-kiosks-survive-in-long-run/articleshow/61855510.cms) from their origins as a typical chai kitli.

This enterprising spirit has taken gujaratis palces & you will find them all over the globe. Essentially peace loving, they assimilate with the local culture easily, though the magnitude may differ. Like this runner here, who left no one in doubt where he came from (or where wished to go?). Our American Desi friend had a peaceful run, but would it have been so had he similarly dressed up in the Indian tricolor? But this is not a social/political post & let us stick to the run only.

For the entire stretch west of SG Highway, the participants & the traffic did not disturb each other except at a junction on the Ring Road where the FMers need to cross the road. The traffic police did a very good job manning the junctions. It also appears that the residents in this part sleep late on Sundays & stock up on morning supplies so as not to venture out in the cold. The volunteers also did a very good job & no point was found unmanned even towards the end of the route. I particularly liked the watermelons & chikki bars at fueling stations. Watermelons actually double up as hydration too, which was so thoughtful of the organisers. Running in the cold, whatever the distance, always finds me with a running nose, though it is not so much of a trouble as I usually breathe with the mouth. This one was no different. But I couldn’t eat the chikkis & breathe at the same time & had to alternate between the two. A very difficult task, especially when running!! Fortunately, I realized that I had a bottle of water with me & used it to clear the nose & wash the hands. Rest of the distance was very comfortable, though I didn’t get find chikkis later (till after the finish point).

We get back to the SG Highway as we near the end. The sun is up by this time & so are the amdavadis. Even the temperature is higher now, though the traffic at the junctions is still manageable thanks to the efforts of the traffic police. I have been running at a gradually decreasing pace & did not have much left inside. However, the weather being good & not having run much the previous weeks, the legs held on. We turn east at the gurudwara junction for the home stretch. This is a slight climb but one had to keep going to finish under 02:30. The traffic at the junction at the AES ground (just before the finish line) is now restive but the traffic police manages to hold them to let the runners pass. Which helps one finish at a fastest pace of the run. Looking at the pace chart after I finished, I realized that this one was run at a near negative pace. Thanks to Dr. Iyengar who unknowingly speeded up on the Ring Road & the route which did not have any traffic holding up the runners.

But the best part was tea seved in kulhad’s at the finish point (on payment basis). And the quantity of serving was much more than the famed “Amdavadi Chai”. No better way to end a half marathon!

A Short Primer on Common Running Terms

The running season has well & truly begun with events all around. And multiple events on the same day in the vicinity of each other. To help the new runners catch up on the commonly used running terminology so that they don’t feel out of place with experienced ones, I have put together a list of terms that they can refer to when lost.

Cadence: This is steps taken per minute & is a measure of efficiency. So how does it matter? Higher it is, better you are as a runner. But most importantly, this term is a good icebreaker if you are meeting another runner (especially an experienced one) for the first time. Try it some time. You will appear knowledgeable (as you will find me while reading this post).

Carb-Loading: This is imbibing significantly larger proportion of carbs in your diet immediately preceding your Big Run. Carbohydrates are the energy store of choice for our body. Beer is one very good option, one glass having around 13 grams of carb. (Now you know why it is called a “beer belly”.) If you are not a heavy drinker, you can try Vodka + Orange juice (28 gms) or Rum + Coke (39 gms). For more options, you can refer Diet Doctor (https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/alcohol).

Cool down: It is the opposite of Warm-up & works the other way round. After a hard run, you need to bring down your body temperature gradually. Best is a small jog or a brisk walk. I have found chilled beer works equally well. In fact, works better as it cools down the mind too.

Fartlek: Yes, you are right. This isn’t farting during a run, as most non-runners would believe. It is simply running some distance at a faster pace during a run. It’s what most kids do while playing & really enjoy it. Well, they also enjoy when someone farts during a game. Maybe, this is why it is called what it is called.

Form: Obviously, Form in sports can never mean the paper where we fill in all those details. But, Form in running has a different meaning than in other sports. It is actually your posture or stance when running. So, while cricket commentators are in the habit of informing that Form is temporary as oppose to Class which is permanent, in running the Form is also permanent. This is to differentiate running from other sports. So, what’s a good running form? Simply put, it is one where you do not appear strange or peculiar to other runners (non-runners will always find it strange seeing people running on roads against the traffic).

Foot Strike: This is the way your foot lands while running. Most resources on the internet inform that one should never land on one’s toes (have they tried running on their toes?) or one’s heels (else one’s heels, ankles & all will be in pain). Which shows that the mid-foot, like the middle path as espoused by Buddha, is the best & can lead you to running nirvana.

Hill training: Another of those drills to increase leg strength. Most runners do not have the luxury to live near the hills. But they can run over flyovers & overbridges & this works just as well. Even running up & down flights of stairs is another option, as most towns now have high rise buildings. I know it requires more effort but getting out of bed to snooze your alarm & getting back in doesn’t count. Even if you snooze it for an hour before finally waking up.

Interval training: Supposed to be good for improving speed & developing under-utilised muscles, it is a series of sprints with just enough rest after each to catch your breath. So, if you thought it was the running around for popcorns & soft drinks during the break, you were not too wrong. Except that, one doesn’t get too tired in an air conditioned multiplex.

Negative splits: This might be one of the easier terms & easily understood. You split your run into two & be quicker during the latter part. Or four (or whatever you prefer) parts & run each section quicker than the previous one. Negative, because you cut down on your pace. Which also means you increase your speed, but that would not be negative & so we will stick to conventional running terminology.

Overpronation/Underpronation: It is how your foot behaves when it hits the ground while running. i.e. If it moves outwards it is called one of these, and if it moves inwards it is called the other. To be honest, I still have to get a hang of this term & cannot tell you off-hand what is what. If you are still curious, pls visit the www.

Pace: It is the opposite of speed. No, it is not a measure of slowness. Rather, speed measured the other way round. In simpler words, Pace is the time required to cover a unit distance (minutes per Km) while speed is distance covered in unit time (Km per hour). So why not simply measure speed? Because, everything else (vehicles, cyclists, animals, etc.) is. And we, the runners, would turn out to be very slow in comparison. Also to confuse the non-runners (but that’s just between us).

Recovery: Now, this one has multiple uses & meanings. A slow jog after a burst of speed amidst a long run is recovery. A short run a couple of days after a  very long run is also recovery. As is the time you spend sidelined by some injury. While none of the online resources considers a glass of beer after a long run as such, I will still go for this one as my favorite form of recovery.

Runner’s knee: As runners, we should be proud of an injury being named after us. And unlike a tennis elbow, runner’s knee strikes only the runners. To be more specific, to the new runners who are too enthusiastic when they are just beginning & start running longer & longer. For they know not it is the slow & steady that not only wins the race but also runs long & strong.

Shin Splints: You guessed it right, it’s the pain on/around the shins. As soon as it occurs, treat it to some rest & ice. And while you are resting & have some ice handy, you may as well add some drink to the ice & think about running. This will keep you motivated enough & you will back on the roads once healed.

Speedwork: Pls refer Interval Training, for this is what speedwork essentially is. It is simply called by this name too so that running appears to be a technical sport to other sportspersons. For, most sports involve some amount of running & we need to differentiate ourselves from those indulging in other outdoor activities.

Strides: Pls refer Speedwork, for this is what it essentially is. Now that you have saved some time by not referring to the above, you may as well have a drink. And read this post again, once complete. It (reading, not drinking) will help you remember these terms better.

Tempo: I once gave the finger salute to a tempo who didn’t slow down as I crossed the road. Which made him slow down & look back. I upped the pace to put as much distance as possible between him & me if he decided to come back after me. But a wise runner later educated me that a tempo run is something totally different. It is a run at a “faster than normal” pace for some considerable distance. Pls note that it is “faster” & not a “fast” pace. In other words, a feel good run that doesn’t leave you exhausted at the end (like running to avoid a tempo does). I no longer give finger salutes to tempos. Or Autos & other vehicles, for that matter.

VO2 max: This is a favorite of my friend, Reni George. But I believe this will soon lose its relevance considering that the air now has more of pollutants & less of oxygen. So, if you work on increasing your VO2 max you will end up dirtying the insides of your lungs & the throat & the respiratory tract. Be practical, is my advice for Reni.

The Wall: I always thought, in sporting terms, the Wall meant Rahul Dravid. But it is actually what the runners face at the 20^th mile (32^nd Km) when running a full marathon. I haven’t run any, so can’t say anything more about it. But it cannot actually be a wall because the marathons are generally run on a road. And also becauser one can run through it. Else, how would people be able to finish a full marathon?

These are some of the terms that I am familiar with. Once I get to learn a few more, I will update you with those. Till then, happy running!