The World of Running

Welcome to "The Long Run Explained," the 39th episode of the World of Running podcast, your dedicated source for all things running. Hosted by Aditi Pandya, this episode delves deep into the essence of long runs, a cornerstone practice for runners aiming to enhance endurance, oxygen capacity, and both physical and mental strength. Key Topics Covered: Importance of Long Runs Approaches to Long Runs Advice on high mileage training and its impact on marathon performance. Practical tips on how to stay hydrated and properly fuel your body before, during, and after long runs. Making Long Runs Engaging Recommendations on the best gear for long runs  Advice on recovery post-long run sessions Aditi Pandya, the voice behind the World of Running podcast, is an avid runner and is co-founder of GeeksOnFeet. Aditi is an accomplished athlete, and is an endurance runner with a personal best in marathon of 3:37.  Her goal with this podcast is to democratize running and ensure that valuable content reaches every runner, from beginners to experienced. Intro to Aravind Yarra Aravind Yarra is the co-founder of Geeksonfeet  Aravind is a seasoned marathoner with a personal best of 3:23. He loves to merge his interests in technology and running to explore new dimensions within the sport. He takes an experimental approach to training, trying different stimuli and exploring running science.  Links to Other Episodes and Articles: YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@geeksonfeet for additional running tips and tricks. Weekly Newsletter: Stay updated with the latest in the running world by subscribing at geeksonfeet.com/newsletter. Related Episodes:  Featuring Aravind Yarra on "Hip Mechanics" and the "Importance of Running Form," available in the show notes for further listening. Hip Mechanics Importance of Running Form

Sleep is such a basic need that it affects our mood, efficiency, longevity, and most importantly it improves our running performance. Sleep is also required for maintaining and nurturing our relationships, growth of society, and many more intrinsic necessities.  Sleep releases hormones that aid in muscle protein synthesis, thus repairing the cellular level damage from exercise, it improves our reflexes, decision making capacity and overall keeps our mind and body working at an optimal level.  In this episode we will be discussing the fascinating world of sleep and its impact on life, health and more importantly running performance. Our guest for this episode is Dr. Sudhir Kumar.  Dr. Sudhir Kumar is a neurologist. He has been in medical practice for about 30 years. He enjoys his work and loves solving complex neurological problems. He treats patients from across the world. His motto in medical practice is: Prompt diagnosis of disease, early initiation of treatment and offer the best treatment at the lowest possible cost.  Dr Sudhir took up running at age 49. He loves training at lower heart rates. At 49, before he started running, he weighed about 100 Kg. Running has transformed him. He is very active on “X” & regularly posts about neurology, medicine, fitness, running and nutrition. Reference  Athletes Guide to Recovery  Recover to Perform Recover through Cold and Hot  Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly workouts that will help your running. For any feedback and collaborations please write to us at connect@geeksonfeet.com. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @geeeksonfeet for updates on our recent articles, podcast episodes, and more.

As runners we are quite conscious of the training process be it the miles/week, the specific paces or the interval durations. But training is not just about how far or how fast we can run; it’s also about how well we bounce back and prepare ourselves for the next training run or race. The backbone to achieve performance goals without getting injured, is to have a good recovery strategy alongside the training. More often than not we are guilty of ignoring recovery all together, especially when we are juggling family, work and running. This episode explores the art and science of recovery How recovery helps in better running performanceHow it can help us injury freeRecovery techniques post-run activity toNutrition for recoveryPeriodizing recovery GUEST INTRO: SAGE ROUNTREE Sage Rountree is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, USA Triathlon certified expert, and Road Runners Club of America certified coach. She holds a PhD in English and is the author of The Athlete’s Guide to Recovery, The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga, and The Athlete’s Pocket Guide to Yoga. She also contributes to Runner’s World and Yoga Journal. Sage competes in running events from the 400m to the 50K and at triathlons. She raced for Team USA at the 2008 Short-Course Triathlon World Championship. Her coaching clients compete in running, ultras, and multisport events, including the Ironman World Championship. She is co-owner of the Carrboro Yoga Company and teaches workshops on yoga for athletes nationwide. Please visit her website to find all about her work and useful resources for runners. Her book on recovery - The Athletes Guide to Recovery

Most of us have heard about the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons. These legendary endurance runners, as famously chronicled in the book ‘Born to Run.’ They run for miles on barefoot, enjoying the sun, storms and treacherous terrain. In this episode of “World of Running,” host Aditi Pandya talks with Thomas Bobby Philip (Barefoot Bobby) on various facets of Barefoot running. Reasons to explore barefoot runningBenefits of barefoot runningTransitioning to barefoot runningSpecific strength & training needs of barefoot running Guest Intro: Thomas Bobby Philip Bobby is known in running circles as “Barefoot Bobby”, Bobby realized his passion towards running in 2009. Through years of disciplined training he has been a podium finisher across 10 km, Half Marathon & Full Marathon events in India. Bobby transitioned to Barefoot running April 2012, and ever since he never looked back. He qualified for the Boston Marathon in 2014 and was the first Indian to have run the Boston Marathon, Barefoot. With the support from the experienced Barefoot runners, he actively promotes barefoot running in Bangalore and other cities. The community of Barefoot runners are growing across the country, with the benefits they see in it. Bobby ran his first Sub 3 hrs marathon at Mumbai Marathon ’17 and later has run 6 Marathons under sub 3 hrs. He has also run lots of 10Ks in under 40 mins. His personal bests for 10k is 36m:23s, Half Marathon is 1h:18m:37s & Marathon is 2h:55m:00s Related Episodes: Ep 17: Strength Training for Runners

Running is a beautiful sport, and we all runners swear by how it helps us.  But we sometimes take it too seriously. Overly obsessed with paces, getting stressed by upcoming races, irregular sleep cycles to accommodate the early morning workouts, constant barrage of injuries and more.  What once supposed to help us to get fit, healthy and enjoyable, becomes quite the opposite.  In this episode of "World of Running," our host Aditi Pandya talks with Tina Muir and delves deep into how to run sustainably How to enjoy running, and process of making it a lifelong sport  Get the best from running, both at personal and social front To create a sustainable environment around us for running  Guest Intro: Tina Muir Tina Muir is the founder and CEO of Running for Real; host of the award-winning podcast of the same name and co-host of Running Realized; a mother of two; and a former elite runner turned sustainability advocate. An ardent environmentalist, she has worked with the United Nations, as well as many races in the running industry, including New York and Chicago marathons on their sustainability initiatives. Through her podcast and social media presence, she starts conversations and shares resources on sustainability, climate change, and how individuals can make a positive difference in their own lives. Her book, Becoming a Sustainable Runner, co-written with Zoë Rom, merges runners’ passion for their sport with their concern for their health, their community, and the environment. Tina is the first elite athlete to openly discuss having amenorrhea, Tina has become an advocate for others suffering from RED-S/REDs.  Related episodes: Ep7- Mind Training for Working Athletes

Whether you're a casual jogger or an aspiring marathoner, the journey of running is filled with its unique set of challenges and rewards. And just like any journey, having a road-map or a guide can make all the difference. This is where the importance of a structured training plan comes into play. Imagine embarking on an ambitious project without a blueprint or setting out on a road trip without any maps. Sure, you might eventually complete the project or reach your destination, but the process would be fraught with uncertainty, inefficiencies, and potential pitfalls. Similarly, in the realm of running, embarking on your journey without a plan might lead you to some unexpected hurdles, injuries, or even burnouts. In this episode of "World of Running," our host Aditi Pandya delves deep into the crafting training plans for runners, with coach and sports scientist Josh Sambrook. Guest Intro: Josh Sambrook Josh is a sports scientist, 2:28 marathoner and running coach. At university he specialized in predicting race performance from training, which he then developed into a system that underpins his personal training. After finding success in races using this method, friends and training partners asked if he would share his training plan with them. This grew until it became his app, Run Kaizen. You can check out the app at https://kaizen.app.link/ Key Topics Discussed: 1. Foundation of Training Plans 2. Finding Training Plans 3. Basics of Crafting a Training Plan 4. Executing The Training Plan Related Episodes: Ep 3: Beginner’s Guide to RunningEp 22: The Science of Endurance TrainingEp 30: Heart Rate TrainingEp 32: Run Less Run Faster Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly workouts that will help your running. For any feedback and collaborations please write to us at connect@geeksonfeet.com. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @geeeksonfeet for updates on our recent articles, podcast episodes, and more.

Based on the analysis we have done across various races in India, a surprising 80% of the runners take up distance running after they are in their mid-30s. One of the challenges however is no formal coaching, this is either because of an intentional choice, or lack of access to coaches, or many times life priorities wouldn’t leave enough time to work with a coach. In this episode, we'll explore how to get the best out of us, as we self-coach as recreational runners. In this episode we discussed: + Best practices to approach self-coaching + Setting realistic goals + Creating a training plan that fits our needs + Tracking progress and making adjustments as needed + Staying motivated Madhukar BK Madhukar has run 18 marathons many more half-marathon and 10K distances. He ran his first marathon in 2014 at the first edition of Shriram Properties Bangalore Marathon and completed it in 4:59:52. Since then, Madhukar has run marathons within and outside India and has also completed 5 of the 6 World Major Marathons including the Boston Marathon. He is currently preparing for his final WMM which is the upcoming New York City marathon due this November. His best time for a 10K is 41:51, Half Marathon is 1:32:11 and for the marathon it is 3:18:52. He has achieved the coveted BQ in the past 2 qualifying windows. He is an active member of Soles of Bangalore, a leading running group based in Bangalore. Apart from running he works with an IT firm in Bangalore and lives with his wife and 2 sons. This episode is sponsored by Athlos Athlos started with an aim to know what does it take to build functional yet beautiful running gear for Indian conditions. This led to the launch of Athlos in 2015. Today's Athlos running collection features Shorts and T-shirts made from sustainable and high-quality fabrics like Econyl (recycled ocean waste nylon), Eucalyptus, and Merino wool. Please visit www.goathlos.com to know more. Related Episodes + Ep 3: Beginner's Guide to Running + Ep 22: The Science of Endurance Training + Ep 30: Heart Rate Training + Ep 32: Run Less Run Faster

Most traditional training philosophies and methods for long-distance endurance training have one thing in common, putting high mileage. For recreational runners, this type of training can backfire. Most runners’ focus on mileage, ignoring other important aspects such as speed, strength, and mobility. In this episode we discuss the FIRST (The Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training) training method for runners, which focuses on training with purpose, intensity, and recovery. The FIRST method is described in the book ‘Run Less Run Faster’ by Bill Pierce and Scott Murr. The method is designed for recreational runners with full-time jobs, and it emphasizes progressive overload and realistic goals. This episode also discusses the 7-Hour Workout Week training approach, which is designed for runners who want to improve their health and fitness. Bill Pierce In this episode, we talk to Bill Pierce, who is behind the FIRST training methodology. Bill Pierce is a prominent figure in the world of distance running, known for his contributions to running science, coaching, and authorship. As a co-author of the influential book "Run Less Run Faster," he has played a pivotal role in reshaping the way runners approach training. This podcast is sponsored by Athlos Athlos started with an aim to know what does it take to build functional yet beautiful running gear for Indian conditions. This led to the launch of Athlos in 2015. Today's Athlos running collection features Shorts and T-shirts made from sustainable and high-quality fabrics like Econyl (recycled ocean waste nylon), Eucalyptus, and Merino wool. Please visit www.goathlos.com to know more. Related EpisodesSubscribe to our newsletter for weekly workouts that will help your running.

At Run Mechanics, we have analyzed more than 200 runners and almost 95% of them had weak hips. This could be pelvic drop, pelvic tilt, hip rotation, etc.  Whether one is a seasoned marathoner or just starting out on their running journey, the strength and mobility of your hips can make or break your performance.  Poor hip mechanics manifest in more ways than one while running - weak glutes resulting in un-optimal stride, extreme fatigue in lower legs, unstable pelvis, pelvic drop, and a whole host of injuries.   In this episode we had Aravind of Team GeeksOnFeet, who is also co-founder of RunMechanics join us to discuss how to master hip mechanics to become a better runner.  Aravind is a certified running gait analyst. We have discussed various topics including: Common issues that cause  poor hips mechanics How to assess your hip mechanics Framework for building good hip mechanics  Workouts that will help you to build good hip mechanics  This podcast episode is sponsored by Athlos.  Athlos started with the aim to know what it takes to build functional yet beautiful running gear for Indian conditions. This led to the launch of Athlos in 2015. Today's Athlos running collection features Shorts and T-shirts made from sustainable and high-quality fabrics like Econyl (recycled ocean waste nylon), Eucalyptus, and Merino wool. Please visit www.goathlos.com  to know more. Related Resources: Perfect your hip mechanics How to Improve Running Stride How to prevent Overstriding Improve Hip Flexion for Better Running Importance of running form

In the 30th episode of the podcast "The World of Running," host Aditi Pandya delves into the world of heart rate (HR) training and its effectiveness in endurance training. With guest speaker Anand Hatwalne, an experienced runner and co-founder of 'Running Potential,' this episode explores the importance of HR monitoring for effective training and optimizing performance and recovery. Why does HR have such significance in endurance training? The answer lies in the fundamental principle, that is training at the right intensity to improve aerobic fitness, which is key for long-distance running performance. Traditionally, runners relied on pace and effort to gauge intensity, but the advent of smartwatches and chest straps revolutionized training by introducing real-time HR monitoring as a vital metric. The episode then dives into the basics of HR training, highlighting the relationship between lower HR and lower effort. Understanding this connection is crucial for effective training.. The episode addresses various methods of monitoring HR, including wrist monitors and chest straps. Current fitness levels and genetics play a significant role in HR levels. Anand explains training zones based on HR, such as maximum HR (Max HR) and lactate threshold HR (LT HR), explaining their relevance and how to personalize the zones using Max HR or lactate threshold. In addition to training, HR also plays a vital role in recovery. Resting heart rate (RHR) serves as an indicator of recovery status. Time to Recovery is introduced as a metric to guide training that is explained. The episode delves into the practical application of HR training, discussing the day-to-day variations in HR and the factors that influence RHR, including sleep and infections. Adapting training based on these variations is essential for optimizing performance. The use of HR in racing is also explored, with specific HR zones suggested for different race distances like 10k, half marathon, and marathon.  Finally, the episode introduces heart rate variability (HRV) as a metric gaining importance in running. HRV refers to the differences between consecutive heartbeats and can provide valuable insights into recovery and overall training adaptation. Different methods of measuring HRV are discussed. About Guest Anand Hatwalne Anand has been running for close to 2 decades. In 2013, he co-founded 'Running Potential', through which he has been helping fellow runners and friends get better at this sport. He has a couple of ultras and a few marathons under his belt. Anand is especially drawn to the physiological aspects of running and exercise science.  He is a public speaker and has delivered many talks related to Running in the public domain. Anand was also invited multiple times by Indian Army establishments such as the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the College of Military Engineering (CME) in Pune, the Army War College (AWC) in Mhow, and an army camp in Missamari, Assam, to talk about these topics. In 2019, owing to his work in spreading awareness about HRV for endurance sports, the training platform HRV4Training chose Anand as one of its mentors. Ep 16: The Art and Science of PacingUnderstand LTHR and HR zones

Trail running has a certain charm associated with it, which is very different from road running. The former takes runners to quieter paths of mountains, lakes, forests, grasslands, etc. while the later is all about roads and speed. Trail running needs a different approach to running apart from speed & attire the most important is a mindset. Whether you're a seasoned road runner looking for a new challenge or a beginner looking to explore the great outdoor trails, this episode will provide you with the basics of everything that you need to get started with trail running. From gear and nutrition to training, we have covered everything you need to know. Our guest for this episode is Kannan Sundararajan a.k.a Coach Kay. Coach Kay is an Ultramarathoner, running since 2011 completed over 70 marathons and ultramarathons including a 100-mile (160 km) race, Back-to-Back Comrades Marathon, and a first-ever Triangular Run Challenge finisher with 500 km in May 2019. Coach Kay is the Founder & Ultrarunning coach of his academy KaysFIT Academy since 2016. He is the Founder & Race Director of Ooty Ultra & Bison Ultra. He is an ACE certified Personal Trainer and UESCA (United Endurance Sport Coaching Academy) certified.   Coach Kay provides online/personalized coaching & mentoring on general fitness, weight management, ultramarathon/running & sports conditioning, and youth fitness. He has coached more than 300+ recreational marathoners, ultrarunners & young adults In March 2023, KaysFIT Academy achieved a significant milestone by signing an MOU with the Center for Sports Excellence (Dravid Padukone Academy) to set up and offer a long-distance running coaching program, based on RCF (a custom framework designed by Coach Kay), to recreational runners inside the integrated sports complex. Related Episodes: Endurance Training for Ultra MarathonsMalnad: An Ultra to ReckonTrail Blazers - Let's Talk Running

Kenya can be said as the Mecca of the running world. Kenya has come to be the home of world-class athletes such as Eliud Kipchoge, Wilson Kipsang, Abel Kirui, David Rudisha, Florence Kiplagat, Edna Kiplagat, amongst others. Though most of us are recreational runners, we are pushing the limits in our own way, and the Kenyan runners set an aspirational north star for us. As a recreational runner, we have a lot of questions related to how Kenyan runners train. In this episode, we discuss topics related to: What is unique about the training that sets Kenyans apart?How many miles do they put in a day or week?How do they recover from their hard training?What is their nutrition like?How do they preventing injuries? GUEST INTROS: HUGO VAN DEN BROEK Hugo van den Broek is a former elite marathon runner, with a personal best of 2h12. He has coached amateur and elite runners from all over the world. His athletes ran at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics and had World Best performances in 2009 and 2015. When coaching his athletes, Hugo uses a combination of experience (he has been in the world of running for more than 30 years) and his scientific knowledge thanks to his M.Sc. degree in Human Movement Sciences. Hugo and his wife Hilda Kibet have been living and training in Iten, Kenya, since 2007. They both retired from professional running in 2015 and have 3 daughters. The couple has a guesthouse where they accommodate amateur and elite runners from all over the world, and organize running camps called ‘Kenya Camp’ for amateur runners who want to experience training in Kenya under professional guidance. VIJAYARAGHAVAN VENUGOPAL Vijay was our first guest for our very first episode on marathon training and now again. It’s been a pleasure to witness Vijay on and off the track focused on sports and nutrition. Vijay has recently visited Kenya and get to see how Kenyans train, and brings the perspective of a recreational runner. Vijayaraghavan Venugopal is an avid sports enthusiast, he is the father of an aspiring mid-distance national junior athlete, and himself an 8-time sub-3-hour marathoner. Amongst the marathons include Boston, Berlin, Chicago and Paris. He is also the co-founder and CEO of the nutrition brand Fast&Up. RELATED EPISODES Supplements for RunnersMarathon TrainingBreaking 3 Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly workouts, and tips that will help your running

Marathon running is becoming more popular around the world as a way to stay fit. These numbers are growing y-on-y. Closer to home, this can be seen in Tata Mumbai Marathon’s recent edition. The maximum number of marathon participants is in the age group of 40 to 44 years, which is 24% of the total finishers. A whopping 64% of the total marathon finishers are masters’ runners (age 40 and above). With fast twitch muscles declining, and bone density reducing, how do masters athletes maintain their mojo? In this episode, we discuss the topics relevant to master runners. Running fitness despite the effects of agingBeing injury free as masters runnerBettering the RecoveryTraining & Racing as master’s runner GUEST INTRO TARUN WALECHA Tarun is a Delhi-based Architect and an avid marathoner. Tarun has been a sportsperson all his life, participating in various sports such as Cricket, Judo, and Volleyball at school, college, and district levels. After years of sports, he discovered running at the age of 40 as his fitness mantra. Tarun has been running for more than a decade now and has participated in 56 Half Marathons, 10 Full marathons, and 15 Trail/Ultra Runs. His PB for 10K is 44mins13secs. HM is 1hr 38mins & marathon is 3hrs 44 mins. He has paced for various events such as Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, Cairn Pink City Marathon, Super Sikh Run, and Millennium City Marathon. In the year 2016, he did a self-supported run of 7 half-marathon distances over 7 consecutive days in support of underprivileged athletes. He followed that up in subsequent years and reached out to over 5000 athletes. Tarun has been a mentor to various running events, he was also the Race Director for two editions for FOOTLOOSE and Run for Justice. Tarun also has been training and mentoring people into running for the last 4 years and runs an academy by the name of FitWithT. RELATED EPISODES Importance of Mobility Training for RunnersRunning & Hormonal HealthRunning & Heart Health Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly workouts that will help your running.

Supplements play a very important role in filling the gaps in runners’ nutrition to help with their running performance, recovery, cognitive development, and overall health & well-being. Currently, the supplements marketed for runners can be overwhelming. Supplement companies use a variety of marketing tactics & this can make it difficult for runners to determine which supplements are truly beneficial. In this episode, we demystify the supplements for runners. We have discussed various topics on Supplements including: Nutritional Foundation for RunnersCommon nutritional deficiencies in runners that need supplementationWhy and When to take supplementsPre-Run SupplementsDuring Run/Race SupplementsPost Run SupplementsPeriodization of Supplements Guest Intro Mihira Khopkar Mihira has been a National Gold medalist in Swimming and has trialed for the Common Wealth Games 2010 in Synchronized Swimming. Mihira is the Lead Sports Nutritionist at Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital through which she has been working with Asian, Common Wealth, and Olympic athletes. She has been working in the field of nutrition  for the last 5 years specifically in sports nutrition alone. Her work includes interacting with national coaches, periodizing nutrition meal plans, athlete consultation to setting up daily high-performance menus at various sporting academies, supplement recommendations to athletes and federations as well as conducting group sports nutrition education sessions. Mihira is an avid writer on Health, Sports Nutrition & Lifestyle with various magazines, websites, and newspapers. She is actively involved in research concerning sports nutrition, obesity & metabolic syndrome and has presented papers at both National and International conferences along with being a speaker at various sports science conferences. She is a visiting faculty for Sports Nutrition at Exercise Science Academy (ACSM Accredited), Nirmala Niketan College of Home Science and SVT College of Home Science and aims to educate & provide optimum nutritional guidance to individuals to improve and maintain maximum performance, prevent injuries, and maintain immunity throughout life. Related Resources Supplements for Endurance Runners Faster Stronger Higher, A One Stop Nutrition Framework ; book by Mihira Khopkar Related Podcast Episodes Nutrition for Runners How to Fuel for a Race Running & Hormonal Health Running & Heart Health

The body releases endorphins, a short-lasting, deeply euphoric state following intense exercise. Dopamine, Serotonin, Endorphins, and Oxytocin, what is common in these names? Well, they are hormones that make us happy. Endocrinology is the science of Hormones. Now, why are hormones important for us as runners? In this episode, we talk about: The key hormones and how they affect us and our runningEffects of overtraining on hormonal healthHow hormonal imbalances can affect our health and RunningHow to keep our hormonal system healthyWhat are the tests recommended for runners Guest Intro - Brigadier (Dr) J. Muthukrishnan Our guest for today is Brigadier (Dr) J. Muthukrishnan. Dr. J. Muthukrishnan is an Endocrinologist. Currently, he is the  Professor & Head Dept of Internal Medicine;  Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) Pune. He started running long distances in Jan 2010 & since then has run 29 marathons and more than 60 half marathons. Dr. Muthukrishnan is Boston Marathon qualifier from  2017 through 2021, his PB is at 3h 17m (TMM 2019). He is actively involved in promoting running in the community, and amongst medical students & professionals. Started the AFMC Marathon in Pune in 2017, he has special interest in sports endocrinology and believes that sports and healthy lifestyle is an approach to tackle the Obesity-Diabetes epidemic.

Over the years there has been much research on the correlation between running and heart health.  While it is common knowledge that Running as a cardio activity does improve heart health, there is a lot more to the effect of Running on Heart Health. In this episode, we talk about how running can affect heart health in various ways with Dr. Aashish Contractor, who is a runner himself and is a pioneer of cardiac rehabilitation and sports cardiology. In this episode, we talk about: How Running improves heart healthTracking heart healthTraining & Racing with a focus on heart healthImportance of RecoveryTests that are recommended for runners to monitor heart health. Guest Intro Dr. Aashish Contractor Dr. Aashish Contractor is currently the Director of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine at the Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, in Mumbai, India, and a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. Prior to this, he was the head of the department of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation at the Asian Heart Institute. He is widely recognized as the pioneer of cardiac rehabilitation and sports cardiology in India and has recently authored a book, ‘The Heart Truth’, on heart disease prevention. Dr. Contractor was the Medical Director for the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, from 2004 to 2014, as well as other international sporting events in India.  He is an avid sportsman, having run several marathons, and in April 2012, did a non-stop Mumbai - Pune – Mumbai cycle ride (329 km) with two friends and in the process raised 1.2 crore rupees for children with cancer.  In 2016, the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of India awarded Dr. Contractor as the ‘Outstanding Zoroastrian in Medicine.’ Related Resources Demystifying Tempo Runs and Lactate Threshold Find Your Training Paces - geeks on feet Optimize training with RPE Scale Sleep to Recover and Perform Effect of Extreme Exercise on Hearth Health Related Podcasts Ep 22: The Science of Endurance Training Ep 18: Metabolic Fitness for Runners Ep 16: The Art and Science of Pacing Ep 19: Guide to Running Metrics

Of the 7800 Runners who finished the Mumbai marathon in 2020, only 41 runners have run under 3 hours. That is about 0.5% of all the finishers.  It is every amateur runner’s dream to reach the sub-3-hour mark in a marathon.  So what it takes to run a sub-3 hour marathon? In this episode, we talk about how to strategize a sub-3-hour marathon. Journey to Sub 3-hour marathonTraining approachHandling the progress plateauRole of a coach/mentorMental preparation & handling race anxiety Guest Intro Dilip Kumar Dilip is a tech entrepreneur and an avid endurance sports enthusiast. He finished his last two marathons in under 3 hours. The most recent being the Boston Marathon this April 2022 with a time of 2:59:22. He has a keen interest in performance science & technology which has been an anchor to his own training philosophy. And he uses the same approach to guide other amateur runners as a coach. You can find him on Strava or on his blog at www.dilipkumar.co. Dilip was also a guest for episode 7 in the last season, Mind training for working athletes. Vikram BJ Vikram has been an athlete all his life, he has run a sub-3-hour marathon on 5 different occasions, his Delhi Marathon in 2019 is at 2 hrs and 55mins, and his personal best. Vikram has recently run a sub-3-hour marathon in Berlin. Apart from running Vikram is a Speed Skating National champion (inline speed skating) 7 times. When he is not on the field he is an entrepreneur & distributor of a leading inline skating brand, Simmons Rana. Related Resources Science of Endurance Training   Improve Balance for Beter Running How to improve Running Stride

While the science of endurance training has progressed steadily over the decades, there has been significant progress in recent times. Eluid Kipchoge's sub-2-hour marathon effort is a major breakthrough.  However, the training advice on the internet and the science quoted t support it can be confusing, and even at times conflicting. In this episode, we tried to put together a structure for endurance training based on the latest science. Host Aditi speaks with Coach Ron George, where he talks about the evolution of endurance training and the latest science, and fuses it with his on-ground experience working with endurance athletes. Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode Principles of Endurance Training for RunnersVolume, Intensity, Polarization, and Periodization in TrainingHow to bring Specificity and Individualization to TrainingTraining Considerations for Women and Masters Runners Guest Intro Ron George (Ronnie) is an Indian endurance sports consultant and athlete based in Dubai.  He found his roots in middle-distance running and duathlon in his youth. He then converted that into a love for coaching adults in endurance sports which he has been pursuing for over 10 years. Ronnie is a Lydiard Foundation Level 2 peer-reviewed and certified coach. He resides in Dubai where he coaches running and cycling at I Love Supersport Dubai. He also founded and operates the popular international running club House of Runners and the Indian multisport team Rightshift Performance. Ronnie's specialties include scholarly studies in endurance training and adaptation mechanisms, cycling and running coaching, performance testing and monitoring, and 3D running mechanics analysis. He can be found on Twitter @RonGeorge_Dubai discussing the latest in sports science and on YouTube on his channel Endurance Performance Open Learning Show. Useful Resources How to fuel during the race  Metabolic Fitness for Runners The Art & Science of Pacing

Research shows optimal fueling improves our performance by 2 to 20% during the race. Running a marathon can take anywhere from 2-6 hours based on a runner’s fitness level. The energy expenditure while running a marathon is between 2200 and 3200 kcal depending on runners' conditioning, body weight, running economy, and external conditions like weather, elevation, etc. In this episode, we discuss the fueling strategy - before and during the race. Fueling for various distances, how to prepare your fueling strategy right from training to the race. SUBRAMANI VENKATESH (SUBBU) Subramani Venkatesh, aka Subbu. Subbu is 7x Ironman. Subbu has been coaching since 2015. While he predominately coaches Triathletes, coaching for running is a dominant part. He has coached at least 40 athletes so far. Subbu is a certified Ironman university coach. When not coaching he works as a software architect. His running PBs are 5K: 18 mins, 10K: 36 mins, Half Marathon 1h:22m, and Marathon 3h:09m (in an Ironman event) He can be reached on Instagram @subbu31mani RELATED RESOURCES Check out our earlier episode on Nutrition for Runners (Episode 6) with guests Sonali and Sujoyjeet[Supplements for Endurance Runners] (https://geeksonfeet.com/blog/supplements-runners/)[Buying guide to Electrolytes] (https://geeksonfeet.com/blog/electrolyteguide/) You can subscribe to our newsletter for news, running tips, shoe recommendations, and weekly workouts that will help your running.

The running shoe landscape has changed dramatically with tech innovation. In this episode, we try to navigate the landscape of running shoes, and how to choose the right running shoes. The first is the perspective of runners, and where they are in their running journey. Whether a runner is a beginner, intermediate, experienced, or elite, how that needs to be factored in when choosing a shoe.  The second is the training perspective - use the shoes for daily training, speed training, easy/recovery runs, races of 5-10k, Half or Marathons, and beyond. The third perspective is the type of shoe - Low stack or High Stack, Low or High Drop, How much cushioning it has, how responsive it is, whether it has a carbon plate, etc., Guest Intro Our guest for this episode is Sharath Adanur. Sharath is an Industrial Engineer working with a major steel manufacturer. A self-coached runner, Sharath’s personal best timing of 2:46 in a Marathon. A self-confessed shoe geek, his vast collection of shoes can shame any sports shoe showroom. Useful Resources Guide to Speed Training Shoes All you need to know about Stability Shoes Shoe Advisor Running Shoe Reviews