This is a blog for running program we have just started with Lakshmikumaran
&
Sridharan Attorneys. All FAQs and weekly common advice will go up here.
Queries answered and plan forwards
The idea this week has been to just to get to know each other. I am suggesting a very simple plan below for next few days (7-10) days. I want you all to start moving. I understand it was too short a notice for the Sunday run and this coming weekend I am away.
Salutations to all you fine people!
After having met for a run on Sunday, we met yet again on Tuesday at Amrita Shergill Marg (Lodhi Garden) and it was good fun. I apologise to the new-comers that I didn't click any pics.
The idea this week has been to just to get to know each other. I am suggesting a very simple plan below for next few days (7-10) days. I want you all to start moving. I understand it was too short a notice for the Sunday run and this coming weekend I am away. That shouldn't stop you all meeting this Sunday. You'll have to share pictures with me to prove you were there. Else, you do know that I know a good law firm! :) Fix a time and venue and get on with it.
Here is the advice for next 7-10 days:
1. Start with a 2-5 min pre-run warm up. It means you skip for 20-30 seconds three times. And you you do side bending. Three times both sides. Watch videos in previous post.
2. Real warm up is to do the same activity that you are going to do, at a slower and more pace and in a more controlled fashion. So, in this case, brisk walk for first 2-5 min. No chatting away to glory is not counting. Focus on the brisk walk. Exhale long and then inhale long. Hold that breath for 2-3 seconds and again exhale. Practice this during your brisk walk.
3. Then start to jog / run keeping the three points (soft on feet, imaginary pappad shouldn't break, run tall like a pappad) in mind. Click here to read about them again.
4. While jogging / running, only focus on getting the form right and not on how much can you do. Intend is very simple. It is to get your foundation super strong so then I can build an amazing structure on it. So let's go with baby steps. So keep small strides (length of steps), not long. Don't run for long yet, just 30sec -5 min. Whatever you are comfortable with.
5. Take a walk break as soon as you think you are not doing the jog / run right or you are breathless. Again, walk break is not for chatting. Focus on long breath out and in. Notice I mention exhaling first. If you don't unlearn, you'll not be able to learn, hence I am suggesting to go slow. Exhale long. Inhale long. Hold breath for 2-3 seconds. Repeat throughout walk break. Keep a tall posture with a soft grip throughout.
6. Get on with jog / run again. Repeat for 30-40 minutes. Walk for last 2-3 minutes.
7. Cool down exercises to be hopping / skipping, heel raises, side bending, orange squeeze, reminding yourself to stand tall again.
8. I suggest lets start with walk-run on alternate days to start with.
9. If running is your love, strength training is your mother-in-law (MIL). Once get in the good books of MIL, your running performance will be optimised and you'll not get hurt (or a lot lesser). So do strength training at least 3-4 times a week.
10. Strength Training: Do the following exercises ... Just start with these three besides ones mentioned above - Wall Squats, Orange Squeeze and Toe Curls.
Even at work, remember to sit tall like a puppet.
Below are responses to your queries so far:
Q. What food / drinks do we need to take - Pre-Run, While Running and Post Running?
A. It is very important to understand that no supplements will compensate for a good diet, so lets get that out of the way. Coming to pre-run, it is a very personal thing. I don't like to eat anything before my runs, even very long ones (5-6 hrs). Some like a piece of toast, others a banana, cup of tea or piece of apple. You'll have to do a bit trial and error. While-running is not of concern for the duration we are right now talking about. Post-Run is very important. Please figure a protein shake within 30 minutes of having finished an exercise session. It helps you recover sooner and be full of energy for the rest of the day and next exercise session the following day. Remember that breakfast is the most important meal, please sort that out if not already sorted.
Q. What kind of shoes?
A. Shoes are only an extension of the foot. If we sort out the muscle imbalances and get moving optimally, the shoes will not be of much consequence. For now I am mentioning some shoes that might suit you. I am trying to be play 'jyotshi' trying to match your feet with shoes available but I'll want you to go out there on a 'date' with the shoes to figure out which one works. What I mean is, wear each suggested shoe for 10 min and then decide what works for you. Please don't get too carried away by what the salesperson has to say.
Neutral: Adidas Pure Boost, Adidas Energy Boost, Asics Nimbus, Nike Pegasus
Stability (overpronator): Adidas Sequence Boost, Adidas Revenge Boost, Asics GT 1000, Asics GT 2000, Asics GT 3000, Asics Kayano, Asics Foundation, Nike Structure, Nike Lunar Glide
Q. For first time beginners like me, are there specific food supplement/health tonic/tablets which we need to take?
A. As mentioned above, please focus on regular good diet with emphasis on breakfast. In today's world almost all are low in vitamin D3, I'd like all to take the following:
Vitamin D3 (60,000 IU) once a week for 4 weeks. Repeat this every 6 months. I am ok this being taken even without any blood tests.
Q. I also feel a pain on my toes when I fold them. Is there any specific exercise I need to do to take care of this?
A. Please start with the exercises mentioned above.
Q. I get slight pain on my knee joints while getting up and down. Do specify exercise for that as well.
A. Please don't rush with running, lets just get you walking and exercising for now. A simple rule in exercise is if there is pain post an exercise, don't do it for now. Maybe the form is wrong or your body isn't ready for it yet. Revisit the exercise in next few days.
Q. Should I run daily or take a break?
A. To start with, alternate days is a great idea. Soon you'll know how soon do you recover. Strength train 3-4 times a week.
Q. I do feel I could benefit from a better eating regimen so would be grateful if you could please share a link which can get me at started.
A. To be honest, keep it simple. Start with having a better breakfast with higher fat content. Yes, you read that right. Fat in food has nothing do with obesity. We, my medical fraternity has misinformed the society courtesy big corporates. Anyways, cut down parathas and corn flakes in breakfast. Have a portion of fruit, cheese, dry fruits, sprouts, eggs in the morning. Its a good idea to carry sprouts and dry fruits
Q. Shoes – I have flat feet. I have been facing issues in locating shoes online so would very much appreciate your guidance.
A. You are looking for stability shoes. Again, strength training and improving your running form will soon make you less dependent on stability shoes. That'll take another month or so.
The first run
The first move has been made. It's no more about just a thought.
It's always a team effort. Vish is not even in the photograph and Chetan is hidden away. They will play a very important role in making it an enjoyable experience.
It was a brilliant start to the first run for L&S Runs. Good job folks. Now it's about telling the others how much fun it was.
There were three very basic tips that I shared with everyone. Once your fundamentals are sorted, it's going to be very easy.
1. Be soft on your feet when you run. How you do that is by starting to skip (without a rope) as a warm up. It soon becomes a habit and comes automatically when you run.
Once you've got the idea of soft landing while skipping, it'll come a lot easily when you run. The only thing you need to focus on are your footsteps. If you can hear them, you are too loud.
2. Soft grip: Imagine that you are holding a pappad between your thumb and index finger. While running you simply can't break that pappad. This will help you to relax your shoulders and upper body. As a result your feet will land softly while running.
3. Run like a puppet: Imagine that you are a puppet who has a string at the top of the head and you are being pulled up by the puppeteer above. There are no strings at the shoulders. Let your shoulders relax.
Once you've understood the above, you are good to go. Simply apply the above while running.
Below are photographs from the first run. If you were there, show off and tease those who weren't there. Those who weren't there, it was a lot of fun and easy stuff. Come along next time.
Sometimes we don't appreciate how our lives are changed for good by our mentors.
When you get started with running, start with a brisk walk for 5 min, followed by a run for time that you are very comfortable, could be as little as 30 seconds. Then walk again. When you walk, you catch your breath and relax as much as you can to be ready to run again in some time.
Regarding breathing, keep it easy. Easy long breaths in and easy long breaths out.
Always have that smile on.
Exactly!
And like that.
The rest then comes very easily.
One step at time. It was simply brilliant to see how natural folks were. Great running form here.
I mentioned that the target is to have a thousand folks running by the end of this program. We need to start with our own families and friends. This is the biggest gift we can give them.
And keep smiling. Awesome.
And soon you'll find out that you have wings.
Awesome ma'am.
Keep moving.
Super stuff.
You make great friends while running. Percy (in blue) ran 111 km with me on these roads on 11.11.11
I told you, it's easy peasy.
These guys came on their bikes and were then running with their bags on. Awesome.
Vish was the man behind the scenes, clicking these pics.
Giving tips.
One step at a time.
Always cool down with a walk.
We all attempted the squat but I would suggest we all first do wall squats, or tree squat as show below.
Side bending is very important before and after runs. Even while working.
At the end of the day, it should be fun.
Regarding advice for shoes, I'll get back to you pretty soon.
We'll meet at 6 am at the Amrita Shergill Marg (Lodhi Garden). Park your cars where I have marked the pin. We'll meet inside the park right next to the gate there. We'll warm up a bit and then run on Amrita Shergill Marg and then cool down again at Lodhi.
Keep miling and smiling.
Briefing session & Nehru Park run
Ok people, lets get you moving, a little bit more, little bit more efficiently. Effortless running is what we'll try for.
At the very outset I'd like to welcome everyone on board L&S Marathon Team. As I mentioned in my briefing session on 10th Feb 2017, the idea is to make you better than what you were yesterday. We'll constantly keep pushing it. It's not going to be a rat race. We all are going to do it together. One step at a time. And at all times, keep miling and smiling.
Below I have put together the YouTube videos I wanted you all to see. Here they are again.
Put your speakers on full volume and enjoy. The first one is about the race I put together in Leh, La Ultra - The High. This defines me.
Below is a video two months after I had started a 'Couch to Six km' program 4 years back. What is amazing is listening to these ladies and what difference running made to their lives.
This one is a bit embarasing but good fun.
You don't necessarily to get to the finish all the time but you need to start to have a chance to get there. I had planned to run 126km but things didn't turn out the way I had planned. Over years I have learnt that the journey is far more important than the destiny itself. On this particular day I made lot of school kids realise that they all were special.
Never assume anything. It'll surprise you that things we assume to be correct because rest of the world does can be very wrong. The regular hamstring stretch that you would see people do in parks and in gyms are wrong. Here is the right way to do it.
And a simple exercise like squat can be very useful.
Now coming to the first face-to-face session, we'll be meeting tomorrow at Nehru Park at 8 am. We'll meet at 2nd parking from either side on Niti Marg. It's a big parking there.
Please come in comfortable sports shoes, shorts / track pants, t-shirt and jacket. Cap and sunglasses if need be.