6 Hours Night Run - 11th June 2016. ( Mumbai )

 

It was such a great pleasure to meet up with runner friends & chit chat while running with them at Runtastics Dilse 6 hours midnight run , very well organised event. 

I was amazed to see the dedication by the runners. My good friend Aniruddha Athani  along with his runner friend came all the way from Nasik to participate in this run and also few female runners never give up attitude surprised me. 

Night run is definitely not a easy run to run .  One is going against the bodies internal clock . The most basic daily rhythm we live by is the sleep-wake cycle, which (for most) is related to the cycle of the sun. It makes us feel sleepy as the evening hours wear on, and wakeful as the day begins. Sleep-wake and other daily patterns are part of our circadian rhythms, (circum means "around" and dies, "day") which are governed by the body's internal or biological clock, housed deep within the brain. For example Jet lag and shift work can throw our normal patterns out of whack and take a toll on physical and mental health.

But research has been finding that the body's clock is responsible for more than just sleep and wakefulness. Other systems, like hunger, mental alertness, and mood, stress, heart function, and immunity also operate on a daily rhythm. 

That's why at the beginning its fun and after few hours it becomes tough because your body gets tired not because of running but because of lack of sleep.  Definitely one has to get used to this kind of run and train once body and mind accordingly .  This was my first night run may be that's why I felt exhausted when I reached home. 

Sorry guys I could not run the entire night , even though I was on the road for  entire 6 hours . I didn't want to push myself because I am just back from my 89 km comrades run in Durban , South Africa . I thought it's good to listen to my body. 

Thanks to volunteers for their outstanding job . It's not at all easy to be awake the entire 6 hours and serve the runners with a smile, great job guys. And also photographers thank you guys. Mind you these are runners like us and they have sacrificed their run for us so hats off to you guys 🏻. 

Thank you K Haridasan NairK and Runtastic for this brilliant arrangement and I admire your unity , you guys are like one big happy family 🏻.

7 down 3 to Go .....

As long you attempt to run any race and enjoy the run,  irrespective of your finish time , you are a winner . Your finish time should help motivate you as a  runner and inspire other runners . 

Each one of us has their own body type, Life style, diet and genes  , so by just following any successful runner , one won't become successful .

It's important for one to listen to their body and one has to adopt whats best from one's existing sources , And train accordingly . 

I have been running comrades ultra marathon also called as ultimate human race since 2010 , this year it was my consecutive 7th comrades . 

One can't take comrades for granted , each year it was a unique humbling experience for me. 

My training for Comrades 2016 was very different than all these years. My weekly mileage was less , I didn't get time to do hill repetition. From January till April I used to train maximum 3 to 4 days a week. But I used to regularly do back to back long runs in the week ends on a hilly terrain. Unlike all these years , I did good quality 4 longest runs  , one in Darjeeling , twice Dudhini silvasa , and last one at Lonavla , these runs helped me a lot during comrades first half while climbing the hills. But still first half I ran with lots of caution because I went into this years run with hamstring stiffness of both my legs which I picked up in last two weeks before comrades and ITB injury. So even the second half also I had to play around with my pacing to minimise the cramp and not to give up the run .

This is the first time with the help of trainers I did core and strengthening in gym ( first time ever in my life I went to a gym ) thanks to Shiraz and his dedicated team of trainers really helped me in my strengthen exercises even though it was just for 30 days . I am sure if I do this on a regular basis , I will be more fitter than ever before . 

Its always most important to know how you do your training not how much you train.  

I am sincerely thankful to all you friends for your good wishes and motivations.