In A Lifetime

Start Of My Marathon Season

2013-05-12T11:01:00.002+05:30

The sun is hot again at this time of the year. The shimmering heat brings along the dates of forthcoming Hyderabad Marathon 2013 i.e 25 August. As for this year, I have decided to run a Half Marathon. Reason being, just, not to fiddle around with my PF injury I got at the start of the year. I have around 14 weeks to train for the Half. I foresee that I should be able to run it without an injury and that too in a good time. Probably then run another Half or maybe Full the next month in Hyderabad Heritage Marathon.

My aim in running is a pretty lofty one right now. I want to do and experience an ultramarathon of 100 miles. It will probably take a year or two of consistent training and being injury free. As of now because of the heat my mileage is restricted to around 5-6 km a day and a 10 km on weekends. Apart from that I have started with yoga and weight training with light weights emphasizing more on strengthening my core. Also I am on a weight loss mission. I have taken a couple of months sabbatical and behaving like a monk i.e no drinking, no junk food, no breads, no white flour, no sweets, eating lots of fruits and veggies, getting up before sunrise, sleeping by 10 at night and some more of eccentric behaviour. Well, that's just me. I sometimes prefer to do it the hard way. Basically taking a lot of rest along with hard workouts and eating clean.

I guess it is important to take control of your life before one embarks on a journey, especially a long one like training for a marathon. People ask me why do I run and what are the benefits of running such long distances for which one needs to sacrifice so much of personal comfort, health, money and family time. I just have one answer to them (I had read it in a book and fell in love with it) - The purpose of life is a life of purpose.I believe my purpose, as of now, is to run to my heart's content. The purpose may change next year or next month or the very next moment but the very presence of a purpose makes me feel alive.

I am going to wrap up the post for now and will come back with some more about the my journey. Till then take care and keep exercising.

A Moral Story About Ignoring Warning Signs

2013-05-07T22:43:00.001+05:30

This post is part of Colgate’s contest in collaboration with Indiblogger.

Learn from other’s mistake. You don't have enough time to make them all in your lifetime. -Said by someone very wise.

Morals have been the same since past trillions of years; right from time of the bite of the

apple to the launch of Apple’s IPhone5. Back then, during evolution homosapiens got their warnings and now in the 21^st century, modern people still get their warnings. But nothing has changed. We, humans, are self destructive. We ignore the signs and pay for it heavily afterwards. That’s how we are wired.

My story about the topic is a true one. Actually, I hate Colgate for bringing up this topic because it really refreshed some of my painful memories. But at the hindsight, I have come to think that had I been careful and proactive at the outset, I wouldn’t have to endure the pain. And probably that episode has taught me a lesson which I am never going to forget.

It is said that tooth pain is equivalent to delivering a baby and I can’t agree more. It happened with a very minor incident. One day after dinner, I was lousing on the bed reading some magazine when my wife came in started scolding me for something. Women, you know! While getting up, I realised some chicken shred had got stuck between my molars. I generally ran my tongue to feel it and bit, which I thought was a piece of soonf. Something broke with that bite. I took it out and realised it was a fractured piece of my right side front molar tooth. I gave it an amused look and showed it to my wife.

“Why are you so injury prone, Neel?” my wife said, already foaming at the mouth. “Get it fixed by a dentist tomorrow.”

“Okay dokie” I said, not wanting to argue with her. Though I knew I had a busy next day at work. I will show it later, I thought and carried on with my lousing around.

**************

“Sir, there’s a dull pain in my tooth” I said while opening my mouth in front of my immediate boss.

“Bloody chap, don’t show it to me. Show it to the dentist.” he said as he turned towards his computer to put on some music.

“Can I go now?” I asked knowing that he will not miss me because his boss was not around.

“Yeah, but come back fast.” he said while reclining on his chair and closing his eyes.

***************

“When did this happen?” the dentist asked while peering inside my mouth.

“Oh, a couple of months back” I said.

“Well, you should have come earlier, in fact the day it happened.” he said. I could not make out his expression whether he was smiling or frowning because of the mask. “I hope I should be able to save your tooth.”

Save my tooth, what the hell, I thought. “What exactly is the problem, Doc” I said with a hint of concern.

“You see, you had fractured your tooth.” he said while removing his mask and revealing his buck tooth. “Had it been at an early stage, we could have just filled it up or could have put a cap on it.

“Now because you didn’t get it fixed and because of tooth decay, the infection has reached your gums.” Adding grimly, he said “Now we will have to perform RCT.”

“What is RCT?” sounding scared.

“It’s called Root Canal Treatment and is quite painful.” he said with a sly grin.

Then after few X Rays, and a number of sittings at the clinic after which I used to come out with a numb face because of the anaesthesia, I realised one thing – ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR WIFE. I still have jitters at night thinking about how a tough guy like me was squirming and whimpering on the dentist's chair. Now I have a steel cap and everytime I go under a metal detector, it beeps. Just kidding over there. These days I have to take a lot of care about that steel cap. I have to brush twice a day. I have to gargle after every meal. I cannot chew sticky food like a chewing gum because the last time I did, the gum took out the cap and next day I was again sitting with the dentist to get the cap fixed. Basically I have to maintain my dental hygiene to elongate the life of the steel cap.

Hope you guys have enjoyed reading the whole act, which is true and not funny as it seems upon reading. Moral of the story - do not mess with the health of your teeth because it is both painful and costly. My dad swears by it because he has been a faithful patient who made our dentist a rich man. Act fast whenever any dental accident happens. Don't ignore it or delay its treatment. The dentist may be able to save your tooth/ teeth! And also nothing like a great smile showing a perfect set of white and healthy teeth unlike mine with a false steel tooth. Till then take care and happy brushing.

Post Workout Routine

2013-04-26T19:31:00.000+05:30

Getting a workout in the morning in itself is a big deal for many, including me. And what you do after the workout determines the recovery process and the status of being injury free. Over a span of few years, I have developed a post workout routine which I want to share with my readers. It's nothing new or extraordinary but might help few in preserving their mortal bodies.

1. Strengthening - Since the NDA days, we have been taught to do a bit of strengthening exercises before cooling down. I love to run, for that matter you may like cycling or swimming or any other cardio vascular activity, so I need to, apart from my lower body, strengthen my upper body to maintain a good posture on the long runs. Few exercises which I do as part of strengthening are(generally 2 sets of each exercise) -

a) Push ups.

b) Chin ups.

c) Walking lunges.

d) Squats.

e) Core work to include crunches, planks, glute bridge.

f) Some lower back exercises like cobra pose.

g) Clam shells and side leg raises for glutes.

2. Cooling Down - The process seems to be an irritant sometimes, because of the feeling that "I have got the workout in, let's get on with the other chores. I don't need to cool down." There has not been any established fact that cooling down can reduce or prevent post workout muscle soreness, but it does help to get the body from a exerted state to a resting state. I prefer to do some yoga to slow down the body and stretch any sore areas. I have written about this head in one of my previous post.

3. Icing - Icing after a workout is said to speed up recovery. I have my own home made ice pack which after every workout, whether I feel for it or not, use it on my knees, quads, hamstring and calf. After the PF injury, I now have a frozen bottle to roll under my feet. On cold days, I avoid ice but I soak myself in the freezing water. Brrr.

4. Recovery Drink - I am still on the discovery mode for a home made, cheap recovery drink. I can't afford to drink an energy drink like Gatorade every day after a workout. So, a glass of cold milk with a scoop of Bournvita or Horlicks gets me going along with a handful of almonds. I try to have my drink within half an hour of cooling down.

5. Hydration - I try and drink atleast a glass of water every hour during office time. Yup, it also means frequent visits to the men's room as well. Also, if possible, a glass of coconut water and tons of tea(I know it's not advisable to drink so much) are also included in the hydration.

6. Miscellaneous - Few things which I feel do not come under the above heads are as given below -

a) Meditation - It is the last thing, after cooling down and yoga, to slow down the body and mind completely. It is a very powerful exercise.

b) Stand around - I try to move around and avoid sitting for 30 minutes at a stretch.

c) Stretch - When I am moving around or doing some reading while standing, I keep stretching any sore muscles and in particular after the recent injury, my calves and plantar fascia. I guess this kind of stretch throughout the day keeps the muscles loose and supple.

d) Relax - This is one area where almost every human needs to work hard to achieve. A stressed out mind of an athlete find it hard to recover and may jeopardise his/her future workouts. I, generally, try to remember to breathe deeply during any such situation.

So, here goes my post workout routine for you guys. Hope it serves some purpose. Any addition or variation, any of my readers may have, can share them for the benefit of all of us. Till then, take care and keep exercising.

I Am A Superman Dad

2013-03-25T13:47:00.000+05:30

I am out of subjects to write on. My blog, at present, looks like a beach resort in off season. I guess I am living the "writer's block" phase. So, here's goes a post I had been thinking to write for a long time, though it's not the genre I write on.

I am sometimes guilty for my kid's vomiting when I feed him, in a hurry, slightly cold and thick food. And get a suitable rebuking from my wife. But mostly it happens when he's down with some flu or fever, which generally strikes him at least once in two months. Parenting is one hell of a job. Having a child changes your life, for sure. Well, we, as a couple, were happy go lucky. People used to envy us until we became parents and in return, started envying other childless couples.

Life was so smooth without a kid. But I guess, raising a child is a step towards self growth. Parenting involves lot of patience, planning, empathy and hard work. Over a period of last two years of being a father of the guy in the picture, I have grown with him. I feel indebted to him for teaching me a lot of things. In India, I don't know about other countries, most of the male population is of the view that raising a kid involves just giving sperm and money for the education, clothes and food. What they don't realise is that spending quality time with the kids is a paramount requirement. Neglect this aspect and you will be raising future rapists, wife beaters, alcoholics, drug addicts, loners, under confident fellows and what not.

I feel taking over from the mother in raising the kid, in some areas, is essential. My wife brags to others about me saying that apart from breast feeding, he does everything else. I know many father's who just feel that holding a kid in the market place is doing more than enough. I will tell you what all I do and it's not self praise but a message to all father's that contributing to the household chores and looking after the kid will not belittle you.

1. Potty Cleaning - At first, for a couple of months, I refused to clean up my son's potty. But circumstances forced me to do it. And it was not that bad. Yup, the smell was revolting but it's okay. A human needs to crap and till the time he can't do it on his own, I need to help him. I do this act to relieve my wife of the this extra work so that she can finish off her other chores when I am around.

2. Bathing - It's a much difficult task than potty cleaning. Many issues are involved in this process like checking water temperature, ensuring soap or shampoo doesn't go in the eye, making bathing fun, laying out clean and dry clothes to be worn later etc. Also ensuring that he doesn't crack his skull in the bathroom by slipping on the wet floor.

3. Feeding - I, now, can sing most of the nursery rhymes with actions to entertain my kid while feeding him. Kids are not interested in meals going beyond a couple of minutes. So, to distract them YouTube is my messiah. I play a lot of videos like nursery rhymes, funny videos, children songs, Gangam Style. This distractions help me in stuffing food in his mouth. But there are times, he just won't eat and have to take help in pinning him down while I feed him. But this also doesn't work every time. He then just had to be left on his own. Now, as he is nearing 2 year mark, he has started eating on his own from his plate. And I am also learning to cook for him but my wife says I suck in that. I know one day I will get better.

4. Miscellaneous - Then there are other things like changing diaper changing clothes, looking after him in parties, so that wife can have a good time, putting him to sleep in the afternoon and night, brushing his teeth etc etc.

These acts may seem small and insignificant. But the sum total is not. The bonding, these small acts help developing is much greater what fathers generally do. I enjoy doing these things and help me spend some quality time with my son. As of now, my kid hasn't started speaking except for some monosyllables, but can express his feelings and desires, more or less. I will need to do different things and act in a different way when he grows up but the feelings are going to be the same i.e of unconditional love.

I want my kid to grow as a responsible citizen of this country, respect women and have a healthy mind and body. But we can do this if we ourselves are like this. Many of us have grown up in male dominated families, had an abusive childhood, had tormented young minds, but we can still change to give our kids a better future. We can change the scripting. I suggest reading good self help books like The Monk Who sold His Ferrari, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and To Kill a Mockingbird( a fiction). Reading them will not make you look like a retard or a lowly person. I believe that people who read good books on philosophy and self improvement are great people who want to improve as a human being. I guess that's how a homosapien is wired i.e to grow mentally, physically and spiritually.

My wife says I still need to buckle up and learn a lot about handling a kid as sometimes I tend to become careless about the kid's needs. But I don't mind learning the tricks of the trade. I feel like I am Superman whenever I am with my kid. And by the way, apart from parenting, I still run daily, read as much as possible and write. So, life doesn't stop while being a Dad. I had read it somewhere and don't know which great man said it, but it goes like this :
For the first 5 years, Love him like your dearest darling,
Next 5 years, Kick him hard,
For the rest of his life thereafter, Be his best friend.

Photograph : Courtesy Kabir Verma

Tips To Beat Plantar Fasciitis

2013-03-08T08:17:00.001+05:30

I am not a Doctor so you needn't follow what I did to heal my Plantar Fasciitis(PF) problem. But it did work and it's all out there. I just read up and bought a few things to help me recover. And VOILA, I am up and running again (though the mileage is quite less than what was a month and a half back, but nevertheless I am running). It really helps to read up on any injury one might be facing. I did a fairly accurate diagnosis of my situation. And I will confess that I never saw a Foot Doctor. Yes, I am guilty of that charge. Though it is not advisable to do a self treatment if the injury goes out of hand.

Okay, I learnt that to treat this injury, you need to pay attention to your calf muscle. Yes, it's tightness leads to number of issues including Achilles Tendinitis and PF. Below I have given some stretches and strengthening exercises for the calf and Plantar Fascia.

1. Calf Raise and Heel Drop - It's a very simple exercise to do. Just stand on your toes for a couple of seconds and come down to normal position. One can do it while standing on the edge of a raised platform so that the heels can go down to give a nice stretch to the calf. It can be done anywhere like brushing or shaving, waiting at bus stop, in the office or in the elevator. Aim to do as many as you can, till you feel a bit sore. A variation is to do on single leg to gain more benefit but the transition should be gradual.

2. Standing Calf Stretch - Push the wall, literally. Stand next to a wall or a pole and lean on to it with one leg forward. As you do it, experience a stretch in the calf muscle. I keep doing this stretch in between my warm up jog to loosen up my calf.

3. Toe Yoga - It looks difficult at the start but comes by easily after some practice. Sit or stand barefoot. Now lift your big toe finger of the leg by driving the rest of the four fingers in the ground. If you are not able to do then you can press those four fingers with your hand to isolate the big toe. Then next step is to drive the big toe in the ground and raise the four fingers. It's an excellent small but effective exercise to activate those muscles in the foot. Keep doing it until you can do without the help of your hands.

4. Toe Curls - Again a simple exercise to wake up and strengthen the plantar fascia. Place foot on a towel or cloth and perform curls i.e try to pull the cloth towards yourself with the help of toes. A variation can be that you can curl the toe and turn ankle inside and outside without shifting the heel. And to further the strengthening, place a light weight on the cloth to be pulled by the toe.

5. Single Leg Balance - Sounds simple, right. Stand barefoot on one leg and place heel of other leg on the inner thigh or calf or simply, let it hang in air. Now close your eyes for 30 seconds to start with. The balancing act will strengthen and activate the foot and ankle muscles. Increase the time gradually as balance becomes better. You can do it practically anywhere like I do while brushing in the morning. A small tip - try to grab as much ground with your leg fingers as possible.

6. Plantar Fascia Stretch - Put one leg on another and pull the fingers of foot towards the leg giving the Plantar Fascia a nice stretch. Hold for 5 - 10 seconds and return to normal position. Do it as much as possible throughout the day or when feeling any tightness in Plantar Fascia or pain in the heel. Also do it first thing in the morning before placing foot on the ground.

7. Ball Roll - Roll a golf or tennis ball under the foot to release the tight spots in the foot. I include this in my pre and post run routine to keep the Plantar Fascia loose. In fact, I, most of the times, carry a tennis ball in my bag to where ever I am travelling.

8. Barefoot Running - I also tried barefoot running but at a later stage after I felt my calves are strong enough to handle the strain. Running barefoot seems to have strengthen my foot muscles. The amount of run is quite minimal i.e a couple of 100 metres in a football ground.

These are the stretches and exercises which I did and still doing to recover from Plantar Fasciitis. It will now be a continuous process for as long I am going to run. I also bought a few items to help me recover.

1. Splint - It keeps the calf in a normal flexed position. I could not find a Strassberg Socks so bought a splint instead but it did the trick of immobilising my leg below knee. It was a miracle cure for me.

2. Orthotics - These prevent over - pronation and release tension on the Plantar Fascia. It's a everyday use insole. I wear it while running and during the working hours. But now, I am gradually building up the arch strength and reducing it's use. I don't want to be dependent on it for the rest of my life.

Apart from the exercises I have given above, there are few issues or guidelines I am following to stay loose.

1. Core - I read somewhere that most of the time, origin of most of the sports related injury starts from weak core. So, it is imperative for any sportsman to devote a lot of time on strengthening the core region.

2. Warm up - After occurrence of PF, a runner has to concentrate a lot on warm up exercises to ensure loosening of Plantar Fascia.

3. Ice - I have a frozen bottle of water which I use specially for rolling under the foot. It's a great pain relief and loosening aid.

4. Avoid hills and speed work initially, till atleast a couple of months.

5. Stretch - Stretch the calves as much as possible, throughout the day.

6. Reduce Weight - Lesser weight on legs, lesser injuries. Simple!

7. Stand - Avoid sitting for more than 30 minutes at a stretch because it leads to tightening of glutes, hamstring and calves and resultant tightening of Plantar Fascia.

Well, I guess I have covered more or less everything I am doing to beat PF. Till then, keep exercising and stay happy.

The "Losing It" Contest

2013-02-22T19:16:00.001+05:30

When I entered carrying my travel bag, it was already foggy with cigarette smoke with a tired yellow bulb glowing in the middle of the room. Immediately the smoke watered my eyes and led me to a coughing spell. My course mate, then, offered me the poison stick and I accepted it readily to try it out. Among the three of us, I was a non - smoker. And I became a smoker from that instance for next 11 years.

During NDA(National Defence Academy) days, smoking is a sin. If one gets caught, then only God can save him. Our course was out on a three day tour to some training establishment, when I first got introduced to smoking. It was sometime in 2001(guys are generally not great at remembering dates) when I started smoking and I continued with full vigor till June 2012.

Though in Academy, we are quite fit and athletic, I could feel the difference smoking did to me in that three day visit. But our human body is a wonderful machine and gets adjusted to the nonsense we feed it day in and day out. In NDA, my consumption was limited to only a couple of cigarettes in a week. I thought I was not addicted. But I was wrong. I was hooked on big time. I realised it whenever I used to be home on term breaks. And I kept smoking with vengeance and once got caught in IMA(Indian Military Academy). I paid for it heavily by earning extra punishment runs in the evening in battle gear and many more things I prefer not to disclose on this post. But it did not deter me from not smoking. Instead I became more careful in not getting caught.

I was young and my body could cope up despite of the poison. I am a fitness freak and had a self devised philosophy that the amount of exercise I do is more than enough to negate the ill effects of smoking. I was wrong. As years passed by, I became a heavy smoker i.e smoking around 3 packs a day. I had hand shivering, increased migraine attacks, dull skin texture, dark circles etc etc. Though I was fit but smoking was destroying me slowly. My scuba diving instructor once told me that I am going to, maybe, invent a technique to even smoke underwater!

I had tried to quit smoking at two separate occasions but failed miserably. My wife detested me whenever I smoked. My colleague, a Sikh officer, and I used to share a common office in Bikaner. He got tired of telling me to not smoke and finally said that he's going to die of lung cancer instead of me. I was ashamed but I was into the terrible clutches of this deadly drug. The Sikh officer told me once that the song 'Hotel California' by Eagles is for the guys like me and those who are into heavier stuff. In the last stanza, the song goes like "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

So, when I got transferred to Hyderabad, I thought that enough of the nicotine slavery. I am going to kick this habit in the butt. I am going to be a free man and lead a healthy, smoke free life, at least for the sake of my wife and kid. Then I stumbled upon this really great book of Allen Carr, Easyway to Stop Smoking. This book delivered what it claimed. I stopped the moment I finished the book. It's now more than 8 months that I am smoke free. This book works in the following way -

1. First and foremost, the author removes the fear of staying smoke free. Nicotine withdrawal is not painful. Infact, the times our mind says it needs a smoke is just psychological. The book works by removing the fear of not smoking.

2. Secondly, techniques of leaving smoking like the will power method, nicotine patches, chewing gums, e - cigarettes, gradual reduction etc are all bogus. They don't work as they don't remove the fear and sooner or later, the person returns on his knees to this dreadful habit.

3. Visualizing the end result i.e being healthy, richer, cleaner help in boosting the confidence to kick this habit. The power of visualization is very strong.

4. The book says there is nothing like only one drag or one cigarette. Only one drag is enough to start the whole chain of smoking again and again.

5. It says that have pity on people you see smoking. Think how they are throwing their lives away and how they are inhaling the cancerous smoke. Sympathize with them and try to help them get free.

6. Whenever the withdrawal pang hits you, think that the poison is leaving the body. It makes the withdrawal phase enjoyable.

7. Lastly, does a smoker let his kids smoke if he says that he enjoys the stick? Smoking is not pleasurable. It kills the pleasure and makes the person more miserable.

After kicking this habit, within weeks I could feel the difference. I was a new man. I, even, decided to train for a marathon and ran it in August 2012. It is such a pleasure not to be controlled by nicotine. I have written extensively about this subject in the following posts-
Stop Smoking In A Easyway
Non Smoker's Diary, Part 1
Non Smoker's Diary, Part 2

This contest gave me an opportunity to share my story and the journey to no smoking with my readers. Hope you all like it and do participate to win Prachi's book - Losing it. Till then stay happy and keep exercising.

Liebster Blog Award

2013-02-03T17:07:00.002+05:30

First of all, a big thanks to Medha Kapoor, author of The Girl Who Looked For Rainbows (http://medhakapoor.blogspot.in), nominating me for Liebster Blog Award. "Liebster" is German for "favourite". Nominating me for this award means that my blog is one of Medha's favourite. I really appreciate the gesture, Medha.

Now what is this Liebster Blog Award?
Though the origin of this award is unclear, however, this award is given to upcoming bloggers, with less than 200 followers, who have shown some promise and hope to keep visitors engrossed in interesting posts in future. It is an show of appreciation by fellow bloggers. In other words, I scratch your back and you scratch mine or someone else's back. It's a scratch nevertheless. In turn the nominees have to do the following:-
1. Write 11 random things about yourself.
2. Answer 11 questions thrown by the nominator.
3. Throw 11 questions to the next 11 nominees.

Let's get the above done. 11 random things about myself.

1. I hate crowded places. Lonely mountain top or a secluded beach is for me.
2. Smallest fingers of my legs or small toe are too small. Looks kind of funny on size 10 feet.
3. I am a very early riser and love it. I start falling all over the place after 11 at night. My wife hates me for this.
4. I love reading ranging from murder mysteries, thrillers, biographies, self help and fitness. Though I am bored to death reading philosophical books.
5. I love Budweiser. It's truly the king of beers.
6. Ideal vacation for me? Scuba diving in Andamans or Goa. Though I had this type vacation thrice in last 5 years but don't seem to have enough of it.
7. I am an tea addict.
8. I hate when people burp in public especially the smelly ones which smells like smelly farts. I can still tolerate the noisy ones. Bdw I also love to burp but in private. It's such a nice feeling.
9. Fitness freak.
10. I love going for long drives with my wife, kid and dog.
11. I used to do pencil sketching. Last time I did it when I was in Siachen. I do it only when I have got nothing else to do.

11 questions by Medha.

1. What's your favourite colour?
Answer. Blue. Since a small kid, we had been taught that boys wear blue and girls, pink. I guess I am still stuck with that.

2. What's your favourite cuisine?
Answer. Except South Indian food, I can manage anything. No offence to the down south people.It's just a personal choice.

3. What are you most afraid of?
Answer. Confined spaces. I love freedom of anything.

4. How religious/spiritual are you?
Answer. I am an atheist. I don't agree to idol worshiping and man made concepts of castes. They are all just a waste of time for me. I believe in myself.

5. Are you a feminist?
Answer. I am. I despise men who take women for granted. My marriage has been a great instrument in understanding the power of women.

6. What are your views on same sex marriage?
Answer. It's a free world and we are not slaves. Do whatever which makes you happy, except being violent and a threat to society. Same sex marriage is a personal choice and people are old enough to decide for themselves. Even the law is with them now. Yeah, it's okay to do it.

7. What is your favourite odor?
Answer. Hmm, there are many. I guess the best would be the odor of rain soaked earth. Nothing can beat that.

8. What music do you listen to when you are alone?
Answer. I used to be a rock and heavy metal fan back in NDA days. But nowadays it's just popular bollywood music. Not a big music fan.

9. What do you like to do on your birthday?
Answer. Well, I scuba dived in Havlock with sharks on my last birthday. It was awesome. I guess I would like to something adventurous or exciting on my birthdays.

10. What is your favourite genre when it comes to reading?
Answer. I like thrillers and murder mysteries. Last two novels I read were Bankster by Ravi Subramanium and Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston.

11. What is favourite genre when it comes to blogging?
Answer. Health and fitness.

Whew! the questions sure did take a lot of time to answer. Now, the 11 nominees for the Liebster Blog Award are -

Subhorup Dasgupta http://subhorup.blogspot.in/
Jennifer http://viewfromalongrun.blogspot.in/
Medha Kapoor http://medhakapoor.blogspot.in
Ghazala Hossain http://a-blind-date.blogspot.in/
Anupam Patra http://anupampatracontemplates.blogspot.in/
Naddy http://naddy26feb.blogspot.in/
Sabyasachi Patra http://www.indiawilds.com/diary/
Dhruva http://www.mutual-funds-india.com/
Sohini http://thefreaksconfessions.blogspot.in/
Akanksha Dureja http://www.akankshadureja.com/
Renu Sethi http://day-to-daystories.blogspot.in/

And now the questions to them.

1. What's your favourite book?
2. Who's your favourite author?
3. Which is your most embarrassing moment?
4. Any peculiar habit?
5. Are you a morning or late night person?
6. Dream vocation?
7. Which's your favourite movie?
8. What's your writing inspiration?
9. Do you exercise?
10. Hiking or long drive?
11. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Resolutions for 2013

2013-01-28T08:03:00.002+05:30

Resolutions made few days before New Year or on it's eve are primarily to improve own life or gain financially or physically or emotionally or just to show off! Of late I have started believing that promises made on that eve are meant to be broken, most of the time though. I have got my reasons to believe in what I have started to believe.

1. Forcing oneself to start a new habit, presumably a good one, is hard. It dies down in a couple of weeks or maybe months. We, human beings don't like to be pushed to do something against our wishes.

2. Peer pressure makes us abandon our new found resolve, so called good habits, because every other person is doing the so called bad thing. And not doing it makes us an outcast. It is like you suddenly stop having a smoke or drink or junk food and then you feel out of place and are eventually ignored by others. After all, we are social animals, isn't it?

3. Bad days or high pressure times makes us revert back to old habits which supposedly gives a feeling of calm. Well that's true because the mindset hasn't changed or adapted to the new habit.

4. Most of the time we don't know ourselves or haven't carried out any introspection. Our strong and weak attributes and aspirations are lost in the daily grind of life. So, newly made promises don't find a solid foundation to build on.

I guess understanding the causes of failure to stick to a new resolution will help us to identify the measures to eradicate the root of the problem. Lets go through the possible remedies.

1. Look at the ultimate aim a new resolve is going to achieve. Visualizing the end point of the new resolve will, most likely, enable us to carry on with the new habit.

2. I have started to believe that resolutions made to self are something personal. Disclosing it to known ones may spoil the fun and may trigger a sub-conscious response that we are already onto the new resolve or have successfully achieved the aim. Let others see the results instead of the process. They will be pleasantly surprised and I bet, you will feel great too.

3. Read, read and read. Learning as much we can about a new resolution has proven to derive maximum success. Be it weight loss, healthy eating, working out, quitting drugs, better management or leadership skills, it pays to gain knowledge to make it a lifelong habit. Knowledge gives a different perspective and a clear idea about the usefulness of the new habit.

4. Not caring what others think about the new resolution goes a long way in preserving it. And why not? It's your life. Nobody can come and undo your losses or failures. It's you, who has to do all the effort.

I will really appreciate my readers if they can throw some light on tips to stick to new plans. After all, life is about improving our old self everyday, isn't? And yes, I will not disclose my 2013 resolutions to anyone, not even to my wife! But definitely, I would strive to be better this year and be good to the people and nature. Till then, be happy and keep exercising.

Taking A Break From Running

2013-01-13T18:52:00.001+05:30

Even Ryan Hall and Scott Jurek had it. It is merciless and can strike anybody. So who am I? Yeah, Plantar Fasciitis can strike anybody, from elite runner to an amateur like me. This injury is so frustrating especially when it hits 2 weeks prior to a race. Yes, my bad that now I am skipping Mumbai Marathon because of this injury. I worked so hard for last 4 months and now 2 weeks before it, I am limping like a jack ass.

Last Sunday i.e on 6 Jan, I was doing my longest run of 35 km and was supposed to start a taper of 2 weeks. At around 15 km, a dull pain started under the arch of my right foot. I ignored it and kept running in the dark (it was around 5 in the morning and still time left to break dawn). Then I remembered my hill repeat session on the trail, two day prior to the long run, when I had started experiencing a bit of ankle pain during the last few hill sprints.I then hoped that the dull ache doesn't escalate. But I am not the lucky guy. I had to stop running after a couple of kilometres because of the excruciating pain under the arch and heel which forced me to sit on the pavement. I knew that I can now kiss Mumbai Marathon 2013 a good bye.

I guess that's what life is all about. It gives tough times to deal with and choices to make. I made a choice to not run the marathon and become fit to run another day. I am being a bit philosophical but I can't let this injury ruin my equilibrium. This injury not only broke my heart but my better half's heart too because she had planned to meet a couple of her best friends out there in the city and do tons of shopping. Yeah, I got a scolding from her for not taking care of myself and how injury prone I am and blah blah blah. But what to do? Shit happens!

I waited for a week before cancelling my reservations in the hope that I might recover from the injury. But lost all hope day before when I went for a 2.5 km trot and found out that if I continue I might land up the table of a Surgeon.

Plantar Fasciitis(PF) is a irritating injury just like calf strain which, if not treated properly, can become chronic. It is an overuse injury whose exact trigger point will be difficult to identify. Some of the causes are -

1. Sudden increase in mileage.

2. Over weight.

3. Overpronation.

4. Hill repeats.

5. Speed workout.

6. Standing for long time in heels.

7. Improper recovery from hard workout.

8. Inadequate warm up.

Pain in PF happens below the arch and heel as shown in the picture above. I can't tell you the exact scientific location of the bone or muscle affected but I can tell you that this injury is painful. In last few days I have read up on recovering from this problem which I am following nowadays.

1. ICE - Rolling a frozen water bottle and rolling it under the foot. It is helping a lot.

2. NIGHT SPLINT - Yesterday I bought a night splint to immobilize the area below knee while in sleep at night. PF is painful especially in the morning. The first few steps re-injures the healing process done at night. After first night of wearing it, I can already feel the difference.

3. IBRUFEN - Anti - inflammatory and pain killer is a must for few days.

4. HEEL PAD - I have got a gel based heel pad which I used for my previous Achilles problem. It is useful now too for my daily movement.

There are many other types of treatment helpful in recovery like physiotherapy, custom made orthotics, buying new shoes to reduce overpronation, cortisone shots, taping and etc etc. I am, for the time being, restricted to the above 4 treatments and will be trying my hand on taping later. As of now I have taken a break from running but am continuing with weight training to maintain my fitness. This what I am doing nowadays and am doing few exercises which I have always thought will do but never did when I was running. Also I am not lifting very heavy weights (as shown in the pic) and performing reps of more than 15 to avoid bulking up.

1. Warm up to include 10 Suryanamaskars.

2. Crunches - 30 w/o weights, 30 with 10 kg plates.

3. Planks.

4. Single leg squats.

5. Deadlift.

6. Squats with overhead dumbell press.

7. Dumbell bench press.

8. Dumbell rows.

9. Twisting lunges.

10. Push ups.

11. Pull ups.

12. Yoga.

I hope to get back on the streets in a couple of weeks time after proper recovery. And hope not to get struck by PF again. It is very important to listen to your body when it gives us loud and clear indications. Till then happy running and weight training.

Seeking Energy From Trail

2013-01-05T18:33:00.002+05:30

Once a week I run on the trail with Golconda Fort in the backdrop, as a part of my marathon training. It takes around 18 - 20 minutes to complete it from end to end given my current fitness level. By the end of a single loop, the legs and lungs start feeling the difficulty of the trail but now I have built up enough endurance to do four round trips of this beautiful trail.

Running on this trail always gives me a welcome break from road running. I simply love running in the nature with the majestic fort overlooking me and smiling as the sun rises behind it gradually. I am always the first one to break the cobwebs, formed overnight, and start running on this trail. There are many army cross country teams practicing there to gain the obvious benefits. Running on this trail gives me a primal feeling and it feels like my legs are getting required energy from the broken path as if they are roots of a tree.

The fresh air in that area is a welcome break from the pollution on the roads. I am quite selfish and possessive about this trail and have revealed its actual location to a very few because I fear that people will spoil it. Though the local populace around this area knows about this place but they are more interested in playing cricket or volley ball in the low grounds. I bet they feel like playing in a stadium because of the elevated trail path around it.

There are numerous benefits of running on trails. I will enumerate a few.

1. STRONGER LEGS - The continuous climbing and descending and running on uneven surface strengthens all the muscles of the legs especially ankle, calf and quads.

2. STRONGER CORE - The constant endeavor to maintain balance on the undulating surface works the core and is great stimulant.

3. PLYOMETRICS - Hit the trails and you will get the benefits of all kinds of plyometrics workout. Cross country running mimics plyos because of constant jumping over rocks, long hops over bushes or ditch etc. In turn, difference is felt while running on road as the strides become stronger.

4. INCREASED METABOLISM - Running on trails induces faster metabolism even after finishing the workout because of the regular intervals uphill and downhill. So, it means continuous fat burn even at rest.

Yesterday evening I had hit the trail again. I did one loop as a warm up and then decided to do each upslope twice. There are 5 major upslopes on this trail so by the time I finished the 10th interval, my legs were trashed. It felt so good and orgasmic that I can't describe the feelings. Sweating out does make you feel bad ass. Try it folks! Find a trail and run or hike it. It will recharge your dead batteries. It may not be next to your home, so if required drive to its start like I do. You will love it.

4 Weeks Left For Mumbai Marathon

2012-12-21T14:35:00.000+05:30

Okay, now I am shitting in my pants. Suddenly realisation has struck me that only a month is left for me to run on the streets of Mumbai. It is appearing like a High school final exam in which if I don't do well then I will get crucified. It feels like still a lot of syllabus is left and I am under prepared. Of course and that's because I missed out on training for around 10 days in which I missed out 2 long runs. Though my base training has been solid this time.

My previous post in which I highlighted my mistakes during Hyderabad Marathon have still not been achieved completely. Let's have a look.

1. NUTRITION - I have generally read up on this subject a lot and tried it while doing a 26 km run. But still need to test it during my coming longest run of 35 km.

2. REDUCE WEIGHT - I am still the same. DAMN! I blame the delicious Hyderabadi food. No one can resist it. But now I guess it's time to loose atleast 3 kg in last 4 weeks. It's doable but with Christmas and New Year coming....I don't know! But I have become stronger than my previous marathon attempt, nevertheless.

3. ROUTE RECCE - Can't right now because I am in different city. Probably will try to go over the last portion of the route during the Expo day.

4. LONG RUNS - Did a max of 26 km till now. Still a 35 km run is left which I am planning to do on 05 Jan 13. It's two weeks prior to the race day. Giving myself 2 weeks of taper. And I have figured out my pace of these training runs, thanks to http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/. I have realised that I am currently primed to achieve a 4.10 finish.

5. TEMPO RUNS - Now this aspect is the trouble area. These last 4 weeks are devoted to tempo, less of interval and more of hill running( to get stronger).

6. STRONGER CORE - I am relieved about this part. I have worked really hard in this area.

Tickets for Mumbai are done. Accommodation needs to be tied up. Doing a 30 km tomorrow. Hoping to get stronger, faster and lighter by the time I stand on the start line on 20 Jan 13. Preparation for a marathon is no joke. Got to respect the distance. It is equally difficult for the family as the runner is always in energy deficit. Thanks to my understanding wife and ignorant kid, I am able to do what I am doing. It's more of a marathon for them than for me. I swear to take a long break after this one i.e until the next Hyderabad Marathon in Aug or Sept and Banglore Ultra in Nov. That's it.

What I See When I Go For A Long Run

2012-12-12T21:39:00.000+05:30

When I move out of my house in the dark of the morning, locking the door behind and thinking of my peacefully sleeping wife and son, I am quite content and happy to be going for a run. But there are things which I see on the roads disturbs me and would like to share to have your views about it.

There are things or people on the roads which makes me wonder as to where are we, as a country, headed to. I will just list out the observations or sightings :-

1. One day while running, it was still dark, I thought I saw a big rock in the middle of the road. On closer look, I realised it was a man covered in a blanket, with a small puppy being his best friend.

2. A mad man, I presumed on seeing his antics, pissing in the middle of the main road.

3. Another mad man, shouting in the middle of the road and abusing everybody passing him. I had to go to the other side of the road to avoid him.

4. There's one particular flyover where on the the sides I always find empty bottles of beer or whisky or spent up condoms. Though there are drinking places below that flyover, I wonder how these bottles find their way up.

5. There is a bit of chill in the morning, so naturally people feel cold especially the security guards or the early morning cleaners. Why is that they have to burn rubber or wood or paper or plastic to keep warm? Why can't they just wear some more warm clothes!

6. One day on the side of the road was sitting an old woman. She had a very sad look on her face which I was not able to forget till a couple of kms.

7. A couple sleeping in front of a two wheeler showroom, covered in a single blanket. The guy, obviously having an increased T levels in the morning, was trying to poke his wife. The wife looking irritated with his excitement was slapping him hard. Poor guy can't even get a room because he is, I guess, very poor.

8. The most annoying thing is that people having disregards to vehicular safety i.e two vehicle drivers not wearing helmet. It is an unsaid leeway giving by the administration of Andhra Pradesh to not to wear helmet. How can this be possible? The whole country wears helmet but people in AP are special to not to wear helmets. IT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. WAKE UP AP GOVT.

9. It's about time that the govt introduce CNG in the state. I literally hold my breath whenever an auto rickshaw crosses me as it is releasing tons of toxic, black fumes from it's backside!

I have tried to telling people to wear helmet at traffic lights or not burn waste or getting their vehicles checked but I get ridiculous answers ranging from better visibility w/o helmet or ONLY TELEGU, NO HINDI. I love my country but also feel ashamed of these ugly issues. I always think about what can I do to help but except bringing up these problems and being an ideal citizen myself, is there anything else I can do?

I need answers. But I can't find it sadly. And the more I read about the current happenings of the country in the papers, the more I feel exasperated. Not everything is bad in the country but somethings are totally out of order which, I believe, is stopping us from progressing.

Any views people!

Diwali Morning Excursion

2012-11-14T16:49:00.000+05:30

Yesterday i.e on Tuesday, was Diwali. One of my friends came over at my place for the night, to celebrate it. So, in the night prior to Diwali, we decided to go on a short adventure cum photography hike in the backyard of Golconda Fort the next morning.

It was a lovely morning, still dark, with a pleasant chill hanging around at 0545 hours. We were bit groggy because of last night festive drinking but were excited for this little adventure. Though, I visit this trail every week for hill running, I wanted to show this part of the country to my friend, who is an amazing photographer. Below I have shared some pics of the hike. Hope you all enjoy it.

The whole trip lasted for about two hours. And we were mighty pleased with our work and absolutely enjoyed being with the nature. I guess this short hike made my Diwali even more memorable. That's precisely what I had written in my earlier post to stay active during the holidays.

Till then, keep working out.

Take It Easy Man !

2012-11-06T21:15:00.000+05:30

Few days back I was doing my weekend long run and enroute, I saw a disfigured person. When I closed in, I found that it was one of my colleagues. He was carrying a backpack of some weight and trying to run. When I reached next to him, I could see that he was in pain. His face bore the look of excruciating pain, was sweating profusely and his running had turned more into a miserable shuffle. On enquiry I got to know that he was preparing for a 5k race, which was a couple of weeks ahead. He was clearly not in shape and was trying to hurry up the process. He had started running a few days back only and already was into doing time trials.

Well, the gentleman is clearly on the road to injury. I believe that, I tried to put some sense into my colleague also, rushing your body towards some fitness goal can be injurious to health. Also, it is not worth to have a extended layoff due to over training than to gradual progress into building the body and mind. I suggest the following -

1. EVALUATE GOALS - We should continually evaluate the goals we want to achieve by testing ourselves regularly. This way we are in touch with own body all the time.

2. CONSISTENCY - We must strive to be regular with exercise and try to maintain a adequate base for the kinds of races we like to run. This way we will never be taken by surprise and will avoid unnecessary stress.

3. 10 PERCENT RULE - Increase distance of long run or weights by 10 percent every week. This is a proven formula to avoid getting injured and over training.

4. CROSS TRAIN - While building up, emphasis should also be laid on cross training to strengthen other muscle groups, hence promoting a healthy body balance. It also avoids injuries and helps to give the main muscles some time off.

Till then, keep exercising consistently and be good.

Nutritional Guidelines for Weight Loss

2012-11-06T16:25:00.000+05:30

Guest blog post by Lily Archer

When you begin to plan your program for losing weight, you have to think carefully about how you can provide your body with the nutrition it needs to stay healthy, while also eliminating any foods that will hinder you from shedding the pounds. It really is important to get everything clear in your mind before embarking on your quest to lose weight, and with this guide you can prepare for success.
What to Do first
The first thing you need to do is work out what weight you should be. You can find out your optimal weight by measuring your body mass index (BMI), which will also reveal whether you are overweight or obese. When you have found out your optimal weight, and then use that as your target in your weight loss plan. You can measure your BMI using this BMI calculator at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.
Types of Food to Help You Lose Weight
Obviously fatty and sugary foods are out of the question, and to be successful at losing weight you need to completely remove these from you diet. Fresh, natural foods are the best thing for you, in particular fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. Leafy vegetables, like salads, are great because they contain literally no fat, but make sure you avoid the fatty dressing. When it comes to meat, avoid red meat, and substitute it for fish or poultry. For a full rundown of the best healthy foods to help you lose weight while getting all the nutrition you need, this BBC article explains what should be included in a healthy weight-loss diet.
Foods to Help you Stop Eating More
Nuts are a great source of protein, and although they are fatty, they can help to reduce your cravings to eat more at meal times, so are a good snack if you need one. High-fiber cereal is a great breakfast meal, and besides being healthy it will keep you feeling full for longer. The simple egg is another great food that has been recognized to help stave off cravings for food, and they are full of protein, so a great alternative to meat. Grapefruit is another food that has been found to help people lose weight. The phytochemicals it contains are responsible for reducing insulin levels, which in turn helps to force your body to convert calories into energy instead of fat.
Eating the Right Portions
A great way to work out what type of foods and how much of them you need to have a healthy diet is by using the United States Department of Agribusiness MyPyramid Plan. Just enter your weight, sex, and the amount of physical activity you do most days. You will then be presented with a breakdown of how much of the different food types you should eat daily. The food groups are broken up into grains, vegetables fruits, milk, meat and beans, so you know exactly how much of each you need to eat.
Combine it with Exercise
Even if you completely change your diet to fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, grains, and beans, regular exercise will give you an extra boost when it comes to dropping the pounds. Not only will it help you lose weight, but you will also become fitter in the process. There are plenty of easy ways to exercise, from an hour swim at your local pool, to a jog around a nearby park. Ask friends if they want to play tennis, squash, or basketball with you, especially if they are trying to lose weight too.
Problems Associated with Being Overweight
Being overweight can cause a number of different health problems, besides the obvious appearance issues. Making sure your body has all the nutrition it needs ensures that all your organs can operate effectively, so it really is worth making sure your diet provides the essential nutrition required. Diseases of the gallbladder and liver can be a problem, as well as osteoarthritis and sleep disorders. In addition, erectile dysfunction is a problem experienced by many overweight men, but you can order Staxyn online which can be used to treat this problem. While most these health issues can be treated, losing weight and having a healthy diet goes a long way to making sure that they do not cause a problem in your life. If you are suffering from any problems due to being overweight then it is a great motivator to get in shape.

Lily Archer is a freelance health writer who works on behalf of an ethical online health provider. She studied and grew up in Phoenix but is currently completing her writing whilst staying with family in Malta.

Tips On Getting A Flat Stomach

2012-10-30T13:43:00.002+05:30

I have compiled few pointers on achieving that washboard abs. Hope it is useful. My readers can perhaps take a tip or two from it. Here it goes :-

1. Eat 5/6 small meals a day instead of 3 big meals.

2. Don't eat 2 hours before going to sleep.

3. Drink atleast 8 glasses of water a day.

4. Do lots of abs workout like crunches, planks, hanging leg raises etc.

5. Do atleast 30 minutes of cardio 5/6 times a week.

6. Get at least 8 hours of sleep.

7. Eat more fruits and vegetables.

8. Cut down on the junk food.

9. Eat more fibrous food to keep feeling full.

10. Will power and perseverance.

You will say that these are quite common pointers but isn't it challenging to follow them. It's a reminder to keep you and myself on track. All the best.

Rest Is Also Important

2012-10-09T08:26:00.001+05:30

For me, REST means RESET. Wow, that's was original. Anyways, for any athlete, rest plays a crucial role in overall physical and mental development. But somehow, it is mostly ignored which leads to frequent injuries or it is followed in an incorrect manner leading to loss of fitness levels gained earlier.

Rest means to relax the muscles and mind after a or bouts of hard workouts. It certainly does not mean to stay on couch or bed the whole day until and unless you break some bone. Also, it does not mean to eat whatever is on the shelf just because you have worked hard. A proper rest will prepare the body for more future workouts for a longer time. Isn't our aim to keep working out throughout our lives than to burn out in a few years and never workout again! So, let's see what a proper rest and recovery will entail to make us stronger -

1. LISTEN TO YOURSELF - There are some days when mentally we are tired and don't feel like exercising. It is a nature's way of telling us that we're tired and need rest. Listen to yourself and take a break. You will, probably, come back stronger after the well deserved rest. Not listening to yourself may sometimes result in injury as one is not attentive to maintain proper form or the muscles may not be primed to exercise again.

2. GET IN THE ZZZZZZ - Sometimes symptoms of overtraining or need to rest is best cured with a proper good night sleep. Nothing beats a good 8-10 hours of slumber when you are tired. Think your bed as a charging station but also see to it that you don't overdo the lay in.

3. HYDRATE - While resting, it is important to hydrate properly. Exercising tends to dehydrate our bodies, so on rest days it is essential that we drink plenty and frequently. I exactly won't be able to tell you how much water one should drink but the best test for checking the hydration levels is by the colour of urine. The clearer the colour, the better one is hydrated.

4. EAT WELL - Eating junk on rest days won't be useful at all. Indulge in them but be smart and do not overdo. You certainly would not like to waste what you have gained over a long period of hard workouts.

5. MASSAGE - Nothing beats a good massage to relax the muscles. Also, it restores strength, flexibility and prevents injuries. Check out a good masseur and enjoy the magic.

6. YOGA - I believe that yoga restores mental and physical well being. I guess, I don't to dwell more on it. Just start doing yoga.

7. CROSS TRAIN - There are some people who simply hate to rest. For them, it is best to cross train like cycling, walking, swimming, yoga etc. Basically do what they generally don't do in a training week. The idea here is to work different muscle groups, which in turn will make you stronger and injury free.

Follow the rest days religiously and include them in your training program. Think of them as an important part of your workout which will keep you injury free.

Stay Fit During Holidays

2012-10-04T08:32:00.001+05:30

Staying fit or avoiding putting on weight during vacations is tough for me as well as many others out there. And also, I feel it is a sin to avoid eating all the good things during that time. But then how do we stay away from gaining weight during vacations? This time, I have realised that it is not so difficult to avoid becoming chubby by the end of holidays.

Last week I went on a diving holiday to Andaman and Nicobar Islands. I had around 4 days in Havlock Island, which is THE diving destination in India. The first day, my wife did a beginners' diving capsule of two dives and I was babysitting the whole day. Well, not exactly the whole day but till late afternoon. Frankly speaking, it took time for my son to get used to me, alone, but it was a lot of fun and was damn tired by the time my wife came back from the dive. In next two days, I did four deep dives in which I saw four sharks (from close quarters), a Marble ray (one of the varieties of Manta Ray), a turtle, lots of Napoleans and Groupers. The sea was quite rough both at surface and below (lot of currents), so had a awesome workout kicking my fins and working up my lungs. The last day, enjoyed the white sand beach and clear water with my family. So, the bottom line is I did not laze around in my bed during holidays (which I earlier used to do) but had a action packed schedule with my family. And also, I forgot to mention about lot's of beer and seafood we devoured there. After we reached back home, I checked my weight and I was surprised. I nearly lost a kilo in 6 days and I was looking quite fit and tanned. The break did not hamper my running progress which I made prior to leaving for the vacation (infact, this was the issue I was fearing about the most).

Now, my readers will say that not everyone can go on such expensive diving holidays. The issue which I am trying to prove here is that do not make a dent on your bed or couch during a break and keep mulling afterwards that you have gained weight or lost the fitness levels which you achieved before the break. Instead, enjoy the nature or stay active by spending time with your family, play with your kids, go for a walk with your wife, go hiking and exploring new places which you always wanted to do or anything which works up a sweat or even walking some distance to go shopping. Studies have shown that the families which follow an active lifestyle tend to stay fit, happy and loose more weight during the year. So, my advice is to plan vacations accordingly to compensate for a break in fitness goals. And don't just stay in the bed. Also, these vacations will be more memorable and fun. Trust me on this and do share your experiences. Ciao.

Best Post Run Stretches

2012-09-14T09:23:00.000+05:30

After any workout, it is very important to stretch the muscles for flexibility, better blood flow, increase muscle strength, relaxation and above all to prevent injury. Stretching helps flushing out the lactic acid built up during workout and makes the muscles ready for future exercises. It's benefits cannot be negated if an athlete (for me any person who works out is an athlete) wants to have an injury free and life long exercise routine. As a runner, there are few stretches which I like to do after my run. These stretches, which I am sharing, are primarily for runners as they focus more on the lower body.

1. DOWNWARD DOG(Adho Mukha Svanasana) - An excellent stretch for calf, achilles, hamstrings, glutes, entire back and shoulders. Hold the pose for atleast 30 seconds and try to touch the heels on the ground keeping the knees straight. An interesting thing I noticed few days back is that my son also does this pose while playing and realised that it is common for kids to do. I guess small children are natural yogis.

2. STANDING TOE TOUCH - This stretch is also great for your hamstrings, calves, glutes, outer thigh muscles and lower back. Though it is tough to touch toes if you are a beginner but after regular practice you will be able to do it. Again hold this pose for atleast 30 seconds and do not bounce or give jerks. Keep it easy.

3. IT BAND STRETCH - This is one of the best exercise for opening up tight IT band. I love this exercise because of my IT band problem. It is important not to give jerks but hold the pose for around 30 seconds and change the cross over.

4. PIGEON POSE - Again a good stretch for hamstrings and has a very calming effect on the leg muscles. It also gives a good stretch to the glutes and the groin region. A number of running injuries can be avoided with regular practice of this pose.

5. SPINAL TWIST(Ardha Matsyendrasana) - Running puts a lot of strain on the lower back. This pose will give strength to your back by engaging it in a full range of motion. Also the crossover of legs gives a deep stretch to glutes and hamstrings. Do not give jerks while doing this pose and hold it for atleast 30 seconds.

6. COBRA POSE(Bhujangasana) - It is an excellent exercise for the back, stomach and groin region. Again hold the pose for atleast 30 seconds.

So, according to me these yoga postures are absolutely beneficial for any runner or for that matter any person who sits in front of computer all day long. I perform these exercise after my run as a part of cooling down. By the time I am done, I feel like I can go again for a run.

Signs Of Overtraining

2012-09-11T19:26:00.000+05:30

I have increased my training volume since past two weeks or so( preparing for Mumbai Marathon ) and I have been feeling pretty flushed out. So, I read about the few symptoms which I was feeling and was shocked to learn that it was because of over training. Actually, in my enthusiasm to do well in Mumbai Marathon, I failed to increase my workout gradually ( training plan ). So, what are the symptoms we should look out for while training, which can help us to continue without getting injured.

1. Waking up in the morning tired and even feeling more tired while going to bed.

2. Elevated resting heart rate, even in the morning.

3. Feeling irritable.

4. Unusually feeling more thirsty after waking up.

5. Reduced appetite.

6. Rapid reduction in weight.

7. Reduced motivation to workout.

8. Diarrhea.

9. Body parts and joints hurt ( it is not the normal soreness ).

10. Falling sick now and then.

11. Not recovering easily after workouts.

12. Not falling asleep easily or waking up frequently at night.

13. Headaches.

14. Loss of libido.

15. Inability to complete workouts.

Well, these were few symptoms I could compile and are the most common ones. Look out for these and you can save yourself from a extended lay off. It is best to cut down training volume or take a break altogether for a few days and eating healthy food to recover properly. As off now, what I have done is that I have not moved to my second week as per the training programme and continuing with first week. Also, I have put weight training on hold for sometime. It is important to remember to save the body for another day of workout instead of burning it out in enthusiasm.

Preparation For Mumbai Marathon

2012-09-03T18:07:00.001+05:30

After my poor performance in Airtel Hyderabad Marathon in which I "hit the wall" at 25 km and somehow managing to finish it, this time I am determined to do better in my next marathon. So, few days back I enrolled for Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon scheduled to be held on 20 January 2013.

I want to run 42.2 km in under 3hours and 30 minutes. That's my goal for Mumbai Marathon. Though I had taken little over 5 hours to finish Hyderabad Marathon :( , 3.30 seems to be bit ambitious. I don't think so. I know I can do it, provided I follow a structured training, rectify my earlier mistakes and this time I have got time in my hand. So, after scouring a number of websites for marathon training program, I finally found one, which is neither easy nor too tough. I guess it will help me achieve my goal as for previous marathon I trained myself on my own whims and that to for last around one and half months. Also, I have started with a little weight training on every alternate day. Below I have given my marathon training schedule for 16 weeks and keeping some cushion days for unforseen event or injury.

WEEK	MON	TUE	WED	THUR	FRI	SAT	SUN
1	8 k – E	Off	10 k – E	10 k – E	8 k – E	13 k	Rest
2	6 k – T	Off	11 k – E	10 k – E	6 k – E	16 k	Rest
3	10 k – T	Off	11 k – E	6 k – H	8 k – E	19 k	Rest
4	10 k – I	8 k – E	10 k – E	8 k – T	10 k – E	16 k	Rest
5	10 k – H	8 k – E	12 k – E	8 k – T	10 k – E	22 k	Rest
6	12 k – I	Off	12 k – E	5 k – E	8 k – E	16 k	Rest
7	12 k – T	8 k – E	11 k – E	8 k – H	8 k – E	26 k	Rest
8	10 k – I	11 k – E	12 k – E	10 k – T	6 k – E	16 k	Rest
9	10 k – H	11 k – E	12 k – E	10 k – T	8 k – E	29 k	Rest
10	12 k – I	8 k – E	11 k – E	8 k – E	6 k – E	16 k	Rest
11	12 k – H	10 k – E	14 k – E	10 k – T	10 k – E	32 k	Rest
12	12 k – I	10 k – E	12 k – E	10 k – H	10 k – E	16 k	Rest
13	16 k – T	Off	12 k – E	8 k – E	10 k – E	35 k	Rest
14	10 k – I	6 k – E	12 k – E	6 k – H	8 k – E	22 k	Rest
15	10 k – T	Off	10 k – E	8 k – E	6 k – E	12 k	Rest
16	8 k – E	Off	8 k – E	Off	5 k – E	Off	42.2

E - Easy run. It is run at a comfortable pace which is neither hard nor very easy.
T - Tempo run. It is run at a "comfortably hard" pace or at a pace in which one can speak in mono syllables.
I - Intervals.
H - Hill running. There are plenty in Hyderabad and near my house.
Sat - Saturdays are long run day done at a very easy, conversational pace.

In this program, there are plenty of long tempo runs thrown in, which I really need to do to improve my speed and endurance. I also need to increase my mileage and need a proper tapering plan. Nowadays, I am reading a lot about nutrition, be it pre, post or during run. I need to experiment with a number of food items to see which one works for me. If anybody has got some suggestion, please do share for my benefit and for others also. Till then, happy running.

Lessons Learnt After My First Marathon

2012-08-28T19:59:00.001+05:30

On 26 August 2012, I ran the Airtel Hyderabad Marathon. Though in Army, we have covered distances more than 40 km on foot, but that was a long time ago. I thought it will not be so difficult. But I was badly mistaken. Running continuously takes a toll on the body, if not prepared well. So, while running, I realised few mistakes which I need to correct before my next marathon. Here goes the list :-

1. NUTRITION - I started fairly well with my first two splits telling me that I can manage to finish the run in just under 4 hours or just 5-10 minutes beyond 4 hours. But I bonked at around 24-25 km mark. I started having pathetic cramps in my right quad. I was dehydrating and losing energy to run. Though I tried to eat and drink after that but it was late by then. I really need to learn how to eat and drink on the run to maintain the energy levels.

2. REDUCE WEIGHT - As you can see in the pic, I am still heavy. I need to shed another around 10 kgs so that I need to exert less energy to pull my body weight. Losing excess weight will mean that I can run much faster.

3. ROUTE RECCE - The route for Hyderabad Marathon was tough because there were 3 flyovers and countless upslopes and downslopes. By 30 km, I was getting frustrated because I had not seen the route previously and was being surprised at every turn. From next time I will make it a point to see the route beforehand.

4. LONG RUNS - Because of my calf injury I was put off for nearly 2 months and was able to train properly for last one and half months. So, I was able to pull off only 2 long runs of 20 and 26 km. Next time, I need to do longer runs and atleast one run of more than marathon distance to get used to staying on feet for long and build endurance.

5. TEMPO - The longest tempo run I did was 5km. More and longer tempos required for better overall speed.

6. STRONGER CORE - I used to read a lot about strong core for stronger running but I realised it's importance after the run on 26th. I used to think that I have got a strong core but I was mistaken. Need to really work hard on the CORE issues!

I guess if I take care of these issues, then I will be able to run under 4 hours in my next marathon. Got to pull up my socks and kick myself harder.

Excuses For Not Working Out And Solution To It

2012-08-21T20:59:00.001+05:30

I was trying to convince my wife yesterday to start running with me in the morning. Not that she is fat or something. She is extremely fit even after giving birth to a healthy baby and was a district level sprinter in her school days. I felt that it will a good thing to take in fresh morning air. And then came barrages of excuses to not to run. So, that is how I thought of writing this post, which also includes the excuses I used to make sometimes for not working out.

EXCUSE NO 1 - I will start tomorrow.

EXCUSE NO 2 - The alarm didn't go off.

EXCUSE NO 3 - I had a late night.

EXCUSE NO 4 - I don't have time.

EXCUSE NO 5 - I need to buy some workout clothes and gear.

EXCUSE NO 6 - I, as such, work a lot at home or office.

EXCUSE NO 7 - I am tired after day's work.

EXCUSE NO 8 - I need a training partner.

EXCUSE NO 9 - I am old to start exercising.

EXCUSE NO 10 - I am too thin to start exercising. People will think I am crazy.

EXCUSE NO 11 - Gyms are too darn costly.

EXCUSE NO 12 - I reach home late from office.

EXCUSE NO 13 - I need to educate myself to exercise before I start.

EXCUSE NO 14 - I have got kids to look after to.

EXCUSE NO 15 - I am mostly travelling for work.

EXCUSE NO 16 - I have grown fat beyond repair.

Well, these are some excuses which I have given at some point of time or people I know give. What are your excuses? I will appreciate if you can share them :). Let's now get down as to how to tackle these evil excuses forming up around us.

1. What's your motivation or aim? Identify or it will be very difficult to start.

2. Layout your gym or workout clothes before sleeping at night. It is found to have saved a lot of precious time and also strengthens the resolve to exercise.

3. Make exercising a part of your life like you eat to stay alive.

4. Inform your partner about your health goals. I am sure they will understand and do their best to help you achieve them.

5. Involve kids in the workout routine or take them along to gym. Lot of people are doing this nowadays.

6. It is never too late to start. Whether you are too old or fat, any time is a good time to start exercising. People will really appreciate your effort to get fit.

7. If gym membership is too costly, then there are lot of cheap alternatives like running, walking, cycling or yoga. It is important to just start.

8. Look for some running or cycling or yoga group to stay motivated.

9. Try and sneak in your workouts in your busy schedule. Over a period of time, you will find that you have become efficient and creative in managing work and exercise.

10. Imbibing healthy eating habits and avoiding junk food will help you sticking to your exercise plan.

These are few steps by which you can counter these excuses. It is important to remember is that being lazy or a couch potato is detrimental to our health. If we don't respect our body, then we will sooner or later start looking for oversized clothes. We can achieve anything in this world and achieving a superb body is not impossible. Resolve to love yourself from today and people will reciprocate.

Running Is A Form Of Meditation

2012-08-20T09:32:00.000+05:30

What is meditation? To my understanding it is to focus the mind on something, be it own breathing or sound of chirping of birds or flowing water or forgetting all the worries or anything on which one can concentrate. It is a very powerful tool to increase mental strength and concentration. Meditation helps in reducing stress and calms the mind. To me, since the time I have started preparing for Hyderabad Marathon, running has become my form of meditation.

I have been reading a few books on Ultramarathon running like The Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes, Eat and Run by Scott Jurek and currently reading Running Through the Wall by Neil Jamison. What these books highlighted was that long runs can be a form of meditation. How do I focus while running? Let's see :-

1. BREATHING - When I am running, I am focusing on a number of things. One of them is breathing. It is very important to focus on breathing to get into a nice rhythm or finding the "sweet spot". After finding that "sweet spot", I can then concentrate on other things. Generally on long runs, finding the rhythm takes time i.e after around 5 km or so. After that I am very calm and start enjoying the run.

2. FORM - Another thing on which I concentrate is my running form. I keep this aspect in mind throughout my run. Is my stride length okay or am I landing on my fore foot or am I slouching and other things. It helps me a lot to maintain an efficient running posture and thus, avoiding any injuries.

3. NATURE - Apart from the vehicular traffic, garbage and stray cows and dogs, scene on a morning run is beautiful. On a long run day, when I am at the outskirts of the city, the overall surroundings is mesmerizing i.e with cool morning breeze, breaking of dawn, small lakes enroute etc. It really opens up and soothes the senses.

4. WRITING - More often than not, I get ideas on writing blogs on my run. Infact, I utilise the run time to even compose what I want to write. It is absolutely amazing as to how the brain gets creative and think a hundred things while running.

5. RELIEVE STRESS - I leave all my problems at home when I am out of the front door. By the time I am back, most of the problems are gone or I find a solution while on the run.

I guess the above factors are what meditation is all about. I find solace, calm and peace on runs. That's what we all look for all life or I think we wish for it. I find it in running. What do you find peace in? Try running and you will come to know.

The Weekend Long Run

2012-08-11T14:33:00.002+05:30

Today is Saturday and the day for my weekend long run. Because of my calf injury, my whole training schedule for Hyderabad Marathon has gone for a six! So, it's more in a fast forward mode now. This week I did two long runs i.e including today's run. Tuesday did a 10 km and today did a 20 km. Let me run you through the details of today's run.

1. Got up real early i.e at 0400 hrs. Got ready by 0430 hrs. Didn't find much in the fridge ( from next time I going to keep something to gorge on in the morning before a long run ), so ate a few Parle-G biscuits ( these are glucose based biscuits and gives instant energy ). Pocketed few because today's run was going to last for about 2 hours.

2. WARM UP - Did 6 Surya namaskars, walking lunges and high kicks. Picked a 500 ml bottle of water and pushed out of the door.

3. What I had planned for today was that I was going to cover each 5 km in 30 minutes, so that my goal of 20 km slow is achieved. At 0500 hrs, the roads were deserted except for few trucks and buses moving at a speed which will put Michael Schumaker in shame. Overall, there was less pollution, disturbance and cool breeze was blowing. I thanked my stars for such a lovely day and started pumping in kilometers.

4. In an hour of run i.e by 0600 hrs, I covered 10 km and started to hit back. I was feeling good and was running in a nice rhythm. I was thoroughly enjoying my run. I remembered then that I had few Parle-G biscuits in my shorts pockets( I have to buy a hydration pack or belt in which I can stash some food, water, money and cell phone ). I ate and drank on the run, well actually was practicing. It is, certainly, not easy to eat and drink, while on the move. While coming back back, few Army cross - country teams crossed me. Boy, they were running fast at 15 km mark.

5. Luckily, today I didn't feel any blister building up because I had applied Vaseline on blister prone areas before putting on my shoes in the morning. Route on which I was running today has a wonderful stretch beyond 5 km from the start. It's all green and almost no traffic with smooth road and also no stray dogs( I don't know why they like to chase me) and cows( means no minefields to cross ).

6. The last 5 km were bad in the sense that at 0630 hrs, Hyderabad traffic erupted out on the roads like an angry volcano. I shuffled back in a slower pace, occasionally racing some lone cyclist. By the time I reached home, it was 0700 hrs. The joint where quads meet the glutes and the calf muscles were hurting but still, surprisingly, I felt good and strong.

7. COOL DOWN - Not much energy was left to cool down properly, but I thought to run again on Monday, I need to cool down and stretch my muscles. Moved and walked around a bit, shaking my muscles. Did yoga to stretch hamstrings, glutes, quads and calf for 15 minutes. Thereafter, started thinking of breakfast. I was famished. Fixed myself a couple of sandwich of bread, cheese and chicken nuggets.

I guess that's it for today. My next long run will be a 30 km but on a weekday because I want to have a gap of at least 10 days before the marathon. One last thing. One long run is absolutely essential in a week to develop endurance i.e time spent on legs and to cut down weight. Till then, CIAO.