Float Through Your Long Distance Runs! This Marathon Runner Tells Us How

OK, we kinda get it. You were born to run {go Springsteen!}. But, if you have been planning to move on to the advanced stage of running – long distance/marathons, there are certain rules you gotta follow. So we teamed up with Neera Katwal – a Reebok running coach in Bangalore and Marathon runner, to tell us how to can conquer long distance running like it’s NBD!

Start by adopting a healthy lifestyle {greasy-snacks? Late-night movies? No, thank you!}, and inducing a walk-jog activity in the daily routine. Rome, nor your home, was built in a day. Remember to not do too much, too quickly; you may end up hurting yourself. So, start by jogging for half an hour – with walk intervals, until you become comfortable with steady running.

When training for long distance running, it’s very important to measure your runs in time and not by distance. Once you start putting your time goal behind, move on to distance goals.

When it comes to conquering goals, your training calendar should be your only point of reference and you gotta stick to it. Don’t jump into new training schedule because your squad is participating in it. You are your only competition and every day you step out to achieve a pre-set goal, you are making progress.

Summer is here and hence, it is important to keep your body hydrated at all times, especially during training sessions. Neera prefers energy gels during the course of her running. Also, she always rewards herself with a chilled glass of beer, but only after a major event. So, that’s something you gotta look forward to, right?

Running hard and far puts extra pressure on both the body and the feet and therefore, choosing the right gear becomes important. Neera sports the latest Floatride from Reebok – light shoes with better ground reaction, responsive, breathable, well balanced for gait cycle, stylish with knitted upper, which makes them perfect for summer training. This is a limited edition shoe – available for INR 17,999, in select Reebok stores and online on Jabong. If you are looking forward to comfortable running, you gotta grab a pair for yourself.

Neera fashions the running apparels from Reebok which are breathable, porous and brightly coloured, for when she is running on the road.

Favourite Place For Running – Neera loves hilly terrain. Nice trails one should check out nearby are Sarjapur road and Kanakpura road. She is also in awe of Nandi hills and goes there whenever she gets a chance to escape the city.

Running Communities To Join:  Neera suggests that newbies and even serious runners should join the Reebok running squad. They meet every weekend and provide free professional training to develop the right technique. You can join the Reebok Running Squad on Facebook here.

Lastly, long distance running isn’t something you can do in a day or week or even in a month. Foremost, build the strength and flexibility that’s required to support running. Never succumb to peer pressure and push yourself accordingly. Be informed that unstructured training can lead to injuries so train under a coach. Also, and the most important aspect is that running should give you joy and not stress. When you start enjoying your training, you will be able to float through your runs. Guaranteed!

This story is in partnership with Reebok.