This Fitness Expert Tells Us How To Float Through Long Distance Runs

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 Jatin Arora – a certified personal trainer from American Council on Exercise, cross-fit level 2 trainer, Reebok Master trainer and barefoot specialist {actually the list goes on!}, to tell us how one 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 and neither your home were built in a day. Remember to not do too much, too quickly; you may end up hurting yourself. So, start slow, by doing 2km-3km runs, and then gradually increasing the distance.

When we think of running long distance, winning marathons automatically pops up in the pleasure centers of our brain. But if you haven’t trained yourself against timed runs, running in organized events becomes difficult. So, train accordingly by measuring your runs in time and not 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 a 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.

Summers are here and hence, it is important to keep your body hydrated at all times, especially during the training sessions. Jatin prefers water for normal training sessions but during the long distance running, he packs Gatorade and coconut water for additional hydration.

Running hard and far puts extra pressure on both the body and the feet and therefore, choosing the right gear becomes important. Jatin sports the latest Floatride from Reebok – light shoes with better ground reaction, cushioned sole and 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.

Long distance running means eventually you will get on the road and if you are running during evening or night, do wear bright colours with reflectors, so it’s easily visible. Jatin prefers Reebok T-shirt and shorts. He is also very choosy about his socks {like us} and only goes for the technical running socks.

Once you have gotten into the groove of making long distance runs, it’s important to test yourself in a challenging environment. One event which Jatin recommends joining is Reebok Float-A-Thon, where you can meet and compete against professional athletes and running trainers {like Abhisekh Misra}; set in a professional and challenging environment. A recent run on April 2 saw over 500 runners; though you gotta keep your shoes ready because it sees a lot of participation and registration closes well before the event.

Favourite Place For Running – Gurgaon- Faridabad road because it has excellent elevation {long distance running requires elevation runs}.

Running Communities To Join:  Jatin suggests that newbies and even serious runners should join the Reebok running squad in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida and Faridabad. 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. You will have to build endurance and strength over a period of time by doing speed endurance drills,  boot camp workouts in addition to running training {to gain mileage}, but if you are willing to put in the effort, with time, you will be able to float through your runs. Guaranteed!

This story is in partnership with Reebok.