With the marathon season having picked up again, you'll find registrations opened for seasoned marathoners across the city. If you've signed up for the IDBI Mumbai Half Marathon that takes place on September 30, we've got something to help you ease into things. AR Mumbai has planned a shake out run on September 29 at the Carter Road Amphitheatre, which will be a 4-5 KM gear up run starting 5 pm with their captain, Ayesha Billimoria.
If you're wondering what a shake out is, we can help. They are usually short, easy jogs performed well before the race time in order to get the body up to speed before stepping to the line.
It's a way of improving your performance by following the lead of many elite runners who do this before every big race. Plan the day before the marathon with a shake out run, perfect to ease those muscles into a long run the next day.
Ayesha gives us some pointers that can help you prepare for D-Day. She feels that if you're easing into a race, it's very important as beginners, not to focus only on the time spent to complete a race but to actually go ahead and complete it in a time you're comfortable in. The point is to enjoy the run and take in all that a good race has to offer.
When it comes to food, she suggests that loading up on carbs isn't the best idea, so focus your energies on foods that release energy slowly, like sweet potatoes and almonds (good fat) and avoid heavy meals like pastas or even breads. The key is to also keep sipping on liquids the entire time, so that there isn't any dehydration. Options like electrolytes are great to give you the hydration you need.
Lastly, when it comes to clothing and footwear, Ayesha believes that you should only wear what you're already comfy in. Don't try out new material or shoes for the first time at a race because it will only hamper your chances to have a good run. Stick to cottons or even dry fit athleisure to keep you feeling fresh.
Now that you've got some basic pointers, we can't wait to see you slay the day! See you there!
