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In early 2023, after my running hits and misses between 2021 and 2022, I took a break from running completely. I pretty much ate, drank and vegetated with very little, and sometimes, no exercise at all for weeks together.

I went for my annual physicals in August-September of 2023 and this included a graded test for determining my VO2 Max levels. Coupled with deterioration in a few other markers (as evidenced by other tests), my results came back with a score of 37, a new low.

I was shocked since I was used to being in the VO2 Max band of 48-50 and was expecting my score to be somewhere in the vicinity of 40-42.

It was a wake-up call that forced me to get out and start afresh. The goal was singular. In the 12 months between October 2023 and September 2024, I would work towards getting my VO2 Max back at their 2022 levels (which had peaked at 51 then).

Let me now segue to what VO2 Max is and the why and how of it.

DISCLAIMER: I AM NEITHER A TRAINED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL NOR A FITNESS INFLUENCER. WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN BELOW IS EXCERPTED FROM MY OWN RESEARCH NOTES AND EXPERIENCE. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR OWN PERSONAL PHYSICIAN OR MEDICAL ADVISOR TO DETERMINE WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU. I ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS.

Disclaimers out of the way then!

VO2 Max is the single biggest indicator of cardio-respiratory fitness and aerobic endurance and more importantly, one’s lifespan.

Think of VO2 Max in humans as akin to the horsepower of an engine, the engine here being our bodies. A higher horsepower is an indicator of better performance

Simply stated, it is the maximum rate at which an individual can utilize oxygen during intense exercise and is a measure of the body’s capacity to transport and use oxygen during physical activity. VO2 Max is measured in milliliters (of oxygen consumed) per kilogram (of body weight) per minute – expressed as ml/kg/min.

It is affected by several factors including physical age, sex, genetics, body composition and training status. VO2 max generally declines with age and is higher in males as compared with females.

A higher VO2 Max is generally associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and all-cause mortality.

The main components that contribute to an individual’s VO2 Max are (in no particular order):

1. Cardiac output, or volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute. A higher cardiac output allows more oxygen rich blood to be delivered to our muscles. Increased aerobic or cardio vascular activity over time improves cardiac output,

2. Pulmonary diffusion capacity, which is the ability of our lungs to transfer oxygen from the air into the blood. An efficient system ensures blood leaving the lungs is highly oxygenated,

3. Oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, determined by the concentration of haemoglobin – the protein in our red blood cells that binds to oxygen. Higher the haemoglobin in our blood, more the oxygen delivery to our muscles. Consumption of iron-rich foods (red meat, spinach, green leafy vegetables, etc) and their effective absorption leads to better/improved haemoglobin levels in our blood,

4. Muscle capillary density (“MCD”), which means the number of capillaries surrounding the muscle fibres. A higher MCD facilitates better oxygen delivery. Studies on continual strength-endurance activities (think strength/weight training with lower weights at higher repetitions) have been shown to improve MCD,

5. Mitochondrial density, with a higher density allowing for greater oxygen utilisation by our muscles. Continual aerobic exercises help improve mitochondrial density over time, and

6. Muscle fibre composition: Type 1 muscle fibres, also known as slow-twitch muscle fibres use oxygen to produce energy and have a higher capacity for aerobic metabolism and being more fatigue resistant. Most muscles in the body contain a mix of both slow-twitch and fast-twitch fibers, with the proportion varying depending on the muscle’s primary function and the individual’s genetics and training history.

So, importantly, how do you measure your VO2 Max. Well, there are a few ways you can do this.

I personally recommend a good fitness tracker as a very good proxy measure. I have been using Garmin for over two decades now and am currently wearing a Fenix 7. Over time, I have found Garmin to be quite reliable. I back the numbers on my tracker up with a quarterly graded exercise test at a (running) clinic that has specific VO2 Max testing equipment.

Another option is an online calculator. There are several of them, just google search “online VO2 Max calculator”. These calculators typically require you to fill out the time you take to run 1 mile or 2.4 kilometres at an all out effort, providing for proper warm up and cool down procedures book-ending the actual test itself. You then fill in certain parameters (height, weight, age, etc) in the online form and you get your predictive VO2 Max. A good calculator can be found here and here.

The following images have been sourced from here (and subject to the creator’s copyright, as applicable). They are the VO2 Max indicative ranges by age and sex and I would encourage you to read the full article too!

Coming back to my own story, I adopted a self-designed training protocol that I began in October 2023. With very little or no exceptions, I have been consistently following it for the last six months.

I ensure I run or walk anywhere between a minimum of 8,000-10,000 steps daily,

I run thrice a week – on Tuesdays (slow runs upto 6-8km distance at my Zone 2 HR pace, Thursdays (the Norwegian 4x4s for VO2 Max improvement) and Saturdays (long runs between 15-18km at my Zone 2 HR pace). Typically, the split is about 85:15 in favour of slow runs at my Zone 2 HR pace.

I have found the Norwegian 4×4 protocols to be the most effective for me. Essentially this involves starting with an easy 5-10 minute warmup at a tempo pace. The actual 4×4 involves running for 4 minutes at YOUR all-out maximum effort (measured by pace or speed) followed by 4 minutes of rest or walking at normal pace, repeated 4 times. You then cool down with 3-5 minutes of walking. It takes about 40-45 minutes to complete including the warmup and cool down timers.

I strength-condition and train my core, back and legs intensively twice weekly – weighted squats, leg extensions, dead lifts, farmer’s carries, etc to name a few exercises.

Most importantly, CONSISTENCY is key. I show up without fail for training.

My results are below. VO2 Max has improved in the last six months steadily and is now at 43. I am somewhere in the 80th-85th percentile now, up from the 50th-55th percentile in October 2023. A good improvement.

I need to get to the purple segment by September 2024 and maintain it at that level as sustainably as I can!

I also went to the online calculator I referred to above and self measured. Here’s what came out.

I appear to be progressing as expected to achieve my goal target of 48-50 by September 2024.

I will update progress on this very important bio-marker as it relates to my own fitness journey in later posts.

On an end note, I encourage you all to measure your own VO2 Max and look to improve it gradually. I promise you, it will be among the best gifts you can give yourselves. One that has immense potential to give you a bonus decade of life.

Thank you for reading. All the very best in your journey

Almost at the cusp on 54. My new interest is longevity – increasing both my life-span AND health-span.

To this end, I have been reading extensively over the last few months as well as listening to a few podcasts of interest. These include the works of Dr. Peter Attia (https://peterattiamd.com/) as well as Dr. Rhonda Patrick (https://www.foundmyfitness.com/), especially on Spotify and YouTube.

From all of the above, I (re)learnt a few lessons:

• Strength training takes importance over cardio training,

• Lift higher weights for strength, more repetitions for muscle,

• Movement is life,

• H-I-I-T once-twice a week goes a long way,

• Split cardio volume between Z2 (80-85%) and maximum effort (Z4, 15-20%)

• What I eat matters the most – gut health matters a lot,

• Focus on nutrient dense foods, meat, eggs and vegetables, avoid the AFS trinity – Alcohol, Fried (food) and Sugar, and

• Mineral and vitamin supplementation is extremely helpful in moderation

I am currently in early-adoption mode and creating my own workable protocol. Nothing complex or importantly unsustainable in the longer-term.

I will be documenting the protocol together with some key objectives for the course of the next 6-9-12 months as well as periodically posting progress on a few key markers.

Wish me luck!

Today’s indoor workout consisted of a general warm up walk, followed by 5km worth of splits – 200 metres of walking followed by 800 metres of slightly fast paced running – and closed with a little over 6 km of jogging with a 9kg weighted vest

Hopefully, I am more consistent with my posts now. Will attempt to write about my nutrition, recovery and other related stuff as I prep for an exciting race!

S

Good month running-wise in January. Weekly totals are ramping up well too. Taking each km as it comes nice and slowly. Looking to breach 400km in February. Let me see how that works out.

Note to self: I need to eat more food

More later

S

The TLDR answer is none. To borrow from an adage, I don’t diet and exercise, I eat and train.

I am not one for dieting. Neither am I a gluttonous eater (at least these last few years). Over the years, I have followed a few principles that I learnt and adapted to suit my needs – during training and out of it.

Rather than speak about my daily menu, here are the main principles I follow around which my nutrition is based.

So, without further ado and in no particular order:

Principle 1: Know Your Body

Nutrition starts with knowing what the body needs, specifically YOUR body. I am diabetic and on oral medication. I consciously seek out foods that have a low glycemic index and a low glycemic load, lean meats and plentiful servings of vegetables and fruits (more v, less f though).

There is no one size fits all. I have learnt over the last few years – through reading, speaking with several people including sports doctors and nutritionists, googling and being my own lab rat among other methods – on what works for me.

The objective is simply to provide the right fuel for my training – an optimal mix of glycogen, protein, fats, minerals and vitamins.

Principle 2: Portion Size Matters

Over 2 decades ago, I was proud of one of my abilities – I could knock back 4-5 generous pours of alcohol, accompanied by 1-2 plates of meat starters, followed by a main course of 2-3 parathas eaten with a dish of chicken or mutton gravy and ending it with a dessert – usually icecream. And this was just dinner! Lunch was slightly lighter and minus the alcohol.

On some days, the hunger for Indian food was replaced by a hunger for Chinese food – egg noodles, the ubiquitously Indian style chicken manchurian, Sichuan chicken gravy, honey date pancakes and so forth!

I am sure you see the picture! I recently took a calorie count of one such binge dinner! Take a look:

I just ate my whole day’s calorie intake (c2,000 calories) in one single meal. If I were to add up breakfast, lunch and my late afternoon snack, I would have added another 1,000 odd calories.

Not anymore! I stick with a weekly rotating menu that provides me with 1,600-1,700 calories of energy every day. It translates to about 150gms of carbs, 300-400gms of cooked chicken or fish and about 500-600gms of vegetables daily. When training, I aim for about 2,500-2,800 calories daily!

It is very important to be as mindful of what we put into our mouths as much as how much we put into our mouths.

I track my calorie intake using MyFitnessPal.

Principle 3: Eat Natural

Very easy to state, needs a discipline to practice.

I eat foxtail millets or red/brown rice for my glycogen. About 100-150gms of cooked worth daily. This ticks the box on carb intake.

I eat vegetables raw or steamed, almost always. This ensures their taste and nutrition is retained to a large extent. Carrots, beets, peppers, peas, cauliflower, beans, palak, methi, tomatoes and cucumbers are my staple vegetables. I boil potatoes (yes, it is a vegetable, not a carbohydrate)! Mushrooms are another year round favourite.

When in season, I eat lots of broccoli and Brussel sprouts.

I eat lots of boiled egg whites, fish (surmai, rawas, indian salmon, etc) and country fed chicken. I buy them from a fresh store and I marinate and cook the meats. That’s my protein intake. I usually avoid red meat and pork (exception: cheat days).

With the rare exception of marinating meat sparingly with a little salt, I eat almost salt free.

I believe the vegetables I eat contain all the vitamins, salts and trace minerals I need. So I use fresh lemons (lots), pepper, nutmeg, chilli flakes, cinnamon and turmeric as condiments.

When I travel (which is a lot), the hotels I stay in have specific instructions on my eating preferences and tastes, so my food is almost always prepared to my palate!

Whilst not entirely raw, my eating habits today are almost atavistic. I completely advocate it.

And importantly, I avoid processed foods as much as I can. If it has more than 4-5 ingredients, I put it back on the supermarket shelf.

Principle 4: Cheat Days Are Important

I enjoy a good drink as much as the next person. And I have a sweet tooth. However, I do not indulge frequently.

Which is why Cheat Days are important. I usually have 1-2 cheat days a month. Where I drink well and eat rich.

This keeps my cravings in check and ensure I do not fall off the wagon.

I usually reserve these outings for weekend lunch. As I am an early sleeper-riser, I cannot afford to indulge late into the evening.

Principle 5: Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate

I drink about 1,500-1,800 mils of water daily (about 8-10 glasses worth). Usually flavoured with a freshly squeezed lemon or two.

This helps keep my pH in balance as well as help flush out toxins.

When running I drink about a litre of water every 10km. Keeps me from cramping or dehydrating.

Without sounding preachy, I tend to follow these practices for the most part.

Hope this was useful.

More later

S

Getting used to back to back runs again before amping up daily distances

Have recently started logging activities on RunKeeper in addition to Garmin. RunKeeper interface is taking me time to get used to.

Onward to Week 3 – have to amp up the running distance to 80-85km here this week (my week runs Sunday through Saturday)

More later

S

Slow and easy pace on the course. Managed 18k. Fell down once. Grazed elbow and shin. All that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” . . . Umm, not.

Was listening to soundtrack of Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse on loop. I particularly recommend Sunflower.

The next adventure beckons

More later

S

And finally, today after a lazy two months, started training again. Today was an easy 10km run.

Completed to the disco tunes of Giorgio’s Theme by Giorgio Moroder, from his 2014 album, 74 is the New 24.

More later. . .

S

I hadn’t initially planned on doing anything of the sort but reflected it may be a good idea to write a post on how I prepared for the event itself in terms of mindset, commitment, training, nutrition, and so forth.  So, without further ado. . .

I am writing this for people who have participated in and completed a full marathon or at least a half marathon race. Unlike those races, in an ultra marathon or simply an ultra, the overarching principle remains Stronger For Longer – across both time and distance.  Also, when I refer to an ultra in this article, it is typically distances of 75+ km.

Also, for my ease, I am going to generally express units in the metric system since most of the world is on this ― If you saw Pulp Fiction, you’d probably understand this little segue:

Jules:  “They don’t call it a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?”

Vincent: “No man they got the metric system.  They wouldn’t know what the f**k a Quarter Pounder is.”

Anyways, an ultra, is a race over a distance that is greater than the full marathon distance i.e. 42.195 km or 26.22 miles.  There are several distances that qualify ― 50K, 75K, 50-Mile (80km), 100K and 100-Mile (160km) and 160+ Km distances ― where competitors usually have crews to support them through the runs, as well as the multi day multi stage self-supported race format, where competitors carry all of their supplies including food, clothing, etc for the tenure of the race.

In terms of the actual races themselves, there are several websites that set out these ultra-races.  You just need to google “Ultra Marathon Calendar” and you’ll find a whole list.

Training for such races require preparation ranging anywhere between 4 ― 6 months, primarily because these are not typical road races, rather they are either entirely on trails or a mix of both road and trail.  Add to the fact that some of these are self-supported and you’ll understand the need for a proper regime of training.

When I first started running ultra-distances, I was very raw in my approach.  I mistakenly believed that the more miles I had under my belt ― both per run and in total, I would be able to tackle longer distances quite easily.  Nutrition, during training and on Race Day, was kept to a bare minimum as was stretching and post run recovery.  I got off lucky the first couple of times and then I hit a brick wall.  It was a 100km run and I collapsed around the 60th or 61st km mark.  Exhausted and cramping.  I received a DNF (Did Not Finish) annotation against my name.

So, I went home with a proverbial tail well between my legs, spent a week or two wallowing in self-pity and blaming race day conditions (among others) for my failure.  It was then that I looked to better myself.

Around the same time (in early 2010), a friend of mine from college sent me a mail, which was titled “Game for a run?”  It had a link to a website called 4deserts.com.

I went to the site, more out of curiosity and was quite interested the more I read through it.  I registered for the Atacama Crossing for 2011 and set out my own preparatory schedule.  I completed that race and have since run several ultras and finished them.

With limited variants over the years, my preparatory regime has remained almost the same to date.

Committing to it.

To my mind, this is the most important aspect of your preparation.  Before you sign up for an ultra, make sure you have the bandwidth to go through with it.  Training schedules typically will take out 3+ hours per day for 5 days a week at least.

In addition to your family, professional and social commitments, there is now one more demand on your time namely training for an ultra; and remember, the longer the distance (75km and above), the bigger this demand.  Typically, a 75+km race means training for 5-6 months including a peak of 2+ months.

During my peak training which is usually 2-2.5 months before Race Day, I wake up at 3.45-4.00am every morning for 5/6 days a week, which means I go to bed at 8.00pm.  There is really no way around this.

On weekends, I typically ensure I finish training by 7.30/8 am so that I can spend the entire day with my family qualitatively.  This means my Saturdays and Sundays actually start at 3.30-3.45 am.  So much for being able to sleep in!

With exceptions that are very few and far between, you need to be able to mentally and physically commit to this regime.  If you cannot, don’t bother signing up for an ultra.  You would only be doing yourself a disservice.

The initial medical.

Before you start training ― and this is very important ― please invest and get a full medical checkup done on yourself.  Focus on tests that evaluate your cardio vascular condition as well as your blood sugar and vitamin levels.

I cannot underscore this enough.  An intense training regime will definitely put a physical strain on your body.  It is crucial that you know what your baseline is.  I ensure I include a Treadmill Test or TMT as it is popularly known in my checkup.

You also need to monitor on your health metrics during training.  Whilst not compulsory, I would recommend doing this once in two months (assuming a 6-month training schedule).  Again, focus on the essentials ― cardio vascular condition, sugar, vitamin, and urea levels, etc.  Take corrective action as required.

I also have access to a good orthopedic specialist.  The ideal scenario is of course injury-free running.  In the unfortunate event of any sports related injury, he is my go-to person who advises me on remedial measures to heal and recover faster so that my training schedule does not go out of whack.

The choice of a general physician and an orthopedic specialist is almost always an individual one.  Make sure you choose wisely.

Eating right.

“Athletes don’t diet and exercise.  They eat and train!” – This was an adage I read long back and it has stuck with me ever since.  There is really no one-size-fits-all for eating right since it depends on base level metabolism, training needs, recovery times, etc.

During training, my metabolism is typically 1.7-2.0x my normal (which is 1,600-1,800 calories daily).  I ensure that I eat enough to maintain my weight of 78-80kgs.  I also look to reducing about 4-5 kg overall in the process.

With that in mind, I focus on whole foods that get me a sustained protein and glycogen content in an optimal manner.  I avoid salt almost always and substitute it with lemon juice, red chilli flakes, ground pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric and cardamom powders.  I cook using olive oil sparingly.

I eat six times a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner comprise a mix of protein (35-40%), carbohydrates (25-30%) and raw/steamed vegetables (balance).  I snack on fruits (apples, oranges, melon) thrice a day (mid-morning, mid-afternoon and late evening).  I tend to avoid sugar as much as possible as well as alcohol since these are both contributors to phantom calories.

It is extremely important that you eat and acclimatize to food you will be consuming on race day during the race.  If you plan on using any gels or powders or energy bars, please make sure your digestive system is comfortable with them.

Typically, these products contain slow-release complex carbohydrates and some protein, and are suited for endurance events longer than 4-5 hours.  You would typically consume a single serving every one-two hours as prescribed by the manufacturer.  Most people’s internal constitution can accommodate these products but it is always a good practice to see whether YOUR stomach can digest them without any adverse gastro intestinal issues.

As an example, my daily diet for my most recent multi-day race included Hammer’s Perpetuem, GU’s Espresso Shot Gel (2x caffeine) and Energy Bars.  I made sure I tested them on myself over a 1-2 month period so that I was not affected negatively.

Also equally important is determining your optimal hydration levels and ensuring you drink enough water during your training.  Most people have difficulty drinking 600ml to 750ml of water every hour for 7-8 hours.  Typically longer trail runs have water stops every 5-8 km and there’s usually the need to carry a hydration bladder or water bottles while you run.  It is highly necessary to take electrolytes or salt tablets to prevent mineral loss and avoid cramping.  Ensure this routine forms part of your training.

Lastly, after a workout, EAT.  Preferably protein.  As a shake or whole.  There are plenty of recovery drinks out in the market.  Choose one with maximum amino acid/protein ratio with as little carbs as possible.

Race information.

It is a good practice and highly recommended to understand what the race will demand of you, as much as possible.  This includes location, elevation (gain/loss), nature of terrain, day (and possibly night) time temperature, climatic conditions and so forth.

As much as practicable, incorporate these aspects in your training schedule.  For example in a race with hills involved, you may want to simulate it by including hill running or running up/down stairwells during your training.

Or on day-night runs, you will need a headamp. Practice running in the dark and learn to become aware of your surroundings and the running course when there little or no light.

For self-supported races, training with a weighted backpack is critical.  I used to stuff a backpack with rice sachets and/or weights totalling 7-8kg and run with it.  I recommend doing this from at least 3-4 months before the actual race and at least 1-2 times weekly.

Whilst actual race day conditions may vary vastly, simulating those conditions or at least training with those conditions in mind is a huge plus.

Training.

The first rule of training is do not run before you have learnt how to walk.  Take the training regimen seriously and gradually build up both endurance and miles.  Understand this carefully and work your way up the ladder properly.

Training is a combination of both cardio (running, cycling, and elliptical machines) and strength work (primarily legs, shoulders, back and core).  As far as practicable, I run outdoors (80%) with very little indoor running (on the dreadmill) and elliptical.

Ensure you build in both dynamic and static stretching routines as part of your training regime.  I stretch a good 10-15 minutes before and about 20+ minutes after a run.

In addition, I work out my core every day, six days a week.  It takes about 15-20 minutes at best – plank, side-plank, hip raises – per session.  Never neglect the core!

Train in the shoes you will eventually wear on the run.  Ensure that the shoe size is 1-2 sizes bigger than your regular size.  Feet swell during long runs and you don’t want your toes to be crushed.  Lest I forget, ultra-races are typically on trails and in some cases may require you to run across water crossings. Ensure that your shoes are water proof.  Water inside the shoe is a no-no and a cause for blisters down the line!

Invest in and train with compression socks.  They are your friends!

Wear the tee shirt and shorts/tights you plan to run in and go for a couple of dry runs in them. Note their fit. Note if you experience any chaffing issues when you wear them, especially around your nipples and in your groin. Take corrective action if needed.

My typical training routine started easy at about 30-40km per week for 3-4 weeks and then increases by 10-15km per week at monthly intervals.  At peak, I was usually running anywhere between 110-125km per week for 1-2 months with an 8-10kg backpack.  This would also involve back-to-back long runs of 30-35km over Saturday and Sunday.

As for strength, I focus on my shoulders, back, buttocks and legs with secondary work on arms and chest.  I am not a great fan of weight training and therefore I prefer to use resistance bands and kettlebells as well as isometric exercises to strengthen myself.  I train two-three days a week on strength.

Pick 4-5 types of strengthening exercises per muscle group and stick with them.  Focus on getting your form as well as breathing right when performing these exercises; you can always increase repetition count gradually.  Pay attention to the muscle group that is being worked upon and feel the burn.

My preferred combination is glutes-legs-shoulders-core,-triceps-core and biceps-chest-core.  I start with 2-3 sets of 10-12 repetitions each and work my way up to 3 sets all the way to failure!

My go-to exercise for improving my agility is rope skipping and I do this on strength training days.  I am currently at a point where I can easily skip 8-10 sets of 200-250 repetitions each.  Gets the HR going nice and smooth and burns a fair amount of calories also!

Lastly, listen to your body. At all times.  Pay attention to what it tells you and course correct accordingly.

Sleep.

Sleep is the most underutilized drug.  There’s pages and pages written about a good night’s sleep but I wanted to focus on just two key aspects.

Firstly, muscle recovery and repair occurs the maximum when you are in deep sleep.

Secondly, a properly rested body and mind implies lower fatigue during running and training.

So, ensure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep daily during your training.

Mindfulness.

One of the most important weapons in my training arsenal is the practice of mindfulness.  Let me explain what this entails.

At its core, mindfulness is being confidently aware that you can compete and complete the ultra-race you have signed up for without being arrogant.  You also need to be humble enough to acknowledge any limitations you face and work on minimising their impact on your performance.

Mindfulness also involves being aware of the surroundings when you run or train.  I run without any music and focus on my breathing and how it syncs up with my cadence.  Whenever I am distracted, I don’t dwell too much on the cause of distraction but instead work on getting back to my breathing.

Breath is the bridge to the universe.  Learn to breathe deeply and belly breathe like a baby.  I have learnt the 3:2 technique which is three in-breaths and two out-breaths in tandem with my cadence.  This minimises concentrating landing pressure on any one single foot and disperses this pressure equally between both left and right feet.

Mindfulness is doing your best on a particular training day, in full knowledge that your best can vary from day to day.

Lastly, mindfulness is about keeping a cheerful frame of mind when you train.  Be positive in your outlook.

End notes.

So, there you have it folks.  Some of my thoughts on training for an ultra-race.

It is no doubt a huge challenge but once taken and completed, it gives you an immense sense of satisfaction; not the least of which is the fact that you pushed your body and mind out of their comfort zones and achieved something you once thought you were incapable of.

There is a certain happiness and sense of achievement associated with that that makes all the pain worth it in the end.

All the very best and thank you for patiently reading this.

Sumanth

I was watching Dr. Strange again for the nth time earlier today. The dialogue at the passing of the Ancient One always moves me. Here it is below.

“Dr. Strange: You have to return to your body. You don’t have time.

The Ancient One: Time is relative. Your body hasn’t even hit the floor yet. I spent so many years, peering through time, looking at this exact moment. But I can’t see past it. I have prevented countless terrible futures and after each one, there is always another; and they all lead here. Bit never further. 

Dr Strange: You think this is where you die?

The Ancient One: You wonder what I see in your future?

Dr. Strange: No. . . Yeah. . . 

The Ancient One: I never saw your future. Only it’s possibilities. You have such a capacity for goodness. You always excelled but not because you craved success but because of your fear of failure. 

Dr. Strange: It’s what made me a great doctor. 

The Ancient One: mm. . . It’s precisely what kept you from greatness. Arrogance and fear still keep you from learning the simplest and most significant lesson of all.

Dr. Strange: Which is?

The Ancient One: It’s not about you. When you first came to me, you asked me how I was able to heal Jonathan Pangborne. I didn’t. He channels dimensional energy directly into his own body. 

Dr Strange: He uses magic to ward!

The Ancient One: Constantly. He has a choice. To return to his old life or to serve something greater than himself. 

Dr. Strange: So I get back my hands again? My old life?

The Ancient One: You could. And the world will be all the lesser for it. I have hated drawing power from the dark dimension; but as you well know one must sometimes break the rules in order to serve the greater good. 

Dr. Strange: Mordo won’t see it that way. 

The Ancient One: Mordo’s soul is rigid and unmoveable. Forged by the fires of his youth. He needs your flexibility. Just as you need his strength. Only together do you stand a chance of stopping Dormamu. 

Dr. Strange: I’m not ready. 

The Ancient One: No one ever is. We don’t get to choose our time. Death is what gives life meaning. To know your days are numbered, your time is short. You think after all this time I might be ready; but look at me. Stretching one moment out into a thousand. Just so that I can watch the snow.”

We don’t get to choose our time. Life. Hangs. By. A. Thread. 

So.  Always. Be good. Do good.  

Peace

S

What singularly struck me about the book – and there were several to choose from – was the easy rambling narrative Scott adopted. Spread among 21 chapters – each of which tell a self contained tale by themselves – is the overarching story line of how he finally found FLOW!  Yes, FLOW!

As you may or may not know, I am an ardent devotee of Mihaly Csikszentmihali’s work on FLOW.  This work was discussed by Steven Kotler in his book, The Rise Of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance.

Scott’s narrative throughout the book – his struggles, the hard work he puts in day after day after day, his self made personality, the people he has met and interacted with – builds up to how he achieved ultra marathon greatness.

A book for the Ultra marathoner and the casual runner alike.  Worth investing your time and money on.

Stretched well and then I set off on the Sunday long run. Originally planned at 27km, I ended up running about 19. No reason other than I wanted to head home and put my feet up. 

The route remained same – from home along the Old Madras Road through KR Puram Station, Indira Nagar fringe, Halasuru lake, Cubbon Park roundabout and finishing at Commissariat Road. 
I checked my running stats and noticed my average HR and peak HR had dropped gradually. A good sign. 

Having said that, I am acutely reminded of a beautiful verse from the ऋग्वेद.

यत्सानोः सानुमारुहद् भूर्यस्पष्ट कर्त्वम्। तदिन्द्रो अर्थं चेतति यूथेन वृष्णिरेजति।। १.१०.२

The verse itself comes to us from the first mandala of the ऋग्वेद at 1.10.2 and was revealed to मधुच्छन्दाः वैश्वामित्रः concerning the lord of the divine mind, इन्द्रः.

When, climbing from peak to peak, one realises the magnitude of the work to be done (towards the final goal); then indrā awakens in one, the nature of the final goal, and comes to aid the devotee by showering knowledge and power. 

Onward and upward I say towards the fruition of my physical and spiritual goals.

Peace

Sumanth

21.1km

2h16m – New PR

48 – New VO2 max

I was practising a breathing technique taught by Budd Coates in his acclaimed book, Running on Air. An easy 3:2, RBE1 without stressing myself. It took good effort to keep the count and time them to my footfalls. It was totally worth it. I maintained a steady pace of 6m20s per km. 

I experienced what it feels like to experience something for its own sake. What is known as autotelic. 

Now for some rest for sore feet. 

More later

Sumanth

“To live means to experience – through doing, feeling, thinking. Experience takes place in time, so time is the ultimate scarce resource we have. Over the years, the content of experience will determine the quality of life. Therefore one of the most essential decisions any of us can make is about how one’s time is allocated or invested.”

What struck me vividly is the concept of achieving something we believe is important. When we live our lives with complete involvement and an enthusiasm towards such specific intent, we transform into autotelic individuals – from the Greek, auto (self) telos (goal) – engaging in activities for their own sake because the experience in itself is the goal. 

Onward and upward. 

I was practising a breathing technique that I am learning – one of seven counts, four in breaths and three out breaths. Aligned to my footsteps. 

The idea is to ensure exhalations are timed to coincide with both the left and right foot alternatively. This to ensure load distribution across both feet in a cyclical and equal manner. It prevents foot injury and also increases running stamina tremendously. 

The technique itself is/was taught by Budd Coates, a famous running coach. He uses a five count pattern. I found it hard to start with a five count and am working my way up from a seven count steadily. 

The quote is courtesy, Runners World magazine.

Onward and upward. 

S

Started off as a spaghetti western OST and quickly soundshifts into a “what if Big Band met Louisiana Blues and made babies together” genre. 

Here’s the sound track from You Tube. Have a listen.

https://youtu.be/24D8F0moo2c

Deep Purple – Perfect Strangers
Emerson Lake Palmer – The Enemy God Dances With The Black Spirits
Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street
The Doors – Strange Days
Greg Lake – Still. . . . You Turn Me On
The Eagles – One Of These Nights
Alan Parsons Project – The Tell-Tale Heart
Aerosmith – Dream On
Iron Maiden – The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner – Clips from the original 1962 movie with the Maiden score
Rush – Dreamline
Rush – YYZ
Black Sabbath – Neon Knights
Porcupine Tree – Stars Die
A-ha – Move To Memphis
Moody Blues – I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock n Roll Band) – #GraemeEdge #FTW
Yes – Changes
Anthrax – Antisocial
Metallica – Creeping Death – Live at Sofia Bulgaria. Lars Kills It!!
Metallica – Orion – Live in Korea 2006
Asia – Only Time Will Tell
Boston – Amanda
Pink Floyd – Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun – From the Live At Pompeii set
Porcupine Tree – And The Swallows Dance Above the Sun
Bob Marley – Iron Lion Zion
Camel – Never Let Go
Camel – Stationary Traveller – The muse that is Andrew Latimer
Journey – Message of Love
Infected Mushroom – Disco Mushroom
Jefferson Airplane – White Rabbit – Grace Slick, West Coast Scene Queen

Starship – Sara
Blondie – Call Me
Rush – Marathon – Every runner’s song!
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – All Along The Watchtower
Steppenwolf – Born To Be Wild
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Freebird (Hipster chiquitas knock themselves out from 6:10 *winks*)
Deep Purple – Soldier Of Fortune
CSN – Wasted On The Way
Dave Matthews Band – Pantala Naga Pampa / Rapunzel
Porcupine Tree – Yellow Hedgerow Dreamscape

Happy listening
S

Evenings.

Fragrance Of Freshly Cut Grass.

Walkers

Joggers

My Tribes Folk

Dogs

Crows

Children Playing

A Setting Sun

Horses

Jockeys

Me And My Thoughts

15km

Happiness