Focus on your micro-nutrients, skater hops is a powerful workout & much more!
#WhatsUpThisWeek?
Magnesium is often overlooked, in the sea of nutrients, this week understand the importance of magnesium at #GeekOnFeet
Skater hops are a powerful plyometric exercise that strengthens key running muscles, know all about it at #WOW
Mengesha and Ketema claim Berlin Marathon, this and more at #RunSHORTS
Happy reading!
#GeeksPoll
Ever had a DNF (Did Not Finish)? What was the reason? Reply with your story. #geekspoll
#WoW - Skater Hops
Skater hops are a powerful plyometric exercise that strengthens key running muscles like the glutes, quads, and calves, & also enhances lateral stability and balance. They improve agility, coordination, and core strength, which helps prevent injuries and boosts overall running performance.
How to do it?
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and slightly bend your knees. Keep your chest up and core engaged.
Push off your right foot and hop to the left, landing on your left foot. Swing your right leg behind you like a skating motion, keep it off the ground. Your left knee should be slightly bent on landing to absorb the impact. Always land softly.
As you hop, swing your arms across your body to maintain balance—your right arm will come forward as you hop left, and vice versa.
Push off your left foot and hop to the right, landing on your right foot while swinging your left leg behind you.
Continue hopping side to side, staying low, and maintaining control.
Do 2 sets of 10 to 12 repeats.
@Geeksonfeet - Runner’s Guide to Magnesium
Essential for muscle function, magnesium aids in contraction and relaxation, helping prevent cramps and fatigue, particularly in long-distance runners or those training in hot climates. Despite its importance, many athletes overlook magnesium, potentially leading to deficiencies that manifest as frequent cramps, fatigue, or difficulty sleeping.
Incorporating magnesium-rich foods like spinach, almonds, and lentils can help maintain optimal levels, but for those logging higher mileage, supplementation may be necessary.
Learn more about magnesium's role for runners in this comprehensive guide here.
Training Plans
In our interactions with runners across channels, we’ve realized most runners are self-trained. We get many requests for personalized training plans tailored to help runners achieve their running goals.
We are happy to announce the first beta of our training plans. Whether you're training for your first 5K or aiming for a marathon PR, we have a plan for you. We have an exciting roadmap, and we truly need your help to make this a great product. Please give it a try & share your feedback with us at connect@geeksonfeet.com
#RunSHORTS
Mengesha and Ketema claim Berlin Marathon crowns
Milkesa Mengesha of Ethiopia raced to victory in a time of 2:03.17 to win the 50th edition of the Berlin Marathon on Sunday (29 September). The final kilometer of the grueling classic 42.2km distance came down to a two-horse race between Kenya's Cybrian Kotut and Mengesha. Running shoulder to shoulder Mengesha and Kotut entered the final stretch with little separating the two. Mengesha cranked up the pace as he passed underneath the Brandenburg Gate in the lead before racing home in first place. Kotut crossed the line in a time of 2:03.22 with Ethiopia's Haymanot Alew rounding out the podium in 2:03.31.
In the women’s race, the 26-year-old Tigist Ketema set a stunning debut over the distance with a time of 2:16:07, opening a near unassailable lead. Ketema continued her solo run without any challenge from the rest of the field crossing the line in 2:16.42, the third fastest winning time in the history of the race. Completing an Ethiopian podium sweep, Mestawot Fikir crossed the line in second place, clocking 2:18:48, with Bosena Mulatie finishing third in 2:19:00. Read more here
Joshua Cheptegei to headline elite field; Abhishek Pal leads Indian challenge
The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, which is part of the World Athletics Gold Label Road Races, will be flagged off from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday, October 20. Ugandan sensation Joshua Cheptegei and Kenya’s former Half-Marathon World record holder Peres Jepchirchir are all set to light up the streets of Delhi. Joshua is the current world record holder for both the 5000 meters and 10,000 meters and holds the world’s best time over the 15-kilometer distance. He is the reigning Olympic champion in the 10,000 meters and won the gold with a new Olympic record of 26:43.14. Interestingly, Cheptegei made his international debut in India at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2014, finishing second. Kenya’s former Half-Marathon World record holder and three-time world half-marathon winner Peres Jepchirchir will lead the women’s contingent. Peres won the London Marathon 2024 with a time of 2:16:16 secs, breaking the women’s only Marathon world record. She also won the 2021 New York City and 2022 Boston Marathons.
In the Indian men’s category, defending champion Abhishek Pal, who recently won the 10,000-meter title in the National Open Athletics Championships 2024 in Bangalore, will take the lead. He will face tough competition from another youngster, Asian Games 2023 silver medallist in the 10,000 meters, Kartik Kumar. The women's race will see Sanjivani Jadhav, chasing the title once again after being crowned the champion in 2018 and 2022 (she has also won silver in Delhi in 2016 and 2020). She'll face heat from the defending champion Kavita Yadav. Read more here
Race Calendar
We have revamped our race calendar with everything you need to know about the race, route, experience, and much more. We have added information about major races and we need the help of the community to make it further robust. Thus we invite runners to share their experiences related to race routes and other information that will benefit runners.
This Month:
TCS Amsterdam Marathon - October 20, 2024
Next 6 Months:
Niveus Mangalore Marathon - November 10, 2024
WNC Navy Half Marathon - November 17, 2024
Ahmedabad Marathon - November 24, 2024
Search and find races using our Race Finder at geeksonfeet.com/races.
#TipOfTheWeek - How Long of a Pause Negates the Benefits of a Long Run?
While there is no clear science-backed answer on how long a pause negates the benefits of a long run, short pauses, like those for traffic lights or water breaks, are generally considered insignificant, especially on easy or long runs. These breaks are unlikely to disrupt the overall training stimulus.
Longer pauses, especially those that allow the body to return to homeostasis, might diminish the benefits in the long run. Homeostasis refers to the body's balanced state. More than 30 minutes of break, often brings back the body to Homeostasis.
The impact of pausing also depends on the purpose of the run and the training plan. For instance, a 30-minute break during a long, slow run might have less impact than the same break during a marathon-paced run. That said, consistently stopping during runs when tired can create a habit that might hinder performance in races.
In summary, while there isn't a definitive answer to how long a pause negates the benefits of a long run, short pauses such as water/gel breaks, or stopping for traffic are generally acceptable, while longer pauses that allow the body to return to homeostasis are not desirable.
#TriviaOfTheWeek - Hutch Delhi Half Marathon??
Did you know Hutchison Essar was the inaugural title sponsor of the Delhi Half Marathon? They sponsored the event for the first two editions, and the race was titled as Hutch Delhi Half Marathon. Following a takeover, the sponsorship was retained by Vodafone Essar in 2007 as the Vodafone Delhi Half Marathon. From 2008 to 2020, Vodafone’s competitor Airtel served as the event's title sponsor, making it one of the longest-running partnerships in its history. Vedanta has been the title sponsor since 2022, a five-year arrangement that will expire in 2027.
Contributors to this edition: Aditi Pandya, Karthik Nadar, and Aravind Yarra