Heat acclimatisation a powerful tool, Malnad Ultra race report, lineup of Valencia Marathon and much more...
#WhatsUpThisWeek?
Heat acclimatization is a powerful tool but is often overlooked by runners. Know the right way to approach it at #GeeksonFeet
Race report from Malnad Ultra. Aditi’s debut on the trails in the 30km category at #GeeksonFeet
Unilateral walking lunges improve single-leg strength, balance, and core stability, in this week’s #WoW
Marathon sponsorships surge by 15%, Valencia Marathon 2024 lineup, and more at #RunSHORTS
Happy Reading!
#GeeksPoll
What gets you to hit that "Register" button for a race?
(Choose one, or reply with your reason!) #geekspoll
Last week’s poll results on reactions from runners running injuries are here.
#WoW - Walking Lunge
Unilateral walking lunges improve single-leg strength, balance, and core stability. They also enhance hip mobility, activate the glutes, and build endurance and power, improving stride mechanics and uphill performance.
How to do it?
Maintain an upright torso.
Step forward with one leg, lowering the back knee close to the ground.
Push off with the front foot to bring the back leg forward into the next lunge.
Engage your core throughout and ensure proper knee alignment over the toes.
Start with 2 sets of 10 repeats on each side and slowly increase the reps.
@Geeksonfeet- Heat Acclimatization To Improve Running Performance
Heat acclimatization, the process of training your body to adapt to high temperatures, is a powerful but often overlooked tool for runners. Exposing yourself to heat during training can boost cardiovascular efficiency, improve hydration management, and enhance endurance markers like VO2 Max and Time to Exhaustion (TTE). Studies show up to a 6% VO2 Max increase and a 23% improvement in TTE after a two-week heat training block.
Heat acclimatization not only prepares you for unpredictable race-day conditions but also builds long-term heat tolerance if practiced consistently.
Whether you’re preparing for a race or looking to maximize your training gains, mastering the heat can take your performance to the next level.
Learn more about how to go about it here.
Race Report: Malnad Ultra 2024 - 30K
Aditi shares her race report of the Malnad Ultra 30K, a race through Karnataka's lush coffee estates amid western ghats. As a road runner venturing into trails, she faced steep ascents, slushy paths, and the solitude of the woods. Aditi finished her first trail race in 3h:34min and secured a 2nd place finish.
Her race report captures the essence of trail running—testing patience, celebrating camaraderie, and valuing the experience over the result. A good read for anyone curious about venturing into trails! Read her full race report here.
Training Plans
We are happy to announce the first public release of our training plans. This release includes personalized plans based on your current capability. Whether you're training for your first 5K or aiming for a marathon PR, we have a plan for you. We also have an exciting roadmap, and your feedback will help us make it a great product. Please give it a try today.
#RunSHORTS
Strava’s API Changes: A Setback for Runners and Apps
Strava’s recent changes to its API have caused an uproar in the running and fitness community, impacting the apps many athletes rely on for coaching, analytics, and data sharing. The new rules prevent third-party apps from displaying a user’s data to others, effectively breaking features like coaching insights and group leaderboards. Additionally, Strava has prohibited the use of its data for artificial intelligence or any kind of analytics, cutting off the personalized insights runners have come to expect.
These changes hit smaller device platforms the hardest. Upcoming brands like AmazFit often rely on Strava’s API to sync with coaching apps or analytics tools. With these restrictions, users of these devices may find themselves unable to integrate their data across platforms. Strava justifies the move as a step toward better privacy and control, but many see it as a blow to innovation and community-driven features. Read more here.
Cape Town Marathon: Africa’s First Abbott WMM Candidate
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is Africa's first Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) candidate race. It joins the three-year evaluation process to meet stringent criteria, to join the prestigious league of marathons like Boston, Berlin, and Tokyo by 2025.
Francois Pienaar, the event chairman, sees this candidacy as a game-changer, not just for Cape Town but for the entire continent. “Africa is home to the best marathon runners, and hosting an AbbottWMM event would celebrate this legacy on home soil”.
With its scenic route, and iconic landmarks like Nelson Mandela’s City Hall, the Cape Town Marathon already holds the World Athletics Gold Label. Read more here.
2024 Valencia Marathon Lineup
The Valencia Marathon, known as the “City of Running,” is all set to happen this Sunday, December 1, promising a spectacle of speed and fierce competition.
Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, last year’s champion and course record-holder (2:01:48), is the favorite. Fresh from a Boston Marathon victory earlier this year, Lemma looks to solidify his position. However, he’ll face stiff competition from Kenenisa Bekele, the third-fastest marathoner in history, who aims to bounce back after a challenging season, and half marathon sensation Sabastian Sawe, making his much-anticipated marathon debut.
On the women’s side, Ethiopia’s Megertu Alemu leads the charge after the withdrawal of defending champion Amane Beriso. She’ll face contenders like American Sara Hall, chasing her personal best of 2:20:32, and Hiwot Gebrekidan, last year’s Valencia runner-up.
The race kicks off at 8:15 a.m. and will be streamed live on Olympics.com. Read more here.
Running Shoes Loyalty Survey: Insights for Runners
In a survey of 794 runners done by RunningShoesGuru, Saucony and Asics emerge as the top contenders, with a staggering number of runners considering them over the past year. However, global giants like Nike and Adidas surprise by showing impressive conversion rates from interest to purchase, rivaling traditional running-focused brands.
Key insights include:
Favorites: Saucony is the most beloved brand, followed by Asics, Brooks, and Nike.
What Matters Most: Comfort and performance dominate as top priorities for runners, far outweighing price or style.
Satisfaction: Across the board, satisfaction levels are stellar, with over 93% of respondents rating their shoes 4 or 5 stars.
Emerging Trends: Challenger brands like On and Puma show dramatic growth in future purchase intent, signaling a shift in runner preferences.
It's important to note that this data reflects global trends and is not specific to India. Read more here.
Marathon sponsorships surge by 15%, brands drive engagement
Marathons across the country have become a popular platform for brands to sponsor and connect with health-conscious participants. Brand sponsorships for these events have been growing steadily at a rate of 15 percent annually. The Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) alone is expected to generate revenue of Rs 60 crore from its upcoming event in January 2025. TMM’s sponsors include Tata Sons, TCS, IDFC First Bank, and Tata.ev, Asics, Bisleri, Vida, Fast&Up, and Vedanta. Similarly, NEB Sports Entertainment Private Limited, which organizes marathons in cities like Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, and Chennai, partners with brands such as Wipro, Apollo Tyres, Ageas Federal Life Insurance, Asics, and Puma. According to experts, the marathon industry in India is experiencing significant growth, with an overall revenue exceeding Rs 800 crore annually from sponsorships and related activities. 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.
Next 6 Months:
Lucknow Half Marathon 2024 (4th Edition) - November 30, 2024
Sandhya Marines Vizag Marathon - December 1, 2024
Valencia Marathon - December 1, 2024
WNC Navy Half Marathon - December 8, 2024
Tata Steel Kolkata 25K - December 15, 2024
FreshWorks Chennai Marathon - January 5, 2025
Search and find races using our Race Finder at geeksonfeet.com/races.
#TipOfTheWeek - Skipping Drills: A Simple Hack for Faster Running
Here’s an effective tip for runners looking to improve their speed: skipping drills. Roy Benson, a seasoned coach, swears by these drills to build speed and power. While skipping might remind you of childhood games, it’s a serious tool for runners to refine their mechanics and boost explosiveness.
Benson, who incorporates these drills into his running camps, suggests two variations to get the most out of skipping:
Skipping for Height: This drill focuses on maximizing vertical lift with each skip. It trains explosive power, helping you spring off the ground more efficiently during your stride. High Knee Skips, Bounding Skips, and Power Skips are good skipping drills for height.
Skipping for Distance: Here, the goal is to cover as much horizontal ground as possible per skip, improving stride length and forward propulsion. Low Skip Glides,
Incorporate skipping drills into your routine a couple of times a week, either as a warm-up or part of a drill session. Start easy, focusing on proper form, and gradually build intensity. Remember, overdoing it can lead to injury, so listen to your body.
Skipping drills are simple, fun, and effective—perfect for runners aiming to level up their speed. Who said training can’t be playful? Give it a try and let your legs do the talking!
#TriviaOfTheWeek:
The Valencia Marathon, officially known as the Trinidad Alfonso EDP Valencia Marathon, is renowned for its fast course and has gained international acclaim over the years. Here are some interesting trivia points about this event:
The Valencia Marathon is recognized as the second fastest marathon in the world for both men and women, only behind the Berlin Marathon. In 2023, Ethiopian runner Sisay Lemma set a new course record of 2:01:48, making it one of the fastest marathon times ever recorded.
In 2023 alone, eight national records were set during the event, including new benchmarks for Spain, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Morocco14.
The marathon has been held annually since 1981 and was awarded the Platinum Label by World Athletics in 2020.
Support Us
Our mission is to empower the running community by providing valuable insights into all aspects of running. Through our weekly updates, we’ve been able to make a significant impact, reaching runners across India and beyond.
This wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support and feedback from our community. If you’ve found value in our work and appreciate our efforts, we kindly ask for your support through a donation. Your contribution will enable us to continue delivering high-quality content and help us make an even greater impact.
Thank you for being an integral part of our journey!
Contributors to this edition: Aditi Pandya, Karthik Nadar, and Aravind Yarra