London Marathon Race Report 📝 , New Garmin Watches & more
#WhatsUpThisWeek?
London Marathon Race report by Vijay of his personal best 2:47:59 performance @geeksonfeet
Garmin’s new FR watches, and Puma’s new event tie-ups in #RunSHORTS
Tips for scheduling strength while prioritizing running training
Happy Reading!
#GeeksPoll
When you're off on a holiday what's your running shoe policy? #geekspoll
The results of last week's poll on what runners think about the primary cause of their running injury are here.
#WoW - Scissors Cross
The scissors cross exercise offers many benefits for runners, including hip mobility, core stability, and coordination.
How to do it?
Lie on your back on a flat surface, like a mat or the floor.
Keep your legs extended straight and your arms placed flat on the ground beside you, palms facing down.
Engage your core by pulling your belly button towards your spine to activate your abdominal muscles.
Raise both of your legs off the ground about 6 inches (15 cm) or to a height that feels comfortable, keeping them straight.
Slowly and with control, cross one leg over the other in a crisscross motion, like a scissor action. Keep your legs straight throughout the movement.
Return that leg to the starting position while crossing the opposite leg over.
Alternate back and forth in a fluid motion for the duration of the exercise.
Make sure your lower back stays pressed to the floor throughout the movement to prevent any strain on your spine.
Focus on using your core muscles, especially the lower abs, to move your legs. Avoid swinging your legs with momentum.
Perform 12-15 reps on each leg or go for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
@GeeksOnFeet: Race Report: TCS London Marathon 2025
Vijay’s multi-year wait to run the London Marathon ended with a 2:47:59 finish, which was his first sub-2:50. This race also marked the culmination of his Abbott Six Star journey. A disciplined multi-month build that peaked at 121 km/week and a smartly executed race strategy with a strong negative split, all of it is here in his race report. Read it here.
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8-Week Off-Season Resistance Training Plan for Runners
This off-season, we’re helping you build a stronger engine. Our new 8-week resistance training plan is designed specifically for runners — no fluff, just focused strength work that improves posture, power, and injury resistance. With 3 weekly sessions built around big lifts and runner-specific movements, this plan complements your reduced mileage and sets you up for a stronger comeback.
Smart strength. Stronger running. Compliments to all RunStrong members.
#RunSHORTS
Garmin unveils the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970
Garmin has officially launched the Forerunner 570 and 970, two new GPS smartwatches designed for data-loving runners. Both models feature AMOLED displays, along with new training tools, recovery insights, and connected smarts like built-in speaker/mic and all new Evening Report.
The Forerunner 570 gets all the typical Forerunner series features: adaptive workouts, race predictors, wrist-based running power, and multi-band GPS. It also introduces triathlon training plans, multisport workout support, and using skin temperature for improved period prediction for women.
The Forerunner 970, the most premium watch in the Forerunner series takes it even further. With titanium + sapphire materials, it adds full-color onboard maps, LED flashlight, ECG, and cutting-edge running metrics like Running Economy, Step Speed Loss, and Running Tolerance.
Battery life clocks in at 11 days for the 570 and 15 for the 970 in smartwatch mode. Both watches go on sale May 21, priced at $549 (FR570) and $749 (FR970). Read more here.
PUMA India partners with major marathons to boost running culture
PUMA India is expanding its involvement in the country’s flourishing running scene by signing a multi-year deal with NEB Sports by becoming the Official Sportswear Partner for two prominent events, the Mumbai Half Marathon and the Wipro Bengaluru Marathon. The upcoming 8th edition of the Mumbai Half Marathon will be held on August 17, while the 12th edition of the Wipro Bengaluru Marathon is scheduled for September 21. The brand has backed major events like the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon and Ladakh Marathon, and supported the Adani Marathon. Read more here
Singapore Marathon Winner Disqualified for Doping
Kenya’s Geoffrey Yegon, who won the 2024 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, has been disqualified after testing positive for a banned steroid, triamcinolone acetonide. He has received a two-year ban and forfeited the US$45,000 prize. Uganda’s Abel Sikowo, originally second by six seconds, is now the winner. The race organisers withheld prize distribution pending anti-doping clearance, as per protocol. The incident highlights continued efforts by World Athletics and SCSM to uphold clean sport. Over 55,000 runners participated in the event. Read more here.
Study Finds No Performance Gain from Ibuprofen (NSAID) Use in Marathons
We see many recreational marathoners in India increasingly using NSAIDs like ibuprofen to manage pain during races, but the evidence urges caution. A study on trail runners found that while ibuprofen reduced oxidative stress and preserved vertical jump ability, it did not improve race performance or prevent muscle damage. In fact, the pain-masking effect may increase injury risk by dulling warning signals. With up to 75% of runners reportedly using NSAIDs mid-race, it's time to reconsider the habit. These drugs may help with discomfort, but they are not performance enhancers. The risks, especially in endurance settings, shouldn't be overlooked. Read more here.
Race Calendar
Search and find races using our Race Finder at geeksonfeet.com/races.
#TipOfTheWeek - Scheduling strength training
If you're a high-mileage runner, and training 5 days or more, you probably will have problems scheduling strength training sessions. On one hand strength training adds muscle soreness and increases time to recovery, on the other hand they are too important to miss.
Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of strength training without compromising your running performance.
Always keep running quality as your top priority. Structure your strength sessions so they don’t interfere with key workouts like tempo runs, goal paced long runs or speed training.
Ideally keep the strength training days separate from quality running days. If you have to schedule strength training and running on the same day, ensure strength training is scheduled on easy aerobic run days. Please don’t schedule on recovery days. Preserve your recovery days for actual recovery as lifting on these days can curtail training adaptations.
When scheduling strength training on run days, it is best done after an aerobic run and not before. Lifting before the run can cause neuromuscular fatigue, increasing the risk of injury and reducing the quality of your run. Also, running immediately after a strength session can blunt the benefits of strength training.
If you plan to lift on the same day as a quality run, give your body a few hours to recover between sessions. For example, you can do your interval run in the morning and your strength work in the evening.
#TriviaOfTheWeek - Ekiden!
Did you know that Ekiden, a more team-oriented take on long-distance running, is hugely popular in Japan? Teams of six runners cover a full marathon distance, each running a leg of 5 to 10 km before passing a sash called a tasuki to the next runner.
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Contributors to this edition: Aditi Pandya, Karthik Nadar, and Aravind Yarra