Running longevity and its elements, B-skips for improving speed, Gurindervir Singh makes history and more!
#WhatsUpThisWeek?
True running longevity hinges on resilience, focus, and a growth mindset. This week’s article is on how to sharpen your mental toolkit for the long haul at #GeeksonFeet
B-skips are dynamic running drills that improve stride efficiency, coordination, and speed. Learn more about this at #WoW
Gurindervir Singh made history, clocking a 10.20s to break the Indian 100m national record at the Indian Grand Prix-1. This and more at #RunSHORTS
Happy Reading!
#GeeksPoll
How much attention do you pay to your running form? #geekspoll
The results of last week's poll on runners’ take on stretching are here.
#WoW - B-Skips
B-skips are dynamic running drills that improve stride efficiency, coordination, and speed. They strengthen the hip flexors, hamstrings, and ankle stability while promoting better posture and neuromuscular control. Regular practice helps enhance running economy, reduce injury risk, and develop explosive power
How to do B skips
Stand tall with a slight forward lean, core engaged, and arms bent at 90 degrees.
Lift one knee high (like an A-Skip), keeping the foot flexed and toes pointing upward.
Extend the leg forward as if kicking out, but without locking the knee.
Quickly pull the foot back down to the ground, landing on the ball of the foot under your body.
Switch legs in a rhythmic motion, maintaining proper posture and arm swing.
@GeeksOnFeet: Mental Mastery for Long-Term Peak Performance
Hitting a new PB is thrilling, but what fuels peak performance year after year? While physical training is crucial, true running longevity hinges on mental mastery. Building mental resilience, focus, and a growth mindset. These help navigate inevitable plateaus, boredom, and setbacks.
In our new article, learn practical strategies like mindfulness to stay present during tough miles, self-compassion to handle dips in performance kindly, and setting smart, evolving goals to maintain motivation.
Read how to sharpen your mental toolkit for the long haul.
RUN STRONG - Customized 10K Plan
Wait, 27 April? Ohh yeah. The legends won't be alone lacing up for the big race on the last Sunday of April. The streets of Bengaluru will join them on the course of TCS World 10K Bengaluru. Do you wanna ace the race? Join the GeeksOnFeet community and RunStrong. For more details, click here
#RunSHORTS
India's New Fastest Man: Gurindervir Singh Smashes 100m Record!
Gurindervir Singh made history, clocking a 10.20s to break the Indian 100m national record at the Indian Grand Prix-1 at Bengaluru. This marks a remarkable comeback after overcoming a serious illness that derailed his progress following a promising 10.27s run in 2021. Now training with the Reliance Foundation, Singh credits the vastly improved facilities – nutrition, physio, and structure – for unlocking his speed, stating the full benefits of his new training regime are still to come. Singh sees this record as just the beginning, aiming to break the 10s barrier. Read more here
World Record Holder Joshua Cheptegei Headlines TCS World 10K Bengaluru!
Get ready, India! Joshua Cheptegei, the reigning world record holder in both the 5000m and 10,000m, is set to compete in the TCS World 10K on April 27th. The three-time Olympian, fresh off his 10,000m gold at the Paris Olympics, returns to the city where he made his international debut 11 years ago (in 2014). Between, he finished as the first runner-up behind the legend Geffrey Karmaworor when he competed last time around. Cheptegei expressed excitement about racing on the Bengaluru course again and will undoubtedly be eyeing the event record. Read more about it here.
Early celebration costs Chinese runner the victory in a half-marathon event
Xiao Fen, a Chinese half-marathoner, had an embarrassing defeat after celebrating her victory early on, which led to her losing the first-place title. The athlete was leading the race at the Women’s Half Marathon in Chongqing, located in southwest China. Xiao raised her arms confidently to express her victory and eventually slowed her pace. However, one of her opponents, Gan Zhifang, took advantage of this moment, speeding past her at the last second to be in first place. With this dramatic twist, footage of Xiao’s embarrassing loss went viral on Chinese social media sites, and the athlete expressed that she was disappointed with the outcome of the race. Watch the video here and read more here.
London Marathon participants confused by new finisher medal requirement
As many big city marathons aim to adopt greener practices, the 2025 TCS London Marathon has introduced a finisher medal policy that has confused many participants. Since its inception in 1981, the TCS London Marathon has been known for its tradition of handing out medals at the finish line on Pall Mall, in front of Buckingham Palace. However, this year, the 56,000 participants must indicate if they want to receive a medal via their registration portal. If they want a medal but neglected to indicate that during the registration process, they must update their account by April 22. One major factor behind this change is the environmental impact of finisher medals and T-shirts. The policy has caused turmoil among some participants, who have taken to Facebook groups to voice their opinion. One participant wrote, “Who the hell runs a marathon and doesn’t want a medal?! It should be the other way around: log in to opt out of a medal!” To address concerns, the organizers have assured that any participant who wants a medal on race day will still be able to receive one, even if they forget to update their registration by April 22. Those opting out of the medal can choose to plant a tree and will receive a digital certificate featuring their tree’s photo and geolocation, allowing them to visit it if they wish. 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 other runners.
Next 6 Months:
Search and find races using our Race Finder at geeksonfeet.com/races.
#TipOfTheWeek - Knee Stability Test
Want a simple way to assess your knee stability and check for potential hip/glute weakness (a common cause of running injuries)? Try the Single-Leg Squat Test:
Stand facing a mirror on one leg.
Slowly squat down as far as feels comfortable. Focus on control, not depth.
Watch your knee: Does it track straight over your foot, or does it wobble or collapse?
Repeat on the other side and compare.
What it means: If your knee dives inward during the squat, it often indicates weakness in your hip and glute stabilizer muscles (like the gluteus medius). Strong hips are crucial for stable running form.
Important: When testing, let your knee move naturally to get an honest assessment. Consciously forcing it straight can hide underlying weakness. If you notice an inward collapse, focusing on hip and glute strengthening exercises could be beneficial.
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Contributors to this edition: Aditi Pandya, Karthik Nadar, and Aravind Yarra