Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon Route Preview, Race reports of a triathlete & a BQer, and more!
#WhatsUpThisWeek?
The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon is known for its fast course, know all about the race route in this week’s #GeeksOnFeet
This week we have race reports from a Triathlete - Guruprasad Bhat and a Boston Qualifier - Kavita Chand. They take us through their training and race-day insights at #GeekOnFeet
Plyometric lunges (lung jumps) improve explosive power, leg strength, and cardiovascular endurance, this week’s #WoW shares how to do it right
Kartik Kumar wins men’s elite race; KM Laxmi clinches women’s title at Bengaluru Marathon 2024 more on this at #RunSHORTS
Happy reading!
#GeeksPoll
Marathon is done, but how’s the recovery? Physically & mentally, how long did it take you to bounce back?
Last Week’s Poll Results are Here.
#WoW - Plyo Lunges
Plyometric lunges (lung jumps) improve explosive power, leg strength, and cardiovascular endurance, which are key to improving running performance. They enhance stability, balance, and coordination, and prevent injuries by strengthening joints and improving running form.
How to do it?
Stand with feet hip-width apart, then step one foot back into a lunge position. Lower your back knee toward the ground, forming a 90-degree angle with both knees.
Push explosively through both feet to jump upward, switching legs in mid-air.
Land softly with the opposite leg forward, immediately lowering into a lunge position. Keep your core engaged and knees aligned with your toes.
Continue jumping and alternating legs with each rep, maintaining balance and control.
Repeat this 10 to 12 times on each leg for 2 sets
@Geeksonfeet - Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon Route Preview
The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon is known for its fast course, where 13 of 18 races have seen winning times under 60 minutes. If you are running the race, you would want to check our route preview. Starting from JLN Stadium, runners will pass iconic New Delhi landmarks. The Open 10K begins at Sansad Marg, merging with the half marathon route. Whether you’re looking to set a personal best or soak in the scenic route, be sure to check the key landmarks, segment-wise guidance, and pacing calculators.
Race Report: Ironman Italy Emilia Romagna 2024
With a flat course, ideal weather, and strong crowd support, it was the perfect setting for an Ironman race I had trained for over 15 months. Despite some pre-race nerves and GI issues during the marathon, I managed to stay on pace, refueling consistently and pushing through the tough moments. Crossing the finish line after 14 hours of hard racing was unforgettable.
Read the full race report of Guruprasad, a doctor from Mangalore.
Race Report: BMW Berlin Marathon 2024
Race Report: BMW Berlin Marathon 2024
Kavita Chand achieved her Boston Qualifier (BQ) at the 2024 BMW Berlin Marathon. With broad roads, ideal weather, and a flat course, the Berlin Marathon offered her the perfect setting. She ran negative splits in the final kilometers to finish with an official time of 3:30:12, she met her goal and secured a spot in the 2026 Boston Marathon. Read all about her training, race-day strategies, and the experience of racing on one of the world's fastest marathon courses. Read the full race report.
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
Kartik Kumar wins men’s elite race; KM Laxmi clinches women’s title at Bengaluru Marathon 2024
Asian Games medallist Kartik Kumar won the men’s elite race at the Bengaluru Marathon 2024 on Sunday while KM Laxmi bagged the women’s crown. This was the 11th edition of the Bengaluru Marathon, a category E World Athletics Label Road Race. This year it was also certified as a National Open Marathon by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). Kartik Kumar, who won the 10,000m silver medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year, topped the field by stopping the clock at 2:22:50. Pradeep Singh Chaudhary came in second with 2:23:35 while Harshad claimed the third spot in the men’s race with a time of 2:25:50.
In the women’s race, KM Laxmi emerged head and shoulders above the competition with a time of 3:00:21. Last year’s champion Jyoti Gawate had to settle for third place with a time of 3:25:21. Ashvini Jadhav, who finished behind Gawate in the 2023 edition, held onto her second spot after completing the race in 3:12:42. The amateur category of the race attracted over 7,500 runners through the marathon, half marathon and the 10K category. Sanjay Negi won the amateurs marathon men’s race with a time of 02:45:50, and Senait Lesharge won the women’s race clocking in at 03:08:36. The half-marathon run saw Ashok Bind (1:12:05) and Tejaswini (1:25:16) winning the men’s and women’s race respectively. 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 - Tiered Goal-Setting
Meb Keflezighi, known for his impressive marathon career including a Boston Marathon win, employed a tiered goal-setting strategy during races. This approach involves establishing a primary, ambitious goal, such as winning the race or achieving a personal best time. However, recognizing the unpredictable and unforeseen challenges, Keflezighi also established secondary goals that he could focus on if the primary goal became unattainable.
For instance, during the race, if he thought that winning wasn't feasible, he would seamlessly shift his focus to aiming for a top-three finish. This flexible approach to goal setting allowed him to adapt to changing circumstances while remaining motivated and engaged throughout the race.
Imagine you’re training for a marathon with a primary goal of finishing in under 4 hours. But on race day, unexpected challenges arise—perhaps it’s unusually hot, or you’re not feeling 100%. Shift to a secondary goal, such as finishing under 4:10. If even that becomes tough, focus on simply finishing strong or running without walking in the final 5K.
This approach allows you to stay mentally engaged and motivated, even when things don’t go as planned.
#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