How to prepare for a marathon - Ask the expert: Veeraiah Hiremath

With the increased interest of the general population in participating in various marathons which are being conducted across the world, we at Sportskeeda were keen to provide our readers with some valuable tips on preparing for the next such challenge.

While on the look out for some expert advise on long distance running, we struck ‘gold’ when we got an opportunity to meet and chat with Veeraiah Hiremath along the tracks of the Sports Authority of India, Bangalore. Veeraiah, who is not yet a big name in marathon running, finished fourth (among elite-Indian runners) at the Sabarmati International Marathon, held at Ahmedabad in 2010. It was no mean effort, as this marathon saw the participation of many international runners (Veeraiah stood 13^th overall by finishing it in 2hrs: 41min: 10secs).

You might be inquisitive as to why we chose Veeraiah, who is not very well known, to guide us in this regard. Well, it’s because he has risen to the level of a pro-athlete today from being just another average person like you and me till the age of 27. He never trained like a pro-athlete, never had a coach due to a lack of awareness, guidance and monetary resources. This humble man from Timmapura village in Raichur, Karnataka came to Bangalore in 2008 and started training all by himself at the Sr.Kanteerava Stadium. Apparently he was shown the door by a few prospective coaches when he failed to pay the full fees initially.

The energy that this man exudes is simply overwhelming. He attributed his toughness to the stint he had luckily with the ASC athletes who used to train at Kanteerava. His poverty and the inability to arrange for a coach was a blessing in disguise he says, as the army men allowed him to train alongside them. Veeraiah learned a lot about the tricks of his trade; what better coach than the army?

Well, we couldn’t hold ourselves back anymore and started shooting questions at the pro, who was all too keen to share his knowledge and experience with us and give us a few tips on “How to prepare for a marathon”. Following are a few excerpts from the INTERVIEW:

Firstly, please tell us, who can run a marathon? Is there a particular body type, background?

Marathon running is all about will-power and a burning desire to succeed. Anbody with these attributes can run a marathon. It’s more about attitude. Haven’t we seen so many amateur runners finish the marathon? It’s actually a tougher task they achieve when compared to the elite, as they run for a longer duration than the elite.

What are the benefits of marathon-running?

Long distance running brings about positivity and helps fight depression. It gives you a lot of self-belief and confidence that tends to rub-off on other aspects of one’s life. I myself have given training tips to people with ailments, who have then successfully been able to run long distances and even reduce their dependency on medication.

How does one assess himself/herself with regard to their ability?

See, everybody needs to understand their body and capability. This happens when you constantly observe your performance while training (over a period of a few months). Depending on that one can decide to run 10 kms, the half marathon or the full marathon.

Does age matter?

No, definitely not. I am 34 years old and seriously training to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. In 2008, a Romanian woman-athlete named Constantina Dita won a gold in the Beijing olympics at the age of 37. She is my inspiration. I want to get to the Rio Olympics and show everybody that nothing is impossible!

Tell us about the hydration requirement during training.

I drink a minimum of 6-7 litres of water on training days. Again, the intake-intervals are very important. I take a few sips of water at the completion of evry 2kms of running. The importance of drinking water early in the morning on an empty stomach is very useful on training days as it aids in throwing out the waste and toxins from our system, resulting in the body feeling light and energetic.

Please tell us about the diet to be followed on training days.

My mantra is simple – “Eat, drink (water) and burn it”. Eat 2 bananas at least two hours before training. Post training eat dry-fruits, fruits, sprouts and raw vegetables. Do not ignore rice and milk products, they are as important as chapati and roti in your diet. The key is to maintain a balance and not over-do anything.

How about supplements? Is it compulsory to take them?

I do not believe in taking suppliments. It’s meant for athletes who do not have access to nutritious food during training.

Well, then how do the vegetarians get their protein intake?

I am a vegetarian myself. I include all kinds of sprouts in my diet. It’s a myth that vegetarians cannot run marathons successfully. I am a living example of a successful vegetarian-runner.

Coming to the actual ‘running’ part of the marathon, any specific methods to follow?

Ensure that it’s a gradually progressive training program, never be in a hurry to get to the next level or skip a level. You can start-off with a one kilometer run and slowly progress. You know your body the best and adhere to your natural instincts. Observe and apply. Never compare yourself with others.

A minimum 20 minute warm–up is compulsory before starting a training session. You can compare it to a “cold-start” problem in a vehicle. The body needs to be warm and the muscles well stretched to endure a strenuous training session.

What about the “fatigue” factor? How can one overcome it?

Fatigue may be caused due to wrong breathing technique. Contrary to the popular belief that we should breathe only through the nose, it’s absolutely okay to breathe through your mouth when you feel like. Breathing techniques like Sudarshankriya and pranayam help in opening-out the lungs and increase the lung-capacity.

Last but not the least, the question about injury, injury prevention and cool down exercises.

Usually it’s the ankle ligaments, glutes, ham-string, Quadriceps and the calf-muscles that are prone to injuries during long-distance running. That’s why it’s important to stretch these lower body muscles thoroughly during warm up. The cool-down excersises post-training are as important as the warm up stretches. Distance running causes increased blood circulation to the lower body, resulting in varicose veins in the long-term. This can be avoided by regulating the blood circulation throughout the body by performing the “shirasasana” (standing upside down) and shavasana at the very end of all training sessions.

Thank you so much for sharing these vital tips. Can our readers contact you in case they need further guidance?

Surely, I’d be more than happy to help. I undertake training sessions for nominal rates. People who are enthusiatic about running can contact me on +91 -9590981865 or [email protected]

While making our way out of the SAI stadium, we had goose bumps while picturing the fact that this humble man we met today, might be the next “Girisha” of Indian athletics and could well be representing our country at Rio Olympics 2016.