The next event is...Bengaluru Midnight Marathon

I have registered to run the HM at the Bengaluru Midnight marathon on 12th December 2009. This is the third edition of this event. I ran the FM in the first event in May 2007 , finishing in 4:44 - my third slowest FM finish. It was a tough run and got very lonely towards the end. Last year I did the 5K with my son as the event was postponed from Dec 2008 to January 2009 due to the Mumbai terrorist attacks and was held exactly one week before Mumbai marathon. I am hoping to run a fast HM this year and try and beat my best ever time of 1:49 that I did in Hyderabad HM in November 2006. If I get into a good rhythm I might even attempt a sub 1:45. While the weather should be nice for running it will still be a challenge for the body as it is not used to running in the night.

There are a couple of other events leading up to the main event on 12th December. A power mile for CXOs mainly to create some publicity about the event amongst senior professionals in Bangalore was held on 22nd November. I ran this  and managed to complete the 'power mile' in just under 6 minutes finishing second amongst about 100 runners. The second pre-event is the 'pet-a-thon' on 6th December wherein onwers are supposed to run with their pets!

Due to the experiences of the last two years ,serious runners in Bangalore have a very poor opinion of this event. In the past there have been issues like lack of traffic control, aid stations running out of water/electral, chaos with timings/certificates etc. Feedback has been given to the organisers, namely, Crossover and I sincerely hope these issues are taken care of this year. I would like this event to improve and attract more and more serious runners - after all this is the only long distance(>10Km) road  race that Bangalore has. Being a midnight run it is quite unique. Also, this is a good race for those  runners who are not able to or do not want to run the ultra distance in November or travel to Mumbai in January. Nevertheless, unless its reputation improves I suspect that a majority of serious runners will do the HM and the FM will have much fewer takers!

'Marathon streakers' and 'Mega-marathoners'

A lot of people(read non long distance runners) think I am crazy because I have been running  50K at the Bangalore Ultra  the last 3 years. Moreover, people are amazed that people actually run 75K and 100K! As I have said before running is addictive and has its fair share of crazies. The  articles below that  I came across the last few weeks talk about two kinds of running lunatics.

Marathon Streakers: 33 and Counting

“streaker,” as it relates to the running world, is  someone who has run a certain number of consecutive races. This article talks about runners who have done over 20 or even 30 straight marathons at Boston, NY or Chicago.  I am hoping to be a streaker at Mumbai marathon - having participated in all the 7 editions(2 HM, 5FMs) so far. Similary with the Bangalore ultra as I have run all the 3 editions todate.

For 'Mega Marathoners,' the Race Is On -- to Run More Races
 

Mega marathoners as this article explains are people who have run hundreds of marathons. Three Germans, a Finn and a Japanese woman are known to have clocked more than 1,000 marathons apiece -- that is 26,200 miles, about 1,300 miles more than the circumference of the earth. The record holder, 74-year-old Horst Preisler, has run 1,636 marathons. Living in India where marathon events are just picking up and having started running after the age of 40 I would be fortunate if I can touch a century of marathons. That would require me to run another 76 marathons(the Bangalore ultra on 15th November was my 24rth!) - an average of 4 per year(Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ultra, Auroville..) for the next 20 years should get me there! hmm..

Kicking off Fund raising for Dream A Dream

For the fourth year in a row I am  raising funds for Dream A Dream - an NGO that I have been personally involved with since 2007. Founded in 1999, Dream A Dream empowers children from vulnerable backgrounds by developing life skills while at the same time sensitizing the community through active volunteering leading to a non-discriminatory society where unique differences are appreciated.  

Dream A Dream provides children from vulnerable backgrounds with non-traditional educational opportunities designed to allow them to explore, innovate and build important life skills. These life skills are fundamental to child/youth development and to the successful transition into adulthood and becoming fully functioning and productive members of our society. Dream A Dream programs allow children to develop:

· Interpersonal skills including teamwork, communications, negotiation and coping skills
· Cognitive skills such as decision-making, problem solving and critical thinking
· Creativity, confidence, self-awareness and a passion for learning

As a volunteer in the IT program and as a mentor I  have experienced the tremendous impact of Dream A Dream's programs on vulnerable children. I am extremely impressed with the work done by them and the passion and sincerity of the employees and the co-founder Vishal. So when I got an opportunity in August 2009 to engage with them more deeply as a trustee on the board of directors I took it up gladly.

Like the past three years, I am raising funds for Dream A Dream via my runs and between the Ultra in November 2009, Mumbai marathon in January 2010 and Auroville marathon in February 2010 my target is  to better the Rs 2 Lakhs that I raised last year. For this I am banking on the goodwill and support of friends and family around the world.  Contributions can be made either via check or online(currently only for overseas contributors;  online payment gateway for contributions in INR is coming soon) - see the Right Hand Side of this blog for specific details. Go ahead and make a contribution and help make a difference to our society!!

More on Bangalore Ultra 2009..

Had a pretty nervous and restless week leading up to the Ultra on 15th November 2009 - sensing a few aches and pains and a mild sore throat. The gloomy weather also added to the lethargy. However, the weather became a bit better toward the end of the week and the excitement of participating in the 3rd Bangalore Ultra became palpable as I interacted with a number of fellow runners while collecting the running bib on 14th afternoon.

As has now become the norm for any long run I woke up on 15th November a few minutes before my alarm rang. Partha and Sridharan reached the Domlur signal as planned at 4:20 after picking up Rohit from Diamond district. Due to the discussions we were having while driving and the construction work happening in the area we missed the right turn to Hesaraghatta and had to drive up 3-4 Kms before we could make a U-turn and return. We were fortunate that we decided on Saturday evening to advance our departure time by 15-20 minutes - else we may not have reached the venue on time. We managed to get there barely  20  minutes before the start time. The direction banners with the ultra logo enroute were quite helpful .  We crossed a few runners runnign with torches - these runners had started their race at 5am. The energy and the comraderie at the holding area was amazing - lots of familiar runners and many new ones too!

The race started bang on time at 6am after a few announcements from A1, A2 and Atul of Runners For Life. I started at a moderate pace - my goal was to do the first 25K(2 loops) in about 2 and a half hours and then do the remaining 25K in as close to 3 hours as possible. It was perfect weather for distance running and stayed that way through out the day - partly cloudy, breezy at times and intermittent ligt drizzle - what more can one ask for of the weather gods? The route is 6.25K out and back - the number of loops varies depending on the distance one is running. This provides a great opportunity to see and cheer other runners multiple times during the run - a unique characteristic of the Bangalore Ultra.    At about the 2Km mark I sighted Honda San  and other 100K/75K runners on their way back. And what an incredible race Honda had - completing 100Km in 10:23 in what seemed to many of us effortlessly.

I completed the first loop in under 1:15 and the second one in just about 2:30. In the second loop I ate my energy bar.  I ran a bit with Saptagirish and also with Rohit. I  met Amit from Delhi runners and Masao Nakayama who had come over from Singapore to run the Ultra. A stretch of the route in the forest route was wet due to overnight rain and one had to be careful. Also, once the 25K and 12.5K runners hit the trail the route was cramped for space in sections. Though it was great to see so many runners coming all the way to run these different distances and it is great for promoting running and also for RFL's business, opening up the 12.5K distance at the ultra is a subject of debate and diasgreement among distance runners.  I started to slow down a bit in the third round as my stomache was hurting. Nevertheless, I pushed on the cheering from other runners helping me quite a lot. Unlike the last two Ultras I was more focused on timing this time and did not stop for too long at any of the aid stations - which were as usual well stocked. However, apart from the 3 bananas before the start and the energy bar during the run I did not eat anything else. I mostly drank only water - only in  the 4rth loop I had some electral. By the time I started my 4rth round I was quite confident of comfortably bettering my previous year's time of 5:50. And felt that the target of  sub 5:30 was achievable.  I managed to push my tiring legs and wavering mind to finish in 5:22:29 - 2nd in the senior men's and 7th overall. I had to immediately dash off to the loo - as A1 said when I crossed him towards finishing the 4rth loop- a price well worth paying for sahving 28 minutes off my last years time! Rohit finished shortly thereafter completing his first run beyond 35K in an excellent time of 5:40:30.  I was quite happy with the race and the event overall. Not having digital clocks at the start point was disappointing and the food was a huge let down again.

The Ultra is by far the best race in India for any runner to run their longest distance ever. And this is testified by the number of runners who ran 75K and 100K this year. And the numerous runners who did their first 25K, 37.5K and 50K!  It was truly amazing to see runners like Jugy, Rahul Verghese and Leona complete 75K and then Athreya, Melvin and Sunil Chainani completing 100K! And what about the ever smiling Chandra who ran a strong 75K for a second year in a row in 9:23! Overall all the runners from BHUKMP had a great outing at this year's ultra. Click here for RFL's fortnightly newsletter covering this year's ultra and a couple of the standout runners.  And here for complete results. The winners of the 50K,75K and 100K events are listed here in a friend's blog. Pictures from Monica's album and Ramesh's album on Facebook.

Bangalore Ultra 2009

As expected the event was enjoyable. The fabulous Bangalore weather, the wonderful trail, good race organization and the enthusiastic runners all contributed to this. Despite some dampness in parts of the trail and an upset stomach which caused me to slow down in the 3rd and 4rth laps I completed in 5Hrs 22 Minutes - shaving off nearly 28 minutes from the timings of the last two years! More details in a bit...

Athens classic marathon 2010..marking the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon

One of the numerous marathons that I would like to run in this lifetime is the Athens classic marathon.It is the one race that offers the experience of running the original Marathon course, starting from the Marathon Town and finishing in the Panathinaikon Stadium. It is the Marathon Race that uniquely combines the past with the present; the myth with history.In 490 BC Battle of Marathon,the Greek army, although outnumbered six to one, defeated the Persians on the plain two miles beyond Marathon. Legend has it that Phaedippides, a Greek soldier, was ordered to convey news of the victory to the elders in Athens. He ran all the way, uttered the immortal words, “Rejoice, we conquer!”....and then dropped dead .(Many modern marathon runners know exactly how he must have felt).

Although the battle of Marathon certainly took place, Phaedippides’feat has no factual basis whatsoever. No matter, it gave rise to the “invention” of the marathon as a race over a distance chosen for no good reason, among runners who are mostly incapable of winning it, to commemorate an event, which almost certainly never happened! The first modern marathon was run between Marathon & Athens in 1896, a distance of 25 miles and was won by Spiridon Louis from Amaroussion, near Athens, in 2h.58m.50s.

It seems likely that the Greeks will lay on special celebrations for the 2010 Athens Marathon to commemorate the 2500the year of the Battle of Marathon. There might even be a special commemorative, and therefore sought after, medal. The race is most likely to be on 31st October 2010. I am seriously tempted to run this event and have put myself on the mailing list to be informed when the registration opens. It is expected that the event will be highly in demand and will get sold out early.

The 2009 edition of the event was held the past weekend on 8th November.More than 3600 athletes participated. The winner of the 27th Marathon is KIPKURUI JOSEPHAT of Kenya in 2:13:44. First Greek athlete to cross the finish line was THEODORAKAKOS DIMITRIOS in 2:26:27. The weather was rainy, especially at the first half of the race, which was the main reason that times where not so fast. First woman is OZAKI AKEMI of Japan in 2:39:56. First Greek woman athlete is AMPATZIDOU GEORGIA in 2:44:23. Another reason  the winning times are not very fast as the course is supposed to be quite tough with a steady uphill climb for about 35Km.

Dean Karnazes does a double marathon in Chicago!!

Dean Karnazes is one of  the several distance runners that I look up to. His early  exploits are well documented in the  book Ultramarathon man.  I picked up this book in 2006 and find it a good motivational read before a long or a tough run. Now he also has a website by the same name. His achievement of running 50 marathons in 50 US states on 50 consecutive days is documented in 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days -- and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! - it is on my list of running related books to buy. I had the privilege of running with Dean in NJ in November 2006 when he was doing his 49th of the 50 marathons. I ran the HM at that time and managed to run with him for a few minutes and also get my copy of his book autographed! This is what I wrote to the RFL mailing list on 5th November 2006.

 I had one of the most memorable half marathon runs of my life today. I was a little apprehensive about  having a good run within 36 hours of landing in the US - plus it was quite cold - about 6 degrees Celcius and windy at 9am. The good thing was it was bright and sunny. Dean arrived at about 10 past 9am and spoke to the 200+ runners for a few minutes. The race started at about 920am . This was a non-timed, non-competitive run with all the runners running together at an average speed of about 10.5 minutes per mile. There was a cop car in front of the entourage and cops on bikes ensuring that the runners got priority at  traffic intersections. 

Dean came across as a very unassuming, friendly guy talking to everyone. In fact, it was amazing to see  him talk almost non-stop considering that today was his 49th consecutive marathon. People running with  him, including myself, asked a lot of questions (which he must have been asked in each one of his runs) and  he happily responded. He also had a great sense of humour. Some one asked him whether he gave any inputs in the selection of the courses in each of the 50 states. Yes, I asked them to pick the shortest courses  was the answer. What will you do on the 51st day? Well, get up in the morning and go for a long run was  the response. In fact, it looks like he's thinking of continuing to run marathons even after the 50th one  tomorrow. Apparently, the most difficult part of the runs was the 1 hour media interaction and autographing 100-200 books after the run and then sitting in the bus for several hours going from one state to another. The idea of running in each of the 50 states apparently came to him 4 years ago and took about 2 years of planning and organisation. 

When I told Dean that I was running with a copy of his book he immediately asked whether I was carrying a en. When I gave him the pen and the book he autographed it 'on the run'. Dean now wants to run  500+ miles non stop. I met several runners who had run the previous day with Dean in Philadelphia and many more who planned to do the NYC marathon the next day. Also, met a few ultra marathon runners. Completed the half marathon in about 2 hours 10 minutes – felt quite good and strong at the end of it. Was in fact tempted to continue on and do the full but decided against it - had a 2.5 hours drive to do after the  run and also a very hectic work week ahead. 

All in all it was a great experience!!

And now to the main topic of this post. On Sunday 11th October 2009 Dean Karnazes accepted the challenge to run two marathon distances on the same day, back-to-back at the  2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon as part of a promotion for Volkswagen the official automative sponsor of the event.  He took off at 7:30 a.m. with the masses for is first marathon and he finished in 3:52:17. He then turned around and ran another 26.2 miles which he completed in 3:57:28. That is a total of over 80Kms in less than 8 hours!! Some more pictures of the event are here. On Saturday afternoon, prior to the marathon, Karnazes spoke at the Expo Main Stage to a large audience and concluded with a future goal: In 2012, he wants to run a marathon in every country in the world----including North Korea and Afghanistan. It’s a lofty goal that will involve an incredible amount of logistical planning not to mention diplomatic cooperation, but given what he has accomplished, it’s one he’s capable of tackling.

A century of Sub-2:07 marathons !

I found this interesting post at IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) :

Sub-2:07 marathons reach historic point

Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot may have lost the race and the course record at the Commerzbank Frankfurt Marathon on 26th October, but when he crossed the finish line behind Gilbert Kirwa he still made some history. His finishing time of 2:06:23 was the one-hundredth sub-2:07 marathon ever run.

After Belayneh Densimo's historic 2:06:50 breakthrough at Rotterdam in 1988, it took almost ten and half-years for the next man to go under 2:07, Ronaldo da Costa's startling 2:06:05 world record at Berlin, 1998. While there was uneven progress over the next nine years, the pace of production since then has been breath-taking.

Forty percent of the 100 sub-2:07s have been run after the beginning of 2008. And since the Fukuoka Marathon, less than 11 months ago, there have been 25 marathon times under 2:07.

The all-time progression of sub 2:07 races

1988 – 1
1998 – 2
1999 – 9
2000 – 2
2001 – 1
2002 – 12
2003 – 10
2004 – 7
2005 – 1
2006 – 9
2007 – 6
2008 – 16
2009 – 24

With aggressive pacing, generally good weather and courses designed for speed, a select group of marathons have contributed to the lion's share of these fast times. The top tier are evenly divided between spring and fall events.

Races with the most sub-2:07s:

London – 20
Berlin – 17
Chicago – 14
Amsterdam – 12
Paris – 12
Rotterdam – 12

The 100 sub-2:07s have been run by 64 different men. Haile Gebrselassie, as at so many other distances, is the King of the Clock here, with a lifetime total of nine. But the man who may be the heir apparent, Samuel Wanjiru, already has produced five before his 23rd birthday. Felix Limo, with four, is the only other man with more than three lifetime sub-2:07s.

Certainly the least surprising aspect has to be the country that has accounted for the largest number of sub-2:07s: Kenya. Their 61 is more than three times that of the next closest country (Ethiopia, 19). In fact African runners as a whole are responsible for 89 of the total (or 92 considering Moroccan-born runners who later changed nationalities).

Sub-2:07s by country:
Kenya – 61
Ethiopia – 19
Morocco – 7
United States – 3
Japan – 3
France – 2
South Africa – 2
Brazil – 1
Portugal – 1
Spain – 1

Marty Post for the IAAF

Countdown to Bangalore Ultra 2009

It is just about a week left for  the 3rd edition of Bangalore Ultra. I did a reasonably OK 38Km run in just under 4 hours at GKVK on 31st October - my longest run since the marathon in July. It was not a great run as I struggled a bit in the last 2Kms. Today I ran a 1:56 20Km at EGL. Will do two short runs probably on Tuesday and Thursday this week leading up to the Ultra on 15th November. With close to 600 runners slated to participate,  this year's event is going to much bigger compared to last year. Though a bulk of the runners are going to be running 25K or less it is amazing that over 20 are doing the 100K!  The 50Km event that I am running has over 100 runners this year. The last two years I have clocked 5:51 at this event. This year I am targeting to do closer to 5:30 which I should be able to achieve barring any last minute injury or sickness. I hope the weather is as perfect as it was last year. Of course, like the last two years I am not going to worry too much about the timing - I am looking forward to enjoying the comraderie of fellow runners and the wonderful ambience of the route and the race!