Prepping for a marathon run? Seek fitness inspiration from Saiyami Kher – The Indian Express

Whatever the goal — whether getting in shape, raising awareness, challenging yourself or just for fun — marathon running isn’t easy. People spend a lot of time prepping for marathons, whether half or full. So it is not surprising that actor Saiyami Kher, who will be participating in the 42 km-long Mumbai Marathon in January 2020, is training hard and preparing herself for the upcoming event.

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A post shared by Saiyami Kher (@saiyami) on Oct 13, 2019 at 9:33pm PDT

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Sharing glimpses of her rigorous training sessions with her fans on her Instagram account, the actor shared how she seeks inspiration from one of the greatest runners of the modern time, Eliud Kipchoge, a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in marathons. She shared, “Rewatching @kipchogeeliud ’s race and thinking of how he did a full marathon under 2 hours.”

She also shared a post on what keeps her motivated. “Consistency is the key. You get better, stronger and faster if you work hard and train everyday,” she mentioned.

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Putting on those shoes and turning up to train is the most important thing for an amateur athlete who wants to run a marathon. Consistency is the key. You get better, stronger and faster if you work hard and train everyday. . . #marathontraining #marathon #running #runningmotivation #runner #runnersofinstagram #adidasrunners #yesadidas #ultraboost19 #fitness #fitnessmotivation @adidasrunners @adidas

A post shared by Saiyami Kher (@saiyami) on Sep 30, 2019 at 1:29am PDT

Previously, the Mirzya actor showed why practising long run everyday, for at least 10 days, is essential for the body to get used to it. She shared, “I decided to run 10 kms everyday for 10 consecutive days to shrug of the laziness. Finished today! 100 kms in 10 days.. days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances.”

She added, “Such a satisfying feeling to set a goal and then achieve it. It sure wasn’t easy with the rain & some travelling. But nothing comes easy. What I learnt is that people can inspire you but you have to do the hard work your self.”

In her training sessions also include running on treadmills.

1. If you’ve never run before, 26 miles can feel like an impossible distance — but it’s more than doable by gradually increasing the distance; from 0 to 5K to 10K to half.

2. Start with half-marathon. Another good test is to make sure you can run comfortably for an hour. This will make marathon training way less harrowing by ensuring that you have built up a baseline level of endurance and speed and your body will already be used to the increased weekly mileage, sore limbs, and often increased appetite.

3. While running is one aspect, both strength training and cross-training are critical components that should be part of your plan to build strength and mobility and decrease your risk of injury.

4. Ensure you get your rest; this is non-negotiable. This means passive recovery which includes taking one-two days off a week, and eight hours of sleep a night. For active recovery, easy runs following the high-intensity days can help.

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Understand your carbohydrate intake

Marathon runners have to fuel the body by consuming slow carbohydrates, also known as complex carbs. Sixty to sixty-five per cent of daily calorie intake should be derived from complex carbs like ragi, jowar, bajra, oats, brown rice, wheat pasta, and whole wheat. Not having sufficient resource of either of these two can lead to hypoglycemia, dizziness, and fatigue.

Stick to protein

Protein should be consumed as it helps in rebuilding of muscles and maintenance of lean muscle mass that can provide effective endurance to complete marathon training. Good sources of high quality protein include chicken, fish, soy products like soybeans, soy milk, tofu, and nuggets, dairy products like milk, curd, and cottage cheese, legumes like chickpeas and green peas, nuts like almonds, and seeds like hemp seeds. Certain grains like buckwheat, quinoa, and oats also provide considerable amounts of protein.

Hydrate yourself

Keeping oneself hydrated is essential for marathon running as dehydration can put an extra strain on the body and can drain you of the required energy. A good hydration practice involves optimum water intake, and consumption of other fluids in the form of buttermilk, vegetable juices and electrolyte balancing sports drinks. Electrolyte balancing is important because as you sweat, you tend to lose out on sodium, chloride, and potassium.

For a practice that lasts more than 60 minutes, 15-20 grams of carbs should be consumed every 45 minutes. The carb intake should be diluted with water so it is important to keep sipping water too. Mid-run fuel options include energy gels, chews, and sports drinks. Natural sources include honey, figs, and dates.

With inputs from nutritionist Nmami Agarwal, founder of Nmami Life.