Sony Kumari, 46, PACER AT WORLD 10K BENGALURU, BANKER AND MOTHER OF TWO

Veteran runners and medical experts talk about what you should do before your 10K.
At 51, Sanjay Bajaj achieved a commendable time of 48 minutes in last year’s TCS World 10K Bengaluru, running alongside Sanket, his 24-year-old son.

“Our compatible pace enhances our running experience,” smiles Sanjay, CFO at a financial service firm. Running, he adds, is the glue that binds them.
The father-son duo has been rigorously training for the upcoming run on Sunday. Running causes muscle loss, necessitating complementary strength training for muscle development, says Sanjay, a marathoner for the last 13 years and whose personal records include completing half marathons in one hour 42 minutes and full marathons in three hours 40 minutes. “Regular strength training enhances running performance,” he says.
Sanket, founder of a venture that helps small businesses with financial management, is a regular in the gym, while Sanjay trains with Runners 360, a community of about 500 running enthusiasts. The group organises virtual strength training sessions three to four times a week and offers personalised advice on running speeds based on each member’s fitness level.
As Bengaluru gears up for the much-awaited TCS World 10K Bengaluru, the city’s recreational spaces, including parks and lakeside areas, are bustling with participants training rigorously. The event will see close to 35,000 participants this year, with nearly 2,000 taking part in the race virtually, says Vivek Singh, joint managing director in the company that’s organising the event.
On-ground runners will compete across various categories, including the Open 10K, Majja (fun) Run, Senior Citizens’ Run, and Champions with Disability Run. “Over 10,000 runners will participate in the Majja Run, while about 2,000 elderly individuals will take part in the Senior Citizens’ Run. We expect 700 participants in the Champions with Disability Run,” says Singh.

Running gives a high

A year after his quadruple bypass surgery in 2019, 61-year-old Angelo Joseph took up running. A run always gives him a profound sense of accomplishment, leaving him yearning for more.
“My first 10K in 2023 took one hour ten minutes, while in 2024, I clocked one hour five minutes,” he says, adding “For this upcoming World 10K Bengaluru, I’ve set myself an ambitious target to complete the course in around one-hour.” He has a systematic training schedule that encompasses diverse running techniques, from easy-paced runs to longer runs, and tempo sessions.

Tips to ace your 10K

Sanjay, an eighth-time participant in World 10K Bengaluru, says maintaining a pace of 5 minutes/ km during the 10k race will enable completion in 50 minutes. Experts point out that maintaining good health should be a priority before engaging in strenuous activities like running. What you eat just before a run can make or break your chances of success, says Suneetha Rao, chief nutritionist at NU Hospitals, Bengaluru.
“You should have your breakfast at least two hours before the run, so that the stomach is light and empty. This helps avoid discomfort or vomiting episodes. A meal which includes complex carbohydrates like oats, whole wheat bread, idlis or poha with easy to digest protein like eggs, pulses, yogurt would be ideal,” she says.
There is so much to do in the final 24-48 hours before a 10K. But the joy of crossing the finish line makes it all worthwhile.

HOW TO GET SET BEFORE YOU RUN

It is good to have a banana an hour before the run. Food containing excess fibre like raw vegetable salad, kidney beans, chickpeas, quinoa, and millets should be avoided. Avoid fried food and food containing excess fat too. Drink liquids which contain electrolytes. Tender coconut water, lemon juice with sugar and salt or sports drinks available for this specific purpose would be the best. Sugary juices, fizzy drinks should be avoided.

Suneetha Rao

Runners should carry healthy drinks and energy-rich dates, raisins or carbohydrate gels with them during the run. This ensures sustained energy for the duration of the race.

Suneetha Rao, CHIEF NUTRITIONIST, NU HOSPITALS

Before getting into extreme sports like running, you must have a detailed check-up including a routine blood test, an electrocardiogram (ECG) and an echocardiogram. All adults past the age of 40 must also get a coronary calcium score test done to rule out coronary artery blockages – it takes only two seconds. If these test reports are ok, they are fit enough to run the marathon.

Dr Devi Shetty

How fit you feel has nothing to do with how fit you are. Most people with coronary artery disease suffer from silent ischemia. They can have a major heart attack without any symptoms. Most individuals experiencing cardiac arrest during marathons have underlying heart conditions. These are typically pre-existing cardiac issues due to structural defects or acquired conditions such as arterial blockages. Data from Federation of International Football Association (Fifa) reveals a startling statistic: 617 professional footballers experienced cardiac arrests during training sessions in the past four years. This figure represents only the officially documented cases, while the actual number of unreported incidents could potentially be ten times higher.

Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, CARDIAC SURGEON AND CHAIRMAN , NARAYANA HEALTH

I’ve taken part in World 10K Bengaluru eight times before. At 52, my performance has shown significant improvement. Now my focus is on maintaining my current performance levels despite advancing age. Running is a great sport that can also help you maintain physical fitness. It provides mental clarity and sparks new ideas. It sets you free from your worries and fills you with joy.

Sanket and Sanjay Bajaj (right)

Running is not just about wearing your shoes and setting off. It demands strict discipline and structured training programmes. Proper warm-up, cool-down routines, adequate sleep and hydration are essential for maintaining running fitness.

Sanjay Bajaj, 52, RUNNER AND CFO, INDIA1 PAYMENTS.

My pre-run diet includes some dried fruits, and/ or a banana. I have a regular dinner the previous day. I also try to keep myself hydrated throughout the day.

Angelo Joseph

Angelo Joseph, 61, RUNNER

It is important to warm up before running. Try lunges, or high knees workout which help work the leg muscles and strengthen them. In a lunge, you position one leg forward with the knee bent and the foot flat on the ground, while the other leg is positioned behind. By engaging multiple muscle groups, lunges help improve lower body strength, stability, and overall functional fitness.
The dynamic nature of the movement also enhances flexibility and joint mobility. In high knees, you jog in place, touch the ground for a second, bring knees to 90° angle, and move quickly and smoothly. It increases cardiovascular fitness, improves leg strength and endurance, enhanced coordination, and calorie burning.

Sony Kumari, 46, PACER AT WORLD 10K BENGALURU, BANKER AND MOTHER OF TWO

Maintain shorter strides, avoid overstretching and prevent heel-first landing. Beginners should steadily progress their running intensity and duration – a weekly increase of about 10 percent helps prevent injuries.

Dr Sanjay Hegde

Muscle loss occurs only when nutrition is inadequate or when extensive distance running is performed without incorporating strength exercises.

Dr Sanjay Hegde, SENIOR ORTHOPAEDIC, JOINT REPLACEMENT, SPORTS MEDICINE AND ARTHROSCOPIC SURGEON, MEDICOVER HOSPITAL