Running

The only way to find out if you can run a half-marathon is by signing up and training for one.

I started running in 2015 with my PhD mates in Cornell. This was not too long before going on the job market. Running was a stress buster. It was also a means to catch up with friends. The indoor running track on campus was an added source of attraction. It was heated, and given Ithaca winters, that was a luxury to have. 

Then, after a break, I signed up for my first 5k in 2018 in Basel as part of the Basler Stadtlauf. Thanks to my friend Nikhil for running with me on that occasion and helping me achieve my target. 

I ran my first 10k in 2019 as part of the Dreilander-Lauf Basel. An interesting circuit that goes from Basel in Switzerland to across the border into France, then into Germany, before returning to Basel. 

For the next couple of years, I ran very occasionally, averaging one or two 30 minutes runs a month. Finally, I signed up for my first half marathon in May 2022. I prepared a 16-week training plan. I was in the sixth week of my training when I got Covid. While I recovered in a week, the fatigue lasted for a long time. I could not resume my training in time and had to skip the race. It was heartbreaking as I was very much looking forward to my first half-marathon and was training sincerely. But life gave me another chance.   

I moved to Hong Kong in 2022. I applied for the January 2024 half-marathon and was lucky to get a spot in the lottery (not everyone who applies gets one). 

I set my goal as a sub-2-hour half-marathon. With the help of several blogposts and youtube videos, I created a 15-week training plan that seemed to suit my fitness level and schedule. Each week involved 3 runs (one short, one medium, one long), one hill repeat, one and half gym strength training sessions, one cross training session (biking), and one day of rest (after the long run). A crucial aspect of my plan was to remain injury free, which meant focusing on strength training. Nutrition was also a key aspect of the training. This included focusing on protein rich diets, hydration, and a curated and timed breakfast before the long runs. A copy of the plan I used is available here. 

One challenging aspect of my training was that I had several travels planned during the training period (a total of 5 business and personal trips, including one all the way to the US). This made it harder to stick to the plan, but thankfully the travel did not affect the crucial long runs. Moreover, gyms and running trails were generally available at all my destinations, which allowed me to continue training. 

A highlight of my training was the longest planned run of 19 kms on 31 Dec 2023. The venue was a lake near my parental home in Kolkata -- a perfect spot to train. This was made super special as my parents came to cheer me up (especially because they were not be able to witness my actual run in Hong Kong). The run was going quite well, which prompted me to go for the full 21 kms. It was exhilarating. It also served as an insurance that I already have a half-marathon under my belt in case I get sick or injured in the next 3 weeks. Moreover, this race gave me much confidence and I revised my target to a sub 1.50 race. In hindsight though, this was perhaps not the right choice. 

I paid the cost of increasing my training intensity beyond the professionally planned mileage. I got shin splints as a result. It was about 18 days to the race. I was disappointed and at the same time anxious whether I will be able to run the final race. Reading about others' experiences on the web gave me some confidence. I learnt that shin splints, if well managed, may not be a deal breaker.  

The shin-splint treatment was three-fold. Regular cold presses and massaging with anti-inflammatory gels, reducing running distance considerably (by 20-30%), and instead doing more cross-trainings. The advantage of cross-training is that it allows one to use a different set of muscles than the ones that are strained (or used excessively while running) while not losing cardiac fitness. 

The treatment plan more or less worked. Some days I felt there was progress and the pain was lower, but on other days I felt that the pain had increased (especially after the long runs, even though I had reduced the distance). That said, on average, the pain was trending lower. This  gave me much mental relief that I am going in the right direction. 

In the end, I made it to the race day. The atmosphere was great. More than seventy thousand people were participating. While standing in the start zone, I was grateful to all the forces that made my running on that day possible.

The start was super crowded. I made the mistake of not joining the queue early on. For the first 4-5 kms, it was very difficult to run smoothly. I had to swirl continuously, decelerate, and accelerate. This became a bit stressful as I had a target pace for each km in mind. But thankfully (and somehow magically), the initial obstacles did not derail my plan. Slowly the course became less crowded and more fun. I enjoyed the scenes and the energy. I also video called my family, all of whom were following my progress. At times, I felt bored running "alone" and wished I had a running mate. 

A highlight of the course was the western harbour tunnel which goes below the sea and connects Kowloon on the mainland with the Hong Kong Island. The tunnel was vacated for the race, which made going through it special. All the runners were cheering while entering the tunnel. The way out of the tunnel was somewhat challenging because the course went uphill for quite a distance. This is where the hill repeat training came in handy and I was able to maintain my pace. 

A sense of fatigue did kick in around the 16km mark, but the thought of crossing the finish line was an obvious driving force. At the same time, the crowds became denser, and the cheers louder. Several young kids high-fived me. All of that gave a fresh boost of energy. Incidentally, my last two kms were also my fastest in the entire race. 

Crossing the finish line within the target time led to a great sense of satisfaction and gratitude. In the end, I feel the race went very quickly. I enjoyed every moment, and I miss those moments. Many things had to fall in place for me to be able to pursue the race. Reaching the finish line was certainly the main motivation, but it was the journey that I remember more fondly. I hope I can train and run again next year. 

Last but not the least, I would like to express my gratitude to all the people who inspired and supported me (many may not know they did), especially my dad who has inspired me via his discipline and planning (he has himself participated in various long distance walks), to my mother for her moral support, and to my wife and son for giving me the space to train and cheering me up on the race day right before the finish line. The joy of meeting them kept me going during the last miles. 

That is the story of my first half-marathon and I hope it is useful for some of you.