The marathon season is back in Visakhapatnam

The marathon season is back. After two years of pandemic-induced hiatus, Visakhapatnam is set to  buzz with action with a series of events lined up for the coming weeks. Over 18,000 runners from across the country and participants from Kenya and Ethiopia will take to the streets of Visakhapatnam for the upcoming Vizag Navy Marathon on November 13. “In its seventh edition, the marathon has seen an overwhelming response. This year, our focus is to make it a great experience for the participants and a zero-waste event. Efforts are being taken to not leave any waste behind. About 2,000 volunteers will be there to support the event. There will be hydration points throughout the route and medical support teams,” the race director Muralidhar Nannapaneni had said in a meeting this week. To encourage the runners, the Indian Navy will conduct a flypast. 
The Vizag Navy Marathon will set the ball rolling for other events planned over the next two months. The second edition of Ultribe Paderu — an ultra trail running event organised by Visakha Trail Running Association — will be held on December 11. The Vizag Runners Society will be hosting the first edition of the Vizag Marathon on December 18. 

“The races are finally back in the city and we can’t be happier,” says Balakrishna Rai, a passionate marathoner and founder of the Vizag Runners Society. “For me, running is addictive. Even during the initial days of the pandemic, we used to run in the basement at home, doing 100 rounds of the 100 metres space there,” he adds. Rai, who has participated in over 50 marathons across the country, has been instrumental in building a culture of running in Visakhapatnam through his sustained efforts. The Vizag Runners Society was started in 2013 with a handful of runners. It has today over 300 people who have set the fitness trend of running in the city. The fast growing community says that a little planning and preparation go a long way. 

“Hydration is very important during a marathon. Visakhapatnam, with its high humidity levels and unique terrain can be challenging for runners. So it is important you plan and train well. We run in different batches, depending on what the runners are preparing for. Maintaining a proper schedule is necessary, so is focusing on your posture and increasing your training miles gradually,” says Balakrishna.
According to the regular runners, pushing the training volume — be it distance clocked or intensity — to achieve athletic success is likely to cause injury unless done with a proper planned schedule. “Most serious marathoners run three or four times a week. They cross train and focus on strength training on other days. Long runs and speed build efficiency but strength training takes runners to the next level,” says Madhuri Palli, a marathoner and a radiologist.

Madhuri took to running eight years ago. Before that, she used to simply walk 20 minutes on the treadmill before starting her gym session and always felt that running a marathon was beyond her capacity. “When the first edition of the full marathon was being hosted in Visakhapatnam, a bunch of us at the gym decided to go running for a change one day. The first day was tough, but my friends kept me going. Gradually, it started feeling so good that I wanted to do it more often and that is how I got drawn to running,” she says. Since then, Madhuri has won many marathons and recently completed the 50k ultra marathon in Mahabaleshwar earlier this year. “It’s a great feeling to meet other runners and share your experiences. Such events keep you motivated and help set a goal,” she adds.
According to her, there are many misconceptions around running. “Many believe that running triggers knee and joint problems. This is far from the truth. There are certain elements that one needs to keep in mind to avoid injuries. For instance, stick to the 10-percent rule, which states that you should never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent over the previous week. But more importantly, listen to your body. Slow down, cross train, invest in good footwear and dry-fit wear and step up the nutritional quotient,” she adds. 
Balakrishna says that running in a group helps you to stay motivated. “You stay committed to the team and the schedule, even on days you feel like turning off the morning alarm.” According to him, making marathons a fun experience for participants will also help support tourism.