Friday 17 January 2014

Why Chasing the sub 2 hr Half Marathon is Deja vu for taking the CAT


2 HOURS. 
That’s all there is. 2 Hours to change something in you, something about your outlook towards life in general. 2 Hours to glory, to a sense of achievement or despair.
Over the years, as I have chased the elusive (sub) 2 hour mark for the half marathon, I have been reminded of the preparations for rigorous CAT that I had taken a little over a decade back. Some crack it, many despair*.
Though a marathon may not change your life the way clearing the CAT does (perceptibly at least), but I have found that in a small but significant way, it does change something in you. That aside, there are some stark similarities between the two that I have enlisted below:

It’s all about Practice, stupid: I have heard of outliers who wake up one morning and decide to take the CAT at crack it with flying colors with just a month’s preparation. Those aside, for lesser mortals like us, it is a tenacious effort. Months after months of resolute training coupled with personal sacrifices define the Marathon preparation like it does for CAT. Parties missed for the long runs next day, skipping beers at brunch for fear of dehydration in the weeks before the Marathon, waking up early on Sunday mornings to clock those miles while the whole wide world is sleeping – it’s a different world that runners live and thrive in. Practice. Practice. Practice

Master of all trades: You take mock CATs with varying degrees of difficulty in order to hone your skills. There is quant, data interpretation and verbal efficiency – you need to be able to do well across all the sections. You run hills, you fartlek, you do tempo runs, you strengthen your core – all ensuring that your right muscles are getting the right attention. Running requires all your muscles to have homogeneity of purpose towards that single goal

Strategy and Pace: No matter what your preparation, come race day, you ought to be ready to improvise a bit. A slow start, an unexpected incline, rain, humidity, blisters – any of these factors could thwart your preparations asunder. Both are races against time. Believe in the process and make the adjustments. The results will follow.

Support Staff: As all runners would vouch for, around every runner exists an efficient ecosystem of support staff that accommodates the whims and sometimes, tantrums of the runners. A sleep-deprived spouse who is there at the finishing line, a cheering child egging you on, a parent getting up at the dead of the night to wake you, the coaches, the friends who mock but secretly admire, the fellow runners, competitors that are constant source of inspiration – you can’t do it unless you have them around you. Truth be told – we draw our strength from them. Their love and affection get manifested in their various acts of kindness and personal sacrifices. So let’s do it for their smiles and cheers and unconditional support to our personal goals. Crack the CAT or record you new PB – make them PROUD!

It’s all in the mind: Whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right (Henry Ford). I couldn’t have put it better. A positive attitude goes a long way in determining your success. That and a little bit of luck may be:-) 

It’s a test for hours two
What makes a marthoner special!Every race is a sense of déjà vu
Practice, practice and practice more
Run some hills, strengthen the core
Come race day conquer all your fears
Run for glory, smiles and the cheers (and beers!)
If in another direction the wind blowed (sic)
Despair not, for this ain’t the end of the road
Keep toiling and step up the drill
Another day another race, you finally will


Happy Running! 

*Note: For the record, I didn’t crack CAT. And my PB for the Half Marathon is 2:00:03 – Yeah, That close!