The Bengaluru 10K Challenge celebrates its 10th year of running this year. Congratulations Team NEB on this milestone! The Indian amateur running scene and in particular the Bengaluru running community has seen an unprecedented growth trajectory in this last decade. “The Tougher 10K” stands testimony to this growth story be it in terms of the steady rise in registrations year-on-year or the faster finish times across categories.
Even though there aren’t many variables vis-a-vis the Tougher 10km - the route remains the same and it is a concrete surface on the NICE road with A LOT of elevation - We never tire of making tweaks to this route preview :) Well let’s just say, this route preview has aged well, just like the Tougher 10km.
So here we go yet again …
Let us start with the weather, anyone living in Bengaluru will tell you that over the last few days we have witnessed shades of grey of the weather gods, albeit very pleasant ones. There has been a generous cloud cover in the skies over Namma Ooru and the occasional shower (that aspect certainly needs to improve though). All this (hopefully) means beautiful weather to run, come race day. This time around we have a slightly later start – 6:15 AM as against 6:00 AM last year - for the 10km race.
With the weather out of the way, let us talk about the course. By and large on this course, you are either running up or you are running down. Despite the daunting elevation profile, it is interesting to note that this is a net downhill course. There is just one U-turn at the halfway mark and that notwithstanding this is an out and back course with very little turns to contend with.
Having set the context let us do a deep dive into the course now.
Download the GPX file here.
KM-1: You are all charged up and on fresh legs and some nerves too! Be careful not to waste too much energy in this section. The first 400m is a gentle downhill slope and the next 600m is a gentle uphill slope. Use this section to settle those nerves and find your rhythm. Do not get carried away with what people around you are doing. Plan your race using our 10k challenge pace calculator and Race your plan!
KM-2: This is a steep uphill section. One tip that we give runners to ace uphills is to “distract” yourself. Count, focus on your breathing, say a mantra or group-up with runners of similar pace in this section and get done with it. Remember these are still early days in the race and your legs and lungs can take the onslaught of this hilly section.
KM-3: As you crest the first hill you get another gentle downhill slope of 400m. Use this stretch to coast and make up some time that was lost in the previous km. Be mindful of the fact that the next 600m is a steady uphill that takes you to the highest elevation on this course. Use the momentum from the initial downhill slope to maneuver the uphill part of this section.
KMS-4&5: Loooong downhill section YAAY! These two kms are arguably the fastest KMs that you will run in this race. BUT a word of caution here, if you want to run the last 2kms of this race equally fast (if not faster) then DO NOT GO ALL OUT in this section. Run fast by all means but be mindful of the fact that at the end of this section only half the job is done. This is a make-or-break section in the context of this race. Too conservative and you leave too much to do at the end; Too fast and you run out of gas even before you hit that “yet another Looong downhill section” at the last leg of this race.
KM-6: Half the job is done and hopefully well! As you take the U-turn, mentally prepare yourself for the next two KMs which are undisputedly the trickiest and toughest KMs respectively in this race. The 6th KM is the elephant in the room that most runners seem to miss. It is a steady uphill for the first 500m and then a gentle uphill slope for the next 500m. Use this KM to derive energy from the runners that you will see on the opposite side; more importantly get yourself into a mind-space where you are ready to take on the “challenge” of the “Tougher 10k” i.e., the 7th km…
Challenge Yourself with The Mile Challenge
How about a challenge within a challenge. GeeksOnFeet’s ‘The Mile Challenge’ is back..
KM-7: This is the Godzilla in the room. You cannot ignore him, so embrace him! It is a steep uphill all the way until the end of this stretch and slightly beyond. By now fatigue would have started raising its ugly head and the body is asking questions of you e.g. Is this worth it? Why am I doing this to myself year after year? This damn KM never ever ends et al. Again, distract yourself – count, hang on to a pack of runners, focus on your breathing, say a mantra. Accept the fact that everybody regardless of running pedigree slows down in this stretch, just look ahead and keep shuffling one foot in front of the other. Welcome to the Bengaluru 10k “ challenge ” folks! This KM is what sets apart the Men from the Boys and the Women from the Girls …
KM-8: Pat yourself on the back, the toughest part of this race is behind you! Now is the time to speed up. In the first 100m you will run a short uphill cresting the highest point on this course, after that for about 400m you will run a sharp downhill slope. Open your strides and make up for the time lost on “Godzilla Hill”. The next 400m is a steady uphill slope. The photographers and runners from the community (who are supporting and not running) are usually there around this section. So, it doesn’t really hurt to smile as you tackle this last hill.
KMS-9&10: If you have paced yourself diligently, you have come to the party when it matters most . The next 1.6kms is ALL downhill, YAAY! All systems are a GO! Really? Well almost. Allow us to spoil your party just a tad bit more ;) the last 400m is a gentle uphill slope. So, go crazy on the downhill but party responsibly, keeping in mind that last stretch.
Pro Tip
The pictures at the finish line of the 10km challenge give a sense of what it takes to run a race on this course I.e. they capture raw human emotions AS IS and are souvenirs of your soul that can be cherished for this lifetime. Keep that at the back of your mind when you take on those last 400m to the finish line.
There comes a moment in almost every endurance race when we ask ourselves, “Why am I doing this?” it’s our mind’s way of checking in with our soul to determine whether continuing to push toward the finish line is worth our present suffering, not to mention the pain to come - The Comeback Quotient by Matt Fitzgerald.
Even though running is an individual sport there is a strong sense of camaraderie in the community. Especially when we take upon something like “ The 10k challenge “. We all are suckers to the twin traits of pain and suffering! Remember when you are deeply entrenched in your pain cave on that course there are runners around you who are in their own pain caves. But remember, the umbilical cord that connects us is that indomitable will to seek our way out one stride at a time from our hurt lockers and towards that North star called The finish line! And finally, here is a dose of inspiration for all of you running on Sunday, do watch this video before you leave for the race.
Summary
Keep telling yourself - I will reach the 8th KM feeling strong for that final push!
They say the easiest form of learning is imitation. If you are working on your pacing strategy, here is something to steal. We have analyzed few runners in our Strava network, and how they’ve handled the splits in 2021 edition of the race.
Personalized Pace Chart
Check out our personalized pace chart for Bengaluru 10K Challenge
Happy Racing!!!
Kartik Iyer is a conversationalist, running geek, techie, marathoner, miles to go CrossFit junkie and bathroom Carnatic vocalist. He loves striking random conversations with people just about anywhere, music and anyting to do with tech and fitness, in no particular order. He can be reached at @kartikiyer2007 on Insta and on Strava
Pacing charts by
Aravind is a techie, running geek, and a marathoner. He loves all things technology and technology in running, with special interest in running form analysis. He is the co-founder of GeeksOnFeet.