The mantra was to keep it simple. I followed 16 weeks of specific training, with 6 weeks before that dedicated to easy runs to build the base. Over the 16-week cycle, I had two checkpoints: a 10K (Bengaluru 10K Challenge, where I clocked 41:28) and a half marathon (Celebration Mysuru HM, a tough course where my average pace was 4:24). I ran 5 or 6 times a week, depending on my recovery, with most of these being easy runs. The easy runs were particularly relaxed, and I incorporated one speed workout a week, alternating between interval sessions and short tempo runs.
In my past marathons, I was very particular about cutting my weight down to as close to 72 kg as possible and hitting 100+ km of weekly mileage for a couple of weeks before starting my 3-week taper period. However, this time, I shifted my focus towards feeling stronger. I also extended the taper to 4 weeks, placing more emphasis on speed work during that period. This included multiple marathon pace runs, along with two half marathons on the actual race route. The last time I weighed myself before the race, I was 74.15 kg.
I was more consistent with my strength sessions, focusing on simple, old-fashioned exercises with light weights. I also increased my cardio work. Every day at the gym, I spent 10 minutes on the cross trainer and 20 to 30 minutes of easy cycling, watching F1 race highlights, WTF episodes, shoe reviews, and running tips on YouTube
No inter-city travel for this race since it’s my home city marathon. I did, however, check into a hotel just 100 meters from the start point on Saturday afternoon, as it was a 4 AM start. No expo visit, thanks to group bib pick-up. I’m not a big fan of expos anyway.
I hydrated extra on Saturday, drinking a liter of electrolyte (Reload), as I usually do before all my marathons. On race day, I woke up at 2 AM after getting around 6 hours of decent sleep. For breakfast, I had 3 slices of white bread with Nutella, something new for me in this marathon. Mind you, I had trained with the same breakfast for two weeks during my marathon-pace long runs to ensure my stomach could handle it. I did my usual foam rolling session and stretches, then applied Vaseline to the usual chafing hotspots, and put on my race-day tights, vest, compression socks, and Puma Nitro Elite 3.
I walked down from the 5th floor of my hotel, not taking any chances of getting stuck in the elevator at 3:15 AM. From there, I walked 5 minutes to the warmup area (the 200m track in Kanteerava), which was a complete contrast to my previous marathon where just reaching the start area (NYCM) felt like a marathon itself. I did a few laps around the 200m track, some quick strides, and hip openers, and it was time to head to the stadium and line up at the start. Ten minutes before the start, I had a gel and a sip of water.
Having done two race-pace half marathon training runs on the same route leading up to the marathon, the clear strategy was to go for a positive split on this tough and tricky route. The plan was to keep a constant pace as close to 4:35 as possible in the first half, with the second half no slower than 4:40 on the flats and 4:45 on the uphills.
I ran with my training partner, Bharath, from the start, and both of us maintained a beautiful 4:35ish pace. Sometimes he would control my pace, and other times I did the same for him. We split on the Kasturba Road incline in the second loop, with me continuing around a 4:35 pace and Bharath just a few seconds slower. Both of us followed the same gel strategy: one gel every 6 km, and with plenty of aid stations en route, it worked very well. We shared a 250 ml water bottle each time we took our gels and also had an electrolyte drink at the aid stations twice during the race.
I had practiced stretches of the course precisely during my two training runs, and having run this route multiple times in past years, I knew exactly what to expect. In hindsight, this was key to the eventual result. The slight change of removing a U-turn at Minsk Square was a welcome one, providing a long stretch straight onto Cubbon Road. It also split the Kasturba Road/CCD junction climb up to Minsk Square into half as we took a right on M.G. Road.
Despite the heavy downpour overnight, the rain gods were considerate and did not trouble any of the runners once the race started. There was waterlogging in multiple places, but the support team did a fantastic job clearing as much as possible. The grip on the Puma Nitro Elite 3 was fantastic and helped me a lot. Having a fellow runner along with me for the majority of the route was a welcome change from the past marathons where I ran all alone (among thousands of runners at the big World Marathon Majors).
| Interval | Chip Time | Chip Pace (min/km) | Speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split @ 1.5 Km | 00:06:48 | 00:04:32 | 13.2 km/h |
| Split @ 5.2 Km | 00:23:27 | 00:04:31 | 13.3 km/h |
| Split @ 6.6 Km | 00:30:49 | 00:04:41 | 12.8 km/h |
| Split @ 8.2 Km | 00:37:21 | 00:04:34 | 13.1 km/h |
| Split @ 10.6 Km | 00:48:11 | 00:04:33 | 13.2 km/h |
| Split @ 13.4 Km | 01:00:51 | 00:04:33 | 13.2 km/h |
| Split @ 16.5 Km | 01:15:03 | 00:04:33 | 13.2 km/h |
| Split @ 19.3 Km | 01:28:18 | 00:04:35 | 13.1 km/h |
| Split @ 20.7 Km | 01:34:35 | 00:04:35 | 13.1 km/h |
| Split @ 21.1 Km | 01:36:20 | 00:04:34 | 13.1 km/h |
| Split @ 22.6 Km | 01:43:14 | 00:04:35 | 13.1 km/h |
| Split @ 26.3 Km | 02:00:18 | 00:04:35 | 13.1 km/h |
| Split @ 27.7 Km | 02:07:51 | 00:04:37 | 13 km/h |
| Split @ 29.3 Km | 02:14:31 | 00:04:36 | 13 km/h |
| Split @ 31.7 Km | 02:25:34 | 00:04:36 | 13 km/h |
| Split @ 34.5 Km | 02:38:19 | 00:04:36 | 13 km/h |
| Split @ 37.6 Km | 02:52:51 | 00:04:36 | 13 km/h |
| Split @ 40.4 Km | 03:06:32 | 00:04:38 | 12.9 km/h |
| Split @ 41.8 Km | 03:13:04 | 00:04:38 | 12.9 km/h |
| Full Course | 03:14:48 | 00:04:37 | 13 km/h |
Full Course - Gun Time: 03:15:01
This being my home marathon, there were many familiar faces on the route calling out my name and cheering me on. A couple of stretches had the good fortune of pacing support, especially on the Kasturba Road incline in the second loop and from the CCD junction to KSLTA inside Cubbon Park, a tricky section, especially when you’re in the 37th or 38th km of a marathon.
The stretch from KSLTA to Vidhanasoudha was tough, but knowing that the last 3 km were going to be easier helped me maintain my pace. Once I passed the Central Library stretch and took the left turn at Corporation Circle, I was tempted to check my watch to see how much time was left before it hit 3:15. I controlled the urge and kept running, took the final U-turn, and raced toward the Kanteerava Stadium gate.
Turning left into the stadium, I entered the steep decline, looked at the clock, and when I saw 3:14, I let out a loud “roar,” sprinted toward the finish line, and jumped across it to stop my watch, which read 3:14:44. The official finish time for this effort was 3:14:48. I couldn’t have been happier to meet my wife, Suchi, just as I crossed the line. Thanks to NEB for the wonderful click of that moment! That picture will be extra special for the rest of my life.
I was on cloud nine, replaying scenes from the race in my mind, thinking about those tough inclines and how I navigated them. Finishing early is always an advantage in races, as the finish area is mostly empty. I walked toward the medal collection area and then headed to the physio tent for some stretches.
Having a hotel room nearby was incredibly helpful, as I was able to go back for a quick shower and a fresh set of clothes. I proudly wore my “BQ’d” T-shirt, so much for modesty! Afterward, I returned to the stadium to meet the rest of the gang from our running group, Soles of Bangalore, and enjoyed a nice breakfast that NEB provides at all their events.
I was confident I had made it to the podium, so I made all my friends wait near the main stage where the prize distribution was taking place for the elites. After a long wait, the organizers announced that the age-group prizes would be announced later in the day, with the prizes to be couriered to the winners. Such a bummer! I had even rehearsed my walk to the stage, ala Hitman… but it wasn’t meant to be!
Later in the evening, as I had expected, one of our enthusiastic running group members posted in our WhatsApp group that I had won my age group—yes, I was #1 in the 45 to 55 years category. It’s an accomplishment I will always cherish, especially as it happened at my home race!
The biggest learning: to achieve spectacular results, the motto has to be “Relentless consistency in doing simple things!” Simple is not easy—it’s the hardest part. It’s very easy to get distracted by all the fancy-looking stuff we see around us on social media.
Simple is not easy because it takes a lot of determination to wake up day in and day out and go out there running slow—so slow that other runners comment they were surprised to see some of my race paces. Simple is not easy because sometimes you face self-doubt when speed workouts don’t go as planned.
Simple doesn’t mean there’s no planning. In fact, it requires extra planning to maintain the balance between slow runs, speed work, strength training, mobility, flexibility, nutrition, and recovery. Everything must be kept simple and done consistently, without compromise.
But simple is the key—sticking to the process is the key. Trusting the process is the key.
If you’re still reading this, thank you for your time and interest. I hope you found something useful from this report. Feel free to reach out if you want more details on anything specific. Good luck with your training and upcoming races! I hope to see some of you in races over the next few months.
The next main race for me will be the New Delhi Marathon on February 23, 2025. The half marathon at the Tata Mumbai Marathon will be the “checkpoint” to determine my race pace for NDM. I’ve also registered for the half marathon at the Adani Ahmedabad Marathon at the end of November, which will not be a full-throttle race but more of a fun outing with my training partners.
Madhukar has is six star finisher. He is an active member of Soles of Bangalore, a leading running group based in Bangalore. Apart from running he works with an IT firm in Bangalore and lives with his wife and 2 sons.
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