Hyderabad Half Review

After the Hyderabad half marathon, it is time to introspect on the training and preparation. For me running a race is very similar to preparing for an exam. You don’t go into an exam thinking that you will do well. You go in knowing that you will do well. And having that confidence only comes with hard preparation.

There were several reasons why I could not increase the volume and quality of my training. The groin injury, the constant stitches have not been fun to say the least and have almost quite literally disrupted my training. However, besides all this, I gave in to the injury without trying hard enough to overcome it and resume training.

Pre-Race:

I walked around, ate unhealthy biriyani for lunch and dinner, skipped sleep the previous night – all things one should not do before a big run. Ideally, one should just put their legs up, relax and think about the finish.

Race Morning

I forgot to take my favorite running t-shirt and had to run in a dri-fit that I was not comfortable to run with. It sucked all throughout the race and I had to take my t-shirt off after 10k and run with a bare chest.

The run went well until 15k after which a group of runners from Rishi Valley who seemed like they trained together overtook me. It is really de-motivating to see 6 people overtake you in one shot.

The Terrain

My training was mainly to run in Indiranagar or Cubbon which are both mostly flat. To train, I did not work on hills, speed workouts or intervals. It is much needed if your goal is 1:43 for a half. The terrain in Hyderabad was difficult and had several uphills which killed me.

The Finish

This was again one of my best finishes. There was one person from the railways who was going to drop out and it was fun to pull her up and get her to finish 4^rd in the elite women category.

A very well organized race but it was not a fun experience to finish 5 minutes slower than my personal best. My strategy is not to run a race for a few months until I am confident to run a half marathon in 1:40. I hope things work out this year just similar to the end of last year.