Expert speak: Are you fit enough for the marathon?

The Mumbai marathon is around the corner, so its time to dust off your old running shoes and hit the road.  But wait a minute – while it sounds great to turn back the clock and get some oxygen roaring through tired lungs; do not succumb to the weekend warrior syndrome.  This usually happens when after years of inactivity you suddenly decide to get physically active and directly hit the top gear, often leading to injury.

Several of you might be walking regularly, but running is a different sport altogether.  While running, there are times when both your feet are off the ground simultaneously unlike walking. Now this may sound insignificant, but in practice one needs to build up to running in a gradual manner. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get there:

1. Start by walking - The first step to any successful running program is walking. Begin by walking for 30 minutes and gradually increase the pace until you are able to do it at a brisk pace. Keep doing this until it feels easy.
2. Add a few jogs –  When you are comfortable walking briskly and want to step up the pace, simply insert three to four jogs of 100 metres or so into your 30-40 minute walk. Warm up by walking slowly, build into a brisk walk and then do the short jogs when you feel ready.
3. Consult your doctor before your start - Especially if you have a known risk for heart disease or other health issues or are more than 40 years of age.
4. Slowly increase the amount of running time - As you get more accustomed to running, increase the running segments always avoiding discomfort. Eventually you should be able to run for 30 minutes continuously.  Do not worry about the pace! 
5.  Don’t over-do it - Listen to your body.  If you feel discomfort while running, particularly in the chest area, you need to slow down and may need to get yourself examined by a doctor. 
6. Hydrate well - If you’re running in the heat, make sure you drink plenty of water before, during, and after your run.
7. Cool down - Do not suddenly stop running; gradually do so over the last five minutes.

Below is a sample six-week training schedule to help you run for 30 minutes.

 

Walk

Run

Total minutes

Number of cycles

1^st week

4 min

1 min

30 min

6 cycles of walk-run

2^nd week

6 min

2 min

40 min

5 cycles of walk-run

3^rd week

4 min

4 min

40 min

5 cycles of walk-run

4^th week

2 min

6 min

40 min

5 cycles of walk-run

5^th week

1 min

5min

30 min

5 cycles of walk-run

6^th week

1 min

9 min

30 min

3 cycles of walk-run

 How do you know you’re going overboard?

For safety, the intensity (how hard should you exercise) is very important.  To obtain maximum cardiovascular benefit, you should exercise between 55-85% of your maximum heart rate.  Your maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age.  Therefore if you are 40 years old, your maximum heart rate is 180, and you should exercise between 99 and 119 beats per minute, which corresponds to 55 to 85% of your maximum heart rate.  The lower end of the heart rate range is for older and de-conditioned people.  As your fitness level improves you can start exercising at the higher end of the heart rate range.

If you do not want to actually measure your heart rate a simple way of monitoring exercise intensity is the talk test. If you are too breathless to carry on a conversation with someone beside you, then you are probably working too hard and need to slow down. 

A third method is to use a system called Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE).  Using this, you should exercise at an intensity which you perceive to be between ‘fairly light’ and ‘somewhat hard’. 

The author  Dr Aashish Contractor is a renowned preventive cardiologist and the Medical Director of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. 

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.

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