Welcome to my weekly training diary for 2024! Inspired by Daniel Barton’s training log, I’ve decided to document my journey every Sunday, offering a glimpse into my progress and challenges.
A little background: My running journey began just over a year ago in 2023, when a friend encouraged me to go out for a 5k run. I clocked in 31 minutes and 52 seconds, with a pace of 6:22 min/km. It was an eye opening moment. Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to improving, and as we enter 2024, I’ve seen a lot of growth in my running abilities. Goals that once seemed distant are now within reach. But my journey doesn’t stop there. In addition to running, I’ve ventured into cycling, acquiring a bike and an indoor bike trainer to hone my skills. While I’ve made strides, there’s still much ground to cover in this new endeavor. As someone who has always identified with endurance and adventure pursuits, my ultimate dream is to complete an Ironman Triathlon. An interesting twist? As of March 2024, I have yet to learn how to swim.
This log serves as a window into my experiences and growth throughout 2024. It’s a tool for reflection and tracking, but it’s also an invitation for interaction and discussion. Let’s see where this year takes us!
Races & Goals
- Berlin Half Marathon - 7th April, 2024 (Goal: sub 1hr40min)
- Ironman 70.3 Erkner - 15th September, 2024 (Goal: sub 5hr45min)
- Berlin Marathon - 29th September, 2024 (Goal: sub 3hr30min)
Inspiring Stories
Below are some miscellaneous links I keep coming back to
- Project Iceman: Anders Hofman
- Training vs. Exercise | Rich Roll Podcast
- Podcast: Yashish Dahiya CEO, PolicyBazaar
Week 14
This week was again low in intensity overall, given the BerlinHalf, and no bike sessions at all. Swim sessions were good, got consistent with my breast stroke kicks, need to get the breathing in sync with arms and kicks now.
The main event, Berliner Halb Marathon, finally happened on Sunday.
Along with some of my friends, I reached the course location with a vibe similar to the competitive exams I took back in the day. We discussed some random race stuff and meeting points, and 30 minutes before the start time, I parted ways to get in line for my group. As it turned out, I was 2kms away from the starting point, and to make matters more interesting, all portable WCs were full of long queues, so I just had to find a place between the trees. :P
Chuckling at the impromptu solution, and weaving through the eager participants I reached my designated start group, C, just two minutes before the starting signal. In a way that was also good, since there was no time to think much. Navigating through the crowd, engaging in light-hearted conversations as the minutes ticked away, I positioned myself among the fellow runners waiting for the start gun.
As the starting signal pierced the air, and thousands of feet eagerly tapping against the ground in unison, I quickly found myself swept into the rhythm of the race, with a grin on my face.
I closely monitored the weather forecast throughout the week leading up to the race, anticipating what was predicted to be the hottest day of the year thus far. True to the forecast, the day greeted us with high temperatures. Despite the heat, I felt strong during the initial 12 kilometers, consistently hitting my splits and even surpassing my planned pace.
At 10k, planned: 00:47:20, while I was actually at 00:46:57, which was great, granting me some buffer for the second half. At 15k, planned: 01:10:55, and I was still doing well and was ahead of the plan at 1:10:46. Maintaining an average pace of 4 minutes and 43 seconds per kilometer—exactly as I had hoped—all seemed to align perfectly. Continuing at this pace would have seen me finish comfortably within my target time, with a surplus of 30 seconds to spare.
Unfortunately, the race took an unexpected turn from this point forward, it wasn’t smooth sailing anymore. It is pure mathematics, train in 6 degrees, race in 20, and your brain will pull the plug eventually as it cannot predict how dangerous a higher core temperature is to your system.
After swiftly recalculating, I made the decision to slow down my pace by three seconds for the next 5 kilometers in order to maintain my overall time target and reduce chances of any blow up during the last few kilometers. I began to notice ominous hints of cramping (which scared the shit out of me, cause I never experienced them during training). I pulled through it until kilometer 19, when my left calf seized up in a debilitating cramp, defying all my attempts to command it. I knew if I stopped, all is over, end of all the hard work, it was not an option. Somehow found the energy to push through the last couple of kilometers, well below the intended pace, culminating with a 1:40:55 final time, giving me a finishing place 3988 out of the 38712 runners, not too bad :P
Having mentioned all that, I absolutely enjoyed every second of the race. With my friends, cheering for me on the sidelines, made the race extra special and totally worth it. While I fell short of my secondary target of sub 1 hour and 40 minutes, the primary objective—to relish every moment of the race—was undeniably achieved. I will, for sure, go under sub 1:40 very soon!!!
We celebrated the race with a nice meal. I’m fortunate to have the best group of friends, who cheered and supported me throughout. To my friends, both on-site and at home tracking my progress live during the race, and to all the people who turned up, “high-fiving” random strangers, thank you for making it special! Berlin Half Marathon was an electric race, and an experinece I’ll not forget.
Week 13
Regularly hitting the pool with Piyush for the swim sessions, started to learn the breast stroke, still not perfect with my kicks but hopefully I’ll fix them next week.
Besides that this week was low volume on run and bike workouts, given the taper for Berlin Half. Also I spent a couple of days at GoJump, as the skydiving season started, making my first few jumps of the season. That felt real good, but now I need to balance the jumping and training time somehow. :P
Week 12
It’s been a productive week with some notable highlights in my training routine. I hit the pool twice, focusing on fundamental skills like bobbing and practicing controlled exhaling underwater—an essential step in building my swimming proficiency.
On the running front, mixed it up with zone 2 runs, complemented by both challenging and easy Zwift rides. I also introduced my new pair of Nike Pegasus 40 EK running shoes into the mix with a 10k run. While they didn’t quite wow me compared to my beloved Hoka Mach X, it’s likely just a matter of getting accustomed to the new feel.
With the IPL season kicking off, I found added entertainment during my Zwift rides, keeping me engaged and motivated. Wrapping up the week on Sunday, I tackled a comprehensive workout covering all three disciplines: a solid 30k run followed by a swim session and capped off with an easy Zwift ride.
As the Berlin Half draws nearer, I’m feeling the excitement and anticipation building. With just two weeks to go, time to taper the runs and dial in the right routine. Bring it on! 🏃♂️💦🚴♂️
Week 11
It was probably the toughest week for me till now since I started IM training. Not physically, but mentally. Many factors adding to that. A few weeks ago, I registered for the IM 70.3 Erkner, knowing that I’ve ZERO swimming background (yes embarassing, I can’t swim at all, to the point I’ll drown in water). I don’t know why I registered, maybe got too excited and wanted to push myself. I thought this would help me get serious about swim training. That WORKED! However, finding a coach proved to be more challenging than I anticipated. Despite reaching out to several in Berlin, either they were fully booked or not equipped to handle beginners like me.
People told me:
Anon1: “6 months, 1.9km and a mass open water swimming start, huhh, for someone who can’t swim at all, NOT A GOOD IDEA!”
Anon2: “6 months, 1.9km, that’s too ambitious man”
And other such comments from some folks, definitely affected my confidence and hopes of participating in this year’s 70.3 in Berlin. What started as a fun journey, now it became a stressful situation, so much so that I wasn’t able to focus on work, eat or sleep on time. Moreover it affected my current training regime; felt down, lazy and lacked motivation for my ongoing sessions, as you could see in the weekly log above.
Amidst the uncertainty, I found solace and encouragement from my swimming friends and fellow triathletes who believe it is possible, with the right mindset and consistency. Thanks Shivam, Igor, Aaradhya, Maanit and Dhruv. I’ve exactly 6 months left, and I’d like to believe it is possible (“Anything is Possible ~ IM”), I NEED to make it work. Let’s give everything!
I’ve decided to get the BerlinerBader monthly pass. Mannit and Igor will help me get started. Hopefully starting next week, there will be some swimming sessions in my training log. Here’s to embracing the journey ahead with optimism and determination! 🏊♂️💪
Atleast the week ended on a good note, with a new Half Marathon PB: 1:40:48, good to see, looking forward to hitting my goal and breaking the sub 1:40 mark in 3 weeks at the Berlin Half Marathon (my first official race).
Week 10
Week 9
Week 8
Week 7
Week 6
Week 5
Week 4
Week 3
Week 2
Week 1
