Why this half-marathon champ believes Indian runners have the distance in the genes; Pune, do you?

59:43 is the US half-marathan record Ryan Hall set on January 14, 2007, at Houston. It is a record that no male American athlete has broken yet.

Pune Bajaj Allianz Pune is doing all it can to ensure its ‘family run’ event has the right balance between being a fun event, and allowing serious middle-to-long distance runners to give it a proper go.

Set to take place on December 9, 2018, the half-marathon (21.1km) will be the highlight event.

A six-km run and the 10km run are the events for families to give running the streets of Pune a go.

With the above in place, Ryan Hall and Dr Jack Daniels (not the booze), are now the brand ambassador and curator for the event.

While Dr Daniels is considered to be the ‘Einstein of modern day sport’ it is Ryan Hall who meets with Hindustan Times, running kit, et al to give us an indepth understanding of the life of a modern-day distance runner. Hall, now retired, is the American long-distance runner who holds the US record for the half marathon.

59:43 is the US half-marathan record Ryan Hall set on January 14, 2007, at Houston. It is a record that no male American athlete has broken yet.

So, does Hall have a special set of genes that enabled him to be a record setter?

Recently, research carried out by FECYT – Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology – concluded that genetics play an essential role in the success of a long-distance runner. While Hall agrees that genetics are essential, he is of the opinion that it is not the be-all and end-all. Athletes should not be discouraged if genetics are not in their favour.

“Genetics does play a massive role in long-distance running, but I think that it is not as big a deal as people make it out to be. I think you can run at the top level even if you don’t have ‘optimal genetics.’ Certainly being of a smaller build is more beneficial for the pros. It’s interesting being here in India, having lived in Ethiopia and Kenya, I see a lot of similarities. I feel there is a lot of potential here in India.”

Diabetes and obesity are two demons that have possessed several Indians over the years. In fact, according to evaluations by the World Health Organisation, people with diabetes in India doubled from 32 million in 2000 to 63 million in 2013 and the problem is projected to increase to nearly 101.2 million in the next 15 years. The rate of obesity, however, has since subsided, but it still is a major health hazard faced by a number of people in the country.

According to Hall, the right way to encourage people to take up running and keep themselves healthy is by making them aware about the different health benefits the sport has to offer. He said, “I think you only need to keep the knowledge flowing. We need to try and keep the runners and the general population informed about what’s happening which will help them make the right decisions. Promoting health and fitness is one of the primary reasons why I’m here.”

Another reason why Hall decided to come to Pune was because of the concept of the “family run, where a number of members from a family run as a group. Having recently adopted four girls, he believes it is an important to enjoy these moments as a whole.

“What drew me to the race was that recently my wife and I adopted four Ethiopian girls and the thing we wanted to do was to go to an event where we could all run at the same time. This is the first time in India where people will be given an opportunity to participate in a race where they can walk or run or dress up in costumes and make it a celebration of running by just having fun,” says Hall.

Then there is the techno-advancement of smart devices that are adding to a runner’s essential kit. Hall says, “The most exciting thing about technology now is having your heart rate on a watch without having to wear a strap on your chest. It’s very important to know where your heart rate is at because you need to know whether you’re starting a race too fast because you’re excited, or to make sure you’re running at the right effort level. Another important advancement is seen in the footwear industry with the shoes coming out with carbon fibre plates which are giving the runners a big advantage. There’s science behind everything we do, from recovery sessions, to nutrition, to sleep patterns.”

Chandramohan Mehra, chief marketing officer, Bajaj Allianz, and marathon runner:

“As Bajaj Allianz is headquartered here in Pune, we said why not start a half marathon here in the city. When you look at all the large brands you see ‘Bank of America Chicago Marathon,’ ‘TATA Mumbai Marathon’ or ‘BMW Berlin Marathon. Thus, this half marathon is a great opportunity for us to build a brand which is anchored on good health. The primary reason is that there is a running revolution which has been sparked in the last 3-4 years. Also, when a sport is so inclusive, you don’t need to have a specific skill, but if you have an interest then you can pursue that.”