Training for KTM, Bangalore Ultra & other events

If you have not read this or this, please do so now.

I am looking at starting new batches of people planning to run in the KTM aka Kaveri Trail Marathon (16th Sep 12), the Bangalore Ultra (11th Nov 12) and any other events till Dec 2012.

I will start a separate batch for the Mumbai Marathon 2013 and the Dubai Marathon 2013 sometime in Oct 2012. I am currently coaching or have signed up both men and women training for the following events among others
- Perth Marathon 2012
- Airtel Delhi Half Marathon in Nov 2012
- Berlin Marathon 2012
- Wineglass Marathon 2012

and other races in Asia, Europe & USA over the next 4 months.

Although there are nearly 18 weeks to go for the KTM and nearly 6 months to go for the Bangalore Ultra, I am travelling to the US from 28 May to 26 June and am back in India only on 27th June. So I am keen to start people off on a plan so that they have adequate preparation even in my absence. And this advanced start is especially for people who have never run before and are starting from scratch.

Further, the following are my "good-to-know" expectations, at the start although they aren't requirements. So you may still train with me even if you they don't match your current status

1. If it is your first running event in life, then you should ideally train to just have fun and finish the event. If you want to train for a certain time, then see points no. 2,3 & 4 below.
2. If you want to run a 5k/10K then you need to have a minimum of 10-12 weeks before you start training with me for your race.
3. If you want to run a half marathon, you need to have run a 10K in the last 6 weeks and have at least 10-12 weeks to raceday or have at least 16 weeks to raceday to start training from scratch.
4. If you want to run a marathon, you need to have run a half marathon in the last 6 weeks and have at least 12-14 weeks to raceday or have at least 24-26 weeks to raceday to start training from scratch.

However if you are planning to train for a 5k/10K/half marathon/marathon in India or overseas or even no event in particular, write to me at dhammonia@gmail.com along with your contact details (mobile no. if you have one) and we will work something out.

Updated Book Lust/List for 2012

I have now decided that my benevolent billionaire is reading my blog for books I want. So I shall now run this post where I will put up books I am lusting for, as of date.
I have divided it into books I want to own and books I am happy to just read.
Admittedly while money is a primary constraint right now, some of the books below esp. in the 2nd list are simply not available.
So if you are browsing a library sale and see any of these, pick them up for me! (if I can dream of a benevolent billionaire, surely I can get her/him to go a book sale also, no?

Books I want to own

Eat and Run by Scott Jurek
The rest is noise by Alex Ross
The man who loved China by Simon Winchester
Running Anatomy by Joseph Puleo and Patrick McIlroy
The Runner's body by Ross Tucker and Jonathan Dugas
Best Efforts - Kenny Moore
Running in literature - Roger Robinson
Running and Being - George Sheehan
Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?: Fitness Myths...by Alex Hutchinson
Hansons Marathon Method by Luke Humphrey with Keith & Kevin Hanson
Train Hard Win Easy by Toby Tanser
R.D. Burman: The Man, The Music 1st Edition by Anirudha Bhattacharjee, Balaji Vittal
Soccernomics by Simon Kuiper & Stefan Szymanski
The Meaning of Tingo by Adam Jacot de Boinot
The Wonder of Whiffling by Adam Jacot de Boinot
The Age of Insight by Eric Kandel
The Emperor by Ryszard Kapuscinski

Books I am happy to read (maybe I will buy them if I like them as much!)

Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn
A Life without Limits by Chrissie Wellington
Open City by Teju Cole
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
In the Plex by Stephen Levy
Empire by Niall Ferguson 
The Heath Brothers: Made to Stick
The Sly company of people who care by Rahul Bhattacharya
Pundits from Pakistan by Rahul Bhattacharya
Bossypants by Tina Fey

14 minutes by Alberto Salazar (with John Brant)
Radioactive (a graphic novel about Marie Curie)
Information by James Gleick
Hark! a vagrant by Kate Beaton
National Geographic’s Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom
The Man of Numbers by Keith Devlin
Masters of Mystery: The Strange Friendship of Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini
The Night life of Trees
I am feeling lucky by Doug Edwards
Calories and corsets: a history of dieting by Louise foxcroft
Guy De Lisle's Shenzen
Guy De Lisle's Jerusalem*
CV Raman, a biography by Uma P
Pilgrim's India: An Anthology Edited By Arundhathi Subramaniam
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
Self made olympian - Ron Daws
Marathon - Clarence de Mar
Corbitt - John Chodes
Thirty phone booths from boston - Don Kardong
The Fast Men - Tom McNab
The Olympian - Brian Glanville
Anything for a t-shirt  - Ron Rubin
The runner's guide to the meaning of life - Amby Burfoot
First marathons - Gail Kislevitz
Running on Empty - Marshall Ulrich
The City and the City by Chine Mieville
In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan
The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
Pretty Girl in Crimson Rose (8): A Memoir of Love, Exile, and Crosswords by Sandy Balfour

* his latest which I began reading at Saratoga Public library, but couldn't quite finish

I have a longer list of only running-related books but that is ever expanding.
As you will note, 1 book is off the list, thanks to a generous pal. Another book I wanted to read but didn't want to buy, Boo's book got off the list before it got on, thanks to another generous pal.

Start sending money!
You are also welcome to suggest additions to the list.

Ok, fine. If you haven't realized till now, this is really a convenient list for me to refer to when I go shopping for books. I am tired of having to look thru multiple mails in Gmail or documents with lists I keep creating on my computer that I don't exactly have handy when I need them.

Last updated on 14th Feb 2013