One of my favourite things to do in New York

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has several chapters spread across the city. For someone who doesn't even live in the city (or for that matter, in the US!) but loves books, the NYPL book sales are great fun, especially if you have a couple of hours to kill.

One such chapter of the NYPL with a regular book sale is the St. Agnes Branch, which is b/w 81st and 82nd Streets on Amsterdam Ave. Sales are on almost every 3 weeks or so. The sale books are to be found in the basement of the building. The counters are manned by wonderful, genial volunteers - quite a few of them members or former staff. I met one such friendly lady when I was there earlier this year and told her that it must rank among one of several, but little known pleasures of New York. I offered to post about it on my blog but it took me this much time to finally write it down. I would strongly recommend you visit the library and check out the collections. The rates are ridiculously cheap - with fantastic buys for $1-2.

Let me know if you are in the city sometime and manage to check out the sale. What I did was take a long walk around Central Park, shuffled across to the library, killed an hour or so, then got myself a coffee and then went back to the Park for another walk. Can't imagine a day better spent 

Training for ADHM 2013, SCMM 2014

ADHM - Airtel Delhi Half Marathon
SCMM - Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon

This training season unlike the past two, I didn't even get to announce my batch for the Kaveri Trail Marathon, before I had my hands full.

I will start my batches for ADHM on 3rd Aug 2013 from when there will be 16 weeks to the race. There will be 2 batches - batch 1 will train with me on Mon, Wed & Sat and batch 2 will train on Tue, Thu & Sun*.

The following are the key features of my training program

1. You will run for 3 days a week with my group (and ideally run 2 days on your own), of which you will do two runs a week with a group*. The 3 key runs will be a speed workout, a tempo run and a long run. All the 3 key runs will be outdoor.

2. For those who have already run a half marathon in the past and are looking at improving timings, I may have a batch for just 12 weeks, but since you will pay the same as the people who sign up for 16 weeks, you may as well start earlier.

3. You will get a customized training plan in line with your capabilities (to be assessed using a time trial) and supervision of your training sessions.

4. You will get feedback as needed both at the key runs and at the end of the week.

5. We will set a mutually agreed target in line with your capabilities and performance for the final race.

6. The locations for the run are public parks - Lalbagh, Cubbon Park and occasionally other locations for special runs such as Nandi Hills, Kanakapura, etc.

If you are keen, I can also work with you on planning your diet based on my experience. While I have little experiential advice to dole out to non-vegetarians, being vegetarian myself, I don't see that as a constraint.

If you are interested in training for a different event, mail me at the id given below.

If you are interested, fill in this questionnaire, mail me at runningcoach@outlook.com and we will discuss specifics like locations, timings, fees, etc.

I am also taking on people who will train with me with both ADHM and SCMM for 24 weeks from 3rd Aug 2013 to 19th Jan 2014 (there are a few signed up already).

As in the past, here are a few pointers.

1. If you are a newbie and want to start training, now is the time.
2. If you are an experienced runner, you could start when there are about 16 weeks to go to your race.
3. To repeat & rephrase something I said here, if you want to run a half marathon, you need to have run a 10K in the last 6 weeks and have at least 12 weeks to raceday or have at least 20 weeks to raceday to start training from scratch. If you want to run a marathon, you need to have run a half marathon in the last 6 weeks and have at least 16 weeks to raceday or have at least 24 weeks to raceday to start training from scratch.

Unlike in the past, this year, I will limit the no. of trainees that I train in person, to not more than 10 per batch for ADHM & SCMM, unless you are already training with me. So there's some benefit to signing up early. I haven't yet placed a limit on the no. I will train remotely.

If you aren't interested in training for any event, but still interested in training with me, please do mail me at runningcoach@outlook.com anyways

In case you are outside Bangalore and want to discuss email/telephone-based coaching (Yes, there is such a thing. Even some sub-elite athletes train like that) mail me and we shall work something out. 

FYI, I have people training for the following events as of now

1. Hyderabad Marathon
2. Kaveri Trail Marathon
3. Celebration Run Mysore 21K
4. SAFRA Singapore Bay Run and Army Half Marathon
5. Berlin Marathon
6. TCS Amsterdam Marathon
7. Chicago Marathon
8. New York Marathon
9. Airtel Delhi Half Marathon
10. Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon
11. Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon

About me