12 Hour Stadium Run (BLR Mar 2023) – Finally hitting the 90s

Having had a good season in 2022-23 (highlight being a 3:34 finish in Delhi Marathon), I was eagerly looking forward to the last major race of the season – 12 Hours Solo at the Bengaluru Stadium Run. While the initial goal was to hit 100K in 12 hours, I revised the target to 90s as the gap between the Delhi Marathon and the stadium run was just 3 weeks. When you are training for an FM, you are largely training for the optimum combination of endurance and speed, so it is tough to switch gears into Ultras, where the focus is on endurance and longevity. In hindsight, this decision turned out to be a savior!

The plan for 12 hours was simple – run the first 6 hours in 6 to 6:30 pace zone with zero walking except a few rounds after a food break and may be a round or two for leg break in case of exigencies. Thereafter, take the race in segments of 2 hours each and settle into a run walk rhythm till 10:30 hours and finally going for a big push in the final 90 mins (if the body allows to do so!). I had good company this time with my running buddies – Arun, Chandra & Anna, also running the same category. So, here is how the race went!

A) Hour – 0 to 4 : A good measured start

Just before the flag off there was a short burst of shower, thankfully it went off right around flag off. I settled into a good rhythm right at the onset – clocking steady Ks in 6 to 6:30 pace zone. Everytime we veered into sub 6 pace zone, someone within the group would call out and we would hold back the urge to run fast.

First 3 hours went like a breeze with 30K under the belt. More importantly, Arun, Chandra & I were the chattiest group on the track in this phase. Almost, everyone we passed or those who passed us complimented us for being super relaxed and joyful. We were determined to keep the tempo and the chat going for as long as we could. Arun was in fine form, I was feeling relaxed and Chandra kept himself glued to our backs all through.

At 34km mark (roughly 3:30 hrs) into the race, we decided to break for food. We had a solid dedicated aid station set-up this time with Vivaan (my son), Rudransh (Chandra’s son) and Hiral (wifey) crewing for us. Our curd rice plate was ready as we stopped and we wolfed down our food keeping our feet up to catch some leg break as well. And then hit the the track again. We were walking now to ensure that food is nicely settled. By 4 hours mark, we had covered 37km and feeling quite fine.

B) Hour – 5 to 7 : The ordeal begins

We were onto a good rhythm untill the FM mark and thereafter I felt the need to break for water/electrolytes more often. The weather was getting extremely humid with little to no breeze. I took a short loo break and found out the urine color to be awfully dark; bad news! I was dehydrating despite breaking more often for water then in the initial hours. There was also a bit of burining sensation down there.

I decided to send in more water over next 45 mins to ensure that my dehydration doesn’t lead to cramps. Thankfully there weren’t any major cramps but I did not find good rhythm to get back to 6 to 6:30 pace zone. Between 5th to 7th hour, I just snailed through from 37km to 58km. Thats just 21k in 3 hours and my energy levels were dropping. I also found most other runners struggling around this zone with primary complaint of extreme humidity.

I had officially entered the dark zone now and I was livid about it. I had lost the running rhythm, was low on energy and run+walk was the only way my laps were passing. With 5 hours to go and in a terrible shape, I felt hitting 90s was also a distant dream. The only solace here was that there was no major cramps except minor burning sensation down there.

C) Hours – 8 to 9 : The rescue mission

In hindsight, these two hours were the toughest. My singular focus now was to settle into some rhythm and drag till 10 hours mark before doing anything different. Here is where I found Chandra for the company. He was quite a few laps down but was looking in better shape than me. I told him about my plan of 1/4 walk + 3/4 run and he jumped in. He pushed me to start chatting again, which I did. Slowly we got back into a good rhythm and stirred up several 7:30-8 pace zone kms.

We kept our discipline and motored on – one lap at a time, one km at a time. By the end of 9 hours, I had covered 73km as per my Garmin but the offcial distance as per the laps was around 69 km.

I told Chandra that I had to run an HM in the next 3 hours to hit into 90s. On any given day, this is a cake walk but not after 9 hours running. There was absolutely no margin for error left now. The only silver lining was that we had some semblance of rhythm, the finish line was near and the target looked distant but achievable.

D) Hours – 10 to 11 : Rescue mission continues

Chandra & I kept on with our run walk routine. Arun was running in a different league. The super nice guy he is, he offered to pull us. I told him to push for 95K+ distance rather than trudge along with us and loose rhythm. At 10 hour mark, I was exactly at 80km mark as per my Garmin but 76km mark was per the lap count. We were averaging 8:15-8:30 pace zone in these 2 hours – roughly covering 7-7.5km per hour.

I told Chandra that I need another 14-15km in the final 2 hours to hit the goal. This was in achievable zone. The weather was also getting better – temperature dropped a bit, humidity levels went down and there was nice cool breeze.

E) Final 90 mins : The last push

At around 10:45 hrs mark, I decided to shift gears and start stitchiing full laps and break the run walk rhythm. I took a short break and took my first gel and hopped out with a wild hope that the good weather and the gel will do the magic.

Hiral as always was super supportive. She asked how I was feeling and if I would be able to run and may be should not push. I told her my plan – to push hard like there is no tomorrow. She smiled and said start running & do it then!

So, the push began. I belted a 6:30 in 87th km and 6:23 in the 88th km. I felt I was back in the run! While my Garmin showed 88m on the 11th hour mark, the official distance was around 83km. With one hour to go, I was 7km shy of my target.

There was no holding back now. I was determined to push in 8km in the final hour with the renewed zeal and energy. By now, most of the body parts were hurting, every lap was coming at humungous effort but I keep running like a man possessed. I was steadily hitting 6 to 6:30 pace zone now except for the kms where I had to break for hydration. I was holding up the pace and to my suprise was also lapping several runners including the final slot 2 hours relay runners!

The final 5km pace was – 6:02, 6:32, 6:04, 6:07 & 5:56! At exact 12 hour mark, my Garmin showed 96.51Km and the official distance was 90.8km! Target achieved, mission accomplished.

I met Hiral and Vivaan after the finish line; was stoked to see them cheering for me. I realized how happy they were for me. Hiral had seen me down and out just 5 hours back – from that point to finishing on a high was just surreal! Chandra, Anna, Arun and I bunched up and heaved a big sigh of relief!

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While this 12 hour run was my personal best thus far, it was also one of the most difficult races I have ever run. I genuinely felt that my race was gone in the 6th and 7th hour zone. There were a lot of doubts in those dark hours. So much so that at one point I was contemplating a DNF and end the ordeal. I also saw some concerned faces in that zone – particularly Hiral who did not express the concern as always, Vikas who asked me to take it easy and do as per body feel, and Chandra who remarked that my usual charming smile had gone missing.

I have been fortunate to find my mojo back from such situations. Whenever I am in the dark zone, I try to visualize Vivaan at the finish line cheering for me! That joy of seeing your son happy about his dad accomplishing crazy milestones cannot be described in words. How can I disappoint him and disappoint myself – this singular thought invariably pulls me out of the dark zone. It has worked for me everytime and I truly believe in this now!

So, what next after this 12 hours vigil? Some much needed downtime and rest for sure. Past 3 months have been crazy – Podium finish @ Bengaluru Ultra in Dec, 3:47 @ Mumbai Marathon in Jan, 3:34 @ Delhi Marathon in Feb and this one. I have surely earned the right to rest my body for now!

I am determined to hit the 100k mark in 12 hours someday – may be next year! We will wait and see how it goes.

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Event: Bengaluru Stadium Run 19 Mar 2023

Category: 12 Hours Individual

Shoes: Saucony Speed 3

Socks: CEP Compression No Show

Gear: Nike Base layer, T10 Top, Adidas Zip Pocket Short, Kalenji Undershorts

Watch: Coros Pace 2