Nitendra Singh Rawat, the marathon man from the hills of Uttarakhand, is an adidas Running athlete and Olympics 2016 contender. Here’s taking a look at his fitness routine while he gears up for the Men’s Marathon at Rio, scheduled to be held on August 21, 2016. 

 

• With Rio around the corner, I continue with the same regime that has held me in good stead for the better part of the last two years. I believe that the cleansing of the body should begin as early as possible in the morning, and thus I begin my days with a litre of plain water. I have been following this practice for a while — of waking up at 4-4:15 AM and drinking water first thing in the morning.

 

 

• Nutrition wise, the first intake is a tall glass of mixed fruit shake. I make this myself, with a blend of local, seasonal fruit. Following the water cleanse, I believe that my body is in better shape to absorb all the nutrients and goodness from the fruit. Twenty minutes later, I make it a point to take 2 soluble tablets of the preworkout formulation, Fast & Up Activate.

 

 

• At 5.30 AM, you will find me on the track, ready to begin the scheduled workout of the day — which could be either intervals (where I repeat a distance between 8 and 12 times, at a pace that is slightly faster than race pace), a long-ish tempo run (which is slightly slower than race pace) or a long run — which is a distance in excess of 35 km. Generally, I put in a 20-minute warmup routine before the workout, which focusses on mobility and dynamic movement, rather than static stretching.

 

 

• I dedicate an hour (usually between 8-9 AM) daily to yoga, and I believe that this is a must in every athlete’s regime, as it promotes mobility, flexibility and fluidity in joints, keeping us injuryfree. Yoga also helps me ease back into the day after the strenuous workout of the morning.

 

 

• Before lunch, I have been following a strength training routine that, for three times a week, sees me devote an hour of work on myself. This is primarily a body weight training routine.

 

 

• In the evening, the same schedule is followed — with the prepared coach’s workout done after 20 minutes of warming up.

 

 

• Support systems are crucial for an athlete preparing for a premier sporting event like the Olympics, and I’m no exception. A sports massage is a must, and I make it a point to get one at least thrice a week. Similarly, a steam bath in a sauna is beneficial to ease out the muscles, and I try and go through one semi-weekly.

 

 

• While following a glutenfree diet, I’ve managed to not deviate from the principles even once all through my preparation for Rio. I believe the will, discipline and adherence to a regime will hold me in good stead throughout this journey. Not doing anything drastically different is important during this home stretch; I am thankful that I have the guidance of my coaches, trainers and all the support staff who double up as my support system whenever I do hit a low.