Run with Fitpage

In this episode, we look at how beginner and intermediate runners can prepare for the 10K and Half Marathon through a structured, progressive training approach.

The training framework is divided into three phases:

Phase 1: Building a Strong Foundation

Focusing on consistency, developing basic fitness and gradually getting the body accustomed to running.

Phase 2: Developing Endurance and Strength

Building endurance through a gradual increase in training volume and introducing different types of running workouts.

Phase 3: Improving Running Performance

Taking training a step further with more structured workouts, while developing the fitness and confidence needed for race day.

We also cover:

- How to structure your weekly training.

- The importance of recovery and gradual progression.

- Building endurance without rushing the process.

- Nutrition and fuelling during longer runs.

- Preparing for the demands of race day.

Whether you're preparing for your first 10K or Half Marathon at the Tata Mumbai Marathon, this episode provides a practical starting point to help you approach your training with greater structure and confidence.

About Vikas Singh:
Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale and Reliance before coming up with an idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.
For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:
Instagram: @vikas_singhh
LinkedIn: Vikas Singh
Gmail: [email protected]
Twitter: @vikashsingh1010

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In this episode of Run with Fitpage, Vikas Singh talks to Addie Bracy, an elite ultrarunner, coach, and sports psychology professional, about the importance of mental training in running and everyday life. Addie shares her journey from competing in Olympic Trials to discovering trail running and ultramarathons, and explains how her approach to running evolved over time.

The conversation explores how daily life stressors can affect athletic performance, why self-awareness is important when setting realistic goals, and how runners can develop mental skills to handle challenges and disappointments. Addie also discusses breathing techniques for managing anxiety, the role of journaling in understanding performance patterns, and why setbacks can be valuable opportunities to learn and improve.

In this episode we covered:

• Addie Bracy's journey from track running to trail running and ultramarathons
• Why mental training is important alongside physical training and nutrition
• How to set realistic goals and develop self-awareness
• How daily stress and anxiety can affect running performance
• Breathing techniques that may help manage stressful moments
• How journaling can help runners understand their mental strengths and challenges
• How to handle discomfort, pressure, and setbacks during races
• Why disappointing results can become opportunities to learn and improve
• How mental skills developed through running can also help in professional and personal life

Guest Profile:
Addie Bracy is a Mental Performance Expert and a trail runner. Apart from the Olympic Qualifiers, Addie has won three USATF National Championships, and been selected to compete internationally on 10 USA teams. In 2017, she was a scoring member of Team USA's Gold Medal team at the World Championships for mountain running. Over the last ten years, Bracy has worked with athletes at the high school, collegiate, and post-collegiate levels. Addie is also a coach with over ten years, and her training methods include mental training as a significant aspect.
Connect with Addie on,
Instagram: @addiebracy

About Vikas Singh:
Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale and Reliance before coming up with an idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.
For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:
Instagram: @vikas_singhh
LinkedIn: Vikas Singh
Gmail: [email protected]
Twitter: @vikashsingh1010

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Akshy Sridhar is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and marathoner who has completed 18 marathons and run under three hours twice. With a demanding career and years of consistent training, his journey offers valuable insights into improving marathon performance without overcomplicating the process.

In this episode of Run With Fitpage, we covered Akshy’s journey from casually jogging during his civil services preparation to completing his first marathon and eventually achieving a sub-3-hour marathon. He shares how he built consistency, adapted his training, and balanced running with the responsibilities of his work.

We also discuss his weekly training structure, marathon pacing, nutrition, strength training, recovery, and the importance of enjoying the process rather than focusing only on race timings.

In this episode, we covered:

• Akshy’s journey from casual jogging to marathon running
• How he progressed from a 3:54 marathon to a sub-3 finish
• Balancing marathon training with the responsibilities of an IAS officer
• Weekly mileage, easy runs, tempo runs, intervals, and long runs
• Marathon nutrition, fueling, strength training, and recovery
• Race-day pacing and saving energy for the final kilometers
• The importance of consistency, self-motivation, and enjoying the process

About Vikas Singh:
Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale, and Reliance before coming up with the idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.
For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:
Instagram: @vikas_singhh
LinkedIn: Vikas Singh
Twitter: @vikashsingh101

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Nine years ago, Camille Herron crossed what she thought was the finish line at the Comrades Marathon, started celebrating, and kept walking, before realizing she still had 200 metres to sprint. It's the story most people know her for.

In Episode of Run with Fitpage, Vikas  talks to Camille about her equally interesting life journey, setting ultra distance world records across 50K, 100K, 24 hour, 48 hour and six day formats, Camille traces her path from a shy, largely nonverbal child with a central auditory processing disorder to a valedictorian and gifted program student, and eventually a biomedical researcher who spent twelve years as a bone imaging microscopist while training twice a day.

She talks about the autism and ADHD diagnosis she received in her forties, and how reworking her daily schedule in 2015, not her training, was the actual turning point that led to two world titles in a single year.

The conversation also covers her marathon career (a 2:37:14 pre super shoe personal best), her decision to leave full time work for professional running in 2019, and the mental frameworks, like eating the elephant one bite at a time and dedicating every race to someone else, that get her through multi day events most runners can't imagine attempting.

In this episode we covered:

• Why Camille stopped short of the finish line at Comrades Marathon and had to sprint the last 200 metres once she realized the race wasn't over
• Growing up largely nonverbal until age six or seven due to a central auditory processing disorder
• Being "twice exceptional," placed in a gifted program as a child while living with an undiagnosed disability
• Getting diagnosed with autism and ADHD in her forties, and how it explained her lifelong ability to hyperfocus
• Working twelve years as a bone imaging microscopist while training twice a day around a full time job
• The 2015 schedule change, evening long runs and a midday run added in, that led to two world titles in one year
• Flying home after winning the 2015 100K World Championship and being back at her research job the next Monday
• Meeting Frank Shorter, who signed her poster "run for stress release," a moment that reframed her running
• Why she left full time employment for professional running in 2019
• Her "eat the elephant one bite at a time" strategy for surviving multi day races
• Why she dedicates every race to someone else, including the origin of her "Wings for Sophia" tribute
• Her 2:37:14 marathon best, run before the era of carbon plated super shoes
• Building out her coaching business, Run with Camille, to make elite coaching more globally accessible 

About Vikas Singh:
Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale, and Reliance before coming up with the idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.
For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:
Instagram: @vikas_singhh
LinkedIn: Vikas Singh
Twitter: @vikashsingh101

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While you may have watched my video of pacing well at Satara earlier, this video works as a checklist for you to be race ready - from your home all the way to the finish line.  You will watch in this video:
- how to come prepared to Satara
- dos and donts while in satara
- how to shoe select
- what food to carry
- how to pace the first 3 kms
- when to consume your energy gels
- how to avoid cramps and 
- how to finish your race well
Learn well and race better. Here is your link to the previous video on this race outlining km by km pacing strategy.

About Vikas Singh:
Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale, and Reliance before coming up with the idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.
For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:
Instagram: @vikas_singhh
LinkedIn: Vikas Singh
Twitter: @vikashsingh101

Subscribe To Our Newsletter For Weekly Nuggets of Knowledge!

Anubhav ran his first Hyderabad Marathon in 2013, finishing in 5 hours 18 minutes. 12 Years later, he returned to the same race and won the open category, finishing in 2 hours 37 minutes.

In this episode of Run with Fitpage, Vikas talks to Anubhav about the undulating nature of the course particularly. Anubhav explains why runners should stop chasing a finish time and instead learn to identify their upper limit of effort through the race.

He breaks down how to approach the major climbs and downhills, why overstriding can create problems later in the race, and how preemptive walk breaks can sometimes be a smarter strategy than waiting until fatigue forces you to stop.

The conversation also covers race-day nutrition and hydration, carbon versus non-carbon shoes, tapering in the final weeks, recovery, and carb loading before race day.

This is an episode for everyone running the Hyderabad Marathon this Sunday, and it will be especially helpful for runners looking to understand how to approach the course, manage effort on the climbs and downhills, fuel and hydrate through the race, and stay within their limits for a strong and sustainable race experience.

In this episode we covered -

1 - Anubhav's journey from running his first Hyderabad Marathon in 2013 in 5:18 to winning the open category in 2025 in 2:37

2 - Why runners should avoid a fixed finish-time target and instead use training to identify their upper limit of pacing

3 - How to use the early flat section of the Hyderabad Marathon to understand sustainable effort before the climbs begin

4 - Why uphill sections should be run by effort rather than pace, and why runners need to be conservative when the climbs come early

5 - How to approach downhill sections, why overstriding can create mechanical overload, and the importance of training downhill running

6 - Why preemptive walk breaks can be a smart race strategy, rather than waiting until fatigue forces you to stop

7 - How to manage hydration and nutrition around climbs, including adjusting the timing of intake based on the length and intensity of the climb

8 - Carbon versus non-carbon shoes, why carbon shoes are not essential, and why runners should avoid trying untested footwear on race day

9 - How to approach the final days before the race, including tapering, recovery and carbohydrate intake

10 - The importance of knowing your limits, prioritizing health and enjoying the race experience over chasing performance

About Vikas Singh:
Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale, and Reliance before coming up with the idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.
For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:
Instagram: @vikas_singhh
LinkedIn: Vikas Singh
Twitter: @vikashsingh101

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Hans raj's resting heart rate sits around 47 to 48 in Kashmir. In Ladakh, at over 11,000 feet, it climbs past 70, without him doing anything at all.

In this episode of Run with Fitpage, Vikas Singh talks to Hans raj, the winner of Ladakh marathon- 2025 and HM of 2022 and 2023 editions.  Hans raj grew up in Kathua started running after joining the police force, and worked his way from track training into half marathons and eventually full marathons at altitudes most runners never train at, including Gulmarg and Kargil.

He talks through what actually happens to the body at extreme altitude, why arriving even nine to ten days before a race was not enough time to adapt, and the pacing mistake that cost him in his first attempt at Ladakh before a more controlled, patient strategy got him onto the podium.

The conversation covers hydration and electrolyte balance in dry mountain air, why carb loading needs to be rethought above 11,000 feet, and why he trains and races in exactly the same kit, down to gloves and sleeves, that he has already tested at the same time of day as the actual race.

This is an episode with practical tips for anyone planning to race the Ladakh Marathon, or any high altitude event, for the first time.

In this episode we covered - 

• Growing up in Kathua and starting to run after joining the J&K Police in 2016
• Moving from track and field training into half marathons, and later representing J&K Police at the Ladakh Marathon
• The stark difference in resting heart rate between Kashmir and Ladakh, and what that signals about how hard the body is working at altitude
• Why arriving only nine to ten days before the Ladakh Marathon was not enough time to acclimatize, in two separate attempts
• The training mistake of pushing a hard session too early after arriving at altitude, and how it affected his race
• Training for full marathons at high altitude spots in Kashmir like Gulmarg, and later basing himself in Kargil ahead of a race in Ladakh
• His recommendation that runners coming from sea level allow three weeks, ideally a month, to acclimatize before racing in Ladakh
• The pacing strategy of starting deliberately conservative rather than matching local Ladakh runners early, which helped him finish on the podium
• Why heart rate, not pace, should guide effort at altitude, since normal race paces do not hold up
• Managing hydration and electrolytes in dry mountain air, including the risk of both dehydration and overhydration
• Why he avoids trying any new food or water at altitude, and instead carries familiar meals and packaged water from home
• Testing race day clothing and warm up routines in training sessions timed to match the actual race start, given how sharply the weather changes through the morning

About Vikas Singh:
Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale, and Reliance before coming up with the idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.
For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:
Instagram: @vikas_singhh
LinkedIn: Vikas Singh
Twitter: @vikashsingh101

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Sandeep is a marathoner, a fitness enthusiast and Head of the Reliance Combat K9 Unit (RCCU) at Vantara. His fitness journey began at an early age, shaped by his father’s Army background, outdoor sports and NCC. What started as a passion for staying fit eventually evolved into a serious pursuit of marathon running.

In 2023, Sandeep began following a more structured approach to running and training. Since then, he has achieved a 3:13 finish at the Tata Mumbai Marathon and taken on the Comrades Marathon, while continuing to manage a demanding professional role and lead a team working with K9s. His journey offers a practical perspective on discipline, consistency and making time for fitness despite a busy schedule.

In this episode, we covered:

• Sandeep’s early fitness journey, sports and NCC
• His transition from running for fitness to structured marathon training
• Balancing a demanding career with running and fitness
• His 3:13 finish at the Tata Mumbai Marathon and his experience at the Comrades Marathon
• Training, mileage, strength work and recovery
• The importance of self-motivation, discipline and consistency
• Setting priorities and managing distractions
• Pushing beyond your comfort zone and staying committed to your goals

About Vikas Singh:
Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale, and Reliance before coming up with the idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.
For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:
Instagram: @vikas_singhh
LinkedIn: Vikas Singh
Twitter: @vikashsingh101

Subscribe To Our Newsletter For Weekly Nuggets of Knowledge!

In this episode, we discuss specific nutrition needs of the body while training for a marathon. Be it the macros, vitamins or supplements, we break it down day by day with none other than Kira Sutherland, Sports Nutritionist of the TCS Sydney Marathon. We talk about:

- how to fuel for easy runs
- ⁠what to eat before, during and after a long run
- ⁠what blood tests to do to identify supplemental needs
- ⁠what should be in your recovery drink
- ⁠what is the right way to consume an energy gel

About Vikas Singh:
Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale, and Reliance before coming up with the idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.
For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:
Instagram: @vikas_singhh
LinkedIn: Vikas Singh
Twitter: @vikashsingh101

Subscribe To Our Newsletter For Weekly Nuggets of Knowledge!

He hit the wall at his first Mumbai Marathon in 2013. Walked the last 10 kilometers. Finished in 4:02. And came home thinking — I can do better.

Thirteen years later, Vijayraghavan Venugopal — known as ViRa — has run sub-3 thirteen times, completed all six World Marathon Majors, and clocked a personal best of 2:47:17 at Cape Town in 2026.

In Episode 257 of Run with Fitpage, Vikas sits down with ViRa for a detailed conversation about what it actually takes to go from a 4:02 first-timer to one of India's most consistent sub-3 marathon runners over 13 years of learning, failing, and coming back stronger.

In this episode we covered:

➝ Growing up in Kerala in the golden era of Indian athletics — and why cricket became his sport when football and athletics felt out of reach

➝ His first marathon at Mumbai 2013 — the wall at Haji Ali, the walk home, and the one decision that changed everything

➝ How he went from 4:02 to 3:31 in five months using a single book — Run Less Run Faster

➝ The only marathon he ever won — Spice Coast 2015 — and why a police escort to the finish line changed what he believed was possible

➝ Paris 2016 — how he broke sub-3 for the first time without even planning to

➝ New York 2019 — buying a Vaporfly three days before the race to compensate for a lack of confidence — and what happened next

➝ The L4-L5 disc extrusion that almost ended his running — and the six-month rebuild that followed

➝ What 20 days in Kenya in 2023 taught him about running that 10 years of training could not

➝ How he restructured everything after 2022 — strength training, easy runs, mileage, sleep, nutrition — and why the results finally showed up in 2024 and 2025

➝ Four marathons in 14 months at 50 — London, New York, Mumbai, Cape Town — and what comes next

About Vikas Singh:
Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale, and Reliance before coming up with the idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.
For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:
Instagram: @vikas_singhh
LinkedIn: Vikas Singh
Twitter: @vikashsingh101

Subscribe To Our Newsletter For Weekly Nuggets of Knowledge!