Dr. Anand Patil, 60, visited the hotel gym while on assignment in Aurangabad last month. He wanted to get in his daily workout because it is an important part of his routine and something he rarely skips, even on the busiest days. Midway into the discussion, a different participant remarked on Patil’s “Comrades Marathon” jersey and inquired as to if he had taken part in the marathon.
The doctor from Mumbai acknowledges that this reaction frequently occurs because of his stocky build. However, as he unassumingly rambles on about his endurance history, which includes everything from arduous Ultraman races to demanding ultra-cycling competitions, there can only be admiration for all that he has accomplished. The ten Comrades Marathons, the last of which he completed on June 11, are simply one more achievement to add to his already impressive resume.
“I’ve always made an effort to comprehend the trade-off between exercise and health. A fit person may not be healthy, while a healthy person may not be fit. I started running at first to test my level of fitness even though I was aware that I was in good health.”
Patil was a member of the medical staff who attended to the participants in the early years of the Mumbai Marathon. He made the decision to take part in 2008 and completed his first half marathon. The next year, he came back to complete the marathon distance. But after completing the relatively quickly, he realised he wanted to put his body to the test once more.
He had to join up for the challenge when he learned about the Comrades, an 89-kilometre race in South Africa that goes from Durban to Pietermaritzburg. He has attended each and every edition of Comrades since his first one in 2012. Patil has also won a bronze medal, which is given to those who complete in less than 11 hours, on each occasion. With his most recent run, he earned the Green Number, a recognition given to athletes who have won 10 medals at the Comrades. “It was special to be there with other runners who also had the Green Number,” he says.
The early races created the groundwork for his performance in large part. At that time, the emphasis was on comprehending his body and how it behaved in various circumstances. He continued to gather information from his physical endeavours, including swimming, cycling, and running, to assist him in creating his training programme. For instance, Patil decides to run ten times the distance he intends to attempt on D-Day over the three months preceding any event.
“What I’ve been able to accomplish over the years is not the product of coaching or training, which, depending on the goal you have in mind, I believe can only produce short-term benefits. My everyday workouts are enough to get through a marathon, so I’ll call it a lifestyle.”
He became enamoured with the world of endurance sports after his first Comrades run. He has since completed all six of the World Marathon Majors, 23 Ironman and triathlons, over 50 ultramarathons, and eight ultracycling events in India.
“Either taking in the immensity of the Arabian Sea or taking in the fresh air while riding up a slope, these have all been lovely opportunities to be in nature. It truly gives me energy. I never get fatigued during a race because of this, and I always finish feeling quite satisfied,” he claims.
Patil uses a combination of his endurance, strength, power, and speed to prepare for the Comrades. He consumed natural meals for fuel, half of which were complex carbohydrates and the other half was either proteins or fats. He completed three long runs as part of his preparation for Comrades: the 50-kilometer Tata Ultra in Lonavala, the 65-kilometre Kaas Ultra Marathon, and a 53-kilometre run in Lavasa. After numerous efforts over the years, he was well acquainted of the course’s characteristics and understood when to walk instead of run on the uphill stretches and the places where he could really push himself.
“The course has at least 12 hills, five of which are significant. This year, there was over 35 km of difficult ascent.”
Patil completed the Ironman 70.3 Durban in 7 hours 49 minutes, one week before his Comrades. Based on the conditions at the time, he utilised that race to examine his caloric intake and decided on 8,000 calories or so for the Comrades run.
He had gotten up a little before the 5.30am start and had some coffee and sandwiches. As he took in the excitement of his surroundings at the starting line, he had the impression that it was simply another training day. He drank the available isotonic water during the run and avoided solid foods. While Patil’s time of 10 hours 51 minutes was about an hour slower than his previous best on the Comrades (9 hours 55 minutes in 2016), the run went off without a hitch.
Vaishali, my wife, was really worried because I had recently completed a half Ironman race a week earlier. Naturally, I was thrilled to complete my tenth Comrades, but seeing the joy on her face made it extra memorable,” says Patil.” And I celebrated by signing up for the Great Himalayan Ultra, an ultra-cycling race in Ladakh, in August,” he laughs.