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PRO KABADDI LEAGUE

Pro Kabaddi League is a surprise package for sports enthusiasts in India. Before its start, many had termed it as a wasteful effort to revive the game. But the ongoing tournament proved otherwise. It not only placed the game at the national level but also made people to Google the rules of the game. The players have become a household name in just four days of its inception. Be it Marketing, Promotion or Operations every aspect was worth learning from.

Packaging of the league has been done in a way that made sure a full house. Star Sports have pooled in its resources to make it a huge success. Promotion was done exactly at the time to arise curiosity among the masses. Operationally it is well managed and executed. International standard of light and sound has made an impressive impact on the live audience. Branding and decor was just adequate to catch the eyes.

Not to forget the standard of players, their josh and hard work has proved that why we are no 1 in the world in Kabaddi. A bit of polish on their out of filed conduct will make them more marketable and of course earn more bucks.

Making watching the league more worthwhile and exciting, one should know the rules. The link given below will make all the doubts clear.

http://prokabaddi.com/history/rules.php

Train for Distance Running!! How I do it!!

Amid the distance running fever an interesting topic to discuss would be the training technique. Many articles and books on the subject states different kinds of techniques and methods. But here it is not from any book or article; it is from my own running experience gained while playing football, running long distance with battle load in Army and organising international distance running events.

1.  Decent pair of shoe: I learnt this lesson the hard way after injuring myself many a times. Be it sports shoe or trainers, I spend wisely on them. No compromise on that. It not only takes care of legs but also keep me on track rather than on the physiotherapist table.
2.  Mental Training: I always distract my mind while running. During a long and tiring run one might get bored and exhausted especially during the end. Although I have never used music gadgets nor have partner for running but I always keep my mind busy with positive thoughts.
3. Breathing Technique: Long breathing from the abdominal. During early phase of the run I don’t do this but during the later phase I follow this technique.
4. Running Style: I have seen many people getting stress fracture or quitting running early. The reason is the style of running. Don’t stress your calves or knees. The movement should be from the gluteul region. Long strides helped me cover the distance with less impact on calves. I also keep an even pace from start to finish. When the body is tired I don’t slouch. I work on my upper body as well which helps me keeping a proper posture while running.
5. Before the run: I usually have a chocolate bar half an hour before the run. Don’t over hydrate yourself just before the run. Do proper warm up and stretching before the start. It keeps me away from any unwanted injury.
6. After the run: A slow jog followed by stretching helps me a lot for returning fatigue free for the next session. Completely relax, I often do Shava Asana, and listen to music. Basic aim is to completely relax the mind and body. I refuel with protein and carbohydrates within one hour after the run.
7. Miscellaneous:

•     Abs: Abs are the power house. I regularly do crunches to make my run more enjoyable
•     Don’t stress: Gradually increase the training level. I follow the 10 percent rule. Also when I feel some sort of pain than I take rest. Even after that the pain doesn’t go than I don’t hesitate to visit a Doctor.

“It never gets easier. You just get better.”

Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2015

India's Pride & Blade Runner: Major DP Singh

Watch this video on Maj DP Singh, India's Blade Runner. Participated in 12 marathons so far, he has inspired runners community in particular and the nation in general. Proud of him.
Courtesy: NDTV
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/the-buck-stops-here/watch-war-hero-s-marathon-battle-for-dignity/331368

Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2015

‘Go the Distance’ Mumbai

Beginning July 22, 2014 register for the

Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2015!

Cigna TTK Health Insurance & Jabong.com associate with event as ‘Health Insurance’ and ‘Online Retail’ partners respectively

As a forerunner to India’s leading and Mumbai’s most awaited annual sporting and social event, the first citizen of the state, His Excellency, the Governor of Maharashtra Shri K Sankaranarayanan welcomed representatives from Title Sponsor Standard Chartered, Associate Sponsor, Tata Consultancy Services, and Event Promoters, Procam International, to the majestic environs of the Raj Bhavan and launched registrations for the Full Marathon category of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM) 2015. On Sunday, January 18, 2015, the city will witness the 12^th edition of an event that has helped Indians break running ground since its inception twelve seasons ago.

Thereafter the press launch for the twelfth edition of the SCMM was conducted at the Trident, Mumbai, the event’s Hospitality Partner.

Present on the occasion were Hon’ble Mayor Shri Sunil Prabhu, DK Upadhyay, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Krishna Prasad, Additional Commissioner of Police, South and Event Ambassador John Abraham. Representing the title sponsors was Sumeet Singla, Regional Head, Corporate Affairs, India & South Asia, Standard Chartered, along with Vishal Jhunjhunwala, Head, Corporate Brand, Tata Consultancy Services, the Associate Sponsor, Devendra Bharma, Executive Vice President, Oberoi Hotel & Resort, Gaurav Rajput, Chief Marketing Officer, Cigna TTK Health Insurance, Praveen Sinha, Founder and Managing Director, Jabong.com, along with Event Promoters Procam International represented by MD Anil Singh and Jt. MD, Vivek  Singh.

Registrations for the event’s Full Marathon and DHL Corporate Champions categories will open on Tuesday, July 22, 2014. Physical modes of registration at Standard Chartered Bank branches will close on Saturday, September 20, or whenever running places are full, whichever is earlier. Depending on availability of running places, registrations through online applications and P.O Box entries for the Full Marathon will remain open until Saturday, November 29 or till running places are full, whichever is earlier.

Registrations for the unique Police Cup category will also begin on Tuesday, July 22. The Police Cup is a relay race within the Full Marathon, introduced for teams from the Mumbai Police Force. Each Police beat can field only one team comprising four runners for the Police Cup (mixed teams allowed) where each team member can cover a distance of approximately 10.5 km.

Registrations for the Half Marathon will open at 10.00 am on Wednesday, July 30 and close on Saturday, August 30 or whenever running places are full, whichever is earlier.

Registrations for the Dream Run will open at 10.00 am on Tuesday, September 2, and close on Saturday, September 6, while registrations for the Senior Citizens Run and Champions With Disability will open on Monday, September 8, and close on Saturday, September 20, or whenever running places are full, whichever is earlier.

Sunil Kaushal, Regional Chief Executive, India & South Asia, Standard Chartered Bank, stated “The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon has moved on from being a sporting event to being a catalyst for social change. Over the last eleven years, we have been happy to lend our unstinted support to this movement and help it grow into one of the world’s favourite marathons. This marathon bears testimony to our vision of being ‘Here for good’, about investing in and contributing to community development and about partnering with our clients and stakeholders. We are delighted with the support and popularity that the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon has garnered and we urge the people of Mumbai to lend their support to various causes through this movement.”   

Speaking about the 12^th edition of the marathon, Vivek Singh, Jt. MD, Procam International said, “We are just under six months away from experiencing the adventure, magic and joy of yet another Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. We look forward to bringing you a sporting celebration unlike any other and encourage both seasoned and amateur runners to Go the Distance and register for the Marathon in the days to come. We would also like to welcome our new sponsors Cigna TTK Health Insurance and Jabong.com and express our gratitude to our all sponsors and partners for their relentless support to the event.”

Event Ambassador John Abraham said, “The time has come, yet again, for Mumbaikars to come forward and celebrate not just the city’s everlasting spirit and energy but put their best foot forward and participate in India’s most prestigious marathon. As registrations are launched for the 12^th edition of the event, I urge people to sign up, train well, and Go the Distance on Race Day in January 2015.”

New Sponsors: Over the years, India’s most respected brands have partnered SCMM as it breaks new ground in the country’s commercial capital. New and existing associations draw attention to the trust and belief the event’s partners place in SCMM on an ongoing basis.

This year, Cigna TTK Health Insurance and Jabong.com are associating with the marathon as the Health Insurance and Online Retail partners respectively. Cigna TTK has established a distinct position in the health insurance industry as a company that takes care of its customers not just when they are ill but also encourages them to stay healthy. Jabong.com, on the other hand, is a leading sports & fashion multi-brand e-store. With more than 1500 international high-street brands, sports labels and Indian ethnic and designer labels, there is a wide variety for a consumer to choose from.

“We are delighted to be associated with Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2015 as the Official Health Insurance partner. At Cigna TTK Health Insurance, our mission is to help the people we serve improve their health, well-being and a sense of security. We do this by encouraging our customers to stay healthy through our health and wellness programs. Running is becoming increasingly popular and one of the best ways to stay healthy. Over the years this event has successfully promoted good health and we look forward to partnering in making the event bigger and more successful this year, said Gaurav Rajput, Chief Marketing Officer, Cigna TTK Health Insurance.

Praveen Sinha, Founder and Managing Director, Jabong.com said, “We’re delighted to tie up with Procam and come on board as the partner for India’s leading marathons - Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, Airtel Delhi Half Marathon and TCS World 10K Bangalore. This association will further help us strengthen our position as the go to online destination for sportswear including running, football and basketball currently growing at over 100 percent every year. Running (sports shoes and apparel) is one of our strong points in the sports gear category. We look forward to retailing exclusive marathon merchandise on our website and provide the most innovative, stylish and widest selection of sports products from our extensive array of brands every sportsmen dreams of using”.

Registration process: Like every season, a number of steps have been taken to provide various avenues to facilitate a smooth registration procedure. Online registrations can be done through the event website www.procamrunning.in/scmm. Duly filled entry forms with the requisite entry fee can be mailed to P.O Box No. 11017, Marine Lines Post Office, Mumbai 400 020. Mumbai residents can also deposit their entry forms with the requisite entry fees at 10 select Standard Chartered Bank branches, details of which are available on the event website.

Entry forms will also be available at select Standard Chartered Bank branches in Mumbai, at the Asian Heart Institute in Bandra Kurla Complex, and the United Way of Mumbai office at 309 Nirman Kendra Premises Co-op Society Ltd., Dr. E Moses Road, Mahalaxmi Estate. More information can be sourced from the event helpline on +91 22 4202 0200, Monday to Saturday between 10 am and 6 pm.

4,000 running places are on offer for the Full Marathon, while 14,000 places will be available for the Half Marathon. The Dream Run, including the DHL Corporate Champions, will accommodate 20,200 participants. 1500 entries will be permitted in the Senior Citizens’ Run, 300 entries for the Champions with Disability Event, and 100 entries will be accepted for the Police Cup, putting the total number of entries accepted at 40,100.

Continuing in its constant endeavour to evolve and improve while providing the best possible running experience to each participant and in order to encourage the participation of serious runners in the full marathon and half marathon, the event will only accept applications from runners who have attached a timing certificate from the previous two years. Detailed confirmation criterion is available on the event website.

In addition to this, to encourage women participation 1000 running places in the half marathon reserved exclusively for non-timed women applicants.

Applicants who do not fall within the timed runner criteria or the women’s quota can avail of the running places that have been allotted to the NGOs registered with United Way of Mumbai, the event’s official charity partner. These running places will be available with the respective NGOs at a premium from August 1, 2014. Details about the same can be gathered by logging on to the event website.

Confirmed applicants of the full marathon and half marathon will also be eligible for priority line up on race day, based on their finish times.

The full marathon runners will be prioritized in four line up sections on race day as per the timing certificate submitted along with their applications, namely under 4 hours 13 minutes; 4 hours 13 minutes to under 4 hours 55 minutes; 4 hours 55 minutes to under 5 hours 37 minutes and 5 hours 37 minutes and above. The half marathon will also be prioritized in seven line up sections on race day as per their timing certificates submitted during registration, namely under 1 hour 25 minutes; 1 hour 25 minutes to under 1 hour 46 minutes; 1 hour 46 minutes to under 2 hours 7 minutes to under 2 hours 28 minutes; 2 hours 28 minutes to under 2 hours 49 minutes; 2 hours 49 minutes to under 3 hours 10 minutes and 3 hours 10 minutes and above.

Title Sponsor:              Standard Chartered Bank

Associate Sponsor:      Tata Consultancy Services

Promoted by:               Procam International

Under the Aegis of:     Athletics Federation of India