Racing IQ

We all know training matters—but what separates good races from great ones? It’s how you respond when you had to face the harsh realities of race. Think Sifan Hasan’s London Marathon debut: hamstring issues mid-race, but still a win. That’s Racing IQ.

In this episode, we unpack the art of staying calm and smart when race-day chaos strikes. Because on race day, it's not just about the body, your brain better show up too.

• Pacing IQ: The mind game of knowing when to hold pace or chase.

• Race-day decisions: How to adapt in real-time such as dropped gels, hydration mishaps, and the mental reset process.

• The metrics that matter: What data to track (and what to ignore) when racing.

• Training RacingIQ: Workouts, simulations, and post-race audits to build smarter instincts.

• Expect the unexpected—and have a plan for your plan falling apart.

• What could be a decision tree to manage mid-race pacing.

• Conditions (heat, hills, headwind) demand adaptation—not stubbornness.

• RacingIQ can be trained like any other skill.

Host: Aditi Pandya

Aditi is a seasoned endurance runner and the host of The World of Running podcast. She is qualified for the Boston Marathon multiple times and has numerous podium finishes in Indian races, the recent one is first runners-up at the TMM 2025 half marathon with a timing of 1:42:19 and holds a personal best of 3:29:05 in the marathon. Learn more about her at ⁠aditipandya.com⁠.

Expert Guest: Vijayaraghavan Venugopal

Vijay is one of India’s most accomplished masters marathoners, with 10 sub-3 finishes and all six World Marathon Majors completed. His best: 2:47 at the 2025 London Marathon. He’s also the co-founder of Fast&Up.

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🔁 Errata:

• Aditi mentions in her case of cramping - the marathon as being in 2023—it was actually in 2024.