Interview with Puma athlete Yuvraj Singh: "Running helped me reach the fitness required to play again"

Yuvraj had to put in more running hours, post his illness

Comeback man Yuvraj Singh has made an strong comeback to the Indian national cricket team, after a 448 day tenure away from it. Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, the Puma athlete spoke extensively about the importance of fitness and running in his life.

Post his illness, Yuvraj better known as Yuvi has laid special emphasis on running to bring back his depleted lung capacity. He also speaks about the importance of using long runs as a tool to relax, after a long and stressful day. The 34-year old is promoting running across the country as an exercise to be taken up on a daily basis.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

Q. How important is running within your training regime?

Running is and should be important in everyone's life. Not only does it help maintain fitness, but for leisure purposes as well. We must make sure that we wake up every morning to go for a run. I think for me running was very important to bring back my stamina, which was completely gone post my illness.

Q. How much has your training regime changed, post your illness?

It's changed a lot, you can't possibly maintain the same regime, obviously. I had to start from scratch, this would mean more agility and fitness training. Longer running distances, and more hard-work to be put in. I had around 50 % lung capacity when I started training again, and I'm still getting back to my optimum fitness level.

Q. When did you start emphasising a lot on your fitness levels?

When I used to roller skate during my younger days, my dad made it a point to take me running in the morning. I was around 11 or 12, when I began running regularly. It became a habbit for me to wake up early morning, then go for a run.

Q. How has running helped you deal with personal challenges in life?

It has helped me a lot, because even to clear my mind I used to run a lot. It helps you think clearly when you're running. Running in a serene landscape is also very helpful for me.

Yuvraj during a Puma event

Q. You have always propagated the importance of marathons. So how does one prepare for it?

Completing a marathon is like completing one goal at a time. When someone is running a marathon, they don't think about completing it, they think about completing two kms in a particular amount of time, then another two. It is as much physical as mental. If mentally you think you can't complete those two kilometres, you will never complete it.

Q. Do you have any particular diet regime, prior to a major sporitng event?

Every sportspersons has too, I don’t follow a diet regime in terms of what food to ear, I follow a regime keeping in mind the number of calories that I intake. So before match, I make sure I don’t cross that particular calorie count.

Q. Finally your thoughts on Kolkata as a potential marathon running city?

I think Kolkata has a lot of potential and the state has produced some great sportspersons. The future seems bright.