- 4/1/2025
Team NEB
How Amar Singh Devanda broke the Indian National Record for 24 Hours
The Birth of Enerjiva Performance Team: Revolutionizing Indian Ultra Running
For years, NEB Sports has played a crucial role in creating a platform for Indian ultra runners to compete at the world stage. Despite the talent and dedication of these athletes, we observed a concerning trend—the Indian ultra-running team was underperforming compared to their international counterparts. While other nations had a structured and holistic approach to ultra-running, Indian athletes often relied on improvised methods, leading to inconsistent performances. We were curious to see how a structured, science-backed training and race strategy would impact our ultra runners. This curiosity led to the birth of the Enerjiva Performance Team, an initiative designed to bridge this gap and unlock the full potential of Indian ultra-runners. Named after Enerjiva, NEB’s endurance supplement brand, this team was built with a clear objective: to develop a methodical approach to ultra-running that could help India secure a gold medal on the world stage.Building the Team: The Experts Behind the Scenes
A high-performance team requires a strong foundation. We brought together experienced professionals who could implement a structured training and race execution plan:- Santosh Padmanabhan (Coach) – Responsible for designing a training plan that would condition our athletes to sustain their optimal race pace.
- Abhishek Jagan (Sports Scientist) – Focused on validating performance through scientific testing and creating a race-day fueling strategy.
The Athletes: Amar and Saurav
We selected two promising ultra-runners, Amar and Saurav, to be part of the program. Amar, already the national record holder for the Indian 24-hour run, and Saurav, another elite runner, had demonstrated immense potential. However, their previous training programs lacked the specificity required to condition their bodies for the relentless grind of a 24-hour race.The Training & Race Strategy
Our race strategy was simple yet effective: sustain a 5-minute per kilometer pace throughout the race. To achieve this, we needed to train the athletes to efficiently utilize their energy stores and maintain this pace under fatigue.Training Approach
- Santosh Padmanabhan designed a training program that progressively built endurance while training the body to sustain the required pace.
- Abhishek Jagan conducted two physiological tests:
- Baseline test at the start of the program.
- Validation test ten days before race day.
The Fuelling Strategy
Proper nutrition and hydration are crucial in ultra-running. Using insights from Abhishek’s testing, we developed a detailed fueling strategy:Fueling Plan by Time Blocks:
- 0-6 hours: 45g carbs per hour – Banana + Enerjiva Electrolyte (400ml)
- 6-12 hours: 60-75g carbs per hour – Banana + Enerjiva Gel + 400-700ml Enerjiva Electrolyte
- 12-18 hours: Rice/Dal for sustained energy, water/electrolyte solution as needed.
Hydration & Sodium Strategy:
- Sodium: ~1000mg per liter
- Fluid intake: 300-700ml/hr (adjusted for time of day and weather conditions)
