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 6 The fight
I
• Ranji discovers a pool in the forest and plunges into it for a swim.
• There is serious trouble between him and someone else over who
has a right to the pool. A fight ensues.
• The first round ends in a draw.

RANJI had been less than a month in Rajpur when he discovered the
pool in the forest. It was the height of summer, and his school had
not yet opened, and, having as yet made no friends in this semi-hill
station, he wandered about a good deal by himself into the hills
and forests that stretched away interminably on all sides of the
town. It was hot, very hot, at that time of the year, and Ranji walked
about in his vest and shorts, his brown feet white with the chalky
dust that flew up from the ground. The earth was parched, the
grass brown, the trees listless, hardly stirring, waiting for a cool
wind or a refreshing shower of rain.
It was on such a day — a hot, tired day — that Ranji found the
pool in the forest. The water had a gentle translucency, and you
could see the smooth round pebbles at the bottom of the pool. A
small stream emerged from a cluster of rocks to feed the pool. During
the monsoon, this stream would be a gushing torrent, cascading
down from the hills, but during the summer, it was barely a trickle.
interminably: endlessly parched: hot and dry translucency: clarity (possible to see
through) torrent: rushing stream (of water) cascading: coming down (like a waterfall)
trickle: weak or thin flow of water.

Rationalised 2023-24
The rocks, however, held the water in the pool, and it did not dry
up like the pools in the plains.
When Ranji saw the pool, he did not hesitate to get into it. He
had often gone swimming, alone or with friends, when he had lived
with his parents in a thirsty town in the middle of the Rajputana
desert. There, he had known only sticky, muddy pools, where
buffaloes wallowed and women washed clothes. He had never seen
a pool like this — so clean and cold and inviting. He leapt into the
water. His limbs were supple, free of any fat, and his dark body
glistened in patches of sunlit water.
The next day he came again to quench his body in the cool
waters of the forest pool. He was there for almost an hour sliding in
and out of the limpid green water, or lying stretched out on the
smooth yellow rocks in the shade of broad-leaved sal trees. It was
while he lay thus that he noticed another boy standing a little
distance away, staring at him in a rather hostile manner. The other
boy was a little older than Ranji — taller, thickset, with a broad
nose and thick, red lips. He had only just noticed Ranji, and when
Ranji did not say anything, the other called out, “What are you
doing here, Mister?”
Ranji, who was
prepared to be friendly,
was taken aback at the
hostility of the other’s
tone.
“I am swimming,” he
replied. “Why don’t you
join me?”
“I always swim alone,”
said the other. “This is my
pool; I did not invite
you here.”
The stranger strode up
to Ranji, who still sat on
wallowed: rolled about (in mud or dirty water) quench: cool (his body) thickset: stout/
solidly built taken aback: surprised hostility: ill will/enmity

46 It so happened...

Rationalised 2023-24
the rock and, planting his broad feet firmly on the sand, said (as
though this would settle the matter once and for all), “Don’t you
know I am a Warrior? I do not take replies from villagers like you!”
“So you like to fight with villagers?” said Ranji. “Well, I am not a
villager. I am a Fighter!”
“I am a Warrior!”
“I am a Fighter!”
They had reached an impasse. One had said he was a Warrior,
the other had proclaimed himself a Fighter. There was little else
that could be said.
“You understand that I am a Warrior?” said the stranger, feeling
that perhaps this information had not penetrated Ranji’s head.
“I have heard you say it three times,” replied Ranji.
“Then why are you not running away?”
“I am waiting for you to run away!”
“I will have to beat you,” said the stranger, assuming a violent
attitude, showing Ranji the palm of his hand.
“I am waiting to see you do it,” said Ranji.
“You will see me do it,” said the other boy.
Ranji waited. The other boy made a strange, hissing sound. They
stared each other in the eye for almost a minute. Then the Warrior
slapped Ranji across the face with all the force he could muster.
Ranji staggered, feeling quite dizzy. There were thick red finger marks
on his cheek.
“There you are!” exclaimed his assailant. “Will you be off now?”
For answer, Ranji swung his arm up and pushed a hard, bony
fist into the other’s face.
And then they were at each other’s throats, swaying on the rock,
tumbling on to the sand, rolling over and over, their legs and arms
locked in a desperate, violent struggle. Gasping and cursing, clawing
and slapping, they rolled into the shallows of the pool.
Even in the water the fight continued as, spluttering and covered
with mud, they groped for each other’s head and throat. But after

impasse: (also pronounced ampass) deadlock; place or position from which there is no way
out penetrated: gone through/into muster: (here) use; collect or gather staggered: felt
weak/unsteady (due to the blow) assailant: the person who attacks; (here) enemy/ adversary
swaying: moving from side to side (in the fight) spluttering: speaking quickly/confusedly

The fight 47

Rationalised 2023-24
five minutes of frenzied, unscientific struggle, neither boy had
emerged victorious. Their bodies heaving with exhaustion, they stood
back from each other, making tremendous efforts to speak.
“Now — now do you realise — I am a Warrior?” gasped the
stranger.
“Do you know I am a Fighter?” said Ranji with difficulty.
They gave a moment’s consideration to each other’s answers
and, in that moment of silence, there was only their heavy breathing
and the rapid beating of their hearts.
“Then you will not leave the pool?” said the warrior.
“I will not leave it,” said Ranji.
“Then we shall have to continue the fight,” said the other.
“All right,” said Ranji.
But neither boy moved, neither took the initiative.
The warrior had an inspiration.
“We will continue the fight tomorrow,” he said. “If you dare to

frenzied: violent exhaustion: tiredness/fatigue tremendous: great rapid: quick/fast

inspiration: (here) a new idea.

48 It so happened...

Rationalised 2023-24
come here again tomorrow, we will continue this fight, and I will
not show you mercy as I have done today.”
“I will come tomorrow,” said Ranji. “I will be ready for you.”
They turned from each other then and, going to their respective
rocks, put on their clothes, and left the forest by different routes.

Comprehension Check
1. In what way is the forest pool different from the one which Ranji knew
in the Rajputana desert?
2. The other boy asked Ranji to ‘explain’ himself.
(i) What did he expect Ranji to say?
(ii) Was he, in your opinion, right or wrong to ask this question?
3. Between Ranji and the other boy, who is trying to start a quarrel? Give
a reason for your answer.
4. “Then we will have to continue the fight,” said the other.
(i) What made him say that?
(ii) Did the fight continue? If not, why not?

II
• Next day the two claimants face each other across the pool.
• They throw challenges and counter-challenges at each other.
• The best solution, they realise, lies not in fighting each other but
fighting together for something.

When Ranji got home, he found it difficult to explain the cuts

and bruises that showed on his face, leg and arms. It was difficult
to conceal the fact that he had been in an unusually violent
fight, and his mother insisted on his staying at home for the
rest of the day. That evening, though, he slipped out of the
house and went to the bazaar, where he found comfort and
solace in a bottle of vividly coloured lemonade and a banana
leaf full of hot, sweet jalebis. He had just finished the lemonade
when he saw his adversary coming down the road. His first
impulse was to turn away and look elsewhere, his second to
throw the lemonade bottle at his enemy. But he did neither of

The fight 49

Rationalised 2023-24
these things. Instead, he stood his ground and scowled at his
passing adversary. And the warrior said nothing either but
scowled back with equal ferocity.
The next day was as hot as the previous one. Ranji felt weak and
lazy and not at all eager for a fight. His body was stiff and sore after
the previous day’s encounter. But he could not refuse the challenge.
Not to turn up at the pool would be an acknowledgement of defeat.
From the way he felt just then he knew he would be beaten in
another fight. But he could not acquiesce in his own defeat. He
must defy his enemy to the last, or outwit him, for only then could
he gain his respect. If he surrendered now, he would be beaten for
all time; but to fight and be beaten today left him free to fight and
be beaten again. As long as he fought, he had a right to the pool
in the forest.

scowled: looked angrily adversary: opponent/enemy ferocity: fierceness (suggesting

anger/cruelty) acquiesce: accept quietly

50 It so happened...

Rationalised 2023-24
 He was half hoping that the warrior would have forgotten the
challenge, but these hopes were dashed when he saw his opponent
sitting, stripped to the waist, on a rock on the other side of the pool.
The warrior was rubbing oil on his body. He saw Ranji beneath the
sal trees, and called a challenge across the waters of the pool.
“Come over on this side and fight!” he shouted.
But Ranji was not going to submit to any conditions laid down
by his opponent.
“Come this side and fight!” he shouted back with equal vigour.
“Swim across and fight me here!” called the other. “Or perhaps
you cannot swim the length of this pool?”
But Ranji could have swum the length of the pool a dozen times
without tiring, and here he would show the warrior his superiority.
So, slipping out of his vest, he dived straight into the water, cutting
through it like a knife, and surfaced with hardly a splash. The
warrior’s mouth hung open in amazement.
“You can dive!” he exclaimed.
“It is easy,” said Ranji, treading water, waiting for a further
challenge. “Can’t you dive?”
“No,” said the other. “I jump straight in. But if you will tell me
how, I will make a dive.”
“It is easy,” said Ranji.
“Stand on the rock, stretch
your arms out and allow your
head to displace your feet.”
The warrior stood up, stiff
and straight, stretched out
his arms, and threw himself
into the water. He landed flat
on his belly, with a crash that
sent the birds screaming out
of the trees.
Ranji dissolved into
laughter.

vigour: strength treading water: keeping oneself upright in deep water by moving the feet

The fight 51

Rationalised 2023-24
 “Are you trying to empty the pool?” he asked, as the warrior
came to the surface, spouting water like a small whale.
“Wasn’t it good?” asked the boy, evidently proud of his feat.
“Not very good,” said Ranji. “You should have more practice.
See, I will do it again.”
And pulling himself up on a rock, he executed another perfect
dive. The other boy waited for him to come up, but, swimming under
water, Ranji circled him and came upon him from behind.
“How did you do that?” asked the astonished youth.
“Can’t you swim under water?” asked Ranji.
“No, but I will try it.”
The warrior made a tremendous effort to plunge to the bottom of
the pool and indeed he thought he had gone right down, though
his bottom, like a duck’s, remained above surface.
Ranji, however, did not discourage him.
“It was not bad,” he said. “But you need a lot of practice.”
“Will you teach me?” asked his enemy.
“If you like, I will teach you.”
“You must teach me. If you do not teach me, I will beat you. Will
you come here every day and teach me?”
“If you like,” said Ranji. They had pulled themselves out of the
water, and were sitting side by side on a smooth grey rock.
“My name is Suraj,” said the warrior. “What is yours?”
“It is Ranji.”
“I am strong, am I not?” asked Suraj, bending his arm so that a
ball of muscle stood up stretching the white of his flesh.”
“You are strong,” said Ranji. “You are a real pahelwan.”
“One day I will be the world’s champion wrestler,” said Suraj,
slapping his thighs, which shook with the impact of his hand. He
looked critically at Ranji’s hard, thin body. “You are quite strong
yourself,” he conceded. “But you are too bony. I know, you people
do not eat enough. You must come and have your food with me. I
drink one seer of milk every day. We have got our own cow! Be my

feat: clever act; special skill plunge: jump conceded: admitted seer: same as ser, a unit
of weight used previously in India. A ser, a little less than a litre, was one-fortieth of a
maund.

52 It so happened...

Rationalised 2023-24
friend, and I will
make you a
pahelwan like me! I
know — if you teach
me to dive and swim
underwater, I will
make you a
pahelwan! That is
fair, isn’t it?”
“That is fair!”
said Ranji, though
he doubted if he was
getting the better of
the exchange.
Suraj put his arm around the younger boy and said, “We are
friends now, yes?”
They looked at each other with honest, unflinching eyes, and in
that moment love and understanding were born.
“We are friends,” said Ranji.
The birds had settled again in their branches, and the pool was
quiet and limpid in the shade of the sal trees.
“It is our pool,” said Suraj. “Nobody else can come here without
our permission. Who would dare?”
“Who would dare?” said Ranji, smiling with the knowledge that
he had won the day.
RUSKIN BOND

Comprehension Check
1. What is it that Ranji finds difficult to explain at home?
2. Ranji sees his adversary in the bazaar.
(i) What does he wish to do?
(ii) What does he actually do, and why?
3. Ranji is not at all eager for a second fight. Why does he go back to the
pool, then?

unflinching: (without blinking) looking straight at each other limpid: clear

The fight 53

Rationalised 2023-24
4. Who was the better swimmer? How do you know it?
5. What surprises the warrior?
6. Now that they are at the pool, why don’t they continue the fight?
7. Ranji’s superiority over the other boy is obvious in the following:
physical strength, good diving, his being a fighter, sense of
humour, swimming under water, making a good point,
willingness to help
Underline the relevant phrases.
8. What, according to you, makes the two adversaries turn into good friends
in a matter of minutes? Explain it as you have understood it.

Exercise

JJ Discuss the following topics in small groups.

1. Is fighting the only way of resolving differences of opinion? What
else can be done to reach a mutually acceptable settlement?
2. Have you ever been in a serious fight only to realise later that it
was unnecessary and futile? Share your experience/views with
others frankly and honestly.
3. Why do some of us find it necessary to prove that we are better
than others? Will you be amused or annoyed to read the following
sign at the back of the car in front of you?
I may be going slow but I am ahead of you.

Think it Over
J
J

• Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but
you know they are there.
• Success is the outline of a rest house on the horizon. Effort is
the uneven path leading towards it. Destiny is the vehicle in
which one arrives.

54 It so happened...

Rationalised 2023-24
 CU SPORTS MEDICINE

Marathon Training Tips

What kind of running experience or mileage should I have before training for a marathon?
You should be able to run at least 15 to 25 miles per week. If you have a regular history of fitness
training, even though it may be with another activity like cycling or aerobics, this will boost a lower
running mileage. You should also have participated in a couple 10K or 5K races and enjoyed the
experience of racing.

What are the most common mistakes runners make when training for the marathon?
• Mistake #1: Increase mileage or intensity too quickly.
Increase your training mileage or time by no more than 10 to 20 % weekly. For example, if you’re
currently running 20 miles per week, increase your total weekly mileage by no more than 2 to 4
miles the next week. A periodic long run is part of race preparation, but you should reduce other
training components or introduce a rest day. Gradually introduce speed or hill work. Change only
one training component at a time. For example, if you’ve decided to begin some hill work
(intensity), don’t increase your running mileage the same week.
• Mistake #2: Ignore the warning signs of an injury and continue to train with pain.
This is a sure way to end up watching other people run the marathon!
• Mistake #3: No rest!
You should have at least one rest day each week. You should also have periodic light training
weeks (every 4 to 6 weeks). This is especially important after a race or heavy week.
• Mistake #4: Neglect a proper stretching and strengthening program.
“I don’t need to strengthen my legs because running does that”. Wrong! Due to the repetitive nature
of running, muscle imbalances that cause injuries are very common. Tight or weak muscles should
be addressed with a specific conditioning program to avoid “breakdown” from the chronic stress of
marathon training.
• Mistake # 5: Worn-out or improperly fitting running shoes.
Train in a supportive, well-fitting pair of running shoes, with ample room in the toe box. Depending
on your weight and running surface, you should replace your running shoes every 250 to 500 miles.
The extremely durable rubber of the sole of your shoe may still look good even if the midsole is no
longer providing cushioning or support. Remember that shoes wear out before they look worn out!
If you set your shoes on a level surface and they tilt in or out, they’ve begun to break down and will
no longer support you. Nagging foot, knee, back, or hip pain may be another signal that you need
new footwear.

(OVER)
• Mistake #6: Try to make up for a lost week of running (due to illness or travel) by doubling your
mileage the next week.
This is a very bad move!
• Mistake # 7: Forget that cross-training with other aerobic workout activities can contribute to
overall fitness and race preparation.
You can do up to 20% of your mileage in activities like cycling, deep water running, swimming,
stair climbing etc. to reduce wear and tear on your body.
• Mistake # 8: Listen to too many people.
Don’t beat yourself into the ground by training with friends who have a different fitness level,
longer history of running, longer stride, or much faster pace!

What are the warning signs of overtraining?

• Pain which doesn’t disappear within two days after your training run.
• Pain which begins to come on earlier in your workout instead of later.
• Pain which limits your workout.
Go see a doctor if any of the first three items describe YOU’
• Fatigue (You just don’t feel like you have the energy.)
• Boredom (You can think of any number of other things you’d rather be doing and have to force
yourself to get out there.)
• Increasing resting pulse (Take your true resting pulse for one minute in the morning when you wake
up. Get to know your typical resting pulse rate. One of the adaptations to physical conditioning is
that your resting heart rate will gradually decrease. However, if your resting pulse becomes higher
after a period of intense conditioning, this suggests too much physical stress on the body.

What are the basic elements of marathon training which should be included in my program?
There are many training programs available prepared by the organizers of various marathon races or
running coaches. Remember that these are a framework for training and you should listen to your body.
Be sure to follow the directions of your physician, therapist, or coach. Take into account your overall
level of fitness and health, years of conditioning and running, and your skill or competitive level. Your
training schedule should include:
Slow Distance
These are long easy training runs done at 60 to 70% or your maximal heart rate (HRmax). This is the
foundation of your training, particularly during the early months of preparation when you are building
a base of aerobic fitness. Keep your intensity low and comfortable. Many runners train too hard for too
many miles.
Tempo (70 to 90% HRmax depending on fitness level)
Tempo training is typically done at a brisk pace which is slightly slower or right at your 10 K race
pace. This type of training will help you to increase your lactate threshold. This improves your ability
to tolerate speed over time. During the last 2 months before the marathon, do one 30 to 50 minute
tempo run each week, depending on your level.
Hills (80 to 100% HRmax)
Hill training is an important part of building the strength to finish strong when you’re fatigued,
especially on a hilly course. Hill work should occur no more than once a week.
2
 Marathon Training Tips, Continued

Speed (80 to 100% HRmax)

Speed training involves running at a speed that is much faster than your 10K race pace but for a shorter
distance (200 meters to 1 mile). Speed intervals should never be done more than 1 time a week and
only after you’ve developed a good base of endurance and strength. Speed work helps you:
• develop the ability to sustain speed over distance
• improves your anaerobic energy systems
• trains your neuromuscular system to fire efficiently
• improves your mental ability to train at tough intensities
Rest/Recovery
This is one of the most important parts of your training schedule! Overtraining depletes your muscles
of glycogen, thus limiting your endurance. It takes over 24 hours to restore muscle glycogen. Allow for
at least one complete rest day each week. A light training day or rest day should always follow a
bard training day. This will keep you mentally and physically fresh and prevent overuse injuries.
Long Run
How long is a long run? Regardless of where you start, this is the one run that you gradually increase to
move toward marathon distance. You should not do more than one long run every week! Increase your
long run by 2 to 3 miles every 2 to 3 weeks. Then cut back by 2 to 3 miles for one week. Your cutback
week should essentially act as a rest week or maintenance week. Initially your long run may be 8 miles
and end up at 22 miles (or maximum 3 hours) about a month before the race.
Stretching
Intense training can increase muscle tension and reduce range of motion. Stretching will keep your
muscles flexible to prevent injury, improve your performance, and promote a fluid running motion.
Stretching should be done every day, particularly after exercise, when high muscle temperature and
good blood flow augment your body’s response to flexibility training. It is also good to stretch your
hamstrings, quads, calves, hip flexors, IT band, and any other muscles which you know are particularly
tight before you run. Hold each stretch 15 to 30 seconds and repeat 3 to 5 times. Do not bounce while
stretching. You should feel muscle tension, but NOT pain. Be sure to keep breathing while holding the
stretch. During your long runs, you may want to stop and stretch halfway through.
Strength Training
Even though you may not want to add a lot of muscle weight to your frame, strength training for
running can protect your joints from injury and keep your body in balance. Basic strength training
should he performed during the early months of your marathon preparation using a conditioning
prescription of 8 to 12 repetitions, 1 to 3 sets of each exercise, 3 days a week. Avoid heavy lifting.
Don’t neglect the abdominals and low back which support your spine during running. Reduce strength
training to only 2 days a week and substitute some sports-specific strength training drills like hill work
and bounding as the marathon approaches (last few months).

Should I do any racing to prepare for the marathon and what distance?
Races are opportunities to go through the ritual of racing: mentally, physically and logistically. They
can be a yardstick with which to measure your progress. Racing may just be a fun highlight in your
training and a chance to get together with running buddies.
• No more than 3 half-marathons in 6 months. Too many races drain your physical and mental
reserves.
• Always cut out your long run on the weeks that you race.

3
• You can do 5 K and 10 K races scattered throughout your training.
• Your last race should be 3 weeks before the marathon

What about nutrition for training and competing?

• Consume a diet high in complex carbohydrates and low in fat that also meets your body’s protein
needs. Remember that carbohydrates include not only bread and pasta, but fruits, vegetables,
legumes and a variety of whole grains. Every day should be a high carbohydrate day during training
(60 % of your total calories come from carbs). This keeps your muscles fueled with glycogen which
has a direct effect on your endurance.
• Drink plenty of fluids. See our “Hydration Guidelines for Exercise” handout.
• Make sure to drink electrolyte replacement drinks when you are exercising more than 45 to 60
minutes. It is important to train using a replacement drink so that you know what works for you.
• Don’t forget about protein and iron! Runners tend to consume very little protein, while
concentrating on carbohydrates. You need at least 4 to 6 ounces of high quality protein per day.
Maintaining adequate iron intake is important for preventing athletic anemia. Anemia causes
inadequate oxygenation of the muscles and fatigue.
• A sports nutritionist can assess your food intake and help you meet your unique nutrition needs.
A week before the marathon:
• As you gradually reduce training, increase the percentage of carbohydrates up to 70% to maximize
muscle glycogen levels. By four days before the event, your diet should be up to 70% carbohydrate.
• During this time you will need to reduce fat content even further to increase your carbohydrate
intake. Use jelly instead of butter or margarine, use syrup without butter, drink juices, eat fruits,
have an extra serving of starch at each meal in place of some fat.
Before the race:
What you eat the night before and the morning of the race should be familiar, comforting food that is
typical of your usual pre-running meals. Enjoy a high carb meal and drink plenty of fluids the night
before the marathon (pasta, thick-crust light-cheese pizza, rice and beans, rice & veggies, lentils). Your
morning meal should be low in fat, include some carbohydrate and protein, and be eaten at least an
hour before start time. The purpose of the meal is to provide enough blood glucose to keep you alert, as
well as fuel your muscles in the beginning of the race. This is not the time to try a new unfamiliar food
that may give you digestive problems. Good breakfast choices are:
• A large glass of orange juice, 3 pieces of toast with a few teaspoons of peanut butter, a banana and a
cup of tea with sugar and milk
• One or two poached eggs or low fat cottage cheese on toast
• Cereal and low-fat milk with fresh fruit
• Pancakes with fruit and syrup (no butter) and a large glass of skim milk
During the race:
• With any endurance event longer than 90 minutes, an athlete will benefit from some carbohydrate
ingested intermittently during the event. You can increase your stamina by consuming 100 to 300
calories/hour during the marathon. These snacks should obviously be made of easy-to-carry, easy-
to-eat carbohydrates. These foods should have a high glycemic index which means they will be
absorbed quickly to provide energy. Examples are sports drinks, dilute juice, orange segments,
bananas, “Goo”, “Powergel”, “Gator-gel” or other similar products.

4
 Marathon Training Tips, Continued

• Past the 8 mile mark, have friends strategically located to hand you your favorite endurance snacks.
Don’t rely on the aid stations to provide what works best for you.
After the race or a training run:
Refuel muscle glycogen immediately after each training session, preferably within the first 15 minutes.
There is about a 2 to 4 hour window of opportunity where muscles will refuel maximally. Drink and eat
carbohydrates like juice, yogurt, fruit, bagels, pretzels or high carb meal. Be sure to rehydrate.

What pre-race preparation should I do the last few days (or hours!) before the marathon?
• Don‘t run the day before the race. The day before that, only run an easy 15 to 20 mins. at a
conversational pace.
• Taper. This means there should be a gradual reduction in training volume (but not intensity) in
preparation for the race. It helps you go into the marathon fresh. Beginning 3 weeks before the race,
reduce your training mileage to 75%, 50% and then 25% with each successive week. It’s much
better to go into a race well-rested and slightly under-trained than over-trained. You’ll feel better
and perform better.
• Get good quality and quantity sleep the whole week before the marathon. If you’re anxious and
have trouble dozing off the night before the marathon, but are generally well rested, you’ll be a step
ahead.
• Know the route. Drive, cycle or look at a race map to familiarize yourself with the course. This will
reduce anxiety and help you pace yourself mentally and physically during the race.
• Know where you will put your warm-ups, car keys, etc on the morning of the marathon.
• On the morning of the race, stretch, stride a little and focus on positive thoughts. A warm-up run
generally isn’t necessary and will probably make you start off too fast.
• Prepare for the weather with appropriate clothing. In cold weather, dress in layers that you can shed
as you run. (Be sure to use garments you don’t mind leaving by the side of the road!) Avoid cotton
which traps moisture next to the skin and can chill you in a hurry. Inner layer fabrics should wick
your body’s moisture away, while the outer layer should repel cold, wind or rain. Hats and gloves
will also protect you from the cold, but can be easily removed to keep you comfortable.
• Vaseline® rubbed between your thighs and near your armpits (where a bra or tank top might rub)
will help prevent chafing. Do this yourself at home, but many marathons provide Vaseline® vats at
the starting line and at intervals along the race course.
• Make sure you are well-hydrated going into the race, particularly in warm weather, and take
advantage of the aid stations along the way. Don’t forget to wear a sweat proof sunscreen
(minimum SPF 15).
• Have a support person(s) along the course, especially at a vulnerable mile point for you. They can
provide a pair of dry socks, carbohydrate source, or just verbal encouragement.
• Don’t try anything new on race day. Don’t wear new shoes or clothing. The result may be blisters
or chafing. Stick with beverages and foods that are familiar. Keep with the tried and true.
• Relax. Visualize a beautiful, fun run.

2005, University of Colorado Hospital, Denver

March 2005
74:Marathn_SM DOD:PED02184 5
Demonstration of DOCX support in
calibre
This document demonstrates the ability of the calibre DOCX Input plugin to
convert the various typographic features in a Microsoft Word (2007 and newer)
document. Convert this document to a modern ebook format, such as AZW3 for
Kindles or EPUB for other ebook readers, to see it in action.
There is support for images, tables, lists, footnotes, endnotes, links, dropcaps and
various types of text and paragraph level formatting.
To see the DOCX conversion in action, simply add this file to calibre using the
“Add Books” button and then click “Convert”. Set the output format in the top right
corner of the conversion dialog to EPUB or AZW3 and click “OK”.
 Text Formatting
Inline formatting
Here, we demonstrate various types of inline text formatting and the use of
embedded fonts.
Here is some bold, italic, bold-italic, underlined and struck out text. Then, we
have a superscript and a subscript. Now we see some red, green and blue text. Some text
with a yellow highlight. Some text in a box. Some text in inverse video.
A paragraph with styled text: subtle emphasis followed by strong text and
intense emphasis. This paragraph uses document wide styles for styling rather than
inline text properties as demonstrated in the previous paragraph — calibre can handle
both with equal ease.

Fun with fonts

This document has embedded the Ubuntu font family. The body text is in the
Ubuntu typeface, here is some text in the Ubuntu Mono typeface, notice how every
letter has the same width, even i and m. Every embedded font will automatically
be embedded in the output ebook during conversion.

Paragraph level formatting

You can do crazy things with paragraphs, if the urge strikes you. For instance this
paragraph is right aligned and has a right border. It has also been given a light gray
background.

For the lovers of poetry amongst you, paragraphs with hanging indents, like this often
come in handy. You can use hanging indents to ensure that a line of poetry
retains its individual identity as a line even when the screen is too narrow to
display it as a single line. Not only does this paragraph have a hanging indent, it
is also has an extra top margin, setting it apart from the preceding paragraph.
 Tables
ITEM NEEDED Tables in Word can vary from the extremely
Books 1 simple to the extremely complex. calibre tries to do
Pens 3
its best when converting tables. While you may run
Pencils 2
Highlighter 2 colorsinto trouble with the occasional table, the vast
Scissors 1 pair majority of common cases should be converted very
well, as demonstrated in this section. Note that for
optimum results, when creating tables in Word, you should set their widths using
percentages, rather than absolute units. To the left of this paragraph is a floating two
column table with a nice green border and header row.
Now let’s look at a fancier table—one with alternating row colors and partial
borders. This table is stretched out to take 100% of the available width.
City or Point A Point B Point C Point D Point E
Town
Point A —
Point B 87 —
Point C 64 56 —
Point D 37 32 91 —
Point E 93 35 54 43 —

Next, we see a table with special formatting in various locations. Notice how the
formatting for the header row and sub header rows is preserved.

College New students Graduating Change

students
Undergraduate
Cedar University 110 103 +7

Oak Institute 202 210 -8

Graduate
Cedar University 24 20 +4

Elm College 43 53 -10

Total 998 908 90

Source: Fictitious data, for illustration purposes only

Next, we have something a little more complex, a nested table, i.e. a table inside
another table. Additionally, the inner table has some of its cells merged. The table is
displayed horizontally centered.
 One Two To the left is a table inside a
table, with some cells
Three Four merged.

We end with a fancy calendar, note how much of the original formatting is
preserved. Note that this table will only display correctly on relatively wide screens. In
general, very wide tables or tables whose cells have fixed width requirements don’t
fare well in ebooks.

December 2007
Su Tu We Th
n Mon e d u Fri Sat
1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 1 1 1 1 1
1 2 3 4 5

1 17 1 1 2 2 2
6 8 9 0 1 2

2 24 2 2 2 2 2
3 5 6 7 8 9

3 31
0
 Structural Elements
Miscellaneous structural elements you can add to your document, like footnotes,
endnotes, dropcaps and the like.

Footnotes & Endnotes

Footnotes1 and endnotesi are automatically recognized and both are converted to
endnotes, with backlinks for maximum ease of use in ebook devices.

Dropcaps

D
rop caps are used to emphasize the leading paragraph at the start of a
section. In Word it is possible to specify how many lines of text a drop-cap
should use. Because of limitations in ebook technology, this is not possible
when converting. Instead, the converted drop cap will use font size and line height to
simulate the effect as well as possible. While not as good as the original, the result is
usually tolerable. This paragraph has a “D” dropcap set to occupy three lines of text
with a font size of 58.5 pts. Depending on the screen width and capabilities of the
device you view the book on, this dropcap can look anything from perfect to ugly.

Links
Two kinds of links are possible, those that refer to an external website and those
that refer to locations inside the document itself. Both are supported by calibre. For
example, here is a link pointing to the calibre download page. Then we have a link that
points back to the section on paragraph level formatting in this document.

Table of Contents
There are two approaches that calibre takes when generating a Table of Contents.
The first is if the Word document has a Table of Contents itself. Provided that the
Table of Contents uses hyperlinks, calibre will automatically use it. The levels of the
Table of Contents are identified by their left indent, so if you want the ebook to have
a multi-level Table of Contents, make sure you create a properly indented Table of
Contents in Word.
If no Table of Contents is found in the document, then a table of contents is
automatically generated from the headings in the document. A heading is identified
as something that has the Heading 1 or Heading 2, etc. style applied to it. These
headings are turned into a Table of Contents with Heading 1 being the topmost level,
Heading 2 the second level and so on.

1
In paged media, footnotes are usually displayed at the bottom of the text. However, in ebooks, a
better paradigm is to make them clickable endnotes that the user can browse at her pleasure. This
conversion is handled automatically by calibre.
 You can see the Table of Contents created by calibre by clicking the Table of
Contents button in whatever viewer you are using to view the converted ebook.

Demonstration of DOCX support in calibre................................................................. 1

Text Formatting .................................................................................................................. 2

Inline formatting................................................................................................................ 2
Fun with fonts .................................................................................................................... 2
Paragraph level formatting.............................................................................................. 2

Tables ..................................................................................................................................... 3

Structural Elements ........................................................................................................... 5

Footnotes & Endnotes ....................................................................................................... 5
Dropcaps ............................................................................................................................. 5
Links .................................................................................................................................... 5
Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. 5

Images .................................................................................................................................... 7

Lists ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Bulleted List ....................................................................................................................... 8
Numbered List .................................................................................................................... 8
Multi-level Lists .................................................................................................................. 8
Continued Lists .................................................................................................................. 8
 Images
Images can be of three main types. Inline images
are images that are part of the normal text flow, like
this image of a green dot . Inline images do not
cause breaks in the text and are usually small in size. The next category of image is a
floating image, one that “floats “ on the page and is surrounded by text. Word
supports more types of floating images than are possible with current ebook
technology, so the conversion maps floating images to simple left and right floats, as
you can see with the left and right arrow images on the sides of this paragraph.
The final type of image is a “block” image, one that becomes a paragraph on its
own and has no text on either side. Below is a centered green dot.

Centered images like this are useful for large pictures that should be a focus of
attention.
Generally, it is not possible to translate the exact positioning of images from a
Word document to an ebook. That is because in Word, image positioning is specified
in absolute units from the page boundaries. There is no analogous technology in
ebooks, so the conversion will usually end up placing the image either centered or
floating close to the point in the text where it was inserted, not necessarily where it
appears on the page in Word.
 Lists
All types of lists are supported by the conversion, with the exception of lists that
use fancy bullets, these get converted to regular bullets.

Bulleted List
• One
• Two

Numbered List
1. One, with a very long line to demonstrate that the hanging indent for the
list is working correctly
2. Two

Multi-level Lists
1. One
1.1. Two
1.1.1. Three
1.1.2. Four with a very long line to demonstrate that the hanging indent
for the list is working correctly.
1.1.3. Five
2. Six
A Multi-level list with bullets:
▪ One
• Two
This bullet uses an image as the bullet item
o Four
▪ Five

Continued Lists
i. One
ii. Two
An interruption in our regularly scheduled listing, for this essential and very
relevant public service announcement.
iii. We now resume our normal programming
iv. Four

i
Endnotes are typically used for longer notes, they remain endnotes when converted into ebook
form, except that they have an additional backlink to make it easy to return to the current position
after reading the note.