Running comes naturally. Running long distances doesn’t. One needs to be well trained and equipped to do so. Read on to brace the basics before taking part in a marathon.
Running in a marathon is a serious feat and requires a lot of physical and mental preparation before that get-set-go.
Pay a visit to your doctor: Drop in to your doctor’s clinic to get a proper physical exam done, which is especially critical if you have issues such as a heart trouble, pregnancy, high blood pressure, diabetes, or any other medical condition. Age above 65 years, an otherwise sedentary lifestyle, smoking and obesity are some other factors that your physician will analyse before giving you a go-ahead.
Running shoes, clothes, gear and the works: Nothing fancy but investing in good running shoes that are suitable for your foot type and level of experience is a must to make you run comfortably and injury-free. Choose running clothes that are made of technical fabrics (not cotton) to wick away your sweat. Women, look for a good quality sports bra. A hydration belt or water bottle is also needed.
Training schedule: Experts believe that if you’ve never trained for any kind of endurance event earlier, you should begin by building your running base mileage for at least six months before running a marathon.
Once a regular running habit is established and you are running 3-4 days a week, you can begin by racing a shorter distance like a 5K (3.1 miles) or a 10K (6.2 miles). One can start with a half marathon (13.1 miles) before taking on the full marathon (26.2 miles).
Diet: A marathon-diet is not starkly different from your usual diet, just slightly altered to take care of additional and lasting energy requirements. Marathon gurus suggest it should be “high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein and low in fat.”
Pre-run: Load up on carbohydrates by replacing most of the fat in your diet with carbohydrates. Have a meal of more than 200 gm of carbohydrate about three hours before the event. Drink at least 500 ml of fluid with the pre-event meal.
During run: Keep sipping on juice and munch on banana for instant energy.
Post-run: In order to restore fluid and electrolyte balance, provide nutrients to help repair muscle damage and replenish depleted glycogen stores. Commercial “sports drinks” are a good choice to do so. Avoid caffeine and alcohol immediately after the event.
Mental preparation: For running a marathon, mental toughness is as imperative as physical strength. The right and focused mind set, visualisation, and encouraging inner voice, and the fire to achieve the goal will help in touching the finish line. Practicing simple things while running like, settling small milestones, talking to yourself, not getting emotional, and beating the boredom can help in big way.
Photograph by Thad Zajdowicz, via sxc.hu
