…the do’s and don’t for your spring marathon:
With the spring marathon season approaching, in clinic I am seeing a lot more people who have started their training program and have then developed some niggles along the way. There are a few rules to follow that will help keep you on track in the run up to your target race.
1. Don’t up your running too quickly! If you are building up to your first marathon add some cross training like the X-trainer, bike or swimming to build base fitness. This will prevent you getting running overuse injuries and still build those all important red blood cells. Get your key running sessions in every week and augment your training with cross-training to get more ‘aerobic volume’ in the bank.
2. Add a twice weekly strength and mobility program to your training. The key here is not to overdo it – you don’t need a full-on gym work out but some simple bodyweight exercises like deep squats, lunges, press up and dips plus a bit of core AND stretches / foam rolling to keep you mobile and supple. I have had lots of people in who increased their running and gym work outs in one go which meant the demand on the body was too much and they broke down. So, a little strength and conditioning done twice weekly goes a long way to keeping your marathon build up on track.
3. Make your training a priority for the marathon build up – do the basics properly. Eat good food, get enough sleep, stay hydrated – doing this properly will aid your training no end!
4. Most of all, enjoy the journey! The marathon day should be a fun event, one to enjoy the fruits of your labours on and to cross the line and think – I can go faster next time!!!
If you do get a niggle that is not resolving or affecting your running style a movement analysis, hands on treatments and running specific exercises will help. The physios at the Physio Therapy Centre are able to help you with this.
Marathon Runners Special Offer. Get 25% off an Initial Physio appointment or 1hr Sports Massage at our Practice in Haywards Heath or Burgess Hill. Get you or a friend a Voucher by clicking here. Use the discount code MARATHON24 at check-out. Voucher can be used any time in the next 12 months.
Tobias Bremer
Senior Physiotherapist
