5 Tips To Run Your Best Marathon
How do you prepare for an endurance event that will test all of your physical and mental mettle? The answer is to take a multidisciplinary and team approach. A comprehensive training plan should incorporate nutritional support, ways to prevent injuries with core strength training or massage. As your weekly mileage increases, you might also want to think about additional ways to minimize inflammation and improve recovery whether you try turmeric, ice baths, or acupuncture. Here are five more tips to keep you healthy, on your feet, and ahead of the pack:
1. Start on the Right Foot
More support is better when considering 26.2 miles. Take a moment to consider your overall health and well-being. Find a sports medicine expert to evaluate your physical condition, address biomechanical imbalances, or perform a gait analysis to prevent future injuries. Developing a pre-training plan with an expert will help you reach an optimal training level and address any underlying issues before you begin to add up the miles.
2. Don’t Bonk!
Bonking, otherwise known as “crashing” or “hitting the wall” is the dreaded, race-day phenomenon causing endurance athletes to suffer from exhaustion, extreme muscle fatigue, and symptoms of hypoglycemia. In addition to carbohydrate loading, watch for signs of overtraining as you prepare for your event. Symptoms include a higher resting heart rate, low appetite, high blood pressure, weight loss, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and generalized fatigue. If you notice any of these signs, reevaluate your training or see an expert before you get deeper into your workouts.
3. Cross Train
Cross-train by incorporating multiple physical modalities to help you build core strength, prevent over-training, and address areas of weakness. Substitute different forms of cardiovascular exercise, strength training, speed intervals, or exercise rehabilitation. Don’t forget to rest. If you’re training for 26.2 miles or any endurance event, you need one to two days of hard-core rest combined with one cross-training or light training day.
4. Run Local Races
Sign up for local events to help keep you on track. Choose races that correspond with the mileage you are working towards. The anticipated races will keep you motivated to work towards short-term goals and it's always good to get SWAG (Stuff We All Get). Hello, goody bags, t-shirts, energy bars, and coupons! If you are starting with 5K races to build up to those endurance events, you can find more training tips in our 5 Tips to Run Your Best 5K article
5. Try Sport Psychology
Endurance training is all about mental preparation. To prepare for your next event, experiment with different forms of relaxation such as meditation, visualization, and body awareness. If you don’t know where to begin, try guided meditation or yoga. Each yoga session will help you clear your mind, develop powerful breathing techniques, and visualize your sweet race-day success.
If you prefer to get your daily dose of mind-body medicine in private, guided meditation is an excellent option. Start with a 15-minute session after each workout by sitting with your eyes closed. Try slow belly breathing (inhaling and exhaling for a count of four each) and see where your mind goes.
More About OMBE
OMBE is celebrating 15 years of service in Massachusetts! Additionally, we are now scheduling in-person acupuncture sessions for our South Shore and Cape Cod clients. Telehealth consultations are available for all of our Massachusetts clients living in the Boston area, North Shore, and Western Massachusetts.
Learn more about us, read our organic health philosophy, or schedule an appointment. Contact us for any questions about appointment scheduling, acupuncture services, or integrative medicine. We look forward to hearing from you!