Successful Marathon Running – Part 2 (Race Day)
By the time you read this blog post, you may have done all the hard training. I hope everything has been going as planned leading up to the big day.
Successful Marathon Running – Part 1 (Preparation)
At the very last stage of the marathon training, you would not expect much physical gains, so therefore it is time for you to relax a bit and focus on letting your legs feel fresh, enjoying fuelling up on some extra energy and taking some much needed sleep-ins. This taper period would be the toughest part of marathon preparation for some people as you would surely feel some anxiety by not running as much as you have been, but trust me, taper is definitely one of the most important stages of your training, to stay cool and calm in the lead up to the race day.
In this post, I am going to share a few tips on the race day as followings. Enjoy and happy running!
1) Focus on what you do
Don’t worry about what others do. You have trained for yourself in order to achieve a goal that you had set by yourself. So, don’t worry if others go out quicker than you do or you get past by a person who seems to be less fit than you are. Especially for the first 5 to 10km, people are more likely to go way too fast than they have anticipated. If your plan is to go out as fast as you can then hang on till the finish, please do, but remember 42.2km is a long way without a doubt. Trying to be as even paced as possible will always be a great strategy for fuel efficiency.
Don’t worry about what others do. You have trained for yourself in order to achieve a goal that you had set by yourself. #performbetter @pogophysio Click To Tweet2) Get race nutrition right
The most important thing during the race is to stay hydrated all the time. Take a sip of water and electrolytes regularly even though you don’t feel thirsty. Once you start feeling the thirst, dehydration has already been kicking in. Also, take some energy source like gels or bars, which are used to consume while running. Don’t forget to have a carbohydrate rich breakfast as well. Ideally 3 hours prior to the race start, which allows your stomach to digest well enough.
3) Breathe “Out”
When things get tough and you feel puffed out, try to breathe “out” rather than breathe “in”. That would make your chin tuck in, your shoulders relax, and your respiratory muscles work efficiently. You would naturally take some oxygen into your lungs without effort when they get empty. Oh don’t forget to make a big smile to the supporters!!
4) Visualisation
Marathon is not only a physically demanding sport but also a mental game. It is basically your body versus your brain after all. So, visualise yourself crossing the finish line while all the spectators are cheering you on and you are about to achieve your goal. The magical moment is all yours. It will be a tough road especially after 30km but the moment you are running into the finishing chute is going to be above and beyond that’s for sure!
Marathon is not only a physically demanding sport but also a mental game. #performbetter @pogophysio Click To Tweet5) Proud of yourself
That’s all! You have done all the hard training. All you need to do is to go out there and enjoy every single step of the 42.2km journey. To run a marathon is definitely a big commitment and you have made it through to the start line. You are an absolute legend no matter what outcome will be!! All the best and good luck!!
Sato Ashida
Accredited Remedial Massage Therapist (ANTA)
Featured in the Top 50 Physical Therapy Blog
