Attack of the marathon

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Website: http://www.australiandoctor.com.au/articles/9A/0C06D49A.asp

Date posted: 24.11.10

From Australian Doctor:

If you or your patient are planning on running a marathon, here are a few simple steps to get you on the road. By Dr Lessa Huguenin.

OKAY, so you’re 40, or 50, or about to turn 40 or 50, or you just had a baby, or you want to do something before you have a baby or you have gone crazy, but what ever the reason, the realisation has hit — you want to run a marathon.

The first time a marathon was run, it ended in death. These days your chances of making it to the finish line and living to tell the tale are much higher, but it is still seen by many as the pinnacle of human endurance.

Over 42km of hard slog, followed by several days of not being able to move from standing to sitting due to quads fatigue, making even going to the toilet off-putting.

Why would you want to do it? What can possibly be gained? Are you nuts?

Many people run through this list of questions before embarking on what would be described by reality TV as “their journey”. Most people forget to ask themselves the question until about the 30km mark on race day.

This article aims to give you an insight into some of the issues you may need to consider before taking on your first marathon, and some ideas on how to do it safely so you don’t break down with injury two weeks before the race, or end up so disillusioned that you never run again.

Make no mistake about it, a marathon is hard work. Not just on race day, but in the months leading up to it when your training regime needs to be consistent, your motivation relentless and excuses kept to a minimum.

Planning your attack

1. Convince your spouse it is a good idea

2. Buy a training diary to plan and keep track.

3. Pick a race at least six months in the future and mark it on your calendar.

4. Ensure your footwear is optimal, con sult a sports podiatrist if you are unsure. You do not want to find out that you have serious biomechanical issues after your stress fracture develops.

5. Consider consulting your physiothera pist. Check that any old injuries are under control. Have your thoracic spine mobilised — you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk and tightness here can lead to thoracolumbar movement dysfunction, lumbar overload, psoas tightness and all sort of other evils.

6. Schedule time for regular grease and oil changes. Plan on a massage every 2-3 weeks, especially as the miles increase.

7. Buy ice packs.

8. Sort out your optimal stretching regime. Research indicates that a consistent stretching regime or no stretch ing regime is better for injury preven tion than an ad hoc, inconsistent approach. I find it hard to recommend avoiding stretching after runs, but it does need to be consistent...

 


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Last modified: November 24, 2010 2:46 PM

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