Many friends whispered to the editor in the background
What to pay attention to when running a marathon for the first time
So, the editor specially sorted out this strategy
For those who are participating in a marathon for the first time
Prepare before you run
1. Stay hydrated
Hydration shouldn't start on the morning of the race. Instead, you should consciously stay well hydrated for at least 48 hours before the marathon starts. To hydrate before a marathon, try drinking two 250 ml glasses of water or sports drink two hours before the start of the run so that by the time the race starts, the liquid will be absorbed into your system. If you think it might take you more than five hours to run a marathon, keep in mind that you'll lose less sweat, so you don't have to drink as much fluid before the race.
2. Give yourself plenty of time
Pin your bib number the night before, you may feel a little nervous and anxious before the game, and the last thing you want to do is rush.
Wake up early and give yourself plenty of time to process everything you have to do – dress, eat, shower, toilet, drink, etc. Also, when setting off for the marathon, there is plenty of time to check your luggage and warm up before the race starts.
Half an hour in advance, the bag will be deposited into the special storage car of the organizing committee, you must arrive early, go early to store your clothes early, no one wants to run with a bag, time waits for no one. You can bring a pair of slippers and put them in your bag, take off your socks and shoes and change them into slippers after running.
Go to the toilet before the game, and you can go to the toilet a few times. Try to empty as much as possible, going to the toilet in the middle of the race affects the rhythm, affects the performance, and can also reduce weight.
3. Wear the right gear
Be sure to check the weather forecast and dress appropriately. However, it is important not to overdress, which may increase the risk of dehydration. Also, don't wear new shoes, socks, new clothes, or accessories to the race. Everything you wear should be well broken and test-run. (Tips: Everyone should do a good job of sun protection during the marathon, wear empty hats, apply sunscreen, wear arm covers, etc.)
Wide shoes and tight socks, shoes should be one size larger than the foot, long runs, the soles of the feet will be congested and expanded. If there is no room for the shoe, it will squeeze out blisters or even black nails due to the top foot, and the socks should be slightly tighter and will not slide relative to the soles of the feet. These shoes should be the most comfortable and not the prettiest pair you can run on. (Don't wear new shoes or socks, remember!)
Cut your toenails, but don't trim them too much, the toenails are hard to wear.
4. Eat right
Eat at least 300 calories an hour before the start of the race. Test your food choices during training so you know which foods will help provide your body with long-term energy. If you feel like your body needs more food, eat one last snack before you have 30 minutes left before the race.
In layman's terms: don't eat too much breakfast on the day of the race, and don't eat anything too hard to digest, because you don't rely on the energy of breakfast to support you through the race, there are supplies on the track.
30 minutes before the game, you can drink some high-concentration glucose water, glucose is a simple sugar that can be quickly digested and absorbed and directly acts on the muscles to form muscle glycogen, which is the source of energy. (Never eat sweets such as chocolate on the day of the race, as your throat will be sticky when you eat it.) Don't drink other beverages either, drink plain water if you're thirsty, gastric emptying time: solid food for 1 hour, liquid for 30 minutes. Don't eat any food for 30 minutes before the game. ）
5. Warm up
Before the marathon, be sure to warm up thoroughly. Some people like to take a few steps in the race pace to get ready for the race. It's important to follow the pace with consistent, light movements, such as easy jogging, until the race starts – even if you're at a crowded starting line – so that your muscles stay loose and not tense. At the same time, it is crucial not to overexert yourself during the warm-up.
You can trot for at least ten minutes, warm up, and sweat slightly while jogging. Do 2 or 3 30-meter sprints. A few minutes before the game, do some light stretching movements, such as leg presses, waist presses, body turns, shoulder stretches and other activities to move the relevant joints, ligaments, and muscles.
At the beginning of the match, you have to find the right place in the queue according to your own ability. You don't have to squeeze forward or just sit at the back of the line so you don't have to worry about getting bumped into by other players.
Recommendations for running in
First, the game gun
There are many people, so be careful to stay calm and avoid collisions. Don't rush to the lead at the beginning, run at your own pace, at your own pace, and don't think about where you are.
At the beginning of the match, you have to find the right place in the queue according to your own ability. You don't have to squeeze forward or just sit at the back of the line so you don't have to worry about getting bumped into by other players.
2. Track etiquette
When changing lanes, raise your hand slightly to signal the runner behind you, and the runner in front of you should say give way, or overtake from the side, rather than squeezing hard. The shoelaces are loose, run to the side of the road and tie them again.
Control the speed
Be sure to control the speed. Whether it's a full or half marathon, remember the first principle of marathon running: Constant speed! Constant speed is the soul of the marathon. Generally speaking, the speed of running a full marathon is your fastest time of 10 kilometers plus 6-8 minutes, and the half time plus 3 minutes. Don't go fast and slow down, unless you have masochistic tendencies and are happy to see yourself overtaken by others in groups in the last 5 kilometres.
3. Run with your peers
While some people prefer to train and run on their own, finding a partner or group who is also preparing for a marathon can provide support, advice, structure, and motivation.
You can optionally run behind a runner who is at the same speed as you, who can block the wind, reduce the air resistance you encounter, and save about 7% of your energy. If you can adjust the stride length to be the same as his, it is more conducive to relaxation and avoid tension. Follow the runner by focusing on the shoulders of the runner in front of you, not the legs or other parts.
4. Stay hydrated and energized
Remember not to wait until you feel thirsty to drink something, by then, your body is already dehydrated.
Starting from 10 km, you should drink water at every drinking station, no more than 100 grams of water each time, generally speaking, the water you drink will not be fully absorbed by the body until at least half an hour, so you must replenish water before you feel dry mouth to smooth out this time difference. For those who run the whole race, drink some energy drinks at each drinking station after 20 kilometers to replenish the body's sugar. Be careful not to drink water or drinks on the road. It is a principle to make up a small amount of time several times. If you drink too much, your stomach will be very uncomfortable and you will want to vomit.
Energy bars, energy gels, fruits, bagels, and sugary snacks are all good choices to boost energy, you can buy some energy gels and salt pills before the race, and the organizing committee will generally provide energy gels and salt pills after 20 kilometers for the full marathon, but you need to replenish energy in the early stage.
5. Personal Suggestions:
Eat 2 salt pills before starting, 1 energy gel, and then at 10, 20 (with 2 salt pills), 30, 35 kilometers to replenish the energy gel is also a similar rhythm.
If you feel unwell during the race, don't be reckless, stop the game in time, and ask for help!!
Pay attention after running
1. At the end of the competition
Do not sit on the ground immediately to rest, walk slowly for at least 5 minutes, pay attention to hydration, stretch ligaments, and move joints. It is necessary to jog (walk) to relax and allow the muscles, nerves, and heart to recover slowly.
Second, after the end of the competition
Do not drink a lot of water right away (it will increase the burden on the heart), you can use a little moisturizing throat, and then replenish water after 20 minutes.
3. Return home after the run
You can wear a shirt and use cold water to flush down from the thighs to relax the leg muscles, and it is not advisable to stretch too high intensity after running, because the muscles themselves are in a state of injury, and overstretching may lead to further muscle injury.
Fourth, the night of the run
When sleeping, you can raise your legs to promote blood circulation.
Fifth, the soreness is delayed
Leg soreness may occur after two days of running, at this time there is no need to run for acid discharge, lactic acid will be basically metabolized by the body two hours after the end of the exercise, muscle soreness is actually muscle injury pain, at this time you can carry out low-intensity exercise or stretching to promote blood circulation and accelerate repair.
Source: Hefei Marathon