5 Ways to Crush Your Marathon Goals

In the week leading up to a race, tweak your marathon training schedule to decrease your running volume so that you prep your body before the big day. Studies have shown that when runners taper or reduce their training load in the weeks before race day, it helps them recover from the weeks of high-volume, high-intensity training used to enhance performance during the race itself.

Sleep is an important factor for recovery at any time in your marathon training plan, but it should be prioritised even more during the week before race day. Try and get at least 8 hours of sound sleep every night.

Studies show that during intense, continuous endurance exercise, the glycogen or energy stored in your muscles is depleted after about 90 minutes. Carb-loading involves eating more carbs at every meal and snacks 5-7 days before your race so that your muscles have plenty of energy stored on race day. Then, on race day, try and eat an easily digestible meal high in carbs and low in fibre.

Although regular exercise contributes to many well-established long-term health benefits, vigorous exercise is also associated with a transient increase in the risk of heart events. Studies conducted by the American Heart Association (ref. link) evaluated the rate at which cardiac events occurred during high-intensity exercises like marathons. They showed that 50% of these events took place in the last mile of the race, and among participants in triathlons, almost 40% of cardiac events occurred in first-time participants. During training for high-intensity,multi-hour endurance exercises like marathons, individuals may often experience cardiac strain. Their heart enzymes like troponin and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) are elevated and they may have patchy myocardial fibrosis. This sustained load may lead to remodelling of the heart, instigating cardiac conditions like arrhythmias. Therefore, it is essential to be mindful of marathon heart damage.

This year, it is especially important to keep an eye on your heart when returning to Marathon training, because covid induced myocarditis, and myocarditis as an adverse reaction to covid vaccines, may have lingering effects on the health and performance of even seasoned marathon runners.

Click here (ref. link) to read our detailed blog about the warning signs of cardiac disease. Our blog on getting back to your marathon exercises after recovering from Covid-19 also gives practical tips for getting back to your fitness routines.