Thinking of Running a Marathon?
Marathon season has kicked into high gear. Jogging and running have never been my personal activity of choice. In fact, I actually deter and educate my clients against LSD exercise (long, slow distance). The risks of LSD exercise far outweigh the benefits when it comes to overall health, hormone balance, optimal immune function, injuries, healthy aging , longevity, changing your body, increasing muscle and losing body fat. However, there are those who love, crave and insist on running. This article is for you!
Due to the high volume of training and repetition of movement that’s required for a marathon, come injuries. The most common injuries in marathon runners are shin splints, stress fractures, muscle strains, patellofemoral pain syndrome that causes pain under and around the knee, and ITB Syndrome (iliotibial band), which causes pain on the outside of the knee, outer thigh and hip.
Due to the forward running motion, various muscle groups tend to overdevelop creating postural deviations, overuse syndromes, and imbalances. The calf muscles develop more than the anterior shin muscles, the quadricep muscles develop more than the hamstrings and glutes, and the lower back muscles tend shorten and develop more than the abdominal muscles.
Haemi Choi, MD, a sports medicine specialist at Loyola says, "These injuries often result from overtraining or increasing mileage too quickly. It’s important to schedule rest days and build up slowly.”
MARATHON TRAINING TIPS
Hydration. The International Marathon Medical Directors Association recommends that runners drink only when thirsty. Your body is 85% water and physiologically water works as a catalyst to most functions within the body. Dehydration leads to low back pain, joint pain, electrolyte imbalances, and decreased performance. However, drinking too much fluid while running can cause a potentially fatal condition called exercise-associated hyponatremia. It occurs when runners drink even when they are not thirsty. Drinking too much during exercise can dilute the sodium content of blood to abnormally low levels.
Make Your Own Chemical-free Electrolyte Replacement Beverage:
A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that drinking tart cherry juice for 7 days before and during a strenuous running event minimizes post-run muscle pain. According to research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the powerful antioxidant compounds in tart cherry juice help decrease oxidative damage that normally occurs when muscles are worked to their max, allowing muscles to recover more quickly.
Nutrition. Women particularly overlook the importance of their diet when it comes to the rigorous training that marathons require. When the volume of training increases, so do energy requirements. Eating nutrient-dense foods at every meal support your training needs.
Endurance athletes actually perform better when their fat intake is at least 30 percent of total caloric intake. Due to the vast amount of stress placed upon the body with marathon training, protein requirements increase as well. Without adequate protein, your muscles will not be able to go the distance, recover or repair afterwards.
Excessive cardio increases oxidative stress and damages the heart. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology provides solid evidence of a direct link between years of exercising strenuously or completing marathon or ultramarathon races is associated with an increased risk of heart damage. Certain types of prolonged exercise in endurance athletes cause heart damage including scarring and structural changes, diminished function of the right ventricle of the heart after endurance racing, and increased blood levels of cardiac enzymes, which are markers for heart injury.
Marathon training increases oxidative stress, accelerates aging, increases cortisol, compromises immune function, and creates excess inflammation!
A study in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that marathon runners had higher inflammatory markers at rest than control groups and sprinters. Exercise has numerous health benefits, but few people realize that when done to extremes it also causes metabolic damage and increases cardiac risk. There is an increase in whole body oxygen consumption with marathon training that produces reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can be harmful, at rates that exceed the body's natural capacity to detoxify them. Oxidation is a process that forms free radical damage. Normally the body can neutralize free radicals with antioxidants, however when there’s an excessive build-up of free radicals from heavy, intense training the body cannot neutralize all of the free radicals. Read more in Chapter 4-4, “Stop the LSD” found in The Power of 4.
Shoes. Invest in new shoes every 300 miles. Avoid wearing new shoes on race day. If necessary, they should be replaced 3-4 weeks prior to the marathon to ensure your feet adjust to the new fit.
Cross train and periodize your training program. Hire a qualified strength coach to design a program specific to you. A smart training program is one that’s planned out interspersing volume and intensity. Marathon runners and triathletes can increase their VO2 max close to 4% and raise the lactate threshold over 8% when they add one to two days of interval training and a smart strength training program to their training regime. The study used 6-8 thirty-second all out sprints on a stationary bike followed by 3.5 minute rest.
Stretching, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga and Myofascial Release. Dynamic warm up before training is essential in preparing your body for optimal performance and the demands placed upon it. Static stretching is best saved for post-training to promote tissue length and elasticity, and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system.
Self-Myofascial release (SMR) using a foam roller helps with injury prevention, flexibility and muscle recovery. SMR is an extremely effective rehab technique for ITB syndrome. Daily use helps to increase flexibility and breakdown adhesions in muscle and fascia. Myo = muscle and fascia = fibrous connective tissue encasing the muscles. For an small investment, usually under $20, a foam roller is a must for all marathon trainees.
ITB - Iliotibial Band: Position yourself on your side so your outer thigh is resting on top of the roller. Place the foot of the opposite leg on the ground in front of you. Make sure you do not turn too far on to the front or back of the thigh. Start in the middle of the ITB and work toward the top of the muscle. Continue to work all the way down the outer thigh ending above your knee.
Nutritional supplementation encourages better performance, promotes recovery, reduces inflammation and oxidative stress. Just a few items to consider branched-chain amino acids, CoQ10, curcumin, proteolytic enzymes, essential fatty acids, vitamin D, probiotics, L-glutamine powder and magnesium.
Sleep, Rest & Recovery. Restore energy and increase recovery from intense training. Don’t underestimate recovery and rest days. Listen to your body and rest especially if you feel sluggish or tired, have aches and pains, experience sudden weight loss of 5 or more pounds, are excessively thirsty, your resting heart rate is 5 BPM higher, or you feel a sore throat or cough coming on.
Due to the vast amount of stress marathon and long distance runners place upon their bodies, they often suffer with respiratory ailments, colds and a compromised immune function.
Treat yourself to a massage or other bodywork. Soak in a tub with Epsom salts. Your body will absorb the magnesium from the Epsom salts aiding in muscle relaxation. Schedule an appointment with your chiropractor to maintain proper spinal alignment and optimal nerve function.
As a holistic nutritionist and functional health practitioner, my philosophy is to identify the root cause of any underlying health issues, slowly "peel away the layers of the onion," and design a healing protocol and comprehensive LIFESTYLE plan specific to your unique biochemistry so you can heal, experience vibrant health, balanced hormones and look, think and feel better than ever for a lifetime. I consult with men and women around the world and with clients locally in the Phoenix area. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation!
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Sources available upon request.
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