If you are preparing for a running race, whether it is a 10km race, a half marathon or a full marathon, you need a lot of training and sufficient preparation in advance to give full play to your physical condition during the race.
The following are important suggestions from Dr. Niels Deconinck (Chinese name: Du Ning) in the Emergency Department of Shanghai United Family Hospital:
Before taking part in the long-distance race, please follow your personal living habits, make scientific and reasonable preparations before the race, and ensure your health.
Match preparation training
Runners should keep in mind that when their physical condition requires challenging the limits of their physical fitness, they should stick to appropriate training to ensure the best training effect and avoid injuries.
- One of the main goals of aerobic exercise training is to balance your running intensity and muscle recovery. Try to start targeted running training 16 weeks in advance. Muscle pain often occurs when the amount of training increases, and attention should be paid to gradual and orderly progress. If you are ill, you should stop training until you recover. If the training is injured, the doctor needs to draw up a rehabilitation plan and training schedule. Whether it is disease or sports injury, when returning to training, we should ensure that the training starts from lower than the previous training intensity. Avoid running outdoors for a long time when air pollution is serious.
Prepare diet
During the training process, it is extremely important to maintain a regular nutritious diet. This is not only conducive to maintaining good physical condition, but also conducive to entering the formal competition at the best level.
- During training, maintain a high level of muscle glycogen (energy) and do not choose a low-calorie diet. Not infatuated with health care products or exercise supplements, a reasonable and nutritious daily diet should be more meaningful. Three days before the competition, it is suggested to reduce the intake of protein foods, increase carbohydrates and reserve glycogen for the competition.
Training to replenish water
Due to exercise sweating, you should pay attention to replenish the lost water. Replenishing water in time will help blood flow from the heart to muscles and improve muscle elasticity:
- Know in advance the setting positions of water and food [supply stations] during the official competition, and try to do drinking exercises according to the corresponding mileage while training. A small amount of water replenishment at a time, drinking too much water may lead to a decrease in blood sodium level, but reduce running performance; After a long distance, you can drink sports drinks in small quantities many times to provide necessary heat and electrolyte. Avoid drinking before and after training.
Running dress
When running, comfortable and proper dress will make your training get the ideal effect.
- When running outdoors, you should wear eye-catching and colorful clothes. When running at night, try to wear white or bright clothes with reflective design. Prepare multiple pairs of running shoes suitable for different roads, running amounts and foot types, and wear them alternately. When approaching the competition, it is inappropriate to wear new shoes. On the day of the competition, dress according to the weather and prepare rain gear when necessary. Wearing comfortable clothes is not easy to cause friction and wear.
On the day of the match
When taking part in the competition, make sure that the difficulty of the competition is consistent with your ability.
- If you have not reached the required level for the competition, it is actually a wise choice to postpone your competition. If you have been ill or in poor health within 48 hours before the competition, it is recommended not to take part in the competition. If you have any medical problems, please mark an [X] on the back of the competition number cloth and specify your personal health status in detail.
Prepare for the finish line
After all the hard training and hard sweat, many people regard crossing the finish line as one of the most fulfilling things. Before you can meet the victory, you still need:
- After crossing the finish line, be sure to walk slowly for a while, then sit down to adjust the blood circulation. Change into a more comfortable and dry suit. Drink a proper amount of water or eat snacks to supplement electrolyte and energy, but do not have a big meal. If you have fainting or other discomfort, lie down and ask for help from the people around you.
Every lap, every kilometer and every race originates from one goal: to challenge yourself and achieve new breakthroughs. I believe you will be able to show yourself at the highest level in the competition! I’ll see you at the finish line!