Training for a marathon is exciting but it is also extremely demanding. That’s why it is important to keep your body in good condition to make sure you get across that finish line!
During marathon training, you repeat the same movement thousands of times. The body absorbs shock every time the feet come into contact with the ground. This means it is extremely easy for a small problem to turn in to:
- Knee pain
- Shin splints
- Hip tightness
- Lower back soreness
- Plantar fasciitis
At Chislehurst Chiropractic Clinic, our job is to check alignment, movement mechanics and muscle balance so your body runs smoothly.
From my own experience of training for the marathon this year, I have seen first hand how these niggles can interrupt a training plan. You feel that training is going well, you feel fast and as if you goal time is on track. However, this quickly changes when you find yourself unable to run for 3-4 weeks without pain. What I found helpful:
Chiropractic care
Most people rely on stretching and exercise to recover well from injury. But not everybody considers chiropractic care. Your nervous system control everything, the muscles, ligaments and tendons that drive your body on every run. By having that consistent care to my spine and joints, it helped speed up the recovery of my calf strain, reducing the tension and restoring proper movement mechanics throughout my entire kinematic chain. Research has shown that one chiropractic adjustment is the equivalent to 2-3 weeks worth of strength training, so building that resilience has been extremely beneficial.
Massage
Alongside my regular chiropractic adjustments, I have been receiving frequent massage sessions. This has helped release the scar tissue around my tendons and release the trigger points in my muscles.
The difficulty with following a training plan with an injury is that the progression does not stop until after the race day, so your body does not always have time to catch up with the increasing load. The important thing to remember is to not play “catch up”! Give your body the time it needs to heal and recover, before progressively increasing the load again. Understand what imbalances have contributed to this injury and get these looked at by a professional. Give your body the best chance at speeding up its recovery and building resilience back into the tissues!
What else can you do:
Remember that rest days are not lazy days. These are just as important as the run days themselves. This is where your body gets stronger. Keys tips for rest days include:
1) Ensure you get 7-9 hours of sleep
2) Gentle mobility routine
3) Keeping adequately hydrated
4) Make time for Chiropractic care or Massage
Why hydration levels are important
Keeping adequately hydrated is key for good recovery and performance. Your muscles are made up of approximately 75% water, so even mild dehydration can affect muscle function, strength and performance! Your joints also love being hydrated since the lubrication (synovial fluid) is mostly made up of water. Not only this, good hydration means your joints are able to better absorb the shock during the constant load of running!
Recovery
As your training journey comes closer to its end, its important to remember that crossing the finish line is just one milestone and focusing on how your body recovers afterwards is just as important for the future journeys. Its never too late to have your spine assessed, particularly if you are feeling fatigued, tight or simply want to stay in good condition pre or post race.
Most importantly, don’t wait for pain to arrive before seeking help, feel free to contact the clinic for a pre or post race check.
I have been training for the marathon and despite all my best efforts I probably share just as much apprehension going in to it as any of my patients. So if you are training for an event get the right advice, take care of your body pre and post event and most of all remember to enjoy the taking part!
If you know someone who could benefit from this blog post, please share it with them. We offer a complimentary spine check to anyone who is interested in how chiropractic may be able to help them.
