Running a marathon is never a walk in the park. It takes dedication, practice, exercise, and commitment to do one. The first step is the hardest and the steps that follow seem just a bit less harder. That said, one cannot run a marathon with just days of practice. It takes time for you to know your speed, your stamina, your body on the whole and it requires patience. That is what a marathon is all about. Running a marathon puts you through tremendous pain and if you find yourself asking if it’s worth it? The answer is Yes, Definitely Yes. If you’re interested in learning more about marathon journeys, you might want to see this report on Tom Longboat’s journey.
While you are out there getting yourself ready to get home with a finisher’s medal. Here are a few tips from experts that might give you those brownie points. After all, knowledge is virtue.
5 Tips that help you finish a marathon:
If you’re a beginner and this is the first marathon, these will take you a long way. That said, these aren’t some vedic chants that will get wings on your boots or make you weightless. These are tips that will make your journey a little more comforting.
Eat Right: Nothing supersedes practice. You practice and clock your miles day in and day out. In this process, eating right food goes a long way. Eat food rich in proteins. Your calves and thighs need it. Keeping a balanced diet is important and that cannot ignored. The best thing to do is to visit a dietitian and ask them for tips on which diet suits your body type the most. You could always get the best of veggies and nutrients required, ordered from Big Basket. To get extra cashback or discount on groceries use bigbasket paytm offer code.
2) Get the right tech: This doesn’t mean you look like Bumblebee from Transformers while running your marathon. Technology has advanced, and now runners can calculate their average speed, maximum speed, calories burnt, heart beat readings on the go. Fit bits and smartwatches can get the job done.
3) Get the right Kicks: Getting the right running shoes is important. There are shoes specifically designed for long distance running. These are not only lighter, but are comforting as well. You wouldn’t regret having spent a couple of bucks more for the right shoe. Invest some time in physically visiting a shoe store and getting one that wraps your feet completely. You could also visit sites like footwearly.com and read reviews of the best running shoes. Brands like Nike, Asics, Adidas, and Reebok have shoes built for every type of feet. You could also run for a few miles on their inhouse treadmill and see if it’s comfortable. If you don’t find the right fit, don’t give in, there are options for you to get them custom built. This might cost a little more than your allotted budget, but it will save you from getting an Achilles Heel during the run. Once your shoes are approved, you can take it out to Active Mile Daily Track for the outdoor test.
While we are on the topic of shoes, don’t ever wear a new pair of shoes to the marathon. Use it for a couple of runs and get used to being in it. Shoe bites is the last thing you’d want while running.
4) Keep Hydrated: The untold rule is this ‘Never get thirsty’. And how would you do that? Keep yourself hydrated in frequent intervals. There will be refreshment booth enroute while you’re running the marathon, but when practicing, always keep a bottle of water handy. Sip before you get thirsty and repeat the process.
5) Salt is the key: When you run, you sweat, when you sweat, you excrete salts which are essential for your muscles. Ever wondered why you always got a cramp whilst running or in a soccer game. That’s because when you sweat constantly your body secretes salts and lack of salts in your body causes cramps. The solution to this is to always keep a cracker in your pocket. Have a bite at frequent intervals and the salt levels in your body remains constant.
Get the gear and get going.
Happy Running.