​Expert Physiotherapist’s Tips on Completing the Marathon.

Here’s the last in the marathon physiotherapist blog series for a while, just in time for the London Marathon on Sunday.

I hope you have found all of our marathon blogs useful including the radio interview on running/marathon training tips, the marathon training myth busters, running/ marathon recovery, knee pain in runners and should I run the marathon when injured. I will continue to write articles about running and there are lots of exercises, advice and videos on this website for runners so please do share with any running buddies, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Here are my top tips for completing the marathon:

1. Start steady but not too slow.
2. Don’t stop. Keep going even if it is a slow walk. The moment you stop the circulation in your muscles and joints reduces and you can seize up and find it hard to start again.
3. Don’t static stretch before or during the marathon, no matter how tempting it is. This will slow down your muscles ability to contract and could therefore increase your reaction rates and risk of injury. The exception to this is if you have cramp and absolutely have to stop as a result. The best thing for cramp is to stay weight bearing as much as you can.
4. Listen to the crowds, imagine every one of them is there supporting you personally. Absorb all that wonderful positive energy, let it fuel you.
5. Accept that your muscles will be uncomfortable and you will feel tired, they are signs that you are almost there.
6. Motivate flagging runners when you have the energy and allow yourself to be motivated by the others when you are flagging. Enjoy the camaraderie on the day.
7. Enjoy the spectacle of London and all the variation that the route brings – architecture, people, history, weather even!
8. Don’t let the weather let you down, there are advantages of any kind of weather, try to enjoy it.
9. Focus on breathing out slowly, not breathing in. Breathing in is a reflex, breathing out is not. If you focus on emptying your lungs you will enable a maximum reflex breath in, if you focus on breathing in to fill your lungs you could hyperventilate.
10. Remember you have done the hard-work in training, and although it won’t be easy you will complete it and you will enjoy it.  We will be cheering you on.

Please don’t forget to share with any running buddies and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Lucy Macdonald
Chartered Physiotherapist
02075838288
lucy@octopusclinic.com 

Laura Fidler, one of our running specialist physio’s showing us how it is done.