5 effects Marathon Running has on the body.

With the London Marathon nearly upon us you will probably find a lot more people pounding the streets around London, trying to make sure they have got enough miles in their legs before the big day. Hopefully everyone taking part has been sensible and began their training programme at the beginning of January (or before) in order to get their bodies in the best possible shape to run 26 miles, and give them the best chance to avoid any injuries that may hamper their training or race day (or potentially both).

Here are just 5 of the many possible consequences of running a Marathon:

1) Muscle fatigue in the legs; Sounds pretty obvious and will probably be less of a problem if you have trained properly. Unfortunately, your body's energy stores only last for so long and you eventually end up running on empty. You will also probably find that 1‐2 days after the race your legs are in agony and don't feel like they are part of the rest of your body (good luck going up and down stairs!) This is due to what is called micro‐trauma, which is in fact tiny microscopic tears within the muscles.

2) Foot problems; Blisters and bloody toenails are a potential hazard of running 26 miles. Looking after your feet in the lead up to the race is essential, as is wearing the correct socks and running shoes.

3) Weight loss (how good is that!); Runners shed between 2‐5kgs in weight during a marathon. This is due to fluid loss (and will probably go back on very quickly after the race). It's vitally important that you keep talking on fluid regularly during the race, becoming dehydrated is a recipe for disaster and will seriously affect your performance.

4) Height loss (fortunately it's only temporary!); Most runners will cross the finishing line 2cms shorter than when they started. This is only temporary and caused by fluid loss between the intervertebral discs of the spine. Normal height returns when proper fluid levels are reached.

5) Calorie burn: The average number of calories used to complete a marathon is 2,800.

The Sports Injury Company wish everyone running this year's London Marathon the best of luck.

SPORTS MASSAGE is beneficial both before and after running a Marathon:

Pre‐event it can help athletes in avoiding potential over use injury, and also allows for a quicker recovery from hard training (potentially allows for more mileage) in training.
Post event it allows a quicker recovery than would be normal (less muscle soreness), allowing the athlete to return to training more quickly.

If you or somebody you know is running this year's London Marathon, and you think they may benefit from a pre or post event Sports Massage then please call Richard on 07931 790 552

Or

Contact The Hogarth MediSpa on 0208 747 4746
www.thesportsinjurycompany.co.uk

Find out more about Richard's Sports Injury and Sports Massage Therapy.