One Week Until the Chicago Marathon!

It is only one week away! The Chicago Marathon is finally going to be here!
If you have been training, you must be so excited about the race. We talked a few weeks ago about how to prepare for the last month of training.
Hopefully, your shoes and socks are all set to go. If not, you are cutting it close. Really check out your shoes and make sure they are ready to support you during the big race.  There should not be any cracks or tears in your shoes. You are counting on them to help you make it to the finish line.  (For a review of the shoe and sock discussion please see http://www.epsfootdocs.com/2013/09/one-month-until-chicago-marathon.html)
You should have already had your last big long run so that your body can recover in time for the race. Hopefully, those 15 miles or so felt great. We have a few tips for you to think about for your last days of preparation.
1.        While you have probably completed your big preparation runs, you can still work on your running mechanics.  Things you can check are your arm swing (elbows bent slightly at less than a right angle – keep our shoulders relaxed not raising up toward your ears), your knee raise (lead with your knee and get it up a little higher than usual), and your stride frequency (the optimal is 30 steps every 10 seconds)
2.       Practice your meal plan to make sure that you are not trying something that might not agree with you either the night before the race or the day of the race. Eat 90 minutes before the race so that you have time to digest the food prior to getting on the course. The night before and the day of the race are NOT days to experiment with food.
3.       Practice starting off slowly so that you won’t get too caught up in the excitement at the beginning of the course.
4.       If you haven’t done it yet, select your refreshment for during the race. It is suggested that you stick to one thing, whether it is a sports drink, water, or gel. Pick one and be faithful. Make sure that your body doesn’t have any problems digesting your choice while running.
5.       Practice getting up early like it is race day. Have your breakfast, get dressed, and be ready to walk out the door. See how much time you need. You don’t want to be rushed and behind the morning of the race.
6.       Don’t think that you will magically go faster at the marathon than you normally go.  If you normally do an 8 minute mile, then plan on doing an 8 minute mile at the Marathon. This is not the place to kick up your speeds – especially if it is your first time.
7.       Once again, make sure your feet and shoes are a good fit. Blisters will be a huge detriment to your success. If you are concerned at all, try some Vaseline on the spots that could possibly blister.
8.       Have your post marathon plan in order. The largest predictor of your success post-race is having a plan for what you are going to do post Marathon. Those without a plan are the most apt to be sick after the race.
Have a great time! Please let us know how you did. We want to celebrate with you! If you have any questions either pre-race or post-race, we are here to help you! Just give our office a call.
Your Pal,
The Foot Blogger Chick
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to send them to footbloggerchick@gmail.com or leave them in the comment section below. I am not a doctor but I check with one before answering questions.
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Mag Mile Foot and Ankle Institute
333 N. Michigan Avenue Suite 1825
Chicago, IL   60601

 

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