Preparation is the key before taking part in an event such as a marathon. With the Stayfree DNA I Can Women’s Half Marathon scheduled for March 11, first-time participants who feel there is very little time to prepare are wrong. Put on your running shoes and start training now, advise experts.
“One month is a good enough time for recreational runners to prepare for their first marathon. They must make sure that they start training now and follow the routine strictly till the event. They must put in mileage and compulsorily do stretches and strengthening exercises. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting injured,” said Praful Uchil, who runs a club called Striders.
The club was conceptualised by Uchil and Deepak Londhe in 2006.
Striders boasts of 300 members of which over 100 are women. Most of them will be participate in the DNA marathon at the Bandra-Kurla Complex next month.
Marathon regulars must have already started training for the event, said Ulchil. “Most women, who have participated in the Mumbai Marathon, would be really interested to participate in the DNA half marathon as well. They would have already started preparing for the event,” he said.
The fitness enthusiast says with less than a month left for the event, women need to put in mileage in the next couple of weeks.
“They should increase the distance they run during training, from 10km to 12km to 14km to 18km with each passing day. They can also include a couple of 18km runs,” he said. In the two weeks preceding the event, women will gradually reduce the distance they usually run during training as they will be cautious of burning themselves.
Experts said participants must also focus on strengthening their abdomen, back, ankle and knee. They need not hit the gym. It can be done outdoors through different exercises recommended by trainers.
At the same time, they must also follow basic principles like not drinking too much water. Though one must be well-hydrated, drinking too much water during the training sessions as well as the marathon is not advisable.
The gear must be in place before the event. Participants must not wear new shoes during the event as they may cause blisters. If the participant wishes to buy new shoes, now is the time to do that and train wearing the same.
There is also a fear of thinking too much about the event. “Don’t take everything at face value. Avoid that,” experts said. At the end of the day, there is no single set of rules. After all, no one knows your body as well as you.
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