Currently at the Memorial & Museum

Marathon Medical Director Offers Tips for Runners

March 22, 2011

Running a Marathon, or any long distance, can take its toll on your body. Read the following tips from Memorial Marathon Medical Director Dr. Tom Coniglione on how to stay healthy before and during your run so that you may enjoy it even more. Dr. Tom and physicians from OU Physicians will also be making presentations at the Health and Fitness Expo.

Running after a meal may cause an upset stomach. Run with very little in your stomach. If you eat before you run, carbohydrates are better tolerated than fats or protein.
Hill running: charging uphill can injure the Achilles and the muscles around the buttock. On the downhills, avoid the temptation to let gravity help you go faster. When you are going faster on the downhill you are taking longer strides. Longer strides (overstriding) can injure the hamstring muscle. Intervals reproduce the same possibility for "overstriding."
As the marathon approaches, your training program will call for increased mileage. With increased mileage you may also need more rest and more calories. Track your morning weight and try to maintain your weight constant.
As the temperature increases, fluid losses during running also increase. Whatever weight you lose during running is water: one pound = 1 pint. Before your next run you should have replaced all the fluid lost on the previous run.

Training groups are a great way to enjoy the camaraderie of new and experienced runners alike. If you’re in the Oklahoma City Metro Area, visit www.okclandrunners.com for their training schedule, or visit a local running club in your hometown.

Visit OKCMarathon.com for more information about the 11th Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. Sign up today to be a part of the Run to Remember!

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