Top 10 Ways to Ruin a Marathon

1. Buy New Running Shoes

Question...What could be better than sporting shiny new shoes for your finish picture? Answer...Sporting a finisher medal without limping.  By now, you should know better than to wear new shoes or socks on race day.

2. Try on A New Outfit

Equipment is essential for a successful event.  This mean shoes, socks, shorts, top, number belt, watch or GPS.  All of it should follow the No-New-Gear-on-Raceday rule. Not even a new top.  Not even a more aerodynamic hat.  Comfort above all else will spell success.

3. Change Your Plan

If you trained for the race, you have been likely training for many months.  That means you have planned for months. Do not be tempted to switch gears or change plans on race day.  If you are planning for a 4:00:00 marathon it is O.K. to shoot for 3:55.  But do not follow the 3:40 pace group thinking you will “gain an extra time cushion.” This is a recipe for disaster. Stick to the plan, Stan!

4. Keep Up With the Joneses

The folks around you might be faster than you.  Then again, they just might be dumber. Do not attempt to keep up with someone simply because he or she “looks like” someone you “should” be able to beat.  Let them disappear on the horizon. You just might pass them on the side of the road in the final few miles.

5. Go Out In a Blaze of Glory

No matter what you do, you will be on fire when the gun goes off. Most will blast off the line. You will be tempted to follow.  If you have a GPS, watch it closely and stay on pace. It is worth noting that most world class distance runners produce negative splits when they compete. Follow the experts.  Start slow and finish strong.

6. Don’t Drink and Run

You can go for a long, long time without food before you starve.  Water is not the same.  You must stay hydrated. Hopefully you experimented on you long runs. Drink too much and you will be hurling on the side of the road.  Drink too little and you will be sapped. You will be walking before you know it. Drink responsibly.

7. Forget to Fuel the Machine

The “wall” that most marathon runners describe occurs between 18 and 22 miles. The reason for this physiologic barrier is that that is when most people run out of calories. They just plain run out of gas. You must eat on the run. Not Krystal, but GU, Cliff Blocks, Powerbars, or what ever magical but nasty form of energy intake you prefer. Just don’t try a new one on race day.  Wear a number belt with elastic loops that holds your gels and they will be in the holster, at your side and ready to keep you fed.  I eat GU every 40-45 minutes. Keep track of when it is your time to eat, and eat as you approach the water stop so you can discard the wrapper and wash it down at the aid station.  

8. Just One More Long Run

Every endurance athlete struggles with the idea that one more workout or one more long run will somehow make you more “ready.”  Hope that your competition does this, but don’t do it yourself. The taper you have been prescribed by your training plan must be followed.  It is not optional if you want optimum performance. Trust that you are prepared.  Save it for race day.

9. Stay up Late 

No matter what you do, you will have trouble sleeping on the eve of the race.  This is normal. Just don’t make it worse by watching television until you are “tired enough” to fall asleep. Counts sheep or mile markers, or whatever you do.  Get all the rest you can.

10. Forget the Point

On the morning of the your big event, try to remember why you got out of bed every morning to go on long runs. Remember why you ran in the heat, the rain, the dark and the cold. Try to remember why you registered for a marathon in the first place. Keep in mind that it wasn’t just to finish at a certain pace.  Don’t forget to have a good time. Take the time (but not too much) to thank the volunteers at the water stations, the lone sentry standing there all day just so you will not have to think about where to turn, and the folks at the finish cheering and screaming your name. 

Take time to enjoy all of the event and your big day. Just keep in mind that you are ready.  Best of luck of luck from MyRunningDoc.com and all of us at the Ankle and Foot Center of Chattanooga!

Christopher Segler, DPM, AACFAS

Award Winning Foot and Ankle Surgeon

MyRunningDoc.com 

Stay Fit. Go Long. Run Fast. Be Strong.

Doc On The Run: San Francisco Podiatry Sports Medicine House Calls

Runners, Blisters and Black Toenails

The vague stinging and burning sensation emanating from a blister can easily detract from your focus during a marathon. The more you think about it, the worse it gets.  The next thing you know, your pace is off, you speed up and slow down because of this unpleasant distraction. When you walk through a water station, its just gets worse, and you start to limp. After the race, running is out of the question. You may even limp for days while back at work.  This is almost always preventable.

Skin injuries are very common among marathon participants. In fact, a 12-year study of injuries at the Twin Cities Marathon found skin problems (blisters, black toenails, abrasions) to be more common than musculoskeletal complaints (sprains, stiffness, stress related injuries). A whopping 91% of all skin injuries were blisters.  In the most comprehensive study ever reported regarding injury among marathon runners, 7-27% of runners who sought treatment after a race were being treated for blisters.  But don’t be confused...common does not mean unpreventable.

So what exactly is a blister anyway? A blister (in the case of a runner) is an accumulation of plasma under a pocket of otherwise intact skin that results from repeated mechanical irritation: friction. The repeated rubbing of a sock or shoe against the skin actually causes the top layer of the skin (epidermis) to separate from the layer below (dermis). Fluid seeps from the injured tissue and fills the space, creating the soft fluid filled sack that hurts when ever you step on, push against or otherwise antagonize it.

In mountaineering, there is a saying that frostbite can only result from inadequate equipment or poor planning. No one heads up to the summit of Mount Everest to test out a fancy new pair of mittens. And no one should head out on a marathon course to test out a pair of socks they bought at the expo after packet pickup.

The easiest way to avoid blisters is consistency of equipment, pace, and conditions. Lets talk equipment. In general, cotton is one of the worst materials for endurance athletes-so don’t use it. Socks made of synthetic fibers that wick moisture away from your skin help decrease moisture that can make the skin more vulnerable to friction. There are also specialty socks that have dual layers to decrease the friction against your skin. If you seem to be prone to blisters, you can (and should) experiment with some of the many high-performance socks that are available. Experiment in training, but never on race day. 

Your shoes must be broken in as described in the article on shoes. They should be dry when you start the race. Shoes should fit snug (no heel sliding around). I usually alternate my shoes so that I don’t run in the same pair two days in a row.  This allows time for them to dry out completely before I run again. If it is raining, not much you can do. If it is hot, try not to soak your feet when you pour water over your head. 

If you seem to always get blisters on long runs, something is wrong. You may not have the right size shoes or may not be lacing them correctly. The location of the blisters can often speak to the cause of the problem.  For example, if you walk 50 feet and run 50 feet for the marathon, all of that stopping and starting will cause blisters on the ball of the foot. Try to keep an even pace. Although your running style and gait pattern can contribute to blisters, this is rare. Ask for help and seek the advice of an experienced runner, specialty shoe store or podiatrist. Many people swear by moleskin, body glide, or vaseline. All can help, for different reasons, but these can also cause the skin to retain more moisture to varying degrees. 

Black toenails are almost always caused by tight shoes. If your shoes are fitted correctly but you run down hills (a lot) then your toenails can repeatedly bump the end of the shoe. Whether you hit it once with a hammer or thousands of times on the inside of a shoe, the cumulative trauma can still cause bleeding and bruising of the toenails. The nail plate may be sore and just pinkish right after the race, but often turn dark purple or black after only a day or two. If it is very tender, the blood can often be drained to relieve the pressure. 

As race day approaches you should be fine tuning your plan and equipment. No major overhauls. If you try new shoes or socks, do it on a short run.  If that goes well, try a slightly longer run. Keep in mind an episode with a bad blister now could stall your training and derail your event. Proceed with caution and good common sense.  Shop the expo and have fun. Treat yourself to some fancy new gear, high performance socks and whatever else your heart desires. You will have earned it after all that training.  Just don’t use any of it until your first recovery run after the big day. Use the tried and true, and you will walk tall and proud after you cross the finish, instead of hobbling to the medical tent.

Christopher Segler, DPM, AACFAS

MyRunningDoc.com 

Stay Fit. Go Long. Run Fast. Be Strong.

Doc On The Run San Francisco Bay Area Sports Medicine House Calls