Marathon Survival 101

By Lee A. Mancini, MD, CSCS, CSN

In another week the Boston Marathon will be upon us once again. Having run hundreds of races including 10Ks, half-marathons, triathlons, and even the Boston Marathon in 1999, I am quite familiar with the problems that can arise from running a long distance race like the Boston Marathon. This article is aimed at providing tips to allow distance runners to survive the grueling 26.2 mile race.

Tip #1 – Vaseline and Band-Aids: Most people don’t realize how much chafing goes on during a race. Your sweaty t-shirt rubs over your chest repeatedly over the course of a race. I have seen numerous male distance runners actually bleed from their nipples due to constant friction from their clothing. To prevent this put band-aids over your nipples and then apply vaseline on the band-aids. Also apply vaseline to your inner thighs to prevent chafing between your legs with each stride.

Tip #2 – Hydration During The Race: For any endurance race longer than 60 minutes, an athlete is better off drinking an electrolyte replacement drink like Gatorade over regular water. In long races an electrolyte replacement drink is better than water because it decreases an athlete’s risk of hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is a life threatening condition that occurs when an athlete’s sodium supply in his or her body drops well below normal levels. Many amateur marathon runners drink water at every station trying to avoid becoming dehydrated and to prevent heat illness, both noble intentions. However, during the course of a long endurance race like the marathon your body loses lots of electrolytes, sodium is one of the primary ones, through sweat; water only replaces fluid and not the electrolytes.

Tip #3 – Massage Therapy Before The Race: For all of the runners that I train, I always recommend going to a massage therapist who specializes in sports massage. This is an extreme deep tissue massage designed to improve flexibility, break up scar tissue in the muscles, and enhance recovery. Schedule a massage about 5-7 days before an important race. Do not schedule it too close to the race, because your muscles will be sore for a day or two after the massage.

For all of you running Boston on April 18th, I will be providing medical coverage. Now get out there and run a personal best! Send any questions or ideas for topics of future interest to questions@DoctorOfFitness.com.

Editors Note: Lee A. Mancini, a Shrewsbury resident, graduated from Harvard as a two-sport athlete with honors in biology. Board certified in sports medicine and family practice, he works at the Family Health Center and UMass Sports Medicine Center in Worcester. He also trains clients as a certified strength and conditioning specialist and sports nutritionist. If you are interested in hiring him to design an individualized program visit his website www.DoctorOfFitness.com

Send any questions or ideas for topics of future interest to questions@DoctorOfFitness.com.

Note:  Lee A. Mancini graduated from Harvard as a two-sport athlete with honors in biology. Board certified in sports medicine and family practice, he works at the Family Health Center and UMass Sports Medicine Center in Worcester . He trains select clients as a certified strength and conditioning specialist and sports nutritionist. If you are interested in hiring him to design an individualized program, click here for our paid consultation services.