[Pre-Race Preparation:Give Your Body a “Check-up” for Peace of Mind ]
Marathon preparation actually begins long before you step onto the course. Many runners, eager to achieve a good time, tend to overlook their body’s baseline condition—which is often the root cause of accidents during the race.
01
The Heart Is the“Engine”—Check It First
The heart is the engine of a marathon. We recommend that all participants check their resting heart rate and get an ECG before the race.
1
Resting Heart Rate
This is your heart rate upon waking in the morning before getting out of bed. A normal range is 60–100 beats per minute; for regular runners, it may be slightly lower. If you notice your morning heart rate has suddenly increased in recent days (e.g., exceeding 70 beats per minute, or more than 10 beats faster than usual), it means your body is exhausted and “protesting.” Under these circumstances, do not push yourself into high-intensity training—take a break instead.
2
Heart Rate Threshold
Your heart rate shouldn’t skyrocket endlessly while running. Here’s a simple formula: Maximum Heart Rate≈220–Your Age. During a race, it’s recommended to keep your heart rate below 85% of your maximum heart rate. If you feel like your heart is beating so fast it’s “about to jump out of your chest,” you must slow down.
02
Your Legs Are Your“Wheels”—Don’t Run with Injuries
Besides your heart, you need to check your legs and feet. If your knees or ankles usually ache slightly, or if your gait is a bit off (such as pronation), these “minor issues” can easily turn into major problems—like stress fractures—under the repetitive strain of a 42-kilometer run.
[ In-Race Strategy:
Listen to Your Body’s “Whispers” ]
On race day, your body is pushed to its limits, so you must pay close attention to the signals it sends.
01
Watch Out for the “Hitting the Wall” and “Hypoglycemia”
Around the 30–35 km mark, many runners feel as if their legs are made of lead and experience dizziness and blurred vision—this is the so-called “hitting the wall” phase. This actually happens when your body’s “fuel” (glycogen) is depleted.
How to overcome it?
Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink, and don’t wait until you’re hungry to eat. Take a small sip of water or sports drink at every aid station. Eat plenty of rice and noodles in the three days leading up to the race (to store fuel for your body), and consume an energy gel every 45–60 minutes during the race to keep your blood sugar stable.
02
Body Temperature Alert
1
Body Temperature Alert
Be especially careful if the weather is hot. If you suddenly stop sweating, your skin feels dry and hot, or you start to feel disoriented, these could be serious signs of heatstroke (heatstroke). You must stop immediately and find someone to help cool you down.
2
Chest Pain and Tightness
This is your heart screaming for help. If you feel a crushing pain in your chest, as if a heavy rock is pressing down on it, or if you can’t catch your breath, don’t push through it—stop immediately and seek medical attention!
[Post-Race Recovery:Crossing the Finish LineIsn’t the End—You Still Need to “Take Care ofYourself” When You Get Home]
After crossing the finish line, we still need to take good care of our hardworking bodies.
01
Don’t Rush to Sit Down
After crossing the finish line, never sit or lie down immediately! Doing so causes blood to pool in your legs, preventing it from returning to your heart, which can lead to dizziness or even fainting. Walk slowly for 10–15 minutes to let your body recover gradually.
02
The Golden Hour
The 30–60 minutes following the race are the “golden window” for your body’s recovery. During this time, eat easily digestible foods like bananas or bread, and drink some milk or eat an egg to help replenish muscle energy and repair damage.
03
Watch Out for “Soy Sauce Urine”
If your muscles are extremely sore the day after the race and your urine is the color of soy sauce or strong tea, this could be “rhabdomyolysis,” which can damage your kidneys. You must go to the hospital immediately.
[Common Marathon Myths]
1
“New Shoes and New
Clothes Make for the Best Race Look”
✅️Truth: Absolutely not! New shoes are most likely to cause blisters, and new clothes may chafe your skin. On race day, you must wear the old running shoes and clothes you’re already used to.
2
“Take it completely easy the week before the race”
✅️Truth: Complete inactivity will actually make your body “stiff.” You can run a little less the week before the race, but maintain some level of activity to keep your muscles active; this will help you perform better during the race.
3
“If you get a cramp, just force it out”
✅️Truth: If you get a cramp during a race, forcing it out can lead to a muscle strain. You should stop and walk slowly, gently massage the cramped area, drink some salt water, and then resume running slowly once it feels better.
[Conclusion]
A marathon is a dialogue with oneself. It teaches us not only perseverance, but also how to listen to the rhythm of our breath, the sensations in our muscles, and the beating of our hearts.
May every runner, armed with scientific knowledge, enjoy the joy of running on the course. See you on the course!
[Pre-Race Preparation:Give Your Body a “Check-up” for Peace of Mind ]
Marathon preparation actually begins long before you step onto the course. Many runners, eager to achieve a good time, tend to overlook their body’s baseline condition—which is often the root cause of accidents during the race.
01
The Heart Is the“Engine”—Check It First
The heart is the engine of a marathon. We recommend that all participants check their resting heart rate and get an ECG before the race.
1
Resting Heart Rate
This is your heart rate upon waking in the morning before getting out of bed. A normal range is 60–100 beats per minute; for regular runners, it may be slightly lower. If you notice your morning heart rate has suddenly increased in recent days (e.g., exceeding 70 beats per minute, or more than 10 beats faster than usual), it means your body is exhausted and “protesting.” Under these circumstances, do not push yourself into high-intensity training—take a break instead.
2
Heart Rate Threshold
Your heart rate shouldn’t skyrocket endlessly while running. Here’s a simple formula: Maximum Heart Rate≈220–Your Age. During a race, it’s recommended to keep your heart rate below 85% of your maximum heart rate. If you feel like your heart is beating so fast it’s “about to jump out of your chest,” you must slow down.
02
Your Legs Are Your“Wheels”—Don’t Run with Injuries
Besides your heart, you need to check your legs and feet. If your knees or ankles usually ache slightly, or if your gait is a bit off (such as pronation), these “minor issues” can easily turn into major problems—like stress fractures—under the repetitive strain of a 42-kilometer run.
[ In-Race Strategy:
Listen to Your Body’s “Whispers” ]
On race day, your body is pushed to its limits, so you must pay close attention to the signals it sends.
01
Watch Out for the “Hitting the Wall” and “Hypoglycemia”
Around the 30–35 km mark, many runners feel as if their legs are made of lead and experience dizziness and blurred vision—this is the so-called “hitting the wall” phase. This actually happens when your body’s “fuel” (glycogen) is depleted.
How to overcome it?
Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink, and don’t wait until you’re hungry to eat. Take a small sip of water or sports drink at every aid station. Eat plenty of rice and noodles in the three days leading up to the race (to store fuel for your body), and consume an energy gel every 45–60 minutes during the race to keep your blood sugar stable.
02
Body Temperature Alert
1
Body Temperature Alert
Be especially careful if the weather is hot. If you suddenly stop sweating, your skin feels dry and hot, or you start to feel disoriented, these could be serious signs of heatstroke (heatstroke). You must stop immediately and find someone to help cool you down.
2
Chest Pain and Tightness
This is your heart screaming for help. If you feel a crushing pain in your chest, as if a heavy rock is pressing down on it, or if you can’t catch your breath, don’t push through it—stop immediately and seek medical attention!
[Post-Race Recovery:Crossing the Finish LineIsn’t the End—You Still Need to “Take Care ofYourself” When You Get Home]
After crossing the finish line, we still need to take good care of our hardworking bodies.
01
Don’t Rush to Sit Down
After crossing the finish line, never sit or lie down immediately! Doing so causes blood to pool in your legs, preventing it from returning to your heart, which can lead to dizziness or even fainting. Walk slowly for 10–15 minutes to let your body recover gradually.
02
The Golden Hour
The 30–60 minutes following the race are the “golden window” for your body’s recovery. During this time, eat easily digestible foods like bananas or bread, and drink some milk or eat an egg to help replenish muscle energy and repair damage.
03
Watch Out for “Soy Sauce Urine”
If your muscles are extremely sore the day after the race and your urine is the color of soy sauce or strong tea, this could be “rhabdomyolysis,” which can damage your kidneys. You must go to the hospital immediately.
[Common Marathon Myths]
1
“New Shoes and New
Clothes Make for the Best Race Look”
✅️Truth: Absolutely not! New shoes are most likely to cause blisters, and new clothes may chafe your skin. On race day, you must wear the old running shoes and clothes you’re already used to.
2
“Take it completely easy the week before the race”
✅️Truth: Complete inactivity will actually make your body “stiff.” You can run a little less the week before the race, but maintain some level of activity to keep your muscles active; this will help you perform better during the race.
3
“If you get a cramp, just force it out”
✅️Truth: If you get a cramp during a race, forcing it out can lead to a muscle strain. You should stop and walk slowly, gently massage the cramped area, drink some salt water, and then resume running slowly once it feels better.
[Conclusion]
A marathon is a dialogue with oneself. It teaches us not only perseverance, but also how to listen to the rhythm of our breath, the sensations in our muscles, and the beating of our hearts.
May every runner, armed with scientific knowledge, enjoy the joy of running on the course. See you on the course!
