The main race of Russia – the Moscow Marathon – is approaching. Thousands of runners will start on September 20 to run one of two distances: 10 or 42,2 km. The process of preparing for them in men and women is slightly different. We talked with experts and found out what to look for girls when preparing for the race.
Sports Medicine Specialist
Sports medicine specialist and former doctor of the Russian national athletics team Alexander Kolesov recommends paying attention to five important points.
First, understand how a woman copes with the menstrual cycle: “If it is accompanied by abdominal pain, discomfort, then it will hardly be pleasant to go to the start of any distance, especially a marathon. Therefore, in the process of preparation, observe your body during the menstrual cycle. “
Secondly, find out the level of hemoglobin, which is often not the highest in women. “At the beginning of your treadmill, get your ferritin, iron, and complete blood counts tested. Look at the level of hemoglobin, erythrocytes and decide whether correction of these indicators is necessary. “
Third, observe the behavior of the pelvis. “Women, especially those who have given birth, often experience pelvic instability. In this situation, kinesio tape on the lumbar region will help. It will reduce the likelihood of back pain during the race. ”
Fourth, Alexander notes that women are characterized by hypermobility of the joints.: “If during long races you understand that there is pain in the knee or ankle joint, then it is better to do prophylactic kinesio taping of both knees or both ankles.” And finally, fifthly, he recommends paying attention to the feelings in the cervicothoracic region. “If you understand that during long races (20-30 km) you feel intense tension or even pain in the cervicothoracic region, the day before the race, do yourself taping of this zone for prevention. “
Running Community Trainer Svetlana Uvarova She also recommends paying attention to the level of hemoglobin, noting that in women it is 120-140 grams per liter of blood, and in men – 140-160 g / L. She recommends compensating for its deficiency with foods rich in iron and vitamins B12 and C. “Another feature: a woman’s heart is small and has limited growth potential. During training, the chambers and walls of a woman’s heart increase less and more slowly than in men. From a training standpoint, this is not very good. But on the other hand, our heart is almost not threatened with arrhythmia, which is confirmed by statistics: heart rhythm disturbances in female athletes are 3 times less common than in men. As a result, the heart muscle in women will develop, but a little slower.“, – notes Uvarova.
Another Trainer of the Running Community Vera Sosnova recommends listening to your body and remembering its individual characteristics. “Many women have to adjust to their menstrual cycle while preparing for a race. Everyone’s body reacts completely differently to changes during the cycle, but in general I recommend that you still reduce the load or take a rest on the first and second day. ”
Jogging, but taking care of the body is most important. Listen to what he tells you, do not chase the result to your detriment and do not compare yourself with men. Remember: you are unique!