RaceReady News

Question: I have been running for years, 54 years old. Now training for another marathon. My hips get sooo tight after mile 8 and the backs of my legs ( at the very top are extremely tight.( They lock up and I can hardly run. What should I do?
Thanks,
Dian

Answer: I am a believer in massage therapy. I find that it is a necessary splurge for me when I am training for a marathon. Hopefully you can find a massage therapist that has experience with runners. Especially as I've gotten older, I find a massage every 2 to 4 weeks really helps to keep my muscles loose & relaxed. I view my massage as a preventive measure, and justify the splurge by realizing I am probably saving on some medical expenses if I didn't have the massage. In addition, I would recommend doing some stretching exercises that focus on the hip flexors. You can find some good stretching routines easily by searching online, or you may want to invest in a good stretching book. I hope this helps and that you can do your long runs without pain!
Mary

Posted by mary button at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: I would like to try to run 2 marathons within a 7 day period. The first will be a goal race (trying for a PR--current PR is 3:47) and the second would be for fun and to help pace a group hoping for a 4:30 finish. I have run 7 marathons (all in the past 2 years), with 4 of them done within 8-11 weeks of each other. My questions are: is this a completely insane idea, and if I do decide to go forth with this personal challenge, what should I do in terms of recovery and preparation, in the week between the 2 marathons? I am 39 years old and am pretty fit (spent many years as a personal trainer/fitness instructor). Emily

Answer: The 2 marathons within 7 days sounds like a bit much, but there have certainly been similar challenges accomplished before! My advice is to "go for it" but use some caution. The PR marathon is your focus and you will be tired from the effort. I would probably not run too much, if at all, between the first & second marathon. Perhaps a 20 to 30 minute walk / jog would be a good workout, just to loosen up the legs. You should also try to get plenty of sleep that week and be sure to drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious meals. This will help your body be prepared for the challenge; it sounds like your mind is already getting prepared. Good luck!

Posted by mary button at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)