My unofficial marathon tips

Offering marathon advice before running a full 26.2 mile marathon may seem slightly conceited, but, on the other hand, I’m running between 13 and 18 miles on a weekly basis, so I’m aware of what works and what doesn’t. Many aspects of running – including hydration, remain subjective. I’ve decided to share what works for me in hope that it rings alarm bells for you and assists in improving your training.

Leave your mp3 player at home

Listening to music while running motivates many runners, with specific albums on the market dedicated to helping runners increase speed and distance. Although it offers company when you’re out on your own, you can’t use music devices during a marathon, so it’s worth getting used to running without earplugs in. It’s surprising how unfamiliar it can be running without music, so get used to the sound of your breathing before race day.

Tape it up

It doesn’t matter what material you wear for long distance running, clothing tends to rub when you pass the half-way point. Many runners use Vaseline to alleviate chaffing, but I find it only works in crevices such as armpits, legs and toes. What it doesn’t prevent, is chaffed nipples. I’ve returned from runs before where my nipples are on the brink of bleeding, creating more pain than fatigue. What I suggest is Sellotape (with other brands available of course). Although it may be painful when you tear it off, it still beats the excruciating agony of showering with raw nipples – unless you wear a bra when you run.  

Daytime training

Running during the day is totally different to running at night. When it’s dark in summer months, the roads are less busy and the air is cool, which ultimately leads to a more comfortable experience. What this doesn’t allow you to do is train for marathon conditions. Marathons normally start around 10am, which requires you to run through noon – the hottest part of the day. If you really want to run a marathon with familiar conditions, train during the day so you get used to the temperature, traffic and light condition.

Experiment with food

I can’t stress enough how important it is to adjust your food consumption the day before, and the day of a long run. I’ve eaten a roast dinner the day before running 15 miles, which upset my stomach throughout. What I find that works is carbohydrates such as pasta and potato. Fruit, veg and meat have a tendency to creep back and haunt you when your stomach is in motion for a few hours, so avoid them if you want to run with confidence. Hydration is worth considering too. I find I inherit stomach cramps if I don’t drink while running long distances. Experiment so you’re prepared on race day.   

Toenails and I

Simple advice: keep your toenails short. Although nails support the foot, long nails snag on socks and can either create pain while you run or fall off completely.

I advise that you also invest in good quality running socks to avoid chaffing and sweating. Synthetic materials like polyester work well. Professional running socks are breathable, cushioned and soft, in comparison to 100% cotton socks, which cause blisters in the summer and clammy feet in the winter.

Walk this way
Throughout training, get used to stopping and walking without feeling guilty. A lot of people run until they're too fatigued to continue. Walking 30 seconds every half-an-hour adds around 6 minutes to a 20 mile run - a small loss for a big gain when exhaustion kicks in.

I hope you find this useful.

Chronic injury may have put me out of both marathons

I know it’s been a while since I last wrote a blog post on here, and that’s because I’ve been left pondering what to write. Since I last wrote about my training, my running ability has deteriorated, so building up the courage to publicise the fact has been hard, so consider this brave.

To cut a very long story short, I’m injured. Almost a year ago to the date, I had Laparoscopy – aka, keyhole surgery, to determine why I had consistent knee pain. It was discovered that I have a meniscus tear, which in Leyman’s terms meant I had damaged the sponge cushion in my knee. After the operation, I spoke to the surgeon who explained how the damage was too deep to trim, so I was to wait until it broke off, when they would then remove it from the cap. Since then, I’ve ran two half marathons and started training for my two full marathons in Berlin and Amsterdam.

The problem started about three weeks ago when I started suffering from a stiff knee, or more to the point, stiff knees. Something wasn’t right – yes I knew my left knee wasn’t the best, but both? I had to research what was causing this pain, and at first, I thought I’d cracked it. After a lot of Googling and a few late nights, I found out that I was suffering from over-pronation – a condition where fallen foot arches twist the knees closer together. To heal it is difficult, but to assist the condition is very easy – you simply use insoles that support the collapsed arch. So, a £25 purchase on Amazon was made, and two days later I had my new insoles.

At first, they worked. In my own words, they’d changed my life, and for a few days they had. They made walking, running and every day-to-day task a dream. It’s only now when I take my shoes off that I realise how bad my posture was because of my twisted legs.

I advise everybody to check for over-pronation – as did a colleague’s boyfriend who now can’t live without his new insoles.

This is where it gets depressing and desperate, as, after reaching the 13 mile stage two weeks ago, my left knee started playing up. It’s a constant issue for me, from sleeping to cycling to work. I can’t describe the feeling – it’s not a pain, but more of a popping sensation, which normally leads to my leg locking where it then becomes impossible to straighten. It’s drastically affecting my training, with me only jogging an eight mile road-run last week. And when you consider that I have six weeks until I stand at the start line, every day matters.

I’m lying on the sofa as we speak, resting my injured limb. I’m talking to it, rubbing it, praying for it, man I’d kiss the bloody thing if I could. Right now I’m very concerned that my dream of running both marathons with three weeks in between was a bit ambitious knowing the condition of my knee.

Fingers crossed this doesn't last.