Don’t Get Sidelined on Race Day

Beautiful summer weather means that running season is in full swing. I applaud those who make exercise such a priority in their lives. But when pushing your body to new levels of endurance, precautions must be taken to avoid an injury.

For runners the most common injuries are shin splints, iliotibial band syndrome causing pain on the outside of the knee and hips, stress fractures, muscle strains, and patellofemoral pain syndrome causing pain under and around the knee.

Injuries may occur when people push their bodies too far, too quickly. To avoid painful injuries take things slowly, build up mileage over time, and be sure to include rest days in your running schedule.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Nutrition

Make sure the number of calories you burn while exercising does not exceed the number of calories you take in from eating. This is especially important for women who often don’t alter their diet to compensate for rigorous endurance sports training.

Proper nutrition is essential to keeping you healthy while training for a marathon. Try to consume small, balanced meals every three to four hours to ensure energy levels that can support training needs.

Though society has given them a bad name, carbohydrates are an essential part of a marathoner’s diet. A training diet should consist of 65 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein and 10 percent fat, which will vary depending on a person’s energy requirements. Also, try to eat a small snack or meal one to two hours prior to exercising that consists of carbohydrates with a low to moderate glycemic index, such as fruits/ vegetables, whole grains, or nuts.

Hydration

Drinking when you’re thirsty is critical. You know drinking too little is dangerous, but did you know you can drink too much? Consuming too many fluids, especially plain water, puts you at risk for a potentially fatal condition called hyponatremia which is when sodium levels are diluted in the blood. A good way to see if you are over or under hydrating is to weigh yourself before and after a run. Athletes who gain weight are at risk for hyponatremia.

Gear

Look for clothing that moves sweat away from the skin to stay dry and comfortable while exercising. Avoid new clothes or running shoes on race day as this can result in blistering and chafing. Body glide or petroleum jelly also helps limit chafing. Shoes should not be worn for more than 300 miles.

Sleep

Everyone’s sleep needs are a little different, but if you are training for a marathon be sure to get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Sleep allows the muscles to restore energy necessary to recover and train. Insufficient sleep can lead to fatigue which can hinder progress and race day performance.   

Stretching

Warming up before exercise is helpful, but it’s even more important to cool down and stretch for at least 15 minutes after running. This will help with muscle recovery, flexibility and injury prevention.

If you do get injured, check with your doctor before continuing to train. Running on an injured muscle or joint can exacerbate the injury.

I'm attaching a video from some of my sports medicine colleages about the dangers of not getting the right nutrion during endurance training.

Good luck with training!

Dr. Heidi Renner is an integral part of the Loyola University Health System’s primary care team. She is board-certified in adult internal medicine and pediatrics and enjoys seeing patients of all ages from infants to older adults at the Loyola Center for Health at Burr Ridge. In addition, she is an assistant professor at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine in the departments of internal medicine and pediatrics. When not seeing patients she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids, traveling and hiking.

Download the movie