Though it may be a while before runners can compete in an official race together again, it’s not uncommon these days to know multiple people who run the 26.26 mile (42.195 kilometer) race. The increasing popularity of the marathon has coincided with a greater number of recreational runners competing each year. For example, approximately 17,729 individuals participated in the 2019 KBC Dublin marathon, a 10 percent increase (16,166) in runners in comparison to the preceding year.
As interest in marathon running continues to grow, the performance and training demands of the sport will also increase in order to maximise performance on race day. Therefore, it’s vital that we understand some of the determinants underpinning marathon performance in order to prepare ourselves for the physiological and psychological demands posed by marathon running, to reduce our risk of injury and to ensure we are more than adequately prepared to smash our performance goals come race day regardless of running experience.
Endurance Training
Typically marathon training programmes are 16-20 weeks in duration, depending how well seasoned the runner is; it may be shorter or longer. During this time, you’ll typically train 3-5 times a week, performing a variety of runs which might include a long run (usually up to 18-22 miles), interval/tempo sessions and some medium distance runs.
It is important to incrementally increase your mileage as you get nearer to race day, before tapering off in the final few weeks preceding the marathon in order to maximise race day performance.
Tapering
Tapering is one of the most important parts of any marathon training plan. However for many runners it’s also one of the hardest to implement. Often runners tend to fear cutting back on their training, due to beliefs it will hurt their performance right before the big race.
Fortunately the opposite is true and reducing mileage is important not only to allow for full recovery before your race, but also to allow you to reach peak performance. Most marathon plans tend to follow a 3 week taper, meaning you’ll be running less and recovering more during those final 21 days.
Hill Training
Hill sprints, or repeats, are seen by many as a form of resistance training; they’re similar in nature to plyometric exercises that build explosive strength in your legs and train your muscles to fire quicker and more forcefully.
This is a type of training stimulus that can be added into a runner’s programme 1-2 times per week. Added benefits include improvements in your lactate threshold (delaying that burning sensation/lactic acid build up in your legs) and running economy, which translates into less energy expended over the course of a race and ultimately improving performance.
Strength Training
Recreational marathon runners should be aware that performing at least 2 strength training sessions per week (a combination of high intensity training for the lower limb and strength endurance training for the trunk muscles) increases lower limb strength and doesn’t impair running performance and running economy.
Resistance training can have positive effects on endurance performance, such as reducing risk of injury as the body will become more resilient to the demands placed on it. Also it can improve running economy as the stronger a runner is, the less errors in technique there are prone to be, thereby runners are able to maintain a high-quality technique for a longer period of time.
Running Economy
This is a measure of how runners utilize their energy when running at an aerobic intensity. Oxygen consumption (VO2Max) is the most direct method for measuring running economy, as it closely reflects energy metabolism. Those who are able to consume less oxygen while running at a given velocity are said to have a better running economy. Therefore, performing regular endurance training to increase your cardiovascular fitness can help improve your running economy and overall marathon performance.
Also, the implementation of resistance and plyometric training can improve your body’s efficiency in storing and releasing elastic energy, allowing for shorter ground contact times, reduced bobbing up and down and longer strides. This results in less energy leakages and allows for more efficient movement and energy expenditure.
Footwear
Every individual’s foot characteristics are different, so there is no one size fits all approach. Some runners may have been told by a clinician that they have “flat feet” and others “high arches”, and may have been advised to wear particular shoe inserts or certain shoe types to compensate for these excessive movements in their feet.
It must be recognised that these movements occur naturally at various stages during our gait cycle when the foot comes into contact with the ground. Latest research does suggest that lightweight or minimalist running shoes with greater cushioning, greater longitudinal stiffness and greater comfort were associated with improved running economy. So, the most important thing is to find what works best for you and replace them every 300-400 miles!
Running Surface
There is no evidence to suggest that road running leads to greater risk of injury compared to running on softer surfaces. However, changing up your running surface every so often can challenge muscles in a new way and add novelty to your running routine.
Softer surfaces like grass, dirt, trails and gravel reduce the force of impact with your running stride. However, ground contact times are longer, meaning muscles have to work harder for longer. Undoubtedly, specificity is key when it comes to performance, thereby you want to train primarily on the type of surface that you’ll be racing on, but doing at least one run per week on a different surface can be very beneficial and can give your hips, knees and ankles a well earned break in the long run.
Pacing
Race-pace variability is an important determinant of marathon performance, with research demonstrating the adoption of a more consistent running speed to be associated with faster finish times. Running even splits comes close to using your aerobic system and glycogen stores most efficiently, however this may not be the optimal pacing strategy because your body’s physiology changes during the marathon.
One’s optimal marathon race pace (MRP) should be slightly slower than their lactate threshold pace. As your slow-twitch muscle fibers fatigue during the marathon, your body begins to recruit less economical fast-twitch fibers, thereby your lactate threshold occurs at a slightly slower pace. Therefore it’s most efficient to run a slightly positive split in the first half of the marathon.
The best way to get used to your MRP is to train at MRP. Therefore, one or two runs of 12 to 15 miles (usually during a longer run) should be performed at MRP during the last 8 weeks before the marathon. These runs are the most specific preparation that you will do pre-marathon as they stress your body in a similar manner.
Muscle Cramping
Exercise induced muscle cramps were once thought to occur as a result of dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, especially in hot conditions. However, research in this area is conflicted and some experts believe that theory is outdated and that a cramp is neuromuscular in origin and is caused by a reflex malfunction between your muscle and spinal cord.
One of the motor neurons becomes excited, and isn’t turned off, constantly stimulating the muscle to contract. However, scientists aren’t exactly sure, but local muscle fatigue seems to be a key factor. Another factor could be that fatigue from running farther or faster than accustomed and irregular stretching may cause muscle cramps during a marathon.
The best acute remedy is to pause and stretch the affected muscle for 30-60 seconds. The best long term solution is to adequately train for the demands of the marathon and to be patient and follow your pacing plan, as going out too fast will only lead to disaster and potentially even “hitting the wall”.
Injury
With the large number of training miles required to prepare for running a marathon, it is not surprising that 29 to 43 percent of runners develop injuries during training. As the amount of training miles per week increases so does risk of injury, with most injuries occurring to the feet and knees, followed by the shins and hips. The marathon is an extremely taxing event on the human body.
It takes between 30,000 and 50,000 steps to run a marathon and every time the foot hits the ground, a stress 3-4 times your body weight is absorbed by the ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. As a result of this repetitive strain microscopic damage to our muscles, bones, tendons etc. which can lead to inflammation, muscle and joint soreness.
This muscle damage and inflammation can remain for seven days after having run a marathon, whilst repair of muscle fibers can take 3-12 weeks.
Recovery
Sleep is the most important long term recovery strategy when training for a marathon, as during sleep a lot of important things are happening to aid in the recovery process. Human growth hormone is released and it plays a key role in building and repairing muscle tissue and bones, as well as helping the body use fat as fuel. However, when individuals are sleep deprived, cortisol (stress hormone) is released which prohibits the body from recovering fully as it interferes with the repair and growth of soft tissue.
Most importantly, lack of sleep can also compromise your immune system, which is already vulnerable during marathon training. Studies have shown those who get six hours or less of sleep have 50 percent less immunity protection than those who get eight hours per night. Interventions such as ice baths, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant supplements are probably best served for when short-term recovery is desirable.
Stretching & Flexibility
It's not surprising that many runners who during their training plan or after having completed a marathon have complained of "stiffness or pain", in fact approximately 65 to 92 percent of marathon runners report these symptoms.
Studies have shown that stretching prior to running does not prevent injury or improve performance. Although, warm up activities do prevent injury and improve performance, so time is best spent warming up the muscles rather than stretching before activity.
Stretching before activity will decrease power, force output, jump performance, and speed. While dynamic warm up activities, utilising the muscles to be challenged in your work out or competition, will improve your performance.
However, on your rest and recovery days activities like walking, static stretching, dynamic stretching, yoga, pilates, swimming and riding a bike can help improve your mobility and flexibility and reduce your risk of injury.
Nutrition
In the weeks leading up to a big race, the food you consume is just as important as the miles you eat up. A solid nutritional strategy will not only have an impact on your all-important race time, but it will also enhance your energy levels, maximize your body's adaptations to training, enhance post-exercise recovery and prevent injuries and sickness during these crucial weeks and months leading up to the marathon.
Here are some recommendations:
Increasing protein intake (muscle growth/repair).
Eating a light meal 30-60 minutes prior to a run consisting of carbohydrates and protein and the ingestion of 30 grams of carbohydrates every hour during training (fuel your workout by increasing energy levels).
Consuming a larger meal 30-45 minutes post run including a blend of protein/carbohydrates (refuel for recovery and replenish depleted energy stores).
Finally adding some ginger to your diet (natural anti-inflammatory to reduce injuries).
You can read more about essential nutrients for athletes from our team of Dietitians over on Spectrum Nutrition.
Hydration
Each of us sweats at a different rate, produces varying amounts of sodium in our sweat, and reacts differently to heat. Exactly how much you need to drink depends on how heavily you are sweating. The harder and longer you are working out, the more you sweat. Training in hot humid conditions also makes you sweat more, and some people simply sweat more than others.
Water, diluted juice and sports drinks are all good fluid replacers. If you've been running for less than an hour, water is a good choice. If you’ve been running hard for longer than an hour, drinks containing sugar and sodium may speed your recovery e.g Lucozade Sport. Current guidelines recommend drinking anything from 300ml to 600ml of fluids per hour when you're exercising.
Practical Tips:
The easiest way to check if you’re dehydrated is by the colour of your urine. Pale yellow urine indicates you're within one percent of optimal hydration.
Fluid loss during a typical run can be measured by weighing yourself before and after. It is then recommended to drink up to one-and-a-half times the fluid loss to account for the water loss.
Health Benefits
Marathon running has numerous health benefits which you may not have heard about. Training for a marathon can have profound cardiovascular benefits, It has been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. It can also strengthen your immune system, support weight control, improve sleep quality, reduce risk of osteoarthritis and many cancers.
The list of benefits doesn’t just end there, studies have found it improves cognitive function, increases productivity, reduces the risk of Alzhiemer’s disease, has profound mental health benefits and reduces the risk of depression.
So there you have it, some useful tips on training, recovery and injury mitigation that you can implement when preparing for your first or next marathon - all of these will enhance your potential and help maximise your future marathon performance.
Just to reiterate that the above is not an exhaustive list of the determinants of marathon performance but is a very comprehensive start.
Be sure to visit one of our expert Chartered Physiotherapists in any of our nationwide clinics during your preparations if you pick up any slight niggles, sprains or strains to prevent any long term complications with your training and most importantly your health and wellbeing.
This blog was written by our physiotherapist Oisin McCaffrey, who actually conducted a cross-sectional observational analysis at the SSE Dublin City Marathon in 2018 as part of his final year Physiotherapy Dissertation in UCD. The title of the study was “The determinants of marathon performance: An observational analysis of anthropometrics, pre-race and in-race variables”.
The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between an array of training behaviours, in-race pacing and anthropometric variables and marathon finish time. One of Oisin’s keen interests to date is in the treatment and rehabilitation of middle to long distance runners and one day hopes to partake in the Dublin City Marathon himself.