Women’s Mini Marathon Exercise Tips- Week 1

Week 1: GETTING STARTED

Congratulations on taking the first step towards completing the 2017 Women’s Mini Marathon on behalf of the St. James’s Hospital Foundation.

 

Over the next few weeks, our Physiotherapists will provide you with weekly Women’s Mini Marathon exercise tips.

 

Where to start?

First things first

If you have any concerns regarding your health and fitness, it is recommended that you consult your doctor before commencing your Mini Marathon training.

 

Footwear

Ensure you have appropriate shoes. Increased back/leg aches and pains may be a sign that your footwear needs to be changed. Go to a specialist sports shop (Runhub/Runworx/Runners Needs) for advice on the best footwear for your foot type.

 

Warm up

Before every session, ensure you warm up adequately with walking/easy running to prepare your joints and muscles for your race pace, include stride outs, high knee lifts, heel kicks, and trunk twisting.

 

Perform static sustained stretches after your walk/jog/run to minimise muscle soreness and joint stiffness. This helps to prepare your body for your next training session.

 

Have a plan

Log onto www.vhiwomensminimarathon.ie and choose a training programme that suits you. There are 3 schedules designed to cater for all levels of fitness. You can train as a walker, jogger or runner and simply choose the plan that is right for you!

 

Keeping motivated

 

Keep a training diary

This is a useful way of achieving your goals and monitoring your progress.

 

Music

Listening to music while training can give you that little boost of energy or motivation to get through a training session.

 

Make it social

Studies have shown that people that train with a friend or in a group, show up more consistently and go farther than when they train alone. This may not be true for everyone but training with a friend or in a group improves motivation, performance and provides a solid source of accountability to keep you moving toward your goals.

 

Read our previous nutrition and fitness blogs:

Week 1: Healthy eating- getting to grips with the basics

Week 1: Getting started (fitness)

Week 2: Carbohydrates – Fuel for Sport

Week 2: Warm Up, Stretching, and Cool down

Week 3: How to minimise the risk of injury

Week 3: Fluids – Are you drinking enough?

 

Best of luck!