Post Marathon Tips By Simon Heale LCSP NRHP at Chelsea Natural Health Clinic, Fulham Rd, SW10

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Its now Sunday afternoon and all of those brave and inspirational souls and soles will have completed their challenge: to run a marathon.

The weather was so kind to you and hopefully all went to plan. You have your medal, your T-shirt, goody-bag, blisters, aching legs and so many memories.

This brief piece is a reminder of how to recover well from this physical ordeal, enabling you to get back into training, stay illness and injury free.

Nutrition: Eat more protein than carbohydrates for the next week. Protein assists in the healing of tissues, many of which have been fairly battered. Eat normally too, any sudden increase in fats now, as you slow your training could have an effect on your weight. Keep your fluid intake up, being careful not to hit the alcohol too heavily.

Body-Care: Over the next few days have a combination of warm and cold baths. The cold baths will assist in the healing of the tissues and the warm will soothe aching fibres. Having a few EPSOM SALT baths will greatly improve your muscle recovery this week. Soak your feet in Epsom Salt and ice any aching joints or muscles.

Treat yourself to a Sports Recovery Massage later this week or next to sort out any post run aches, strains or the inevitable stiffness.

For appointments this week please call the Chelsea Clinic on 020 7352 3087, or for Crouch End call me on 07932 393972.

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You will be stiff on Monday, but probably stiffer on Tuesday. Walking down stairs will seem like an impossible task. KEEP MOVING, YOUR MUSCLES WANT TO MOVE. Lying on the sofa will not do. Many of you will be going back to work this week, Tube steps will never look so impossible. Enjoy them, you may look weird to others as you negotiate the giant 3 steps, but you will know why you are like this. You are a marathoner!!!

Introduce gentle STRETCHES later this week, especially to the Quadriceps, which will be the main culprits, stiffness wise.

Get moving as soon as possible: get onto an exercise bike either Tuesday or Wednesday for about 20 minutes. Walking will keep the muscles lubricated and only do any running towards the end of the week.

REMEMBER: YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WILL HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED BY RUNNING 26.2 MILES. YOU ARE THEREFORE AT RISK OF CATCHING INFECTIONS, COLDS ETC.

So increase any immune function supplements, juices, foods this week. If you want more information on this please email any of our nutrition therapists on www.chelseanaturalhealth.co.uk

What Next: You may experience Post Marathon Blues: a natural hiatus following such a long build up of training, culminating in the run. No matter how much they love you, even your partners, family and friends will be relieved its all over (for this year), as us runners can be a bit of a bore with marathon preparation, post marathon you will need to give them a break now. Attend to their needs; trust me, they’ll love you for it!

So to conclude: glory in your success. No matter how you feel you have done, you have completed something that very few people manage to do in their lifetimes. Give yourself permission to feel smug. Allow those weepy moments, when your emotions, for unknown reasons overwhelm you.

Well done you!!

If you need any advice about the marathon or need a post run massage please call reception on 020 7352 3087 to make an appointment for Wednesday and Saturday.

I can also be contacted on 07932 393972 for any advice.

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Simon Heale has run 8 London Marathons, New York and Johanesburg as well as an ultra-marathon in 2008..and has wept after each one!!!!

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DON’T PANIC MR(S) MARATHONER!!

LAST MINUTE TIPS TO GET YOU TO THE START AND TO FINISH THE LONDON MARATHON BY SIMON HEALE LCSP NRHP at CHELSEA NATURAL HEALTH CLINIC, FULHAM ROAD, SW10

This Sunday is the London Marathon and for the past few weeks I have been inundated with runners, any athletes, of all levels either seeing me for treatment or calling me for advice. The fact that this happens every year around the same time, a month before the race is no coincidence. This is the time that slight panic sets in. the last long run will be on the horizon and the fears of not having done enough training and not being ready loom large.

This brief piece is for anyone who is about to run this weekend or even soon. It is a repeat of the advice I have been giving to runners last week and this week:

Don’t panic: save your energy, save your adrenal glands, allowing your body to rest and recover from the training, building your reserves for the day itself.

Stop Running Now: You will gain nothing from training now. You are more likely to injure yourself this week. Allow your muscles to rest and recover and re-charge for the big day.

Injuries or Niggles: At this stage you must assess or have assessed by a sports therapist whether you are fit to take part on Sunday. Any slight niggles can be assessed and treated at the clinic on Friday with Philip or Saturday with me. You can still be icing and niggles and doing careful, focussed stretches. Go to my stretches online: http://www.youtube.com/user/simonheale#g/u

Rest: (repeating myself here!!) this week is the time to charge up your batteries and to change your focus to the run itself. Training is done, rest and rest this week and you will feel charged and full of bounce on Sunday.

Drink: Hydrate yourself well this week. Have water with you always and sip regular amounts. Nerves can make you feel drained, so keep hydrated.

Eat: Begin, if you haven’t already, to increase your carbohydrate intake. Bigger lunches and dinners with larger portions of either pasta, potato, rice or bread. Snacking on flapjacks, bananas, and muffins in-between meals. Continue this until Saturday lunch, DO NOT have a HUGE pasta meal on Saturday night, eat normally. Your muscles will not gain much from a massive dinner the night before and you risk feeling heavy the next day.

Sleep: make sure you get good nights sleep on the Friday before, as it is most likely you will be a tad restless on Saturday night.

Logistics: Get all your race gear ready the day before. Shoes, socks etc. Plasters for nipples, Vaseline, pre-race nibbles, drink. Check train times. Set your alarm.

The Day: Get to the start in plenty of time. Take something warm to wear before the start, which you can discard at kick-off. (Charities pick these up) Stop drinking an hour to 45 minutes before, as you will only need to find a loo as you line up.

Target: Be prepared to re-set any target you may have. If it’s a hot day, take it easy, hydrate well, little and often, and take the temperature into account. If you have a slight niggle, then be happy enough to be at the start, knowing you have the training in your legs, and know that you will finish, have a medal, and a memory of the most amazing experience of your life so far!

DON’T PANIC: Your mind will be playing games with you this week as it prepares you for the task ahead. Every possible problem will surface; every one of your senses will be on high alert. Take deep breaths and know that you are ready and that there is nothing more that you can do now, except.

REST, RELAX, EAT, DRINK and RUN WELL!!

I will be posting a post run piece tomorrow.

If you need any advice about the marathon or need a pre run massage or calming down please call reception to make an appointment for Saturday.

I can also be contacted on 07932 393972 for any advice.

Simon Heale has run 8 London Marathons, New York and Johanesburg as well as an ultra-marathon in 2008 so should know better!!

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