London Marathon Preparation Tips
Osteopath and Massage Therapist George Russell gives some handy tips for marathon training..
The countdown to the London Marathon has well and truly begun now, with just over a month to go. The majority of the hard work and long training miles are in the bank. However, those of us who may be marathon first timers, have had time off due to injuries, been ill or are just trying the full distance on the day.
Here is a bit of advice to help get you through to race day, whatever category you may fall into.
Read more below.
It’s very common to pick up little aches and pains when increasing training load or intensity, not only if you’re doing your first event but also if you’re pushing to beat your previous time. Whether it’s a bit of knee pain, back pain or a feeling of general tightness due to the increased stress on your body it is never too late to get it checked out. Getting these sorted now can not only put your mind at rest before the big day but could also make the difference between getting a personal best, running, walking or crawling across the finish line on the day!
At Hampton Wick Health we can help identify areas that may be leading to these niggles/pains and help reduce the likelihood of them turning into something bigger and preventing you from doing your best on the day. It can be as straight forward as getting those hamstring or calf muscles a little looser, improving your hip flexor mobility or reducing some tension in your back or buttock muscles with a few simple stretches or exercises.With over 6 weeks to go, you’ve got plenty of time to work on keeping flexible, but don’t put it off till ‘tomorrow’.
See our Osteopaths for a body check up (alignment, joint or muscle issues) or specific injury.
For relaxing, loosening or re-energising tired muscles, book with our massage therapists.
It’s unlikely that you’ll lose any top-end fitness within a few weeks, so you have the luxury of taking it a little easier over the coming weeks in the lead up to the marathon. Even if you don't feel completely ready or prepared, do not panic, keep to your training plan, eat and drink well, and look after your body with stretches/treatment but above all, look forward to taking in the atmosphere and enjoying your time on the day :)
Pilates Open Day
Saturday 23rd March 9.30am - 12.30pm
& Tuesday 26th March 5pm - 7pm
Come along to the clinic to chat with our Pilates instructor Cathy Bishop.
Find out how Mat Pilates and Reformer Pilates can help improve your strength, flexibility, mobility, mind/body connection for wellbeing or help with a specific injury/condition.
Those who attend will receive a special 10% off block bookings. Don't miss out!
Why Yoga?
Yoga Instructor Louisa Koussertari shares with us her understanding of yoga.
Yoga’s lineage stems from India with the purpose of connecting the individual consciousness with the universal consciousness through physical activity. In short, it aims to not only improve your physical health but your emotional and spiritual health as well.
Through repetitive movement and a focus on the breath, the act of yoga can be extremely therapeutic. In addition to being therapeutic, these movements focus on building flexibility and strength. Many types of yoga involve meditation at some point during the exercise. The meditative portion of yoga tends to attract people who are seeking to unwind from stressful situations.
THE BENEFITS OF YOGA
Yoga provides a meditative environment for you to improve your overall quality of life, focusing on stress relief while improving your body and mind.
Yoga is a study of the self - a lifelong process.
Yoga can very quickly provide a very strengthening, lengthening and cleansing release - working the cardiovascular, nervous and digestive system.
WHY PRIVATE TUITION?
Private sessions are tailored to work around you and your needs (physically, emotionally, and energetically).
Focus can be on alignment, strength, cardiovascular system, injuries or health issues (digestion, sleep, anxiety, stress), depending on your requirements. Meditation methods/Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep) may be used.
The teacher can make physical adjustments and corrections to further your practice.
All these teaching aids are aimed towards building a space & toolkit for self-study, to develop your own yoga practice and journey.
Yoga & Massage is the perfect combination during strenuous sports training.
‘Yoga for runners sessions’ are tailored specifically to the individual, with a focus on the core muscle groups used for running, breathing, overall alignment, running posture, strength and lengthening of the body.
This practice has been proven repeatedly amongst athletes to reduce injury, increase mobility, improve breathing efficiency and increase lung capacity, thus improving performance.
Overall the mental benefits of yoga can be limitless and help with common issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, hormonal and mood imbalances to name a few. In addition, regular practise will work the cardiovascular, nervous, digestive and endocrine systems.
Massage for runners - I’m sure you are well aware of the benefits of massages, as are most runners; reduced pain, tightness, tension and the intensity of muscle soreness after a tough workout or marathon.
For runners, sports massage will stretch and lengthen your muscles in a much deeper and more specific way than when you self-stretch, thus helping the body to recover quickly and effectively.
Some studies indicate that massage can reduce inflammation, improve immune function, and reduce stress hormones like cortisol.
