Marathon Training Section. Breaking Through the Wall

Published on: 27 October 2017 Last Updated on: 20 July 2024

Every runner knows what “to hit the wall” means and almost every runner lives in fear of it interfering with their race. During a marathon hitting the wall is the main problem, thus, breaking through wall is the number one priority as the success with the race depends on it.

The wall is considered as the most difficult period in a marathon when things transition from being just hard to being really very-very hard. It is a specific runner`s condition of sudden fatigue and loss of energy.

For most runners, the latest 6.2 miles (or 10-K) of the marathon are commonly the toughest part of the race when the legs feel like if they are made of cement, when the stomach is queasy, the head starts getting dizzy and negative thoughts flood the mind.

The wall is hard to describe to a non-runner as it`s something that needs to experience to understand. Jerome Drayton, winner of the 81^st Boston Marathon, said it best: “To describe the agony of the marathon to someone who’s never run it is like trying to explain the color to someone who was born blind.” Some athletes call it “wall”, some also call this state “bonking”. But it doesn’t really matter how to call it, it`s more importantly, what to do about it, namely, how to break through the wall and reach the finish line first.

The key to avoiding the wall or at least minimizing its impact on your race is understanding what`s going on in your body and preparing yourself for it with proper training, intelligent race management, right nutrition and appropriate hydration strategies.

Prepare Your Body For The Race

If you include the long training runs in your training program you’ll be able to train your body for the marathon. Your long runs are the best training for avoiding the wall as they will condition your muscle for a marathon distance. By the way, they help you build your endurance and make your muscles more injury resistant. You have to experience and stimulate the exertion of the marathon every day, preferably 16 weeks before it. Your long runs should be done slowly (at least 2 minutes per mile) than the marathon pace. Remember, here your goal isn’t a distance, here your goal is duration! For example, if you run training commonly lasts 4:30 hours, your long run should last 4 hours (it means 3 hours of long runs in the morning and an additional hour in the evening).

Analyze Nutrition Matters

When your aim is to win the marathon you have to draw your attention to the right nutrition strategy. If you prepare your muscles with daily progressive long runs that’s great, but don’t forget your muscles are fueled by using the combination of fat and glycogen. The harder you’re pushing yourself, the more fuel your body needs. So you should eat before the marathon and during it! At least 300 calories you need to take in an hour before the race to raise your blood sugar level and help your brain concentrate on the task. Then every hour of the marathon you should consume about 200 calories. That can be candy, a banana, cookies, energy gels or an energy bar. It would be better if you work out what fuel is easiest for you to transport, use and digest before the race.

Drink More Often

It`s equally important to stay hydrated during the marathon. When you lose water through sweat, your overall blood volume is decreased and that’s why there’s less blood available to carry oxygen to your muscles. So dehydration also leads to the marathon wall. Try not to pass the early water stops even if you feel that you’re not thirsty! By the time your body tells you it’s thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. You have to drink two 8-ounce glasses of water or sports drink 2 hours before the marathon and take in 6 to 8 ounces of water or sports drink at every water station every 15-20 minutes of the race (of course, depending on the weather conditions, your body size and sweat rate). This will help you avoid dehydration so your blood will move smoothly from your heart to your leg muscles, providing the oxygen to those muscles and shuttling waste products away. By the way, consuming enough fluids keeps sweat flowing that cools you down and helps you ease muscle cramps. Don`t be afraid to lose your precious time, just stop and drink. These few seconds will pay off further.

Follow Proper Marathon Race Management

The biggest and most common marathon race mistake is to start the marathon too fast. Of course, you feel so strong and full of energy early in the race, so you tend to run too fast. Don`t do that, in no case! If you want to cross the finish line you have not to overestimate your potential. Keep in mind that you have to save your energy for the last 6 miles.

Use Head Games To Reach The Finish Line

To make the last 6 miles easier you shouldn’t focus on how your body is feeling or your fatigue, if anything, you can visualize yourself in another situation and try to dissociate. For example, don`t concentrate on the race you may imagine yourself by the sea or visualize achieving your goal. The main thing is to think of something nice and you’ll cross the finish line before you know it!

As you see with the right training program and racing techniques, proper nutrition, hydration and mental strategies you can easily make the last 6 miles of your marathon and defeat the wall once and for all.

Helen Rogers is an editor of http://thecrossfitshoes.com/ She helps people get stronger. She shares running and sports questions, beauty tips. All her stories are result-oriented and make her readers become healthy, wealthy and wise.

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4 Essential Ways Of How To Make Your Feet Stronger

The human feet are a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art that enables you to stand for long hours, walk for long distances, hop, skip and jump and follow the activities that your heart wants to follow. Just like a sound foundation ensures that a building stands upright forever; having strong feet ensure a longer, happier, and healthier life. However, we often tend to take our feet for granted. Even the best of athletes focus upon building muscles legs, arms, calves, abs, and the rest of the body; but hardly anyone pays attention to the feet. We seem to forget the fact that our feet are involved in almost every activity we do. They provide us the support and balance in almost all our bodily movements. Lack of strength in our feet is therefore bound to compromise our ability to do any physical activity; be it walking, running, jump, high-intensity sporting event, or even standing! The Science Behind the Structure of the Feet Before we embark upon knowing the ways about how to ensure that your feet stronger, it is important to understand the three most important aspects that dictate how strong or weak your feet are. These are - 1.The Soles Most of us who wear shoes all day long have very soft and tender feet soles. You would have noticed that those who spend time barefooted, have thicker soles. This makes them stronger and firmer and they are able to withstand superficial injuries as well as normal wear and tear quite easily. 2. The Joints, Muscles, And Tendrils Of The Feet The human foot is a very complex structure. It is made of 33 joints, 26 bones, and almost 100 ligaments! They all are designed to function in a manner that the foot can take the weight of the entire body and spread it evenly to maintain balance in all types of movement. Strong feet not only help an efficient movement but also help in improving the posture. They also help in avoiding spinal injuries by efficiently maintaining our balance, thus cushioning the effect of any jerks. 3. Arches in the Feet The arches in our feet help in an efficient rolling action, which maintains the balance during movement. Sometimes the arches are not well developed, giving rise to a situation commonly known as flat feet. When someone is flat-footed, it is difficult to maintain good rolling action which in turn leads to a lower range of action consequently lowering strength as well as speed. How to Make Your Feet Stronger Most of us are blessed with well-shaped feet that can take the rigors of our daily life and all the activities we undertake, but often we tend to neglect our feet and suffer the consequences by way of loss of strength as well as suffer from early aging symptoms. It is but natural that if the feet are weak, a person's mobility will be restricted and he will do fewer activities. This would have an adverse effect on overall health. On the other hand, if a person is active, some of the drawbacks of being flat-footed can be overcome. Here are some of the ways of how to make your feet stronger - Exercises By consciously spending some time doing the following specific exercises is the best way to make your feet stronger – Caterpillar Type Movement – (Benefit- Strengthens the arches) Lie down on your back, draw your knees and place the feet flat on the floor about 8 inches away from each other. Then lift the arches of both the feet and simultaneously pull your toes backward toward the heels. Keep this position for a few seconds and bring back the arches and toe to their original position. Then do the reverse- arches up and heels toward the toes. Repeat this set three to five times. Windshield Wiper Movement – (Benefit- Strengthens the entire foot and improves ankle stability) In continuation with the caterpillar type movement exercise listed above, lift the toes, keeping the feet flexed while only the heels are touching the floor. Then slowly roll your feet to the ground and lift the heels keeping only your toes are on the ground. Repeat 8-10 times. Wing and Sickle Movement - (Benefit - Strengthens the ankles and promotes correct posture) Continue lying down as above and roll your feet inward along the inner edge in line with the toe, then roll outwards in line with a small finger. Do this 3-5 times. The Round Knot Movement - (Benefit - Stretches the ligaments and aids foot alignment) Sit upright on the floor and extend your legs in front. Bend the left knee towards yourself and interlace the fingertips of the right hand with the left toes. Inch them forward and backward giving the foot a stretch. Repeat 6-8 times. Then do the same with the other foot. Toughening up Your Feet There are many other ways of how to make your feet stronger. Stand More Often – Our daily life is mostly based on sitting. Be it office or home, we spend the day sitting. Consciously standing more often would help strengthen and stretch the muscles of the feet. Jogging/Walking on the Sand – If you have access to a sandy beach, try walking or running gently on the sand. This would increase the flexibility and strength in your feet and exercise the arch. Read also: Why Jumping on Trampolines is More Beneficial than Running or Jogging? Walking Barefoot– Crazy as it may appear, walking on smooth rocks can do wonders for your feet' strength. Walking barefoot on grass is equally effective as it toughens up the feet soles and makes the feet stronger. Using Shoes With Insoles Insoles were traditionally used for making short people appear taller. These days however they are scientifically designed for multiple functions and assist in skiing, biking, golf, etc. Using best insoles for flat feet ensures not only physical comfort but also improves efficiency and performance in all your multifarious activities. Even those who suffer from other ailments like Morton’s Neuroma and plantar fasciitis can benefit by using the best insoles for flat feet and carry out all activities normally. Go On, Focus On Your Feet! If you want to enhance your control, balance, and power, it is important to start focusing on strengthening your feet. It will also make you agile with better control of movement. Following these simple tips in your daily routine can put you on the way to balanced, more powerful, and stronger feet in a matter of a few days! Read also: Get up and Workout! Things to Consider

Women should know about Vaginal Dryness and its Treatment

Every woman faces vaginal dryness at some point in their life. It is a condition that occurs when the moisture level drops down from the vaginal lining. The lining of the vagina is always lubricated with a thin layer of clear fluid. This fluid is essential to keep the vagina healthy, thick, and elastic. Vaginal dryness can occur at any stage of life and cause great discomfort and irritation. Lack of vaginal moisture can also impact your sex life heavily. Vaginal dryness is a condition that occurs due to a drop in estrogen levels. Estrogen a female hormone is essential and plays an important role in maintaining the moisture level in the vaginal lining. Vaginal dryness is most often observed in women after menopause when the female hormones like estrogen start to decline. Many women experience vaginal dryness as a symptom of the aging factors and try to ignore it, without seeking any treatment. Every woman should consult their doctor if they experience any discomfort or pain during sexual penetration. Luckily, there are a lot of treatment options available for vaginal dryness. What causes dryness of the Vagina? Vaginal dryness is one of the most common symptoms of menopause. However, many other factors can contribute to vaginal dryness in women at any point in age. Some of the causes are mentioned below; Vaginal dryness is a precursor of low estrogen levels in the body and during childbirth and breastfeeding conditions the level of estrogen declines leading to vaginal dryness. Women suffering from cancer and undergoing chemotherapy sessions and radiation therapy Surgical removal of the ovaries due to tumor or disease. Consuming anti-estrogen medications which are prescribed if a woman is suffering from uterine fibroids or endometriosis. An autoimmune disorder like Sjogren'ssyndrome which causes swelling of the tear as well as the salivary glands also promotes vaginal dryness by infecting the tissue lining of the vagina. Medicines that are taken during cold, are helpful in drying up the eyes and the nose. However, their adverse effects can also dry up the linings of the vagina. Antidepressants consumed by women can cause vaginal dryness in women and lead to side effects from a sexual point of view. The symptoms may cause a drastic drop in libido, and reaching orgasms. Smoking is also known to contribute to vaginal dryness, as it has been found that women who aggressively smoke tend to achieve menopause at earlier ages. Symptoms and Diagnosis of vaginal dryness: Dryness of the vagina can cause symptoms that may include burning, intercourse pain, itching, dryness, irritation, and discomfort in the vaginal area. Any of these symptoms faced by women for a prolonged period of time should not be ignored and one should immediately consult their doctor or gynecologist. Your doctor may ask you about your past health and analyze your symptoms, their duration. After knowing your symptoms the gynecologist will conduct an examination around the pelvic region and check for any redness or thinning of the tissue or lining of the vagina. This examination will also eliminate other possible causes of vaginal dryness like urinary tract infection, urinary incontinence. The doctor may also ask you to undergo a Pap test for a better diagnosis. Medical treatment: Vaginal dryness is a result of the decline in a female hormone called estrogen. Estrogen therapy can help get rid of such problems by relieving vaginal symptoms. Estrogen therapy is best suited because through the topical application the drug is absorbed at a lower rate reducing the risk that can happen when estrogen is consumed in the form of a pill. There are quite forms available as topical estrogen therapy which includes. Topical estrogen cream: there are so many formulations available, which contain estrogen in cream and can be applied directly around the vagina region. Scientific studies have shown that estrogen cream is effective when curing the dryness issue. These creams have proven to reduce the symptoms of dryness, burning, and itching of the vaginal area Vaginal ring. This is another formulation that contains a flexible ring where it can be easily inserted into the vagina. This ring is known to release the estrogen in very low amounts over a period of time and help relieve the symptoms of vaginal dryness. Vaginal tablet: These dosage forms are designed to be inserted directly into the vagina with the help of an applicator. The dosage form contains estrogen which is slowly released in the presence of vaginal fluid. However, every woman should consult their doctor regarding estrogen therapy, especially those who have previously experienced a case of breast cancer. Estrogen therapy is to be taken with caution in pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. Off-The-Shelf Treatments: Off-The-Shelftreatments include the use of lubricants. The lubricants are available in two forms which include water-based lubricant or oil-based lubricant. Doctors recommend the use of water-based lubricants over lubricants that have a high dosage of oil in them. Because oil-based lubricants can cause irritation and breakage of condoms during intercourse. Lubricants are available over the counter and help in treating vaginal dryness by moisturizing the inner lining of the vagina. Home remedies: One can prevent vaginal dryness from happening by adopting certain lifestyle changes and including good foods into their diet which includes the following Smoking has been identified as a risk factor for vaginal dryness. Smoking has anti-estrogenic effects that can cause a decline in the levels of estrogen. Estrogen is known to play an important role in lubricating the vagina. Doing regular exercise boosts up the blood circulation in the body and helps maintain normal hormonal balance. Consuming at least 2-3 liters of water daily and keeping you hydrated, to retain the moisture levels in the body. Regular sex- Practicing regular sex can help increase the blood flow to the vaginal tissues, and stimulate moisture production during arousal. Using skin-friendly compounds: The tissue present in the vagina is very delicate and contains good bacteria’s that help clean the bad things naturally and maintains the pH of the vaginal fluid. Using products like harsh soaps, fragrances, and other dyes can irritate the vaginal tissue promoting vaginal dryness. So, try to inhibiting the use of these products to prevent vaginal dryness. Also, using clingy synthetic materials as your undergarment can promote vaginal dryness by restricting the movement of air. Try using cotton and skin-friendly undergarments that soothe your vagina by promoting airflow. If you are also facing problems with vaginal dryness, try to keep it lubricated all the time by following all the mentioned parameters above. A lubricated vagina can make you feel good, fresh, young and can also protect you from harmful bacteria. Read Also: Can Breast Augmentation Cause Cancer? What To Do If You Facing Foreclosure? Testosterone Replacement Therapy What To Expect Just Not Feeling It? Tips For Getting Your Sex Drive Back

CBD: The understanding of its benefits

Miracle Medicine or Shark Scam? The substance cannabidiol, CBD, is gaining more attention and allegedly curing and alleviating a number of diseases and symptoms - but what exactly is it? According to a page named as the upcoming, CBD is one of the hundreds of so-called cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, and unlike the intoxicating and known substance THC, the CBD is not psychoactive and in itself does not cause intoxication. However, both THC and CBD are pharmacologically interesting and there is a great potential for medical use - both individually and in different combinations between them. In some states, like Arkansas, it is now legal for people to use both THC and CBD medicinally. Getting a medical marijuana card in Arkansas to help alleviate certain ailments is now made easier with telehealth options emerging. Historically, the medicinal properties of the cannabis plant have been used for a number of ailments in much of the world. For example, to reduce pain or to relieve symptoms from rheumatism and epilepsy. Today, this palette of disease states that cannabis is said to alleviate and the cure has increased even more, although the scientific support for its medicinal effect is often weak or non-existent. CBD is removed from the list of prohibited substances A major problem, however, has been that the research on cannabis medical potential has been made more difficult by the drug classified as a heavy drug without medical potential, which among other things has meant that few large and well-made studies have been done in humans. The fact that it is difficult to patent natural substances is also a reason why pharmaceutical companies have not invested in cannabis medical studies. But much has happened in recent years and today we can see a more relaxed view of the CBD. For example, the anti-doping organization Wada will remove cannabidiol from its list of banned substances in 2018 - while cannabis and THC are still on the list. We can also see that the sales of high quality CBD products, often in the form of oil drops, have grown sharply in recent years. The CBD industry in the US: The CBD industry in the US is both large and profitable. But from the point of view of authority, the criticism has long been hard against the industry. The US FDA recently released a number of letters to a number of major CBD dealers in the United States. Message: Stop marketing your products with medical claims that are not backed by science. The authority is also critical of the fact that CBD oil is marketed as a dietary supplement, although according to the FDA it is obvious that the products are pharmaceuticals. A new study on CBD content in products in the US market also showed that 70 percent of the tested products contained more or less CBD than the table of contents declared. It should be pointed out that there are tons of CBD brands, which claim to be the best at what they do. Huge claims are made about the purity of the extraction process and how well they work when it comes to relieving muscle and joint pains, promoting sleep, and so on. However, closer examinations reveal that the majority of brands operating in the CBD industry are just trying to hitch on the popularity bandwagon. Experts state that apart from brands like penguincbd.com, there are hardly others who can really claim to be creating great CBD products. Meanwhile in some countries: In some countries, it is difficult to obtain figures on how large the industry around CBD products is today, but that the growth is strong in recent years is clear. Many salesmen have long worked in a legal gray area and marketed their products as food and dietary supplements. This has meant that you have been in a more or less lawless country since you do not have to follow the Medicines Act and it is up to the manufacturers themselves to be responsible for ensuring that the products are safe. Specifically, this means that buyers can’t possibly know whether the amount of CBD in the product is actually what is claimed or if it contains heavy metals, other drugs, or toxic substances. You also have no responsibility to collect any side effects. Can CBD cure unusual diseases? In the United States, CBD passed on a broad front after a notable CNN report in 2013, where one had to meet the five-year-old girl Charlotte Figi who suffers from a very difficult and unusual form of childhood epilepsy, Dravet's syndrome. Charlotte was plagued by up to 300 heavy epileptic seizures a week and after existing drugs did not work, the parents tested her medication with CBD-rich cannabis oil, which drastically reduced the epileptic seizures. The girl suffers from the difficult and unusual epilepsy disease Dravet's syndrome and became an early symbol of the medical cannabis movement. Photo: TT And it is precisely to relieve and reduce seizures in difficult-to-treat and unusual epilepsy that CBD has shown the most promising results. In a review article from 2016, a number of researchers went through a number of studies on cannabidiol's medical effects and pointed out a number of areas where CBD drugs can be extra interesting, especially if combined with other substances, such as turmeric for example. To note, CBD and turmeric benefits are considered important by a lot of researchers. Epilepsy: Here, both early clinical data and anecdotal evidence indicate that CBD can be effective against epilepsy and then specifically difficult-to-treat forms that affect children, such as Dravet's syndrome and Lennox-Gastauut's syndrome. A British pharmaceutical company, GW Pharmaceuticals, is also in the final phase with a CBD-based drug that many people hope to be able to print soon to children suffering from severe epilepsy. A study from 2017 on 120 children and young adults with Dravet's syndrome also adds additional weight to CBD treatment in epilepsy. One could then show a statistically significant reduction in severe epilepsy cases in the group receiving cannabidiol. However, the CBD group also had more side effects than the placebo group. Schizophrenia and Psychosis Diseases: Today we know that cannabis use is one of several risk factors for suffering from schizophrenia and other psychosis diseases. And that one should be able to relieve and treat this with substances from the cannabis plant may sound strange, but cannabidiol antipsychotic properties are now being studied carefully. In the review article, the researchers stated that various studies have shown that it is possible to alleviate symptoms from schizophrenia with CBD. And among the more than 100 studies on cannabidiol that are currently registered, there are several whose future results can clarify the CBD's potential in psychosis disease. The same British drug companies that develop the CBD-based epilepsy drug have also, in a recently published and well-done study, shown that CBD can provide symptomatic relief in schizophrenia. Depending Disease: Another interesting area where CBD is predicted to have a medical field of application is dependency disease. Studies are currently underway in the treatment of problematic use of alcohol, cocaine, and opioids. There are also studies suggesting that CBD and turmeric capsules can reduce withdrawal symptoms in people trying to stop cannabis. And much more… From the information above, it can be concluded that CBD really has health benefits. But of course, it would be wiser if the use is consulted in advance with the doctor or related medical officer. Read Also: 4 Advantages Of Using CBD Oils Is CBD Oil & Edible Treats Safe For Pets – Dogs & Cats Cannabis Can Help In The Fight Against Drug Addiction

Marathon Training Section. Breaking Through the Wall

Prepare Your Body For The Race

Analyze Nutrition Matters

Drink More Often

Follow Proper Marathon Race Management

Use Head Games To Reach The Finish Line

Read More :

Yoga For Pregnant Women

The miraculous benefits of Aqua Yoga

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

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4 Essential Ways Of How To Make Your Feet Stronger

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Marathon Training Section. Breaking Through the Wall

Prepare Your Body For The Race

Analyze Nutrition Matters

Drink More Often

Follow Proper Marathon Race Management

Use Head Games To Reach The Finish Line

Read More :

Share this Article

Yoga For Pregnant Women

The miraculous benefits of Aqua Yoga

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

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