Marathon Misstep

As promised this is the first of two posts on marathon running. I won’t even begin to go into great detail that could take a long time, but will attempt to provide a few pointers and perspectives on the sport.

Some of you may have seen the conclusion of the men’s race at the Chicago Marathon last weekend when the winner slipped and fell at the finish line. Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya won the Chicago Marathon in a time of 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 35 seconds. After approximately 35,000 steps his foot slipped on his very last step of the race on a banner placed on the ground at the finish line that was wet from rain falling that day. Cheruiyot received a concussion and was in the hospital for 2 days. While the video is initially entertaining, the injury was fairly significant. From my experience he is fortunate not to have injured a knee, hamstring, groin or other lower-body part in the process. After an effort like that, the body is not well equipped to deal with sudden movements or to protect itself in the way it would under normal circumstances.

With Mr. Cheruiyot’s mishap as a backdrop, I’ll give you the tips on finishing and recovering from a marathon first and next time talk about preparation and the race itself.

There are lots of theories about how to finish a marathon. If you stand at the finish line you will see everything from people sprinting to the finish to others crawling. I’ve seen people lay down and barrel-roll. I have seen people walk across. I’ve seen people dive across (not recommended).

Let’s be practical here. You’ve just run 26.2 miles, don’t do something stupid and ruin your experience trying to be cool. You’re not likely to impress anyone because you do something funny at the finish line. While it is natural and commendable to pick up your pace at the end of a race, do so cautiously. Muscles are way beyond their limits at this point and sudden speed changes could lead to injury. A dead sprint to the finish probably means you misjudged your pace along the way. Then again, anything above a slow walk may feel like a dead sprint at the end of a marathon. Just run across the line giving whatever you’ve got left without risking injury. Feel free to pump your fist or wave to friends and family if you feel the need, you’ve earned it. I wouldn’t bother waving to the crowd in general unless you’re winning the race by several steps.

Once across the line keep moving. Two reasons. First, you need to get out of the way of others coming in behind you who want to enjoy their moment at the finish line as well. Second is that whole sudden movement thing again. When you cross the line you should decelerate to a walk and keep moving for at least 50 yards. If you need to pause for the race officials to give you a medal or take your timing chip or to kneel in prayer (yes, I’ve done all three, trust me prayers of thanksgiving are well in order, but we’ll get into that next time) go ahead, but don’t stay still for long. Actually, if you kneel down a medical person will probably rush to find out if you’re all right.

At most races drinks and food won’t be far from the finish line. I’m not sure if that is like a huge carrot urging you on to the finish or just convenience. Start replacing fluids immediately. Keep drinking until long after you don’t feel thirsty anymore. You need to replace mostly water, but electrolytes are important too. A good rule of thumb is to drink as much water as you do sports drink in the post-race phase. As soon as you are able it’s a good idea to find a banana and a bagel (or some other carbohydrate source). I’m not a proponent of beer or burgers at the finish line, but others love it. I have my doubts that either contribute to a quick recovery.

Once you’ve begun hydrating you need to start stretching (keep in mind you are still on your feet at this point walking around as best you’re able). Spend some time stretching, it will make a big difference in how you feel for the next several days. My suggestion is to stretch for a few minutes, walk around some more, stretch again, get a massage if you want to. Realistically it’s not a great idea to sit down for a prolonged period of time for probably 30 minutes after the race. Once you sit for any length of time you will tighten up like you can’t imagine. The more slowly you can get your muscles to tighten the better off you’ll be.

After leaving the race site and getting a long shower and a good meal be prepared to be very tight and sore for a few days. This can range from 3 – 14, literally. It varies by person, recovery plan, and effort during the race. Don’t expect to be able to run at your normal training pace for about 1 week., maybe longer.

Finishing a marathon is a great feeling. Forgetting to take care of yourself after the race and ending up worse off than necessary will make your experience much less positive. Two other thoughts. First, if you have a legitimate injury at the end of a race, get it checked out and ignore the walking/stretching part of my advice until you’re cleared by medical personnel. Second, be sure to soak in the atmosphere at the finish line. It’s a cool experience, particularly as a finisher.

Next time I’ll give you a few tips on training and running the race.