Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    MARATHONS are becoming more and more popular in Shenzhen. This Sunday, 15,000 runners will cover distances of 6 km, 21 km and 42 km. When the marathon was announced in October, all of the spots were snapped up in just one hour.

    But if you actually run a distance of 42 km, are you ready for the immense strain that will be put on your body?

    “A marathon is a gala for runners, so people should take part in the event with a light heart and relaxed mood. Safety and enjoyment will be the priority,” Ke Gangming, an official with Shenzhen sports administration said Tuesday, citing two examples from a 2012 Guangzhou Marathon in which people collapsed after overexerting themselves. Chen Jie, 19, who felt uncomfortable after covering 5 km, died of cardiogenic shock hours after running 10 km. Twenty-five-year-old Ding Xixiao fainted 300-m away from the 5-km mini-marathon finish line and later died at the hospital.

    “Don’t rush, don’t race with elite runners and run at your own pace for fun, that is what a marathon is for,” Tan Lihong, head of training at the Shenzhen Athletes Training Center.

    For this year’s race, visitors are required to have a ticket issued by the organizing committee before they are allowed to enter the southern square of Shenzhen Civic Center, the start and finish line for the race, after the start of the race at 8 a.m. The organizer will only have 3,000 tickets available for early birds.

    Services

    The organizer will set up six supply stations every 5 km starting from the 15-km point that will provide energy drinks, water, bananas, etc. Starting at the 5-km point, the organizer will set up water stations every 2.5 km. Each station will provide sponges to help runners cool down.

    The organizer will also install 300 porta potties at the square and along the route every 2.5 km starting from the 5-km point.

    The number of volunteers who will serve the race increased from last year’s 980 to this year’s 1,400. All of them are students from Shenzhen Polytechnic and have received training.

    Every 2.5 km, there is a medical station that can offer simple treatments for minor injuries like sprains and strains. Along the route, ambulances will follow runners to offer help in emergencies.

    Two-hundred medical employees and 408 volunteers will offer medical aid. If you have any problem, contact a volunteer.

    Star squad

    Six-km runners may have a chance to run with sports champions, entrepreneurs, well-known singers and anchorpersons who will form a special racing squad.

    According to the organizers, Li Ning, the chairperson of Li Ning Sports Co. who is known as the Prince of Gymnastics, Li Tie, assistant coach of Evergrande, Ye Zhaoying, former world badminton champion, Hu Die and Duan Yongchun, anchorpersons of CCTV, and Olympic gold medalists Wang Liping (racing walking) and Luo Wei (taekwondo) are among those to be in the squad.

    Weather

    The temperatures on race day will range between 14-18 degrees Celsius with periods of sun, which is good weather for outdoor running. Even though you might get hot while running, the organizer wants to remind participants to be sure and dress warm for the cool mornings.

    Three days before the race

    CARBO-LOAD,

    DON’T FAT-LOAD

    During the last days before the race, concentrate on eating carbohydrate-rich foods, such as potatoes, bread, fruit and fruit juice, low-fat milk and yogurt, low-fat treats and sports drinks. It’s the carbs, after all, not fat or protein, that will fuel you on race day. Make sure your food choices are carbohydrate-rich, not full of fat.

    Select the shoes — and the socks — you’ll wear for the marathon. The shoes should be relatively lightweight but provide good support, and the socks should be suitable for racing.

    Day of race

    EAT BREAKFAST

    Eat a carbohydrate-rich breakfast two to three hours before the start, even if that means getting up at an early hour.

    The reason: As you sleep, your brain is active and using the glycogen (stored carbohydrates) from your liver. Breakfast restocks those stores, so you’ll be less likely to run out of fuel.

    WARM UP

    But just a little. Even the best marathoners in the world do only a little jogging beforehand because they want to reserve their glycogen stores and keep their core body temperature down. If you’ll be running the marathon at about your training pace, skip the jog. Walk around a bit in the half hour before the start and stretch. Most injuries can be avoided by warming up and doing stretches immediately before the race.

    COLLECT YOURSELF

    An hour before the start, find a quiet place and spend five minutes reviewing your race plan and motivation.

    LINE UP LOOSE

    Fifteen minutes before the start, begin some gentle stretching. Remember, your goal is to start the race comfortably.

    START SLOW

    Run the first 3 to 5 km slower than your goal pace. This preserves precious glycogen stores for later in the race so you can finish strong.

    DRINK EARLY, DRINK OFTEN

    Take sports drink at the first-aid station and every one after. Taking in carbohydrates and fluids early will help postpone or prevent serious dehydration, so you’ll be a lot more likely to maintain your pace.

    But don’t overhydrate during the race. Sip water at every drink station, don’t guzzle it!(Han Ximin)