Gait analysis and Great North Run Preparation

July 10, 2022

It’s that time of year again as many runners start their half marathon training in preparing for the GNR 2022!

Here are some half marathon training tips and nutrition planning leading up to the race!

1. Keep your long, easy runs easy! It can be tempting to want to pick up the pace on easy runs if you are feeling good, but those easy miles are essential for maintaining a good aerobic base, increasing mitochondrial adaptations, and therefore available energy. Running easy for 80% of your training will also ensure that you don’t run the risk of overtraining and burning out before race day, as well as meaning you can keep your hard sessions hard and get the most quality out of your higher intensity sessions.
2. Incorporate some interval training and tempo runs (this should cover about 20% of your training) to ensure you are working at a moderate to higher intensity to improve lactate threshold and running economy at a faster pace. This combined with longer easy runs will enable you to run at a faster pace for longer.
3. Don’t neglect strength training! Strength training is important to maintain throughout the whole training period, as it can help reduce risk of injury, as well as improving running efficiency and performance.
4. Practice race day nutrition – as you will be running for longer than 1-2 hours, you will need to be taking on not only enough water, but electrolytes and carbohydrates as well. The electrolytes ensure sodium levels in the system don’t drop too low, which is especially important in warmer weather when you might be sweating more out! You might want to take on some carbs after the 60minute mark to help top up those energy stores – you should aim for 40-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour, after the first hour of running. This could be taken in the form of an energy gel – make sure you practice these strategies to find what works for you and avoid any stomach issues on route!
5. Get your race kit ready prior to race day – there’s nothing worse than being in a last minute rush and panic on the morning of the race. Get rid of that unneeded stress by packing out your kit the night before, including your nutrition for the day. This will make you feel much more relaxed and ready to race.
6. Gait analysis –  If you currently have a niggle or injury through training for the Great North Run, or just want to improve your running efficiency and performance, why not come for a running gait analysis at Physiotherapy Matters? The gait analysis is designed to pick out any factors in your running gait that may be contributing to injury, reducing your efficiency and therefore performance. Gait analysis is suitable for anyone, from beginner to the experienced runner.