Running the London Marathon? Find your winning edge with our help
Thousands of people will be doing the London Marathon for the first time next April. Some will be experienced runners ready for a challenge and others may be relatively new to running and may not fully appreciate the stresses and strains put on the body with such a repetitive sport.
SO HOW CAN A PHYSIO HELP ME COMPETE? Physios are trained to analyse the way we move and to be able to identify when someone is not using a successful strategy. There are many different running styles out there.
Many runners have quirky habits that may well lead to trouble later on. Some have obvious asymmetries, for example an exaggerated kick out to one side. However others generally have small, subtle variations that, when repeated over time, can be just as troublesome.
As well as assessing someone’s overall style of running, we further break-down our assessment of your general fitness and running style with a much finer focus. For example, we look at your core strength, your flexibility, your power levels, your postural symmetry plus your muscle length and tightness. Together, these factors will improve your chances of competing successfully.
CORE STRENGTH
FLEXIBILITY
Sometimes an old niggle which has not been properly resolved can lead to joint stiffness when you start training. Or you may just be on the ‘stiffer end’ of the flexibility scale. Conversely, some runners can be hypermobile (too flexible) meaning they can have issues in controlling their limbs sufficiently. We will examine your range of joint movement to ensure you have sufficient flexibility in your body to run fluidly.
POWER
POSTURAL SYMMETRY
MUSCLE LENGTH & TIGHTNESS
We look at the length of your muscles to check you are not overly tight in one or two muscle groups – or that you have tightness in one side of your body.
It is true that some runners have a very strange running style that never gives them any bother – take Paula Radcliffe and her waggling head. But in general some simple advice and correction given at the start can greatly reduce your risk of developing a problem during your training period up to the marathon and beyond.
WHAT NEXT?
Take the first step and choose from one of the following Running Packages and we will aim to have you match-ready by next April:
